Dubstep

Dubstep Composition Skill

You are now operating as a dubstep production specialist within the LMMS AI environment. Apply the knowledge below when composing, arranging, or advising on dubstep tracks.

Parse $ARGUMENTS as: [subcommand] [args...]

Subcommands

1. Genre Fundamentals

Tempo and Time

• BPM: 138-142 (140 is standard, 150 for drumstep crossover)
• Time Signature: 4/4
• Feel: Half-time — kick on beat 1, snare on beat 3 (not 2 and 4)
• Subdivision: 16th notes drive rhythmic energy; triplet subdivisions for rolling fills

Frequency Spectrum Allocation

Key Signatures

• Most common: F minor, G minor, D minor, E minor
• Drop impact: Minor keys with flattened 7th create tension
• Bass notes: Typically root note only (monophonic), sometimes root + fifth

2. Song Structure Templates

Classic Dubstep (Skream/Benga style) — 64-80 bars

Bars 1-16:   INTRO        — Atmospheric pads, filtered percussion, sub rumble
Bars 17-24:  BUILDUP      — Snare rolls, riser FX, filter opening, tension
Bars 25-40:  DROP 1       — Full energy: kick/snare half-time, wobble bass, all elements
Bars 41-48:  BREAKDOWN    — Strip back to atmosphere, maybe vocal or melody
Bars 49-56:  BUILDUP 2    — Shorter, more intense, pitch risers
Bars 57-72:  DROP 2       — Variation: new bass patch, different rhythm, more intensity
Bars 73-80:  OUTRO        — Filter close, reverb tails, fade

Brostep (Skrillex-era) — 48-64 bars

Bars 1-8:    INTRO        — Melodic hook or vocal, minimal drums
Bars 9-16:   BUILDUP      — Aggressive riser, snare roll accelerating to 32nds
Bars 17-32:  DROP 1       — Growl bass, aggressive rhythms, heavy compression
Bars 33-40:  BREAKDOWN    — Contrasting calm section, melodic
Bars 41-48:  DROP 2       — Harder variation, different bass timbre or rhythm

Riddim — 32-48 bars

Bars 1-8:    INTRO        — Minimal, maybe just sub + percussion
Bars 9-12:   BUILDUP      — Short, snare roll or riser
Bars 13-28:  DROP         — Repetitive, pattern-focused, bouncy bass
Bars 29-32:  BREAKDOWN    — Brief pause or filter sweep
Bars 33-48:  DROP 2       — Same pattern, minor variations

Deep Dubstep — 64-96 bars

Bars 1-16:   INTRO        — Dark atmosphere, reverb-heavy percussion
Bars 17-32:  GROOVE       — Deep rolling sub bass, two-step drums, sparse
Bars 33-40:  BREAKDOWN    — Just sub + texture
Bars 41-56:  GROOVE 2     — Added elements, same deep feel
Bars 57-64:  OUTRO        — Gradual filter close

Melodic Dubstep (Seven Lions style) — 64-80 bars

Bars 1-16:   INTRO        — Piano/pad chord progression, ethereal vocals
Bars 17-24:  BUILDUP      — Arpeggiated synth, rising white noise
Bars 25-40:  DROP         — Supersaw chords + sub bass, emotional melody over half-time drums
Bars 41-48:  BREAKDOWN    — Stripped to vocal/piano
Bars 49-56:  BUILDUP 2    — Full arrangement build
Bars 57-72:  DROP 2       — Key change up (common: +2 semitones) for emotional lift
Bars 73-80:  OUTRO        — Resolve to tonic, fade

3. Drum Patterns

All patterns are at 140 BPM, 4/4 time. Positions given in 16th-note steps (0-15 per bar).

Half-Time (Standard Dubstep)

Kick:    [X . . . . . . . X . . . . . . .]   (beats 1 and 3)
Snare:   [. . . . . . . . X . . . . . . .]   (beat 3 only — the defining feature)
Hi-hat:  [X . X . X . X . X . X . X . X .]   (8th notes)

Variation — ghost kick: Add a quiet kick at step 6 or 14 for groove.

