Post-Dubstep Songwriting Advice

You want a song that sounds like late night on a city rooftop and also gets into your listener like a clever curse. Post dubstep is a vibe first and a tempo second. It borrows dubstep bass weight and UK experimental production and then softens, stretches, or fractures those elements until they feel intimate. This guide will give you the songwriting moves, examples, and exercises you can use today to make songs that feel both human and weird in a way your audience will obsess over.

Everything here is written for millennial and Gen Z artists who want to write better songs and finish more of them. Expect blunt advice, real world scenarios, and explanations for any term or acronym you might have seen in a lonely comment on a forum. We will cover song identity, rhythm and groove, bass and sub work, melody and topline, lyrics and attitude, vocal treatment, arrangement, and a practical finish plan to help you ship tracks that land.

What Is Post Dubstep

Post dubstep is a loose term for music that grew out of dubstep and UK electronic scenes in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Artists like James Blake, Burial, Mount Kimbie, and Four Tet played with dubstep bass and sparse beats and added heavy use of texture, song structure, and voice. Post dubstep is more about mood than rules. It values space, off grid rhythms, fragile vocal lines, and production choices that let the listener fill in the gaps.

Think of it this way. You know how you can have a great argument that ends in a quiet hug rather than a scream? Post dubstep is that argument turned into music. It is bass that does not always need to hit hard. It is rhythms that push and pull. It is a vocal that might be fragile but feels honest. It is production that creates atmosphere without pretending to be an orchestra.

Key Characteristics and Why They Matter

• Space and silence Use silence as a rhythmic device. Leaving room makes the listener lean in.
• Half time feel Many songs use a sense of slow time so that drums can feel weighty while tempo stays moderate. You can write at 130 beats per minute and feel like 65.
• Textural focus Small noises like rain, tape flutter, or vinyl crackle become melodic material when placed intentionally.
• Bass that breathes Sub bass and low mid content are dialed in so the low end moves emotionally rather than just loud.
• Vocal intimacy Vocals are often treated as another instrument. They get reverb, delay, pitch shifts, or stutters so the voice becomes part of the texture.
• Song structure from electronic notation Use DJ friendly shapes but allow for songs to feel like stories rather than loops.

Define Your Core Mood

Before you pick a tempo or a plugin, write one sentence that states the mood of the song. This is your songwriting north star. Keep it human and brief. Say it like a text to a friend at 2 AM. Example moods.

• I am walking home with no umbrella and it does not bother me.
• I hear your voice in the empty train station at three AM.
• I want to forgive but I keep looping the same excuse.

Turn that sentence into a short title or a repeated chorus line. In post dubstep the title often acts like a ghost. You may only say it once but the production returns to it like a memory.

Tempo, Groove, and Feel

Post dubstep sits in a flexible tempo zone. You can write at 120 beats per minute or at 140 beats per minute. What matters more is the feel. Many producers use a half time approach. That means the snare or backbeat lands where it would in a slower tempo while percussion or hi hats imply higher clock time. This creates weight and space.

Practical rules you can use now

• Pick a tempo between 100 and 140 beats per minute and then decide if you want full time or half time feel. Full time will feel more urgent. Half time will feel heavier and more spacious.
• Program a percussion grid that plays small differences every two bars. That micro timing variance is more human than perfectly quantized hits.
• Use swing subtly to humanize hi hats and shakers. Too much swing makes the groove obvious. Use enough to feel alive.

Real life scenario

You are producing a song about saying no to a toxic ex. You set the DAW project at 125 beats per minute. You place a heavy clap on beat three of a four beat bar so the listener feels the weight of each bar. Hi hats play in a swung pattern to create a nervous energy under the stillness. The result feels both slow and urgent.

Bass Writing That Serves the Song

Low end in post dubstep is about movement not aggression. You want the bass to talk to the listener. It can use sub bass that is felt more than heard. It can wobble. It can be a simple long note that gains and loses texture so we listen to the low end like a sentence with commas and pauses.

Terms explained

• Sub bass The very low frequency content often between 20 and 100 Hertz. It is felt in the chest more than heard on small speakers.
• RMS Root mean square. It is a way to measure loudness over time. Use it to keep low end controlled.
• Sidechain A mixing trick where one signal controls the volume of another. Use a kick to duck the bass so the low end breathes.

