Dub

Dub
Name	Dub
Stylistic origins	Reggae, sound system, Studio production
Cultural origins	1960s Kingston, Jamaica
Instruments	Mixing console, Tape delay, Reverb, Electric bass, Drum kit, Organ
Derivatives	Dubstep, Drum and bass, Jungle, Ambient dub
Subgenres	Steppers, Digital reggae

Dub is a genre of music and a set of studio production practices that emerged in late 1960s Kingston, Jamaica as instrumental remixes of reggae recordings emphasizing rhythm, bass, and studio effects. It developed through collaborations among producers, engineers, and sound system operators who transformed vocal tracks into instrumental and dubbed versions using mixing consoles, tape delay, spring reverb, and equalization as creative tools. Over decades dub influenced and intersected with artists, producers, labels, and scenes across London, New York City, Berlin, and Tokyo, shaping genres such as dubstep, post-punk, and ambient.

Etymology and Definitions

The term "dub" is traced to Jamaican studio and sound system practices where engineers made "dub plates" and "dubs"—alternate mixes used by operators like Coxsone Dodd, Prince Buster, King Tubby, and Lee "Scratch" Perry. Scholars and critics link the label to pressing processes at plants such as Trevor's pressing plant and remix customs associated with labels like Studio One and Upsetter Records. Dictionaries and musicologists reference the term across accounts involving Jamaica Music Industry players, Trojan Records, and later distributors including Island Records and Virgin Records.

History and Development

Dub's origins center on the 1960s–1970s Kingston studio scene involving figures such as Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and King Tubby who reworked tracks from artists on labels like Studio One and Black Ark Studio. Early practices drew on technicians at studios like Channel One Studios and pressing operations supplying sound system selectors such as Sir Coxsone and Count Matchuki. The 1970s saw international exposure through releases on Trojan Records, distribution by Island Records, and compilations curated by promoters in London and Brixton. In the 1980s and 1990s producers such as Mad Professor, Adrian Sherwood, and Scientist extended dub into United Kingdom post-punk and industrial contexts, influencing bands like Public Image Ltd., The Clash, and Massive Attack. The 2000s and 2010s expansion included electronic fusions by artists on labels such as On-U Sound, Basic Channel, Warp Records, and festivals in Los Angeles and Notting Hill Carnival.

Styles and Subgenres

Dub encompasses a range from instrumental reggae dubs to electronic hybrids: classic Jamaican dubs by King Tubby and Scientist; studio-driven productions of Lee "Scratch" Perry and Burning Spear affiliates; UK dub with Mad Professor and Adrian Sherwood; digital reggae dubs from producers at Greensleeves Records and VP Records; dub-influenced post-punk by Public Image Ltd. and The Birthday Party; ambient dub exemplified by The Orb and Bill Laswell; dubstep progeny in South London scenes with labels like DMZ and artists around Skream and Benga; drum and bass and jungle crossovers featuring producers such as Goldie and Roni Size. Substyles include steppers, lovers rock dubs associated with lovers rock vocalists, and experimental dub by collaborators at Tackhead and On-U Sound.

Production Techniques and Technology

Dub is defined by studio manipulation: dropping vocals, isolating electric bass and drum kit patterns, and applying effects like tape delay, spring reverb, phasing, and EQ automation on mixing console sends. Pioneers used consoles, outboard gear, and multitrack tape machines at studios such as Black Ark Studio, King Tubby's Studio, and Channel One Studios. Techniques include echoing horns and organs from sessions with bands like The Upsetters and rhythm sections such as Sly and Robbie or The Revolutionaries, creating space with tactical muting and fader rides. Later digital tools—Akai samplers, Roland TR-808, Boss digital delays, and computer-based DAWs—expanded dub's palette in productions released on STUDIO ONE, Upsetter Records, and contemporary labels like Tectonic and Hyperdub.

Notable Artists and Recordings

Key producers and engineers include King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Coxsone Dodd, Scientist, Prince Jammy, Mad Professor, Adrian Sherwood, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, and Augustus Pablo. Seminal recordings and albums connected to the form feature works associated with The Upsetters sessions, releases on Studio One and Black Ark Studio, and landmark LPs and compilations distributed by Trojan Records, Island Records, and On-U Sound. Influential releases influencing global scenes include tracks circulated by selectors such as Mikey Dread and King Stitt, mixes appearing on United Kingdom radio shows and labels including Greensleeves Records, VP Records, VP Records, and later reissues curated by Rhino Records and archivists at The British Library.

Cultural Impact and Influence

Dub reshaped popular and underground music, informing punk rock aesthetics via exchanges between King Tubby affiliates and The Clash and inspiring electronic movements such as dubstep, drum and bass, and ambient through labels like Hyperdub, Basic Channel, and Warp Records. The practice influenced sound system culture in Brixton, Kingston, Jamaica, Brooklyn, and Berlin, and entered visual and performance art contexts through collaborations with artists and institutions including Notting Hill Carnival participants, Glastonbury Festival stages, and radio broadcasters like BBC Radio 1 and KEXP (FM). Academic and musicological study at universities such as University of the West Indies, Goldsmiths, University of London, and University of Ibadan has traced dub's techniques into contemporary production pedagogy and cross-cultural exchange, while museums and archives including Victoria and Albert Museum and The British Library have curated exhibitions and collections recognizing dub's legacy.

Category:Reggae genres