MAKING DUB WITH COMPUTERS - CHAPTER 34: AUDIO (2) - USING ONE-SHOTS BEFORE AND DURING THE DUB MIX

You can use one shot samples both during the phase where you create your own Reggae track, as well as during your Dub mixing. There are two main things to consider: rhythm and pitch.

music creation

A very central device, obviously, is the drum computer. I've been using drum samples since 1997 as well. Okay, that should be self-evident.

However, I use the drum computer to trigger other one shot (musical) samples as well. 

Here's one I touched on before: the guitar. There are two different sample packs you can download straight from the Dubroom featuring guitar chord hits ("skanks"). Just put them on the 2 and 4, and you will have a real guitar adding sound to your piano and organ or other riddim section instruments. You can also use samples of wah-wah effects and guitar licks in the riddim section to make a more danceable vibe.

You can do the same with single shot horn hits you can find here and there. Make them play along with the riddim section or use that short hook at the end of every Xth bar. I'm sure you get the point at this stage.

There are plenty of licks, even licks you can cut from a loop in your Audio editing software to use them in your own musical arrangement. Just make sure the sample is placed in the right time when the pitch will correspond with the bass line and skanks. 

Let's continue.

vocals and one shots

You might (not) be surprised, but I make very frequent use of one shot samples when it comes to the vocal parts, even with full lyrical tracks. Sure, this is -I think- the best way to go about when you're working with vocal sample packs carrying short phrases and shouts (Like the Excellent Sound System Vocals from DrumDrops or Ras Kitchen's two free sample packs) but I go further. When I have complete verses and choruses, I will open them in my Audio Editor and make one-shot samples of every phrase, sometimes even of single word or half sentences. 

There are several reasons why I go about in this manner. I can choose to just use lines that correspond with a specific chord while leaving the other lines out. I can re-arrange lyrics and combine them with other vocal recordings I might have. It can make a huge difference when you place a phrase at the first count, or the half-count between the first and the second count in a bar, et cetera. Reggae chanting and singing too is very rhythmically based and you can make use of that fact when you are familiar with the formula of the Reggae rhythm as given early in this tutorial.

Another way to spice up your tracks with one shot vocal samples are ad-libs. You could see them as vocal hooks and licks. Usually it's something like "ooh and aah", only better and more sophisticated, sometimes even to the extend that the ad-libs are actually little phrases. There are some excellent free female vocal packs (reviewed in the Dubroom) with tons of ad-libs nicely sorted by tone/chord you can experiment with.

Usually, I will make a vocal track using one shot samples and render (parts) of that track as a loop or stem (more later).

At this point, it's time to go a bit further than technology and even creativity. Whenever you make a track with (purchased) human vocals, consider the fact you are dealing with humans. The vocalist connects his/her human personality (soul!) with the lyrical expression, even in the case of ad-libs. When you're dealing with Reggae vocals especially of the conscious kind, you should be aware of the fact that in Reggae/Dub culture it is common practice to respect to conscious lyrics even when there is no personal attachment.

Over the decades that I'm involved in producing and performing Reggae, I've worked with people of all kinds of philosophy and (non) faith. Only once or twice did I encounter an out-right disrespect for the message of Rastafari and worship of Jah, and in all accounts did these encounters take place... back-stage. On-stage, these very same individuals praised Jah with their mouth and musical play. If they would have been saying the things they said in my presence back-stage over the microphone, they would have left the location under police protection so to speak.

The thing is this: even when you're not of any particular faith, even when you're not a dread or Rasta and you might not believe a single thing because you're an atheist, you will not diss any conscious utterance, whether spiritual, social or otherwise. There are plenty atheist producers producing songs of praise, plenty of atheist selectors that gladly turn the mike over to a Rastaman singing praise. While technically spoken you can make a song of praise into a vulgar or even blasphemic lyrical thing, but your abuse would be self-evident. Don't do it. Can't say you have not been warned!

With that -for some not so- obvious fact stated, don't think you can't do anything. 

Whatever it is you're doing, though, make sure you are coherent.

Do not just place a few "yeah mon every ting ireeeeeee" shouts here and there and think you did a thing. When you use lyrics, you must have something to say. It's almost like writing your own lyric and next to the fact you must respect the human behind the voice you use, you must also respect the ear of the listener who you would like to listen to your music. Have something to say!

I would like to draw your attention to the EP I created in 2014 using vocal one shots of Horseman and some singers. I took from the extensive "phrase library" and constructed coherent lyrical tracks. Listen (or download), while considering what you just read.

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), that it is really hard and long work to construct tracks like this. Sometimes, you'll need to go into 1/32nd notes to get the right attack. 

sound fx in the dub

A very fun thing to do with one-shots is to load your drum computer or sampler with bleeps, sirens and other sound effects and trigger them while you're mixing your Dub. There are even sample packs with for example dubbed snare drums and other "read-to-insert-dub-effects" but you'll have to be very careful not to overdo it. Sooner or later, ah, well, you know. 

Just pointing out to the "Devil Detail" chapter.

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