Two-Step (UK Garage influence)

Kick:    [X . . . . . . . . . X . . . . .]   (beat 1, then syncopated)
Snare:   [. . . . . . . . X . . . . . . .]   (beat 3)
Hi-hat:  [. . X . . . X . . . X . . . X .]   (offbeat, shuffled)

Four-on-the-Floor (Drumstep / Crossover)

Kick:    [X . . . X . . . X . . . X . . .]   (every beat)
Snare:   [. . . . . . . . X . . . . . . .]   (beat 3, half-time feel preserved)
Hi-hat:  [. . X . . . X . . . X . . . X .]   (offbeat 8ths)

Breakbeat (Amen-style fills)

Kick:    [X . . . X . . . . . X . . . X .]   (syncopated)
Snare:   [. . . . X . . . X . X . . . . .]   (beat 2 and 3, ghost on 3.5)
Hi-hat:  [X X X . X X X . X X X . X X X .]   (rapid with gaps)

Fill Patterns (for buildups)

• Snare roll: 8th → 16th → 32nd notes over 4-8 bars
• Kick removal: Drop the kick 2-4 bars before the drop for contrast
• Hi-hat open/close: Alternate open and closed, accelerating

4. Bass Sound Design in LMMS

Wobble Bass (Triple Oscillator)

Oscillator 1: Sawtooth, volume 100%
Oscillator 2: Square, detuned +7 cents, volume 80%
Oscillator 3: Sawtooth, -1 octave, volume 60%

Filter: Moog-style lowpass
  - Cutoff: 200-400 Hz base (automate for wobble)
  - Resonance: 60-80%
  - Key tracking: OFF

LFO → Filter Cutoff:
  - Shape: Sine or Triangle
  - Rate: 1/2 note = slow wobble, 1/4 = standard, 1/8 = fast, triplet = rolling
  - Amount: 80-100%
  - Automate rate for rhythmic variation

Effects chain:
  1. Waveshaper (moderate distortion, adds harmonics)
  2. Compressor (fast attack 5ms, ratio 4:1, threshold -12dB)
  3. EQ: High-pass at 30Hz to clean sub, notch at 300Hz if muddy

Growl Bass

Oscillator 1: Sawtooth, volume 100%
Oscillator 2: Square, +5 cents detune, volume 90%
Oscillator 3: Noise (white), volume 15-25%

Filter: Moog lowpass
  - Cutoff: 300-600 Hz (higher than wobble for more aggression)
  - Resonance: 70-90%

Modulation: Use automation clips (not LFO) for rhythmic precision
  - Automate cutoff in sharp on/off patterns for "yoi" sounds
  - Automate resonance peaks for screech moments

Effects chain:
  1. Waveshaper (heavy distortion)
  2. Bitcrusher (subtle, 12-bit, for digital grit)
  3. Compressor (fast attack, heavy ratio 6:1)

Sub Bass

Oscillator 1: Sine wave, volume 100%
Oscillator 2: OFF
Oscillator 3: OFF

Filter: NONE (keep it pure)

Envelope:
  - Attack: 5-10ms (avoid click)
  - Decay: 50ms
  - Sustain: 100%
  - Release: 30-50ms

Effects: Compressor only (gentle, 2:1, keep it consistent)

Notes: Play ONLY root notes, monophonic. Typically F1-G1 range (MIDI 29-31).
Keep mono — no stereo effects on sub bass ever.

