Can someone please explain dubstep to me?

[Cockney_Jesus]

It just sounds like noise to me. All I really hear is 'wompwompwomp' with my friends going 'OMG TEH BASS!'
It's quite popular where I live (not the reason I hate it, I like other popular stuff etc.) and there do seem to be a lot of people who just like it because it's popular even though they clearly don't like it. Everyone goes crazy for it yet I've only met about 2 people who genuinely seem like they like it.

*puts down his 'people are entitled to their own opinions' card and leaves*

 

[Erana]

The individual sounds are enjoyable to some people. But if you hear the same synthesized whirring for more than a few seconds, it becomes grating.
The answer? Mash a bunch together. And add bass for good measure.

Its part of the reason why I like chiptune- you get a lot of the same synthesized sounds (much chiptune isn't pure chip and will utilize contemporary synthesizers as well as the expected 8-32 bit trackers) but you get a melody and its usually less pop-ish.

Tell me you haven't heard a lot of these sounds somewhere in dubstep:
[small]Hehe, piggy[/small]

 

[katsumoto03]

I can only speak from my experience: It puts a big fuckin' smile on my face when I listen to it. I love me some heavy bass.

 

[kmanniac]

I don't usually listen to dubstep, but modestep is just insane. Not sure it technically qualifies as just dubstep though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxrAg7po9Zo

 

[thom_cat_]

It's quite a wide genre unlike how many people view it.

My personal fav

 

[Ham_authority95]

It has a shit ton of bass, and is really fun to listen to at full volume. That and it actually sounds pretty cool.

But that's it, it's just bassy and awesome at high volume. Nothing much to it.

Yes, this is exactly what attracts people to it, along with it's slower, groovy tempo compared to other EDM. If you don't listen to it through a bass-heavy speaker, you're missing the point.

Of course, everyone has different tastes, and not everyone has to like it.

 

[Daftmau5]

Dubstep is powerful, has a bass that can cause mini-earthquakes, and some people like to listen to a lot of noise every now and then.

Spoiler: Prime example is Skrillex.

 

[Rylot]

It's not my favorite genre by a long shot, but sometimes its just fun to get lost in some really heavy bass.

 

[0p3rati0n]

I also sigh when people say "OMG this dubstep is sooo dirty". It's not dirty, it's electronic sounds. My carpet is dirty.

HA! I love that!

OT- I don't know myself. I like some electronic music, but I'm not into it enough to understand such hype. People say it's because it's the bass. I fucking love bass, but not electronic bass. No I play a Tuba and that's bass! If I'm going to get excited about bass it's going to be this!

Spoiler: THIS!

 

[Evill_Bob]

It's all taste. Something that can vary on situation. Sometimes you want a smooth beat, or unleash the Metal Fury, other times you want to hear the tribal drums from a time when mankind wrote the scrolls of Warfare. Mankind has created music in many forms since the dawn of our species and all are vialable... except Polka, the people who like that crap have no soul.

 

[Wuggy]

Ok here's dubstep explained: Wobwobwobwobwobwobwobwob.

Seriously though, most people like it because it's powerful, as explained above. That's the reason why I listen to dubstep on occasion, and that's the reason why I like metal music.

Also, keep in my mind that people have differing tastes.

Here's my personal favourite by the way:

 

[blankedboy]

This is why I love dubstep. This guy is amazing.

 

[6_Qubed]

Some people like powerful music. Its kind of the same philosophy as hard rock or metal. Dubstep is just the newest form of core shaking bass distortion. Here listen to this and if you don't get this you wont get dubstep because this is as good as it gets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSeNSzJ2-Jw

Hey. Hey you. Buddy. I simultaneously thank you and curse you for posting that link. I thank you because I thoroughly enjoyed that song. I curse you because now I have to find the rest of whatever album or clump of songs that was attached to and try to fit them onto my near-full MP3 player.

And for anyone who will get the reference: To me, this song sounds distinctly Phyrexian, even the lighter parts. Which is much of why I like it.

 

[mcpop9]

Here is what my friend explained to me:wubwubwubwubwubwub
Here is what I got out of it:EARGASM
OT: Majorly bass with epic drops, anything from bass face to dropping pikachu. Just look up going quantum on YouTube. I'm on an iPad and can't be bothered to post the Link

 

[AtheistConservative]

While I certainly don't like all of dubstep, the dubstep I do like as a few common elements and I'm guessing that this why others like it as well:

Non-grating sounds, this is purely subjective and individual obviously.

The drops, to me a good drop is the audio representation of when you're at a fireworks show and they've just fired the final barrage, there's the pregnant pause then a spectacular display.

The genre is rapidly expanding so if like any dubstep there will be more of the flavor you like.

There's quite a continuum of dubstep from very peaceful like Sierra Leone by Mt Eden to excited.

But really it comes down to this, people like dubstep because they think it sounds good. Same reason why people listen to rock, country, rap or opera.

 

[Last Hugh Alive]

I got into dubstep about a year ago. I can't really explain the appeal myself its certainly not for everyone. But I'm sure there's a song here and there you might really enjoy if you look hard enough. If you're a fan of other electronic music Skrillex might be a good artist to start off with.

 

[Sephael]

Explanation from someone who heard 2 tracks, so take it with a (larger than usual) grain of salt:


What I hear is a type of electronic music with deep bass scratches

 

[geK0]

meh, these songs (the ones posted in this thread) are okay I guess = \

nothing I'd get excited about, but it might make okay background noise for a party or something.