7 ms·

For those who don't know, "Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word 'rhythm'. In the context of reggae and dancehall it refers to the ins

For those who don't know, "Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word 'rhythm'. In the context of reggae and dancehall it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section... A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances." The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears. But the novelty and catchiness obviously connected to millions of people at the time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8

lelandfe 5y ago
> The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears Dub and reggae are a part of the so-called soundsystem culture. That booming bass line is meant to be heard over an enormous PA system (often home built) designed to rattle your bones!
- gunfighthacksaw 5y ago
  I remember not getting dubstep (also derived from dub before it’s export to the US and commercialization) because I was listening to it on my PC speakers. When I finally played it through my hifi it was like a whole sonic landscape suddenly appeared and only then did I finally get it.
  - chrisjc 5y ago
    Quick note to those that were potentially triggered when they read "dubstep"... Early dubstep was based on two-step and garage music, while at the same time heavily based on dub and reggae. Digital Mystikz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 Spaceape - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I Goth Trad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw Listen to some of the early dubstep and you'll start to understand that parent probably didn't mean Skrillex, etc... BBC Radio 1's original Dubstep Warz session is a great introduction to the original dubstep - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g Kode9's recently released Dubstep Warz behind the scenes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - lelandfe 5y ago
      Nice to see some heads on HN! Great list, and RIP The Spaceape. You can find proper sound system culture in the states, though not much is happening since COVID. Tsunami Bass has an enormous PA and Reconstrvct hopefully will be back one day. Analog in Brooklyn did have a whopping home built system but it was sold off and the club is under new management these days. Here's a glimpse into what this sort of stuff is like at a show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8037wYWZkU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8037wYWZkU. That's the Dub Livity system. The DJ cuts (low pass) out the bass line, teasing the crowd, until the 2:05 mark, as the MC toasts. The bass shakes everything – you can feel it in your bones. It's visceral. You can see why it was, and is, and continues to be a spiritual thing for many people.
      - nyanpasu64 5y ago
        Technically low-cutting is called highpass rather than lowpass. I don't exactly like the low/high pass terminology myself either though; you end up putting a high pass at a low frequency to remove bass, and low pass at a high frequency to remove treble.
        okl 5y ago
        High/low pass = high/low frequency components pass through. Simple?
        JohnBooty 5y ago
        Yeah high pass / low pass have always seemed totally logical to me. At least once I knew what they meant. I suppose they're not 100% intuitive or self-explanatory, but I can't think of a better alternative.
        nyanpasu64 5y ago
        A second-order 12db/oct low-pass has a 12 db/oct high-cut, and some unknown (hopefully minimized) amount of ripple in the passband. There's an advantage in naming filters after the more "interesting" part of the spectral response (eg. a second-order 12 db/oct highcut) where you're doing the most sculpting of the spectrum, where different filter orders behave differently, and different designs have different levels of stopband leakage. Though on the other hand, there's some benefit in naming filters after what's passed.
  - rvense 5y ago
    If the speakers weren't taller than you, you haven't experienced dubstep. (Real dubstep, I mean, that has dub in it - not that mid-range electric razor Skrillex shit!)
  - jvanderbot 5y ago
    I remember not getting DnB, until hearing a story about how it rattled the listener's chest in London's clubs. I get the idea in theory now, at least.
- cat199 5y ago
  seen .. much bettern to hear the song in context in a soundsystem live tape (several on yt) - and possibly with cough cough sacrament - e.g. coxsone, killmanjaro, etc. <3 the 'digital raggae' electronic pre-dancehall sound
  - berkes 5y ago
    A somewhat Europeanized version of this Dub can often be found behind the query "steppa, steppers or dubtronica" of many platforms such as Spotify. Which, also, is best heard on either good headphones or with your head stuck down a giant soundsystem wall (don't do that, though, seriously)
    - Daishiman 5y ago
      You can do it, but get _good_ earplugs and nor for more than a few minutes! (sSund system owner here)
mtalantikite 5y ago
> But the novelty and catchiness obviously connected to millions of people at the time. And also spawned a huge amount of music: https://www.whosampled.com/Wayne-Smith/Under-Me-Sleng-Teng/sampled/ https://www.whosampled.com/Wayne-Smith/Under-Me-Sleng-Teng/s...
jrochkind1 5y ago
> The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears. I find the simple casio rhythm delightfully engaging and catchy! But that may be because I've heard it in so many reggae and dancehall songs I associate it with now. But the first time I heard those songs, they immediately caught my ear and made me want to dance. Here's just an MT-40 playing the present. To me that's super catchy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq7B4MFbmgU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq7B4MFbmgU
srcreigh 5y ago
Several songs in this style https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIfzt7mtFyI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIfzt7mtFyI
yardie 5y ago
You're listening to it wrong. /s Dancehall riddims are tuned for the dancehall and, occasionally, the car show. It's a vibe and atmosphere that doesn't translate well to headphones. I can listen to 2 DJs in a clash go back and forth for hours with just 1 riddim. But after 1 play of Cash Money riddim, for example, I'm pressing FFWD for something else. Because the moment is gone.
- Spastche 5y ago
  I agree. I tried listening to Clint Eastwood's Jah Lights Shining earlier today thru a speaker system I'm DIYing and it's really not the same unless you've got proper speakers.
slim 5y ago
> The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears ok, let me try to make it more interesting. you seem to think riddim is something from the past. you may remember the music from "run the world" by Beyonce. that riddim is called "pon de floor" riddim. it was created by diplo. (warning nsfw video). riddim is essentially coding patterns for music. since each riddim has a name it creates a DSL that lets DJs and MCs go meta with the music and focus on making the most catchy sound. another interesting aspect is it's free from intellectual property. it makes for a good example of the impact of free culture on creativity.
- afro88 5y ago
  > another interesting aspect is it's free from intellectual property. it makes for a good example of the impact of free culture on creativity. You better believe Diplo got paid by Beyonce to use Pon De Floor in a track.
  - slim 5y ago
    of course he did :) free culture does not prevent one from profiting from non-free culture. on a similar note, there's another thread on how Monty got paid twice for mysql.
    - afro88 5y ago
      And the other side of the coin: you better believe a lot of people were cease and desisted out of using Pon De Floor in tracks too. My point was that riddims unfortunately aren't as free. But the culture around them uses them as if they are (at home, at small parties, in mixes for friends etc), until they're not (on the public internet, played at clubs, in mixes played on radio etc)
JohnBooty 5y ago
The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears Counterpoint: the actual riddim sounds awesome to my American ears. Although of course, it's a building block for a song, not a song itself.
bobthepanda 5y ago
I don't know that this is the best example of a riddim if you were to look at the ones that got big in the US. Which there are. In 2002, the "Diwali Riddim" came out, which is the basis of several popular songs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali_Riddim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali_Riddim the original beat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMASjABxHWE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMASjABxHWE Sean Paul - Get Busy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPQ3o14ksaM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPQ3o14ksaM Lumidee - Never Leave You (Uh Oh) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k03HK88HhmU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k03HK88HhmU Rihanna - Pon De Replay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEauWw9ZGrA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEauWw9ZGrA Wayne Wonder - No Letting Go (0:30 to start the actual song) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT1XhnfMT5c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT1XhnfMT5c --- Another big one is the Coolie Dance riddim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d31drv0VQsU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d31drv0VQsU Move Ya Body - Nina Sky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYbMvAB66KM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYbMvAB66KM Culo - Pitbull ft. Lil Jon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy-vUCIm04M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy-vUCIm04M

