Simply, a genre of Electronic Dance Music based around a non-straightened half-step beat, wherein a bass-drum (kick) will often (but not always) play on the first downbeat and a mid-range percussion (snares, claps, etc.) playing on the third downbeat, with variations to this skeleton beat. It is often produced around 140BPM, but can go as low as 128 or even as high as 145, there is no real set BPM.
Sometimes it is said to be a downtempo genre but this is simply a misunderstanding of the concept of a half-step beat.
LFO modulated low and midrange basslines are not essential to the genre and alot of dubstep productions do not even incorporate them (e.g. Nero - Reaching Out, Bassnectar Remix - Ellie Goulding - Lights), and actually originated from it's origins in 2-step garage and Dub Reggae, and can be found in DnB and House.
Expanding on this, frequently, alot of songs that aren't Dubstep are referred to as Dubstep, mainly due to incorporating alot of features (LFO-Modded Bass, Dirty FM Synthesis Mid-Range, etc.) associated with Dubstep.
There is no specific feel to dubstep. It can be thrashy, heavy and dirty (e.g. Skrillex, Excision, etc.) or melodic, euphoric and trancey (e.g. Seven Lions, Xilent, etc.), or moody, relaxing and chill (e.g. Skream, Bassnectar, etc.). It can incorporate elements of a variety of different genres ranging from Trance and DnB to Hip-Hop and Nu-Metal, and the reverse is also true.
Sometimes it is said to be a downtempo genre but this is simply a misunderstanding of the concept of a half-step beat.
LFO modulated low and midrange basslines are not essential to the genre and alot of dubstep productions do not even incorporate them (e.g. Nero - Reaching Out, Bassnectar Remix - Ellie Goulding - Lights), and actually originated from it's origins in 2-step garage and Dub Reggae, and can be found in DnB and House.
Expanding on this, frequently, alot of songs that aren't Dubstep are referred to as Dubstep, mainly due to incorporating alot of features (LFO-Modded Bass, Dirty FM Synthesis Mid-Range, etc.) associated with Dubstep.
There is no specific feel to dubstep. It can be thrashy, heavy and dirty (e.g. Skrillex, Excision, etc.) or melodic, euphoric and trancey (e.g. Seven Lions, Xilent, etc.), or moody, relaxing and chill (e.g. Skream, Bassnectar, etc.). It can incorporate elements of a variety of different genres ranging from Trance and DnB to Hip-Hop and Nu-Metal, and the reverse is also true.
Purist: ERRMAHGAWD "SKRILLEX - SCARY MONSTERS" IZH NOT DUBSTEP
Person who understands what Dubstep is: It has a half-step beat, and is roughly around the tempo of 140, it's dubstep, even if you don't like it, which i definitely don't, but i won't lie that it doesn't fall into the genre.
______________________________________________
Your Grandfather: STOP PLAYING THAT DUBSTEP CRAP.
You: Heatbeat is not Dubstep grandpa, they are electro-trance, but it's obvious you can't tell the difference.
Person who understands what Dubstep is: It has a half-step beat, and is roughly around the tempo of 140, it's dubstep, even if you don't like it, which i definitely don't, but i won't lie that it doesn't fall into the genre.
______________________________________________
Your Grandfather: STOP PLAYING THAT DUBSTEP CRAP.
You: Heatbeat is not Dubstep grandpa, they are electro-trance, but it's obvious you can't tell the difference.
by Sidechained Subbass October 27, 2012
Dubstep (Noun) - Music Genre.
Wikipedia Defines Dubstep as:
"A genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"."
Country of Origin: England
Date of Origin: Late 1990's
Artist/s:
Skream
Dj Hatcha
Borgore
Skrillex
(To Name a few.)
Dubstep started off as an underground genre, a fusion of Dub and 2-Step Music, And has slowly gained porularity throughout the 2000's with increasing popularity fom 2005.
With artists such as Britanny Spears using dubstep on their albums, and modern dubstep artists, such as Skrillex, Nero and Boregore bringing the music to the masses.
Wikipedia Defines Dubstep as:
"A genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"."
Country of Origin: England
Date of Origin: Late 1990's
Artist/s:
Skream
Dj Hatcha
Borgore
Skrillex
(To Name a few.)
Dubstep started off as an underground genre, a fusion of Dub and 2-Step Music, And has slowly gained porularity throughout the 2000's with increasing popularity fom 2005.
With artists such as Britanny Spears using dubstep on their albums, and modern dubstep artists, such as Skrillex, Nero and Boregore bringing the music to the masses.
"Dubstep, The act of pushing your butt cheeks as close together and as hard as possible, and having an Explosive diarrhea shit, while banging two metal trash can lids together at the same time, into a microphone. That's what Dubstep is"
"wub wub wub wub wub wub PFFFFTTTSHHHHHPTPTPTP, *Crash* *Crash* *Crash*"
"wub wub wub wub wub wub PFFFFTTTSHHHHHPTPTPTP, *Crash* *Crash* *Crash*"
by Lycr October 22, 2011
Genre of music that has tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals.
by weedsloud March 8, 2011
by AnonymousNumber2000 October 17, 2021
by MC Paraplegic January 16, 2011
Dubstep - Dubstep is music centred around bass.
It draws on many musical influences. Such influences include, dub, reggae, d'n'b, jungle, UK garage, grime, techno and IDM.
Usually around 140bpm in tempo, the unifying sounds within dubstep are always bass and sub-bass.
The music ranges in style from melodious instrumentals to dark, techy and distorted numbers.
Many UK grime mc's also mc over dubstep tracks, although grime and dubstep should not be confused.
Dubstep is usually mellow and generally has a well paced structure to each song. Grime beats are generally more disjointed, the overall production level being grittier than that in dubstep.
It draws on many musical influences. Such influences include, dub, reggae, d'n'b, jungle, UK garage, grime, techno and IDM.
Usually around 140bpm in tempo, the unifying sounds within dubstep are always bass and sub-bass.
The music ranges in style from melodious instrumentals to dark, techy and distorted numbers.
Many UK grime mc's also mc over dubstep tracks, although grime and dubstep should not be confused.
Dubstep is usually mellow and generally has a well paced structure to each song. Grime beats are generally more disjointed, the overall production level being grittier than that in dubstep.
by uk pat January 12, 2008
by modestjeff96 February 3, 2011