What Is Dub Music? Echoes, Basslines & DIY Spirit
The Collective Perspective
Long before trap hi-hats and techno drops ruled the dancefloor, Dub music was shaking the walls of Kingston and reshaping the sound system culture forever. But what exactly is Dub — and why does it still matter in 2025?
Whether you're learning about music styles through online music production schools* or discovering Dub for the first time in your home recording studio, this post gives you the essentials. From history to production techniques, this is Dub — as seen from inside the Future Sound Academy.
The Origins of Dub
Dub emerged in 1970s Jamaica, pioneered by studio engineers like King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and Scientist. It began as instrumental B-sides of reggae records, stripped of vocals and drenched in delay, reverb, EQ sweeps, and tape echo.
More than just remixes, these were reimaginings — pushing the boundaries of what a mixing desk could do. Dub was one of the first genres where the engineer became the artist.
It laid the foundation for remix culture, electronic music, and sound design-heavy genres like techno, drum & bass, and even ambient.
Key Characteristics of Dub Music
If you're working in a home music studio or exploring Dub in a music production program*, here’s what to listen for:
Heavy Basslines: Thick, rolling, and often up front
Sparse Drums: Minimal kick/snare, often with rimshots or steppers
Lots of Space: Long reverb tails and delay feedback loops
FX as Instruments: Engineers use filters, spring reverb, tape delay, and phasers live
Dropouts: Removing the beat or vocal suddenly, then bringing it back
How Dub Is Made: Production Techniques
You don’t need a million-dollar studio to make Dub — just creativity and some FX.
🔁 Core Tools:
Tape Echo / Delay: e.g., Ableton’s Echo, Soundtoys EchoBoy
Spring Reverb: Emulated by plugins like PSP SpringBox or UAD Galaxy Tape
Filter Sweeps: Auto Filter in Ableton or FabFilter Volcano
Dub FX Chains: Use bus tracks (see our Ableton blog) to route drums or vocals through custom FX chains
In our Ableton courses* at Future Sound Academy, we teach students to create these live dub-style FX chains that can be manipulated in real time — much like engineers did on old mixing desks.
Is Dub Still Relevant in 2025?
Absolutely — not only as a genre, but as an influence.
You’ll hear Dub in:
Modern techno and deep house (e.g., dub techno labels like Basic Channel, Echocord)
Bass-heavy genres (like jungle, grime, and dubstep)
Experimental ambient and modular scenes
Live dub performances and hybrid DJ/engineer sets
Even in our online music production lessons*, we see students pulling dub FX into everything — from trap to afro-house. It’s more than a genre. It’s a mindset.
Dub Artists to Explore
Want to dive deeper? Start with these legends and modern voices:
King Tubby
Lee "Scratch" Perry
Mad Professor
Augustus Pablo
The Bug
Alpha & Omega
Rhythm & Sound
Final Thoughts
Dub isn't just music — it's sound system philosophy. It's about space, rhythm, and the power of subtraction. Whether you're mixing in a home studio microphone setup or studying FX chains inside an online music production school, Dub gives you tools that go beyond any one genre.
At Future Sound Academy, we carry that Dub spirit forward: creative control, pushing boundaries, and crafting your own sound using the tools you have.