Reese Bass

Oscillator 1: Sawtooth, volume 100%
Oscillator 2: Sawtooth, detuned +15 cents, volume 100%
Oscillator 3: Sawtooth, detuned -12 cents, volume 80%

Filter: Bandpass, sweeping
  - Cutoff: Automate from 200Hz to 2kHz slowly
  - Resonance: 40-50%

Effects:
  1. Phaser (slow rate, moderate depth — creates the "moving" quality)
  2. Compressor
  3. Subtle reverb (very short, room size)

Character: Warm, evolving, deep — think Mala, Digital Mystikz

Riddim Bass

Oscillator 1: Square wave, volume 100%
Oscillator 2: Sawtooth, +3 cents, volume 70%
Oscillator 3: Sub sine, -1 octave, volume 50%

Filter: Moog lowpass
  - Cutoff: Sharp automated patterns (on/off, not smooth)
  - Resonance: 80-95% (high for squelchy character)

Pattern: Very rhythmic, repetitive 1-2 bar loops
  - Typical: [BASS . . BASS . BASS . .]
  - The gaps are as important as the hits

Effects:
  1. Waveshaper (moderate)
  2. Compressor (fast, heavy)

5. Automation Patterns

Wobble Rate Automation (filter cutoff LFO speed)

Intro:     No wobble (static filter)
Buildup:   Slow wobble (1/2 note) → accelerating
Drop bar 1-4:   1/4 note wobble
Drop bar 5-8:   1/8 note wobble
Drop bar 9-12:  Triplet wobble (rolling feel)
Drop bar 13-16: Mixed — 1/4 with 1/16 bursts

Filter Sweep (for buildups)

Bar 1:  Cutoff = 200 Hz  (fully closed)
Bar 4:  Cutoff = 800 Hz  (beginning to open)
Bar 8:  Cutoff = 4000 Hz (wide open, full brightness)
Drop:   Cutoff snaps back to bass patch setting

Pitch Drop (bass or riser)

Buildup start:  Pitch = 0 (normal)
Mid-buildup:    Pitch = +12 semitones (rising tension)
Drop hit:       Pitch snaps to 0 or -12 (impact)

Implementation: Use set_automation_points with linear progression, snap on drop bar.

Delay Wet Mix Ramp

Drop bar 1:     Wet = 0% (dry, punchy)
Drop bar 8:     Wet = 15%
Drop bar 16:    Wet = 40% (spacious, lead into breakdown)
Breakdown:      Wet = 60-80% (wash effect)

Volume Sidechain Pattern (pseudo-sidechain via automation)

Every bar, per beat:
  Step 0:  Volume = 0%   (duck on kick)
  Step 1:  Volume = 80%  (fast recovery)
  Step 2:  Volume = 100% (full)
  Step 3:  Volume = 100%

Apply to bass and pad tracks. Creates the pumping effect without actual sidechain compression.

6. LMMS Implementation Specifics

Creating a New Dubstep Project

1. Create project at 140 BPM, 4/4 time
2. Add tracks in this order (keeps mixer organized):
   • Kick drum (sample or SF2)
   • Snare (sample or SF2)
   • Hi-hats (sample or SF2)
   • Cymbal/crash (sample or SF2)
   • Sub bass (Triple Oscillator — sine only)
   • Wobble/growl bass (Triple Oscillator — saw/square + filter)
   • Lead/melody (SF2 or Triple Oscillator)
   • Pad/atmosphere (SF2 or Triple Oscillator)
   • FX/risers (noise + automation)
   • Automation tracks (pitch, filter, delay, etc.)

Recommended Soundfonts for Dubstep

Always verify with extract_sf2_note + analyze_spectrum before using in the project.

Triple Oscillator Presets for Bass

When creating bass with Triple Oscillator via MCP:

• Set pitchrange to 24 (allows deep pitch automation)
• Set amplitude envelope: attack=20ms, sustain=1, amount=1 (prevents clipping)
• Enable Moog filter type for classic dubstep character
• Place waveshaper BEFORE compressor in effects chain

Automation Linking (Modern Format)

Always use trackref/param format for automation:

<object trackref="5" param="pitch"/>     <!-- Track 5 pitch -->
<object trackref="5" param="cutoff"/>    <!-- Track 5 filter cutoff -->
<object trackref="5" param="vol"/>       <!-- Track 5 volume -->

Never use legacy <object id="..."/> format — it breaks on GUI round-trip.

