Monday, June 18, 2007

The Dub Experiment... You Can Play Along At Home!

Pace from Liverpool brought it up in the comments section of the last post by identifying a "sound effect" I had used in the rub-a-dub mix and it got me to thinking...

Check out Dubselector... it's a website that provides you with the tools to create your own dub track on the fly - and along with a track broken down into a couple loops they give you a plethora of sound effects for you to click on to enhance the end product. Sadly they don't include an option to save your work and this is where this idea popped up.

If you check out Dubselector 2 you notice they use the Lee "Scratch" Perry track "Underground" off his spectacular 1976 album Super Ape broken down into a vocal portion and a drum and bass section. It sounds great when you're online killing time at work but in order to make it into a usable track worthy of listening to on an Ipod or even on a CDR I decided to use the original track and my trusty Garageband software to make transitioning from vocals to strictly drum and bass a little smoother. Next I used the trial software from a program called Audio Hijack and downloaded the various sound effects that Dubselector provides. Then I got to work.

What started off as a relatively short 2:57 Perry production became a 4:48 Reggaexx/Dubselector remix and I really dig how it all turned out! Aside from lots of echo and filter effects that Garageband provides and a lot of chopping and resectioning of the actual tune - Dubselector did the hard work by providing the "dub effects" laced throughout. I've given my end result a super long Scientist style title, "Reggaexx And Dubselector Go Deep Underground For A Do-It-Yourself Dub Experiment" Give the uncut Perry track a listen first try my remix second... and then let me know what you think!

In the zip file you'll also find the slew of sound effects (in one MP3 file) so you can mess around with the song on whatever audio editing software you may have lying around clogging your hard drive. After you've done be sure to share your end result with us!

Check It Out!

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:44 PM

    nice effects and dubbing! I never used GarageBand so far, but I will give it a try sometimes. I didn't know this song. I only had the jungle version of Supa Ape "Supa Ape inna Jungle", if I remember correctly. But I can't find the CD anymore … 

    By the way I reqularly download your mixes and enjoy them everytime. Keep up the good work.

    Greetings

    felix

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  2. Anonymous5:42 PM

    oh my what fun i had friday night on that dubselector site, plink bong wahh doooh , all over it like a rash of many colours.

    I will see what i can do in return via garageband and sample some heavy tunes from basic channel in there as well.

    Watch this space and thanks for the shout ...
    Pace
    Liverpool

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  3. Thank you Felix for the kind words and encouragement & Pace I'm looking forward to hearing what you can whip up!

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  4. Anonymous12:26 PM

    Greetings,

    I enjoyed this mix very much as well.

    I couldnt find a contact e-mail for you but I was wondering if you've ever done a Half Pint or Midnite mix before?

    Also noticed you're from MD, I live in DC, do you know any sites that deal with music in DC or events, etc?

    Thanks for your time.

    KJ

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  5. Anonymous2:04 PM

    big up reggaexx,

    nice tunes and mixes on your blog,
    nuff respect.
    i have a question fi you.
    do you have some more reggae soundeffects (FX) ina dancehall and soundsystem stylee ?
    or you know any site or blog where i can find more effects ?

    keep on dubbing my friend,
    dreadda maffhia say so.

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  6. I'm glad everyone is diggin' the music! KJ - no I haven't done a Half Pint mix... not yet. As for Midnite, I'm quite aware of the group and I definitely enjoy what I've heard from them but right now I only have the album "Ras Mek Peace" so it wouldn't make much of a mix. Also - be sure to check out Bobby Babylon's site Mobtown Ska Sounds (located in the links) - Bobby is more in touch with the live reggae scene in and around MD/DC/VA and always let's me know about upcoming events. Also another site which I need to add to the links, http://www.dcska.com/
    has a super roster of upcoming events! And since you're living in DC have you checked out the monthly DC Sounclash held at the Marx Cafe? They do it the last Friday of every month and I'm nearly at the point now where I might have to start begging to be invited back to play some more music... hope you're reading this Bobby or Mark! I got to spin some tunes last June and I loved every minute of it - a great event!!

    Dreadda - unfortunately I only have a small selection of SFX... a friend of mine downloaded them from somewhere and burned me a CDR. I'll ask him where he got 'em.

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  7. Anonymous7:18 PM

    As reggaexx explained take a simple rhythm with a good hook stick it in garageband and see if you can ruin it !!!.
    hope you all like it.
    cheers
    Pace
    Liverpool

    3 sound effect horns
    tribute to Wackies mix by mancalledhannes
    Decimal Currency-The Blenders
    Dubselector Sound Effecta
    Wareika Vibes
    Never Tell You-Rhythm & Sound With Paul St Hilaire
    Paul People Must Work-Rhythm & Sound
    Wareika Hill-Rico Rodriguez

    get it here
    http://www.sendspace.com/file/tn7f7z

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