dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

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dubdub
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dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by dubdub »



I've been listening to DNB/Jungle casually for a long time (mostly mid 90s golden era stuff) but never really made any because I hate tedious audio editing. Anyways, last week I got myself a few break samplepacks just to give it a shot for fun and I knocked this one together this weekend. There are still a few unintentional splicing glitches here and there with the break that I might fix if I can get bothered to. With the mix, I've been trying to find a way to make the pads more upfront and direct but I haven't found a way to really do that in a nice way. I'm pretty happy with how it sounds otherwise though, I was surprised how easy it is to get a pretty nice classic sound just with nice DAC emulations and enough resampling.

I'm not sure if there's enough going on to keep it interesting for 6 minutes, I've already trimmed the arrangement quite a bit. Maybe it just needs a bit more arrangement dunno. There's no way I can add more stuff in the mix though and the track is already making my CPU crap out.

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by Planar »

Nice one. I like the pad, especially how it melts into the breakdown, but I expected some kind of progression after that which never came and maybe why you're struggling to arrange this. Either some modulation or just introducing a new sound underneath it would help massively, imo.

The bass line was pleasant but seems a bit light and pad-like for this style. Those old dnb tracks would have a massive sub underneath them sometimes threatening to overwhelm the kick. Because the break is so bright in the top end there doesn't seem to be that balance that the bass might bring if it were bigger. Something deeper would give you a little room for that melodic layer as well.

Good stuff, I'd like to hear more.

dubdub
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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by dubdub »

Cheers, I tried to replace the reese with a more 808-style sub at some point but I just couldn't make it work so I stuck with it. I think it works nicely harmonically with the the tune but yeah, the lowend isn't that fat as a result. I could probably fatten up the break lowend a bit with some extra layering but I'll have to see if that doesn't sound awkward. I already pitched the break down an octave and mixed that in a few % wet which sounded pretty cool, I could probably push that a bit further.

There is a TON of modulation on the pads but I don't think it really comes across because they're so floaty. It's a bit of a curious thing to me, on some sounds one moving HPF and it sounds like the sound is modulating like crazy, on others you can have three filters and a dozen FX and it still doesn't sound like there's a lot of movement.

Planar
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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by Planar »

The pad is really nice and you can hear it modulating, but it's not drastic enough for the full 5 minutes. Maybe when you have an element as busy as a break like that it can also distract you from hearing any nuance in a smoother sound underneath it.

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by CRDM »

Firstly, cool your exploring other styles.

To make the pad more upfront I think you need to make other elements less upfront. To me there is a lot going on in the top end and it sounds pretty brittle because of it. I think as you made some hf boosts to bring out artefacts, it would make sense to boost those into subtle or not so low pass filters, just to smooth some of the elements out and leave room for the things up top. To me it sounds like quite a lot is going on up there and as a listener that really draws focus. I think some lpf of various elements, could really glue things and sit the drums in more of a complimentary space to the rest of the elements.

Arrangement wise, the patterns and edits sound cool but I think it would sound more interesting with more song development, that's a tastes thing tho. Even if it was some filtering of parts, maybe some more incidentals, further editing of parts as in in create different chops, or a b section to break it up a bit.. At the moment it sounds kind of loopy with an lfo on the filtering.

I agree with planar, the bass is a bit light and doesn't really suit the track too much. I think a deeper sub would give the whole thing more weight.

As to cpu, just render to audio, you can then use that audio to make variations, save cpu, and if you want the original track just freeze it for later if needs be. I know you know this but if your crapping out your cpu and feel like more needs to be done to the arrangement it's the way to go. WIll result in a different arrangement and could be a good thing, good potential here for sure. As you don't make jungle often and this is a first foray into it I think you've done a nice job, would like to hear more dubdub! Hope that helps in some form.

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by Vandalsounds »

Good little jungle endeavour!

I have a few thoughts on it:
1. Jungle is bass heave style of music, and I feel that depth is lacking. Bump that b-line up a notch or two! ;)
2. The hats & snares are very dominant, so much that the pads drown in them, I really had to focus to hear them at all. I think the track would benefit greatly by finding a better balance between snares/hats and the pads.
3. It feels a bit loopy to me, and that roll is too frequent.

I nice go though! Just a bit more work on it to make it a interesting tune!

