how do yall feel about weird rhythms and time signatures in dubstep music?
iv recently gotten back into dubstep after watching some videos on the genre (specifically the timbah on toast video about old UK dubstep and a few others on the same topic) and since then iv been curious on if any dubstep tunes from the early days had any timing shenanigans involved (such as odd time signatures or just weird rhythmic stuff in general), so does that exist or is that unexplored territory?
Hey, and welcome. The only obvious example I can think of is Shackleton, but it’s more meditative/repetitive/long form stuff. Closer to some types of techno or trance in that sense. I guess since dubstep definitely falls under “club music” more than something you sit at home and listen to, weird time signatures would throw people off on a dance floor.
With that said, I’d encourage experimentation. I’ve been working with trying to find a middle-ground, where one can incorporate more polymeter/polyrhythm stuff within a dub/2-step context. I’m heavily inspired by the Swedish progressive metal band Meshuggah, but technically, even their music mostly adheres to a 4/4 structure if you look closely. They utilise what some call “hypermeters”, which is basically different polymeters overlaid, but they loop back to the 1 between sections of the song, etc.
i spose it makes sense that time signatures and dubstep wouldnt be a popular combination, it took me a while to start feeling odd time signatures, i do think i’ve come up with an idea that could make it work for other people… i might give that a try and post a WIP to the forums to see how that goes!
also thanks for the old forum link ill have a good look at that later
doesnt sound odd to me, then again that could just be because im used to odd time signatures, i like the vibe though! its like a tune not made on earth
iv started a half time 5/4 track by the way that i might slide in here if i feel like it
Digging this A LOT!
We have a couple threads for tunes so once this is done post it up!
(They don’t get a lot of action these days but still worth posting)
We also run regular porduction competitions in the production section of the forum so get involved in those too. The most recent one closed for submissions today but I’ll be running new comps in the new year
Well, polymeter 6 bars then loop, then. It does not loop after 4 bars.
EDIT: not sure you can call it a polymeter, it’s more mixed meter I guess, since the drums follow the bassline riff, and also loops back after 6 bars.
slow 5/4, i have officially contributed to dubstep (hopefully)