Abstract
Dub music is perhaps just as traditional in its approach as various forms of folk music. As appreciators and makers of the form will testify, it is a music that is firmly rooted in its past, weighted down by its foundations. This applies of course to many other forms of music such as Blues, Klezma, and Rebetika, to name just three. However through a number of radical changes in technology and production techniques Dub is changing in terms of how it is created, made and shared. This is due to a number of parallel and at times disjointed developments, such as the emergence and dominance of the internet, the evolution of more accessible/less pricey digital music production software and being able to DJ from laptops with MP3 files. In this paper I will address these changes by referring to processes of convergence and blurring in the production and sharing of the music. This will be done through a case study of virtual PC remixer Manwel T from Malta, as well as reflections on the Dub innovator himself, King Tubby, and more generically on reggae music as a form in technological osmosis. In conclusion connections will be made to ‘medium’ theory (McLuhan, 1964) to Dub and how the music is constantly moving forward yet still staying grounded in its traditional past.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Journal on the Art of Record Production |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Keywords
- Music
- Virtual music
- Reggae