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got dub?

Posted on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 01:59 am:

i'm a drummer into downtempo/chillout/funk/dub,
et cetera.....anyways, i'm curious as to what
makes a drum track (or beat) "dub style"?

meaning, what are specific characteristics &
techniques that you hear in dub drummers, other
than the sonic aspect???

who are some drummers to check out?

Mike Zee

Posted on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 03:17 am:

Hi, 'gotDub?',

first of all i myself am not really performing-drummer, i never had enough patience to learn playing real acoustic d-kit.
I was 'doing well' on roland's e-drum-set thou...,
but later quit it and sold the 'thing', 'cos i've figured i could make much better drum tracks for the music i'm after by 'advance sampling/sequensing'.
So, i can't really gove you a sort of 'b-board lesson' on how to drum for dub.

here's what i can tell you thou, from my perspective:

first of all i don't believe there's a such thing as 'dub-style'-drumming.
aside off discussion about 'what's dub'

,
but i stand on a view, that DUB is strongly REGGAE-based music first, and the rest of it comes second.
So if you take this as a starting point, then you know what to do as a drummer.
Basicaly you play reggae drums, and the as dub-producer you can choose and pick and do what ever with your recordings. DUB is really a combo of performance and post-recording studio-production,
well there's a such thing as 'live-dub', where sound-guy behind mixing board is a 'part of the band' and is a sort of performer.

So, the buttom line is, if you know how/and can play reggae-drums, then you're ready to go for dub.
However, you can play your drums, and actually 'compose' your songs/tracks in some specific way, when you actually thinking ahead about making DUB-track, and not just recording reggae song. And I think you'll know how as you go with your personal experience producing dubs.

I think the best way to get an idea about how to drum is to simply listen to some dub(s). If you are drummer yourself, you will get the idea right from there.

I can give you some recommendations, quickly from top of my head:

For older style sounding check out this producer:
Solomon Jabby,
he plays all instruments, and drums are very clear and very 'classical' for dub-reggae, you can't miss it

for more modern directions, but yet still very distinct dub check:
DUBCREATOR,
actually he produces all the variety, he does real drum-performances, combining with electronic drums and programming/sequencing, so it would be a good exhibition

,
not to mention that music is very cool as well

also, you can try to e-mail these guys if you get any specific questions. The usually would be glad to e-mail you back.

also, in case you did not do it yet, check DMC-techniques pages, you see there links, some notes on drums are there and other aspects as well.

best regards,
respects,
/Mike Zee
ZEE DUB LAB

Solomon Jabby

Posted on Friday, March 29, 2002 - 03:56 am:

Good info Zee...

From a recording stand point, any book about recording drums would be good b/c the recording process is essentially the same. Tubby, Roots Radics, Soul Syndicate style drums were recorded very similarly to funk/R&B methods of the 70's in the US.Punchy yet tight bass drum, crispy highs, and a thick yet slightly high pitched snare.

Tuning your drums is critical as well, sometimes when I tune my drums I find a dub LP where I like the drum sound, then I use it as a reference as I am tuning.

Listen to anything from the King Tubby/Soul Syndicate collaborations of the 70's, the drum tracks were ferocious. You may also want to listen to some old Earth, Wind, & Fire, the O-Jays, and Curtis Mayfied. My drum teacher used to tell me that you have to listen to the recordings of the style you are trying to achieve very carefully, then you have to listen to them again, then you have listen to the records when you wake up and
again when you go to bed. At night while your sleeping, he says, you should be dreaming about it. Then over time you will naturally shape your style to whatever you have been listening to.

Anyway, that's my take on the matter.

Jah Live...

Solomon

www.SolomonJabby.com
www.ampcast.com/jabby

Massai

Posted on Friday, March 29, 2002 - 10:57 am:

Greetings got dub. Oh yes...drums! All I can say is that you should try n listen to classic reggae/ dub recordings from the early 70s to the early 80s. The drummers that really inspired me are Carlton Barret, Style Scott, Carlton 'Santa' Davies, Sly Dunbar, Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, Angus 'Drummie Zeb' Gaye.
I would also suggest that you listen to early Skatalites recordings, be bop jazz, jazz funk, and latin jazz. I speak as someone who use to hit drums way back when (I wont say play - I wasn't that good!), and have been into reggae production/ dub techniques from an early age.
Please dont think about dub techniques when you are recording live drums - leave that to the engineer!
Think about dynamics, tempo, and improvisation.
This is getting to be a long ting.... so I will stop rite now. I hope this will help you out. This is the first time I've done this, I jus hope its of some use to you!
Guidance.

Mike Zee

Posted on Saturday, March 30, 2002 - 03:31 pm:

i've found another good-soundin' drummin' as well as performance band at mp3.com.
well, i picked it up mostly because the way it's recorded and produced, sounds like good thing to take a listen if you are intresed in reggae drumming.
Here's the page to mp3s:
Brent Berry @ mp3.com,

later,
'n respects

/Mike Zee

Johny Bravonbx

Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 01:43 am:

Geben mir bitte eine Brotchennbx

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Posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 - 02:15 am:

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