lelandfe 5y ago

> The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears Dub and reggae are a part of the so-called soundsystem culture. That booming bass line is meant to be heard over an enormous PA system (often home built) designed to rattle your bones!

gunfighthacksaw 5y ago
I remember not getting dubstep (also derived from dub before it’s export to the US and commercialization) because I was listening to it on my PC speakers. When I finally played it through my hifi it was like a whole sonic landscape suddenly appeared and only then did I finally get it.
- chrisjc 5y ago
  Quick note to those that were potentially triggered when they read "dubstep"... Early dubstep was based on two-step and garage music, while at the same time heavily based on dub and reggae. Digital Mystikz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 Spaceape - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I Goth Trad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw Listen to some of the early dubstep and you'll start to understand that parent probably didn't mean Skrillex, etc... BBC Radio 1's original Dubstep Warz session is a great introduction to the original dubstep - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g Kode9's recently released Dubstep Warz behind the scenes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - lelandfe 5y ago
    Nice to see some heads on HN! Great list, and RIP The Spaceape. You can find proper sound system culture in the states, though not much is happening since COVID. Tsunami Bass has an enormous PA and Reconstrvct hopefully will be back one day. Analog in Brooklyn did have a whopping home built system but it was sold off and the club is under new management these days. Here's a glimpse into what this sort of stuff is like at a show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8037wYWZkU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8037wYWZkU. That's the Dub Livity system. The DJ cuts (low pass) out the bass line, teasing the crowd, until the 2:05 mark, as the MC toasts. The bass shakes everything – you can feel it in your bones. It's visceral. You can see why it was, and is, and continues to be a spiritual thing for many people.
    - nyanpasu64 5y ago
      Technically low-cutting is called highpass rather than lowpass. I don't exactly like the low/high pass terminology myself either though; you end up putting a high pass at a low frequency to remove bass, and low pass at a high frequency to remove treble.
      - okl 5y ago
        High/low pass = high/low frequency components pass through. Simple?
        JohnBooty 5y ago
        Yeah high pass / low pass have always seemed totally logical to me. At least once I knew what they meant. I suppose they're not 100% intuitive or self-explanatory, but I can't think of a better alternative.
        nyanpasu64 5y ago
        A second-order 12db/oct low-pass has a 12 db/oct high-cut, and some unknown (hopefully minimized) amount of ripple in the passband. There's an advantage in naming filters after the more "interesting" part of the spectral response (eg. a second-order 12 db/oct highcut) where you're doing the most sculpting of the spectrum, where different filter orders behave differently, and different designs have different levels of stopband leakage. Though on the other hand, there's some benefit in naming filters after what's passed.
- rvense 5y ago
  If the speakers weren't taller than you, you haven't experienced dubstep. (Real dubstep, I mean, that has dub in it - not that mid-range electric razor Skrillex shit!)
- jvanderbot 5y ago
  I remember not getting DnB, until hearing a story about how it rattled the listener's chest in London's clubs. I get the idea in theory now, at least.
cat199 5y ago
seen .. much bettern to hear the song in context in a soundsystem live tape (several on yt) - and possibly with cough cough sacrament - e.g. coxsone, killmanjaro, etc. <3 the 'digital raggae' electronic pre-dancehall sound
- berkes 5y ago
  A somewhat Europeanized version of this Dub can often be found behind the query "steppa, steppers or dubtronica" of many platforms such as Spotify. Which, also, is best heard on either good headphones or with your head stuck down a giant soundsystem wall (don't do that, though, seriously)
  - Daishiman 5y ago
    You can do it, but get _good_ earplugs and nor for more than a few minutes! (sSund system owner here)

