Writing a good Dubstep drop?

[Jurgen]

So I've noticed when I try and make dubstep that I'm pretty good at making it right up until the drop. The ones I make always sound too bland to me and I have trouble making it sound as aggressive as I sometimes want it.
For example, I'm currently working on a Requiem for a Dream remix and I really like how it's turning out so far , but I just can't get a drop I'm satisfied with (hence why the song ends right after the build up).

Are there any sort of tips or tricks to writing a good drop? I've watched countless tutorials on dubstep and EDM production but I still just can't get them to sound right or the way I want.

Note: I've produced with other styles and whatnot, this isn't a case of "I want to be a dubstep producer because they're so keeewwwwwl" this is just me wanting to experiment, I listen to a lot of dubstep so you can understand how I want to dabble in it.

[DDman465]

Have a very very faint semi-distorted sine with a good bit of reverb rising up in pitch in the background. Post results.

[Yoshiii343]

From what I know about dubstep drops, it's the wub bass going all ballistic and shit.
So having more than one wubble bass would be beneficial.

Unless of course, you're feeling all Nero-like or Kickstarts-remix-era-Bar 9...(they use only one [?])

They're usually playing the chord prog, or...something.

*sorry in advance if this is terrible advice.

[DDman465]

At 8/31/13 10:55 PM, DDman465 wrote: Have a very very faint semi-distorted sine with a good bit of reverb rising up in pitch in the background. Post results

More detail:

Have emphasis on the 1:06-1:07 range. Also highpass the 1:07 bit, that little scratch to maybe 150-250hz. Then drop a metric fuck ton of bass.

[Omnivore]

It depends on how much you've messed around with different synths and programs. Do you have any VSTs your comfortable with using? -O

[Jurgen]

At 9/1/13 01:15 AM, Omnivore wrote: It depends on how much you've messed around with different synths and programs. Do you have any VSTs your comfortable with using? -O

Oooh man, when I first started just messing around I made some wobble preset on Harmless and fell it love with it, used to use it as main wobble all the time. But recently I've moved to trying to work with massive. I feel like the automation options are kind of crappier, but it definitely produces some insane sounds.

By the way, just whipped this up trying to think of something. It's a harmless wobble with a couple filters and whatnot strewn in. I just made a neat little bassline and automated it half heartedly, but I don't know where to go from there. Should I add some chords and whatnot throughout and other basses? Should I add in lasers at every bar? I mean I'm kind of okay with the bassline itself and the wobble is nice, but it just feels so bland, especially after all the buildup. That's really my main problem, I can make a nice buildup but I can't follow it up for shit.

[Jurgen]

Annnnd forgot the link.

[InvisibleObserver]

I think in your provided songs length there is a lack of sonic/pitch/mix style/panning etc contrast. If you're going to take things away from the mix to only re-add them back, and or introduce a new instrument post drop, your "bass"/"reese" usually occupies a shit ton of the mix room. Given you havn't utterly filled things out, pre or post, the period of time in which your "drop" occupies is just underwhelming and flat.

My 2 cents would be play with longer traily reverb, and layer in some wide, high frequency range pad under neath everything, and maybe work in a highpass/lowpass filter of some sort on top of that pad mimicing what you already have going on. Layer things up more, a little drum sample and 2-3 instruments won't be enough to make it feel climactic unless those sounds themselves are super layered/lush.

[Herogashix]

At 9/1/13 11:39 PM, Jurgen wrote: Annnnd forgot the link.

Clean up the quality of the wub, add a few C8 sine wave sirens, chopped 1/8, maybe sidechain it.

The more melodic the drop, the better, but don't write a melody with a drop. My only advice for dubstep drops, is don't ruin the mix with heavy bass, but don't be skimpy with it either. After that, it just comes down to solid work and playing around.

[Sequenced]

Here is what I've learned from Dubstep producers.

The drop has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ENTIRE TRACK. You can make it as loud and obnoxious as possible and the average listener won't care.

the end

[D00FY]

At 9/2/13 09:50 AM, Sequenced wrote: Here is what I've learned from Dubstep producers.

The drop has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ENTIRE TRACK. You can make it as loud and obnoxious as possible and the average listener won't care.

the end

HAHA i like that.

I can see an element of truth in this, Remember seeing Rob Swire from Knife Party/Pendulum on twitter saying something like 97% of the people listening to your track couldn't care less how a synth was produced or where it was sampled.

I've noticed that quite a few build ups in dub step tracks do have the drop semi transitioning in though. that silence you have just before the drop will come in is good though, simple but has a nice suspense to it, i've been listening on laptop speakers though so my opinion is invalid on most part.

Unfortantly only way to figure out the answer is by experimenting i think, whether you prefer to bounce your track down to audio n be committed then cut it up or if you like the flexibility of being able to automate your wubs and wobs.

hope this helps, sorry if it dont i went drinking a few days ago and haven't recovered yet.