Techniques

• Short sub hits Instead of one long sub note every bar, use short sub hits that give a rhythm to the low end. This creates a heartbeat feel.
• Textured low mids Add layered low mid sounds that have more harmonic structure. This gives the bass a personality on small speakers.
• Filter movement Automate a low pass filter to open into the chorus. The opening alone feels like a lift.
• Controlled distortion Gentle saturation on the low mid gives harmonic content so the bass translates to laptop speakers.

Exercise

1. Write a two bar bass loop using only root notes. Keep notes mostly long.
2. Now replace one note per four bars with a short sub stab of 100 milliseconds.
3. Automate a filter to open slightly on the short sub stab. Listen for the space you created.

Melody and Topline Writing

Post dubstep melodies are often sparse and conversational. They do not need to be big. They need to be memorable and honest. When melody meets production you usually want the voice to feel like a fragile torch in the fog. The tune should be singable and comfortable in the chest voice for intimacy.

Topline tips

• Sing on vowels Record improvised vocal lines using open vowels only. This reveals natural melody gestures.
• Keep contours simple Small leaps followed by stepwise motion are more effective than constant wide leaps.
• Leave space between phrases Silence in vocal lines is as important as the notes.
• Anchor the hook Put the hook or title on a note that is easy to repeat live.

Real life scenario

You write a topline on a friend couch at midnight after a house party breaks up. You record a vocal on your phone. The line is quiet and looks like a complaint but it feels true. Later, you sample that phone take, chop it, pitch it down, and place it as a doubled texture under the main vocal. The two parts together feel like memory and present tense at once.

Prosody and Lyrics

Prosody means how the words fit into the melody and rhythmic space. If you hit a strong word on a weak beat the line will feel off. Post dubstep lyrics favor small images, time crumbs, and sensory detail.

Write like this

• Use one emotional center per song. If the song is about regret, let every line orbit that feeling.
• Replace abstractions with objects or small actions. Instead of saying I feel hollow say The coffee cup keeps my teeth awake.
• Use time crumbs. A single time detail like 3 AM or Friday noon does more work than two paragraphs of setup.
• Test lines by saying them out loud at conversation speed. If it sounds like you are reading copy rewrite it.

Vocal Processing and Performance

Vocals in post dubstep are as much production as performance. Treat them like instruments. Here are the common tools and how to use them without sounding like a robot.

• Reverb Use short plates for intimacy and long halls for a haunted vibe. Automate wetness to make verses feel close and choruses wide.
• Delay Sync to tempo for rhythmic interest. Use tape style feedback for warmth. Duck delay with a compressor or use tempo synced feedback to avoid clutter.
• Pitch shifting Subtle pitch moves can create doubles that are human and unsettling. Avoid extreme shifts unless the song calls for a character voice.
• Formant shifting Change the perceived vocal size without altering pitch. Use it sparingly to create an alternate persona.
• Granular chops Chop the vocal into micro fragments and re trigger them to create rhythmic texture.
• Sidechain Sidechain background pads to the vocal to give the voice space when it needs to draw attention.

Practical chain idea for a vocal in this genre

1. Clean up with subtractive EQ to remove mud below 120 Hertz.
2. Light compression to even levels for intimate delivery.
3. Duplicate vocal track and pitch shift the duplicate down a small interval. Reduce level to taste for texture.
4. Add a short plate reverb on the main vocal and a large hall on the duplicate. Automate the hall to swell in the post chorus.
5. Add a subtle tempo synced delay on key words to create echo memory.

Arrangement That Tells a Story

Arrangement in post dubstep is narrative. Think in terms of reveal and retreat. The listener should be taken through quiet rooms and opened spaces. Keep contrasts dramatic but believable.

Arrangement map you can steal

• Intro with an isolated texture and a faint vocal fragment
• Verse one with sparse percussion and a low bass bed
• Pre chorus that introduces a rhythmic element and raises reverb tails
• Chorus where the vocal is upfront and a lush pad lifts the low end
• Post chorus where you chop the vocal or drop to a minimal sub groove
• Verse two that keeps a piece of chorus memory to avoid drop off
• Bridge that strips to one instrument and the voice for contrast
• Final chorus with a new texture or a countermelody for payoff

Use long fades and slow builds to preserve the mood. Avoid piling too many elements too fast. Let a single small change like an extra shaker fill act as a plot twist.

