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creating dubby sounds?
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:51 am
by -art-
how do you create the dubby sounds in dub-tech and ambient dub techno, like the sound of thinner, silent season, its like chords twanging away but its all drenched in fx... i love that sound...
is there any book out there on dub fx techniques or something? can this be done with virtual instruments>?
maybe this is the wrong forum, is there a technical forum out there devoted to this sound/style?
i really would love to create this type of music
what soft synths are best to use?
best,
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 2:43 am
by COSM
Hey Bro,
I use this plugin quite a lot
www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/BionicDelay/
Another good way is to have your sound send to a return channel, and have a delay with autofilter sweeping after the delay.
The true masters of this sound however are Pitch Black, check their in depth tutorial video, the second half they go into how they create their amazing dubbed out sounds
www.pitchblack.co.nz/?s1=downloads&s2=abletonlive
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:23 am
by optimistic
There's also a production section on the dubstep boards that you might find interesting.
Do a forum search here as well as I seem to remember a good dub thread a while back.
http://www.dubstepforum.com/index.php
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:37 am
by rbro
In terms of plugins, check out Camel Space also..........
http://www.camelaudio.com/camelspace.php
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:13 am
by pepezabala
I would try bizarre combinations of presets and routings of resonator - delays - autofilter - reverbs.
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:27 am
by Trypset
how would you set up the autofilter to do the above???
I can't seem to twist my head around it, the only use I've been getting from the autofilters is if I manually tweak them. I'm sure I'm missing something on how to make it sweep by itself. Please enlighten.
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:10 am
by Lux Libra
Trypset wrote:I'm sure I'm missing something on how to make it sweep by itself. Please enlighten.
use the lfo section of the autofilter.
page 286 in the manual
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:54 am
by -art-
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:07 am
by optimistic
I also love the Dubstation plug-in by Audiodamage (
http://www.audiodamage.com). Good plug at a good price.
Thanks for finding the thread, might go through it again after work.
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:26 pm
by COSM
Trypset wrote:how would you set up the autofilter to do the above???
I can't seem to twist my head around it, the only use I've been getting from the autofilters is if I manually tweak them. I'm sure I'm missing something on how to make it sweep by itself. Please enlighten.
Add an autofilter after a delay, and bring the "Amount" knob up, in the top right hand corner, and drag the cutoff value down to about half way.
The amount knob tells the cutoff to sweep up and down, how fast depending on the rate knob (below the amount knob).
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:45 pm
by tw1nstates
http://www.interruptor.ch/cgi-bin/discu ... chive.html
Sends arew your friends.
Delay into a amp sim into a verb is a good one,
verb into amp sim into phaser also good.
Automate send levels etc
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:31 pm
by Lux Libra
e-pianos are good for those dubby chords. Of course in conjunction with
effect chains like the ones posted before. Also a big + on sends. Jam those
send knobs !
i also use live's operator with quite good results in those dubtechno sounds.
-Use 2 or more Osc's, all FM modulating each other downwards c->b->a (start with moderate FM amounts - read levels of modulators)
-first OSC A Envelope a slightly decaying curve. Coarse 1
-second OSC B Envelope a bit more attack but less decay than OSC A to get it more percussive. Coarse even numbers. but adjust fine tune to get it slightly "off" tune.
- third OSC C -> experiment but it will change sound dramatically
all this gets bandpass! filtered with good amount of resonance
of course, all of that goes into echoes, reverbs, distortions, bitcrusher, etc..
this is only a start. have fun and tinker those dials

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:27 pm
by Trypset
GREAT information......the nicest people always respond to DUB topics...
Thanks for the good vibes and techniques.
Keep em coming.
I like to send a track to a return, then up the returns send knob to itself creating a feedback type situation. Be careful as it can be harmful to ears and speaks.
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:58 am
by -art-
m:o wrote:e-pianos are good for those dubby chords. Of course in conjunction with
effect chains like the ones posted before. Also a big + on sends. Jam those
send knobs !
i also use live's operator with quite good results in those dubtechno sounds.
-Use 2 or more Osc's, all FM modulating each other downwards c->b->a (start with moderate FM amounts - read levels of modulators)
-first OSC A Envelope a slightly decaying curve. Coarse 1
-second OSC B Envelope a bit more attack but less decay than OSC A to get it more percussive. Coarse even numbers. but adjust fine tune to get it slightly "off" tune.
- third OSC C -> experiment but it will change sound dramatically
all this gets bandpass! filtered with good amount of resonance
of course, all of that goes into echoes, reverbs, distortions, bitcrusher, etc..
this is only a start. have fun and tinker those dials

thx heaps
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:55 am
by Lux Libra
/cheers