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Dubwise Thursday

If today was Wednesday, I'd have titled today's post "Dubwise Wednesday" which has a little ring to it. Alas, it isn't so I just called it dubwise Thursday

Tune of the Day: #NowPlaying: Frankie Paul - War Is In The Dance on repeat.

Listen to this, especially the dub bit from 3:06 onwards. Tell me this is not genius and a vibes.



Ok, some of you may not like it, you may not even see what's so innovative about it, but if you think back to when these were made these techniques weren't used. Drum & Bass wasn't the predominant sound in music. The reverb and echoes may have you thinking "What's so good about that?" What's now achievable by a simple press of button wasn't only a manipulation of sound, they created a technique using raw materials and reasonable brain power.

For example listen to this next one, a proper dub tune. I chose a dub of an instrumental most of you must know. I know it for Mighty Diamonds 'Pass The Kutchie' but many of you will recognise it from Musical Youth's 'Pass The Dutchie'



Words from King Tubby's apprentice, engineer and pioneer Scientist:

"Back in the day, we used to use the 'spring and coil' method, which consists of a transducer that drives a coil, and then you have a receiver on the next end that's picking up the vibration from the coil. You also put a speaker box in one corner of the room and you put a microphone to the farthest corner of the room; that’s another way to achieving reverb."
Source

Actually finding out how they created it adds a whole new level of admiration. I've rated dub for a very long time, I couln't avoid it, my dad preaches about it on a regular basis. He has always championed the innovation and whilst criticised lack of recognition and appreciation by so-called music experts in these days. What started out as a mistake (forgetting to cut the vocals) turned into something innovative.

Obviously dub (click to read about it)influenced DUBstep as well as Jungle/D&B

This is begging for a dubstep refix if it hasn't already.



Quote of the Day: Scientist on rock and roll

"If you go back in time, when you listen to Rolling Stones and The Beatles that have unlimited money to go make whatever record they want, it sounds paper thin! It sounds like they in somebody’s bathroom, the drums sound all clink clink clonk! No bass to it."

And

"without reggae you would not have the type of speaker boxes you see them bringing in these concerts. Without reggae you wouldn’t have hip hop. Without reggae you wouldn’t have all these different type of music. But a lot of people here especially in the U.S. they don’t want to give reggae that credit. As a result you find that when any of these hip hop or rock engineers get reggae to mix it’s like they gone back to kindergarten – they can’t handle it!"

From here

And that's all for today. This post was inspired by listening to David Rodigan interview producer Bunny 'Striker' Lee. This can also be a black history month too if you want.

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