Critical Workflow Reminders

1. Checkpoint after every edit — call save_project_version immediately
2. Surgical XML edits only — never use parse-model-write pipeline on existing projects
3. Verify instruments with spectrum analysis before adding to project
4. Render and listen after each structural change to catch issues early

7. Mixing Guidelines

Level Balance (approximate starting points)

EQ Guidelines

• High-pass everything except kick and sub at 80-120 Hz
• Sub bass owns 20-80 Hz exclusively — nothing else there
• Kick and sub must not fight: sidechain or frequency-split (kick gets 40-80 Hz click, sub gets 20-50 Hz sustain)
• Wobble bass high-pass at 100 Hz if running alongside a separate sub track
• Snare boost 200 Hz for body, 3-5 kHz for crack

Dynamics

• Master bus: Light limiting only (-1 to -3 dB reduction)
• Individual tracks: Compress drums moderately (3:1-4:1), bass heavily (4:1-8:1)
• Leave 3-6 dB headroom on master before final limiting

8. Composition Tips

Creating Tension and Release

• Tension tools: Rising pitch, opening filter, accelerating snare rolls, increasing reverb, white noise risers, removing the kick 2-4 bars before the drop
• Release tools: The drop itself — kick returns, bass hits, full energy, everything snaps to dry/punchy

Making Drops Hit Hard

1. Contrast: The quieter the buildup, the harder the drop feels
2. Remove elements before the drop: Strip to just a riser + snare roll in the last 2 bars
3. First beat of the drop: Kick + sub + snare all hit simultaneously
4. Frequency shift: Buildups live in mids/highs → drops slam into lows
5. One bar of silence (or just a cymbal reverse) right before the drop is devastating

Bass Rhythm Patterns (16th-note grid, X = bass hit, . = silence)

Standard wobble:  [X X X X . . . . X X X X . . . .]
Triplet roll:     [X . X . X . X . X . X . X . X .]
Riddim bounce:    [X . . X . X . . X . . X . X . .]
Tearout chop:     [X X . X . . X . X X . . X . X .]
Half-time bass:   [X . . . . . . . X . . . . . . .]
Syncopated:       [. . X . . X . . . . X . . X . .]

Note Choices for Bass

• Root only is standard for drops (e.g., all F1 if in F minor)
• Root + fifth for variation sections
• Chromatic movement (half-step slides) for tension
• Octave jumps (F1 → F2) for energy bursts
• Keep bass monophonic — one note at a time

Execution

When $ARGUMENTS specifies a subcommand, execute accordingly:

compose [section]

1. Determine the target project (default: projects/dubstep_drops/dubstep_drops.mmp)
2. Apply the structure template for the requested section
3. Use the drum patterns, bass design, and automation patterns above
4. Add notes and automation via MCP tools using surgical XML editing
5. Checkpoint immediately after each track modification
6. Render the composed section for preview

pattern [type]

1. Generate the specified drum pattern as MIDI note data
2. Apply to the kick, snare, and hi-hat tracks in the active project
3. Include ghost notes and fills appropriate to the pattern type
4. Checkpoint and render for preview

bass [type]

1. Set up a Triple Oscillator track with the specified bass configuration
2. Configure filter, envelopes, and effects chain per the design above
3. Add appropriate automation clips for filter movement
4. Verify with spectrum analysis before finalizing
5. Checkpoint

structure [style]

1. Plan the full arrangement using the template for the requested style
2. Present the bar-by-bar plan to the user for approval
3. On confirmation, compose section by section with checkpoints between each

mix

1. Read the current project and analyze track configuration
2. Compare against the mixing guidelines above
3. Suggest specific volume, pan, and EQ adjustments
4. Apply changes on user approval

sound [element]

1. Provide detailed sound design guidance for the requested element
2. Include LMMS-specific settings (oscillator config, filter, effects)
3. Offer to create and demonstrate the sound

(no args)

Print a concise summary of dubstep production fundamentals from sections 1-3 above.