Dubplate
Encyclopedia
A dubplate is an acetate disc
– usually 12, 10, or 7 inches in diameter – used in mastering studios for quality control and test recordings before proceeding with the final master, and subsequent pressing of the record to be mass-produced on vinyl
. The "dub" in dubplate is an allusion to the plate's use in "dubbing" or "doubling" the original version of a track. The name dubplate also refers to an exclusive, 'one-off' acetate disc recording pioneered by reggae sound systems but also used by drum and bass
and other dance music
artists, DJs and sound systems
.
These dubplates will often be either unreleased recordings (which may or may not end up being made available to the general public) or exclusive versions or remixes
of existing recordings. They are often used as a market research tool to assess the probable sales of a tune once it's released, as they are far cheaper to produce than a pressed vinyl record
. However, because they have a limited lifespan they can only be used about fifty times.
Vinyl dubplates are a recently developed format which allow extremely durable recordings to be made (lasting 90% as long as pressed vinyl) and are more suited to cases where no release is imminent, or the release date is a long time away.
, dancehall
, dubstep
, drum and bass
, soca
, chutney
, hip hop
or any other genre artist that the sound system is able to solicit for the dubplate. Although CD
is now the preferred format for these recordings, the use of the word "Dubplate" (commonly abbreviated "dub", particularly in the drum and bass
scene) to describe them has survived.
These recordings are often used for competing in a sound clash
, in which rival reggae or soca sound systems compete with each other to produce the most imaginative or unusual dubplate specials. The exclusivity of the recording is made evident by changes to the usual lyrics to include the name of the sound system that has commissioned the recording, often remarking on the prowess of the sound system in question, and sometimes the weaknesses of the opposing sound system(s) in a given competition.
Dubplate Specials are an essential tool in a sound clash – the more exclusive the better – but they also form an intrinsic part of the Reggae
industry. A notable example is the special of "No, No, No (You Don't Love Me)" recorded by Dawn Penn
for a number of sound systems in the early nineties. The special recorded for Saxon Studio International
sound system replaced the lyrics "No, no, no, you don't love me..." with "No, no, no, can't test Saxon", referring to the invincibility of the sound system. The song became an international hit, and Dawn Penn endorsed several other sound systems with the same lyrics and continued to do so for many years.
Acetate disc
An acetate disc, also known as a test acetate, dubplate , lacquer , transcription disc or instantaneous disc...
– usually 12, 10, or 7 inches in diameter – used in mastering studios for quality control and test recordings before proceeding with the final master, and subsequent pressing of the record to be mass-produced on vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
. The "dub" in dubplate is an allusion to the plate's use in "dubbing" or "doubling" the original version of a track. The name dubplate also refers to an exclusive, 'one-off' acetate disc recording pioneered by reggae sound systems but also used by drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
and other dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
artists, DJs and sound systems
Sound system (DJ)
A sound system is a group of DJs and engineers contributing and working together as one, playing and producing music.-Origin:The sound system concept originated in the 1950s in Kingston, Jamaica. DJs would load up a truck with a generator, turntables, and huge speakers to set up street parties...
.
These dubplates will often be either unreleased recordings (which may or may not end up being made available to the general public) or exclusive versions or remixes
RemixeS
RemixeS is a compilation of French singer Mylène Farmer's singles by various famous DJ's, including JXL, Felix Da Housecat and Paul Oakenfold.-Brackground, writing and release:...
of existing recordings. They are often used as a market research tool to assess the probable sales of a tune once it's released, as they are far cheaper to produce than a pressed vinyl record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
. However, because they have a limited lifespan they can only be used about fifty times.
Vinyl dubplates are a recently developed format which allow extremely durable recordings to be made (lasting 90% as long as pressed vinyl) and are more suited to cases where no release is imminent, or the release date is a long time away.
Dubplate special
A dubplate special, also known as a dubplate or special, is an exclusive version of a piece of music, usually (re-)recorded by a reggaeReggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
, dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
, drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
, soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
, chutney
Chutney music
Chutney music is a form indigenous to the southern Caribbean, originating in Trinidad. It derives elements from traditional Indian music and popular Trinidadian Soca music.-History:...
, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
or any other genre artist that the sound system is able to solicit for the dubplate. Although CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
is now the preferred format for these recordings, the use of the word "Dubplate" (commonly abbreviated "dub", particularly in the drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
scene) to describe them has survived.
These recordings are often used for competing in a sound clash
Sound clash
A Sound clash is a musical competition where crew members from opposing reggae sound systems pit their skills against each other. Sound clashes take place in a variety of venues, both indoors and outdoors...
, in which rival reggae or soca sound systems compete with each other to produce the most imaginative or unusual dubplate specials. The exclusivity of the recording is made evident by changes to the usual lyrics to include the name of the sound system that has commissioned the recording, often remarking on the prowess of the sound system in question, and sometimes the weaknesses of the opposing sound system(s) in a given competition.
Dubplate Specials are an essential tool in a sound clash – the more exclusive the better – but they also form an intrinsic part of the Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
industry. A notable example is the special of "No, No, No (You Don't Love Me)" recorded by Dawn Penn
Dawn Penn
Dawn Penn is a Jamaican reggae singer.-Career:Dawn Penn's earliest recordings were for Prince Buster around 1966. In 1967 she recorded and released the rocksteady single, "You Don't Love Me" produced by Coxsone Dodd at Studio One...
for a number of sound systems in the early nineties. The special recorded for Saxon Studio International
Saxon Studio International
Saxon Studio International is one of the best known London reggae soundsystems. It is notable for being the first UK soundsystem to win an international competition and also being where three artists who went on to achieve UK Top Forty hits first came to prominence.Saxon Studio International began...
sound system replaced the lyrics "No, no, no, you don't love me..." with "No, no, no, can't test Saxon", referring to the invincibility of the sound system. The song became an international hit, and Dawn Penn endorsed several other sound systems with the same lyrics and continued to do so for many years.