mtalantikite 5y ago

> But the novelty and catchiness obviously connected to millions of people at the time. And also spawned a huge amount of music: https://www.whosampled.com/Wayne-Smith/Under-Me-Sleng-Teng/sampled/ https://www.whosampled.com/Wayne-Smith/Under-Me-Sleng-Teng/s...

jrochkind1 5y ago

> The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears. I find the simple casio rhythm delightfully engaging and catchy! But that may be because I've heard it in so many reggae and dancehall songs I associate it with now. But the first time I heard those songs, they immediately caught my ear and made me want to dance. Here's just an MT-40 playing the present. To me that's super catchy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq7B4MFbmgU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq7B4MFbmgU

srcreigh 5y ago

Several songs in this style https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIfzt7mtFyI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIfzt7mtFyI

yardie 5y ago

You're listening to it wrong. /s Dancehall riddims are tuned for the dancehall and, occasionally, the car show. It's a vibe and atmosphere that doesn't translate well to headphones. I can listen to 2 DJs in a clash go back and forth for hours with just 1 riddim. But after 1 play of Cash Money riddim, for example, I'm pressing FFWD for something else. Because the moment is gone.

Spastche 5y ago
I agree. I tried listening to Clint Eastwood's Jah Lights Shining earlier today thru a speaker system I'm DIYing and it's really not the same unless you've got proper speakers.

slim 5y ago

> The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears ok, let me try to make it more interesting. you seem to think riddim is something from the past. you may remember the music from "run the world" by Beyonce. that riddim is called "pon de floor" riddim. it was created by diplo. (warning nsfw video). riddim is essentially coding patterns for music. since each riddim has a name it creates a DSL that lets DJs and MCs go meta with the music and focus on making the most catchy sound. another interesting aspect is it's free from intellectual property. it makes for a good example of the impact of free culture on creativity.

afro88 5y ago
> another interesting aspect is it's free from intellectual property. it makes for a good example of the impact of free culture on creativity. You better believe Diplo got paid by Beyonce to use Pon De Floor in a track.
- slim 5y ago
  of course he did :) free culture does not prevent one from profiting from non-free culture. on a similar note, there's another thread on how Monty got paid twice for mysql.
  - afro88 5y ago
    And the other side of the coin: you better believe a lot of people were cease and desisted out of using Pon De Floor in tracks too. My point was that riddims unfortunately aren't as free. But the culture around them uses them as if they are (at home, at small parties, in mixes for friends etc), until they're not (on the public internet, played at clubs, in mixes played on radio etc)

JohnBooty 5y ago

The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears Counterpoint: the actual riddim sounds awesome to my American ears. Although of course, it's a building block for a song, not a song itself.

bobthepanda 5y ago

I don't know that this is the best example of a riddim if you were to look at the ones that got big in the US. Which there are. In 2002, the "Diwali Riddim" came out, which is the basis of several popular songs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali_Riddim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali_Riddim the original beat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMASjABxHWE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMASjABxHWE Sean Paul - Get Busy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPQ3o14ksaM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPQ3o14ksaM Lumidee - Never Leave You (Uh Oh) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k03HK88HhmU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k03HK88HhmU Rihanna - Pon De Replay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEauWw9ZGrA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEauWw9ZGrA Wayne Wonder - No Letting Go (0:30 to start the actual song) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT1XhnfMT5c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT1XhnfMT5c --- Another big one is the Coolie Dance riddim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d31drv0VQsU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d31drv0VQsU Move Ya Body - Nina Sky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYbMvAB66KM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYbMvAB66KM Culo - Pitbull ft. Lil Jon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy-vUCIm04M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy-vUCIm04M