Sound Design That Supports Songwriting

Sound design should always be in service of the song. Post dubstep rewards unique textures more than blunt virtuosic patches. You can make interesting sounds with cheap tools. The trick is not to show off. The trick is to make a texture that the listener will come back to.

Simple sound design ideas

• Record one minute of a room tone on your phone. Layer it low in the mix to glue elements.
• Reverse a snare and use it as a swell into the chorus.
• Create a rhythmic pad by automating a low pass filter on a noise source synced to the bar.
• Granularize a short vocal phrase and use it as an ambient bed under the chorus.

Real World Writing Exercises

These drills are designed to get you unstuck and to create raw material you can turn into songs.

One Line Mood

1. Write one sentence that describes the emotional center in plain speech. Example I keep apologizing to a photo.
2. Turn that sentence into a one line hook you can repeat. Trim words until it is comfortable to sing twice in a row.
3. Build a two bar loop under the hook using only one pad and one kick. Record a vocal take. Keep takes short and raw.

Texture Harvest

1. Spend ten minutes recording any small noise in your environment using your phone. Cupboard clicks, rain, kettle hiss are fine.
2. Import the sounds into your DAW. Chop them and pitch them to create a short loop under a verse.
3. Place one chopped noise as a rhythmic element on a single beat of the bar to create focus.

Half Time Groove Swap

1. Take a drum loop you like and set project tempo to 130 beats per minute.
2. Program the snare or clap on beat three of the bar to create a half time backbeat.
3. Listen and adjust hi hat rhythms to create a sense of motion while keeping the heavy weight on the backbeat.

Collaboration and Co writing

Post dubstep sits at the intersection of songwriting and production. Collaborations between beat makers and vocalists are natural. Keep communication clear and small. Share your core mood sentence. Send a guide vocal with rough timing. Agree on one person who will make final arrangement choices to avoid a tug of war.

Real life collaboration scenario

You are a vocalist and you meet a producer on a forum. They send a two bar loop. You write one line and sing it on your phone. They chop and pitch the take and return a sketch. You like one chopped bar. Instead of arguing about arrangement you ask the producer to build one full verse and leave the chorus space empty. You then write a chorus around the empty space. This tiny delegation makes finishing fast and keeps the vibe intact.

Mixing Awareness for Songwriters

You do not need to mix everything perfectly. Still, small mixing awareness will improve your writing decisions.

• Low end room Keep the sub clean. If your bass and kick fight then write the kick to be felt and the bass to have harmonic content that sits above the kick.
• Masking If two sounds occupy the same frequency and the listener cannot tell them apart, move one with EQ or timing. A vocal and a pad both around 1 kilohertz will blur meaning.
• Automation Automate reverb and delay returns rather than leaving them static. Moving space keeps interest.

How to Finish a Post Dubstep Song

Finishing is not about perfection. It is about delivering the feeling you promised. Use the checklist to ship.

1. Confirm your core mood sentence. If you cannot say it in one line you are not done yet.
2. Lock your hook. Make sure the title or the repeated line is singable and sits on a stable note.
3. Map the arrangement on one page. Mark where the listener should feel a lift or a retreat.
4. Export a rough mix and listen on three different systems such as headphones, car stereo, and laptop speakers.
5. Play the track for one person who does not make music. Ask them what image the song gave them. If their answer matches your mood you are close.
6. Make only one last change that increases the mood. Stop shipping when you stop improving the feeling and start displaying technical perfectionism.

Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes

• Too many elements Fix by removing at least one instrument from each section. Let space do the work.
• Vocal lost in reverb Fix by adding a dry duplicate track that sits in front of the tail. Automate to keep tails for effect only.
• Bass uncontrolled Fix by sidechaining or by adding a transient on the low mid that gives the ear a place to latch.
• Mix is too perfect and sterile Fix by adding slight timing variation, a small bit of tape or vinyl noise, or subtle pitch drift on a pad.
• Structure that feels directionless Fix by adding a single instrument that appears only in the chorus to mark the change.