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Lost to the Void
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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by Lost to the Void »

Love it, I think you might have squeezed too much life out of the break though, there`s no real impact in the true and low mids, it`s really hissy and toppy. Definitely could do with some wack in the kick (by adding a kick).

The classic method of beefing up breaks in jungle wasn`t really much to do with converters etc.
It was using plate reverb prior to running into a slammed compressor.

Agree with above, the bass doesn`t have the weight to fill out that region under the break, could probably be quickly rectified by just hi shelving out more of the sound so there is more bass remaining, and just bringing up the volume.

Agree on that staccato roll being too frequent, would be nicer if it was used more strategically.
Do an EP of this stuff and I`d release it.

Nice though, proper jungle vibes.
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dubdub
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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by dubdub »

Thanks for the thoughts guys!

I already instinctively did the plate reverb -> compressor thing on this track without knowing that was a popular technique, ha.

Yeah, I probably slammed it a bit too hard. Hard to resist though. I was surprised at how loud this track got without any sort of maximization. It sounds slamming but it does get a bit straining after a few minutes. I tried doing more LPF on the break but I felt like it killed some of the impact, it's probably better for the mix though since the topend is pretty busy with the pads already.

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by starrk »

The drum samples are sick. Definitely feels repetitive, would be cool to switch up the drum patterns a bit. Don't have too much experience with this genre otherwise so it sounds good to me.

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jordanneke
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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by jordanneke »

I listen to a lot, and I mean a LOT of dnb. It's the only genre I know inside out Jungle-DNB from 93-99.

This is not a bad effort at all, but the drum programming is too much, too hectic. It's almost like a bit of bangface nu-old school in there. I guess people have mentioned it before.

Also the mix is way too top heavy. The B in the Dn is missing. The pads could also be more weighty.

Importantly, there's no break with just the bass. The drums need to drop out a couple of times

Great effort though.

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by Amøbe »

I know shit about dnb but I really like those pads! They gave me a nice seasick feeling - like disturbing and pleasing at the same time! :)

But the closest thing to this, which I listen to, is shed and head high (who also don't mind a breakbeat or two), and his kick still "kick you" which I had a bit of a longing for I this track!

How do you go about programming a beat like this? Do you approach it as a sound file or do you just cut it up and put everything into a drum rack? I am really impressed with dnb producers' work ethics :D

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by bioniceye »

great work dubdub but i think that the drums are too prominent and the bass and the pad are too much on the background
mayb you can you make the drums a little bit lesser hectic in the beginning and then slowly transforming to the drums you have now
arrangement wise it needs some more variation

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by buffered »

jesus this puts a smile on my face. Great. missing that big bass pressure though

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by willemb »

Nice work! The pad is fantastic. Agree with the feedback above around lack of bass and the top heavy break, and especially with Steve that you should make an EP!

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by terryfalafel »

Lost to the Void wrote:
Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:48 pm
The classic method of beefing up breaks in jungle wasn`t really much to do with converters etc.
It was using plate reverb prior to running into a slammed compressor.

Are you talking about this?

https://en.m.audiofanzine.com/getting-s ... everb.html

A simple compressor driven to the limits at the output of a room reverb will do the trick. To be more precise regarding the settings, try a ratio around 8:1 with a super fast attack (1ms to 2ms), an average release time, following the groove of the kick/snare, or a very short one to get a more obvious pumping effect, and a low threshold to make the limiter work to its maximum capacity.

If so, i didn't know this was used on whole breaks. Will defo try this out!

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Re: dubdub - DNB/jungle experiment I

Post by Lost to the Void »

terryfalafel wrote:
Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:24 pm
Lost to the Void wrote:
Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:48 pm
The classic method of beefing up breaks in jungle wasn`t really much to do with converters etc.
It was using plate reverb prior to running into a slammed compressor.

Are you talking about this?

https://en.m.audiofanzine.com/getting-s ... everb.html

A simple compressor driven to the limits at the output of a room reverb will do the trick. To be more precise regarding the settings, try a ratio around 8:1 with a super fast attack (1ms to 2ms), an average release time, following the groove of the kick/snare, or a very short one to get a more obvious pumping effect, and a low threshold to make the limiter work to its maximum capacity.

If so, i didn't know this was used on whole breaks. Will defo try this out!
That`ll get you in the ballpark for sure.
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