"Halfstep"
- Thread starter swears
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noel emits
a wonderful wooden reason
There was this thread: http://www.dissensus.com/showthread.php?t=4122
I like Logos' poetic contention that "The half-step style (in dubstep) is expressed as a unity of elements."
It's really 1-Step though, of course. You had 2-Step garage, and then some dubstep style stuff began veering closer to the half-time tempo (69ish) in the balance of elements. This generally results in rhythms which are more likely to have just 1 snare hit per bar rather than two. Often with halfstep it will be triplets and 16ths on the percussion elements that assert the full-time tempo. It doesn't take much though - a little triplet flick of the bass can be enough to hint at all that supressed energy.
Edit: I suppose that's a dubstep-centric explanation.
I like Logos' poetic contention that "The half-step style (in dubstep) is expressed as a unity of elements."
It's really 1-Step though, of course. You had 2-Step garage, and then some dubstep style stuff began veering closer to the half-time tempo (69ish) in the balance of elements. This generally results in rhythms which are more likely to have just 1 snare hit per bar rather than two. Often with halfstep it will be triplets and 16ths on the percussion elements that assert the full-time tempo. It doesn't take much though - a little triplet flick of the bass can be enough to hint at all that supressed energy.
Edit: I suppose that's a dubstep-centric explanation.
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swears
preppy-kei
Yeah, that's what I thought. It's not a technical term, more a style.
as far as im concerned its nothing to do with metronomic vs swung or whatever, its about the temporal emphasis of the rhythmic elements
noel emits pretty much gets it right for me
examples that spring to mind...request line, wiley - gangsterz, loefah - horror show, mala - da wrath, skream - angry, plasticman - hocus pocus, tubby - its war...it goes on
it is a personal thing though i think, and it is a matter of degree not black and whites... theres a fair bit of grey area
noel emits pretty much gets it right for me
examples that spring to mind...request line, wiley - gangsterz, loefah - horror show, mala - da wrath, skream - angry, plasticman - hocus pocus, tubby - its war...it goes on
it is a personal thing though i think, and it is a matter of degree not black and whites... theres a fair bit of grey area
Slothrop
Tight but Polite
That pretty much nails it for me.
Apparently there's been some halfstep drum n bass recently - does anyone know more?
viktorvaughn
Well-known member
I thought half-step in the dnb context somtimes referred to Jammin'-style
breakbeat-garage stuff? Maybe not tho.
Amit's been doing this for about two years, like on "Pirates".
Halfstep in dubstep is just variants of drum patterns with the snare on the third beat instead of the 2nd and 4th (ie 2step). it really doesn't require 'poetic' description. In dubstep the first real example of this is Loe's "Horror Show".
In grime, check Wonder's "What".
errr some of the tracks on Amit's album 'Never Ending' have a bit of a halfstep feel.
as mentioned above, I think 'What' by Wonder was the tune that opened the door for dubstep.
as mentioned above, I think 'What' by Wonder was the tune that opened the door for dubstep.
ha! ^^^ pretty much said the same thing at exactly the same time.
UFO over easy
online mahjong
Digitals been doing it for about 8
Polar/K and spirit did some wicked half step bits as well.
noel emits
a wonderful wooden reason
UFO over easy
online mahjong
I don't think it has to be to do with beat patterns really, even less to do with snares. Any element of a tune can play a rhythmic role, and everyone can have a different perception of that rhythm, so why should the definition have to be so concrete? Loefahs punisher remix goes bars without snare, but it's still a militant half stepper. I'd argue sine of the dub is a half step track too - even though it's a beatless tune, the bass hits, and to a certain extent spaceapes flow, provide that half-step lilt.
To me it's about vibe, and how I'd dance to it. As elgato says, it's a personal thing.
To me it's about vibe, and how I'd dance to it. As elgato says, it's a personal thing.
noel emits
a wonderful wooden reason
Yes. Consider this:
Digital Mystikz - 'Conference'. Snares on the 2-and and 4. Not halfstep, but not really 2-step either.
Loefah & Skream - 'Fearless'. Snares on the 2-and.(?) and 4. Halfstep, I would say.
What distinguishes these two tunes? There is more constant fast activity in 'Conference', it 'feels' faster.
Skream - 'I'. Snare on the 4. Halfstep.
Skream - 'Morning Blues'. Snare on the 3. Technically halfstep, sounds like 2-step.
The propulsive hi-hats and kicks in 'Morning Blues' make it feel faster.
I know this is just splitting hairs and this subject has been rinsed elsewhere, but it is sort of fun to think about. And of course it's good that there are so many rhythmic possibilities. I suppose from a mixing point of view it can be helpful to think of halfstep as being those tunes with the snare on the 3rd beat. I think it would be fair to say that a large proportion of current dubstep could be classed as halfstep.
Digital Mystikz - 'Conference'. Snares on the 2-and and 4. Not halfstep, but not really 2-step either.
Loefah & Skream - 'Fearless'. Snares on the 2-and.(?) and 4. Halfstep, I would say.
What distinguishes these two tunes? There is more constant fast activity in 'Conference', it 'feels' faster.
Skream - 'I'. Snare on the 4. Halfstep.
Skream - 'Morning Blues'. Snare on the 3. Technically halfstep, sounds like 2-step.
The propulsive hi-hats and kicks in 'Morning Blues' make it feel faster.
I know this is just splitting hairs and this subject has been rinsed elsewhere, but it is sort of fun to think about. And of course it's good that there are so many rhythmic possibilities. I suppose from a mixing point of view it can be helpful to think of halfstep as being those tunes with the snare on the 3rd beat. I think it would be fair to say that a large proportion of current dubstep could be classed as halfstep.
Halfstep = 140bpm tunes that accent the beats in a certain way, so it feels more like 70bpm. i think that coveres everything...?
(for genres other than dubstep, just change to the appropraire bpm rates )
(for genres other than dubstep, just change to the appropraire bpm rates
)
Grievous Angel
Beast of Burden
Gutterz' definition is canonical and quite correct, but Nole Emits' analysis is absolutely delightful! Must re-listen to all those tunes!
Of course I normally mix on the snares which probably means I favour a snare on the third beat...
Of course I normally mix on the snares which probably means I favour a snare on the third beat...
the undisputed truth
Banned
Here's a classic. Zed Bias- Ring the alarm feat Juiceman and Simba
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y87HZBD5
The intro starts out at halfstep goes to full breakstep, back to half in the breakdown and out with the fullstep again
Halfstep dubstep tunes rarely ever go into fullstep mode but breakstyle dubstep tunes often do cos if they didn't they'd just be breakstep. Boxcutter and Toasty use it to sublime effect.
Halftime d'n'b or jungle just brings it back to dancehall or ragga. BTW there was a legendary halfstep thread over at dubstepforum...lol
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y87HZBD5
The intro starts out at halfstep goes to full breakstep, back to half in the breakdown and out with the fullstep again
Halfstep dubstep tunes rarely ever go into fullstep mode but breakstyle dubstep tunes often do cos if they didn't they'd just be breakstep. Boxcutter and Toasty use it to sublime effect.
Halftime d'n'b or jungle just brings it back to dancehall or ragga. BTW there was a legendary halfstep thread over at dubstepforum...lol
noel emits
a wonderful wooden reason
Does it? I don't think Amit's half-time style ends up sounding like that at all - you've still got lots of ghost snare hits and other rapid elements going on.