Examples You Can Model

Use these little idea sketches to start writing. Each example includes a core mood sentence and a quick arrangement seed.

Example One

Core mood I walk away and still hear your laugh in the room.

• Tempo: 120 beats per minute with half time snare on beat three
• Bass: long sub note on the first bar. Short sub stab on the third beat of the second bar
• Vocal: whisper verses with a single bright note chorus that repeats the line your laugh
• Texture: reversed cymbal swells and a granularized vocal chop as a post chorus device

Example Two

Core mood I am ready but the city keeps making promises it cannot keep.

• Tempo: 130 beats per minute full time feel
• Bass: textured low mid guitar sample pitched down under a clean sub
• Vocal: confident lead with a doubled formant shifted harmony on the chorus
• Texture: field recording of rain low in the mix to glue sections

Songwriting Checklist You Can Use Now

• One line mood locked
• Tempo and feel chosen
• Two bar groove looped and tested for 30 seconds
• Topline sketched on vowels and recorded
• Bass that moves emotionally not only physically
• Vocal treatment idea written down and tested
• Arrangement map printed on one page

FAQ

What tempo should I use for post dubstep

There is no single tempo. Many producers work between 100 and 140 beats per minute and then decide whether to use a full time or half time feel. The half time feel is common because it gives weight while allowing percussion to suggest motion. Pick a tempo that feels like the mood sentence you wrote at the start.

Do I need expensive plugins to make this sound

No. You can create convincing post dubstep using free or stock tools. The three most important things are good samples, creative use of space, and careful automation. Cheap tape saturation and a decent reverb can go a very long way. Use what you have and focus on the idea before the artisan polish.

How do I keep a vocal intimate but still present in the mix

Record close and dry to capture detail. Use light compression for presence. Duplicate the vocal and process the duplicate with reverb or pitch shift for texture. Automate the level of the textured duplicate so the voice is intimate in verses and more open in choruses. Sidechain heavier pads to the vocal so the voice has room.

What is sidechain and why use it

Sidechain is a routing technique where the signal level of one track is controlled by another track. A common use is to duck pads or bass when the kick hits so the mix has punch. In songwriting it helps the vocal cut through without needing extreme EQ moves. Use it subtly for breathing not for obvious pumping unless that is your artistic choice.

How do I write lyrics that fit the sparse aesthetic

Write small images and time crumbs. Keep lines short and leave space between phrases. Avoid explaining everything. Let production carry context. If a single line like The station smells like lost tickets is strong, build the verse around sensory detail rather than long narrative. Less can say more in this style.

Can post dubstep be danceable

Yes. Danceable does not always mean fast. A steady sub groove with syncopated percussion can move a crowd. Remember that dance music is about rhythm and repetition. Use variations and a hook that is easy to chant or sing to increase the dance floor potential.

How do I avoid sounding like everyone else

Bring your own details. Use field recordings from places you know. Use a vocal imperfection you own. Keep one signature sound per song that listeners can latch on to. Familiar production frames with personal detail prevent your music from sounding generic.

Action Plan You Can Use Today

1. Write one line that states your mood. Keep it plain and true.
2. Set project tempo between 110 and 135 beats per minute. Decide full time or half time feel.
3. Create a two bar groove loop using one pad, one percussion layer, and one sub sound.
4. Sing on vowels for two minutes and capture any melody gestures. Pick the most honest one.
5. Write a short chorus line from your mood sentence and place it on a singable note.
6. Harvest one real world sound using your phone and place it low in the mix as glue.
7. Export a rough mix and test it on headphones, laptop speakers, and a car stereo. Make one change that brings the mood closer to your original sentence.

Get Contact Details of Music Industry Gatekeepers

Looking for an A&R, Manager or Record Label to skyrocket your music career?

Don’t wait to be discovered, take full control of your music career. Get access to the contact details of the gatekeepers of the music industry. We're talking email addresses, contact numbers, social media...

Packed with contact details for over 3,000 of the top Music Managers, A&Rs, Booking Agents & Record Label Executives.

Get exclusive access today, take control of your music journey and skyrocket your music career.

Unlock Instant Access