|
WWW, August
2014 - Introducing what can easily be
called the best line of Reggae Vocal Sample
packs until this date: "Don Goliath
Presents Reggae & Dub
Acapellas". Obligated material for
every self-respecting (online) Dub/Reggae
producer in need for vocals, without apology
and exaggeration. Yes, that's a description
and not a slogan. And here is the proof and
reasoning to back it up.
When you go
to the various websites where the online
(DUB) Reggae artists/producers upload their
material, it will not take too long before
you stumble upon a tune that has one of
these well known jingles from Mikey Dread's
albums, or Prince Far I, or Jah Thomas. Just
three, you know. But "everyone"
knows them and even though non-commercial
releases will usually not be objected, using
such vocal samples is not really a sign of
dignity.
Producing
your own (DUB) Reggae and releasing it in a
legal way: let's call it the Dignity
Combination.
Sure, there
were times when it was simply not possible
for your average online Dub producer to
obtain vocal material in a legal way and not
get bankrupt. Even stronger, there simply
was no vocal material available for use in
your own productions until more recently,
when DUB DROPS released their excellent
"SOUND SYSTEM VOCALS" featuring Dennis
Alcapone and Horseman.
Three releases, all three reviewed in the
Dubroom and used in the productions of the
studio that is attached to this
website.
And now
there is the line of Reggae & Dub
Acapellas by Don Goliath.
Or, to be
more specific, presented by Don Goliath, who
also contributed vocally.
When you've
never heard of Don
Goliath, and you're looking at names
like Horseman
and Dennis
Alcapone as an alternative option, you can
make the enormous mistake of overlooking
this line of Reggae Vocal sample releases. A
mistake which can easily be overcome,
though, by continuing to read this (first)
review.
Let's carry on
dropping names, just to make some points:
- Dillinger
- Trinity
- Kojak
- Lone
Ranger
- U Roy
- Prince
Jazzbo
All six
names have, like Dennis
Alcapone and Horseman,
legendary status. U
Roy can be considered the founding
father of DJ-ing, not just in Reggae but in
every style of music including Hip-Hop. Lone
Ranger has been voicing for Studio One,
the starting point of too many careers to
mention. Dillinger
had a world hit with "Cokane In My
Brain", Trinity
voiced the classic "Jesus Dread".
Before Kojak
chanted as a DJ, his got a name as part of
the duo Kojak and Liza. Prince
Jazzbo features on classic albums from
Black Ark and has many essential productions
on his own name. And that's just a little
name dropping to set the tone.
The tone of
Roots Reggae as authentic as authentic can
be.
Yes, you've
guessed it. Don Goliath's series has all six
of these famous vocalists included. Among
much more, that is.
Read on.
When you
listen to the Dubroom
productions
with vocals
of DubDrop's Sound System Vocal releases
volumes one, two
and three, it
becomes clear how -with the effort and hard
work that every self-respecting producer of
(DUB) Reggae should put in his/her
productions- the MC's are very versatile.
There is of course the need for harmony with
the chords, bassline and -arguably- tempo,
but even a few lines can bring your
production to a higher level.
There's the
first possible application of the DJ vocal
samples provided in this six-volume line of
Reggae & Dub Acapellas presented by Don Goliath.
The first,
not the last.
The main
difference between DubDrops and Don
Goliath's series is, that each and every
Acapella actually is actually a studio
recording of a full-length lyrical track. So
where DubDrops provides you with the right
snippets, you have to make your own when you
want to use the vocals from Don Goliath's
release in the same way. Or just use the few
"phrases" provided with the
original packages.
Let's talk
a little bit about the packages.
The series
are presented in six volumes, but that
doesn't really mean a thing in itself.
Exactly the reason why it is not enough to
just review the volumes one by one. Every
volume, namely, is a collection of five
different tracks (called "stems")
which can be bought separately. A
possibility that you should definitely
consider, given the fact that virtually all
vocal styles of Reggae are represented and
you might just have a few here and there
incompatible with your specific style.
Every track/stem comes in the form of
several choruses and verses and a number of
"phrases". Where some of the
phrases seem to be just random picks from
the choruses and verses, others contain
extra vocal material. The choruses and
verses are nicely cut, ready to enter the
Loop Player (i.e. Dr. Rex). They're usually
in the tempo of 140 BPM and when you're
really, really lazy you can just do this: Go
to Don
Goliath's website, download his free
mixtapes with the song(s) that you have
purchased, find out the chords, pick the
verses and choruses for the Acapella pack(s)
and just paste them in your loop
player.
They will more or less match but you will
be disabled from making use of the real
power that is in these packs.
In fact, all you will be doing is
re-constructing the riddim from which the
recordings are taken and originality will
stay far.
In reality, the recordings are not loops
even though you can use them as such. They
are vocal recordings recorded with a
specific chord sequence in a specific tempo.
The chord progressions of Don Goliath's
tracks and the sequence in which he used the
vocal recordings are his', and should be
seen more as a guideline than as a
construction manual.
After all, it's you will have to produce
the music that will carry to vocals and much
if not everything depends on you and the way
you deal with these vocal recordings.
Tempos are relative. At school, children
learn to divide numbers. You can use a loop
from this pack, tell your loop player that
it's 140 BPM and you will have x amount of
bars. Where the loop will last let's say 8
bars with 140 BPM, it will last 10 with 175
BPM and 8 with 105. Use things creatively,
do not treat the choruses and verse as
loops, and you will be able to unleash some
real power here.
Even chords are relative. All that
matters is the tone of the singer. Some wave
files contain dual voices, never without
having the single voice recordings too. A
short example: a singer can sing in an
"A" tone, where there are over six
chords all featuring that tone. Use your
creativity and personal preference there and
not only will the vocalists take your
production to a next level, you will do the
same with the singer/MC.
Best is to first go to your Wave File
editor and open the 24 Bit Wave files. Cut
every single phrase and save them as separate
wave files. Trigger them as one-shots in
your DAW and not as a loop. You will be able
to completely change and re-arrange the
"loops", you will be able to use
virtually any BPM and not limit your choice
of chord progression to the original
release. Consider the possibility of
combining two different tracks/stems alone,
and realize the virtual endless ways to
utilize the acapellas.
Consider the possibility of combining
styles, even.
Don Goliath's series covers virtually
all. We've mentioned the MC's, but now take
a look at the complete list
VOLUME ONE
- Trinity
- Jr. Tiger
- Kojak
- Lone Ranger
- Prince Jazzbo
VOLUME TWO
- Clarity
- Ibel
- Seamus
- Tallis
- Jr. Tiger
VOLUME THREE
- Taran Thriller (4 tracks)
- Venam
VOLUME FOUR
- Jr. Cat
- Jr. Tiger
- Dillinger
- U Roy
- Kamouflage
VOLUME FIVE
- Piracy
- Jah Rooti
- ADX
- Assante
- Lion Tafari
VOLUME SIX
- Penti
- Kontent
- Masta Jay
- Clifton Yeates
- Ras Khaleel
Some of the names might ring a bell when
you've been following up and coming artists.
Let's mention the US based female DJ
Piracy and Ras
Khaleel, both featured on the Dubroom's
"Reel
To Real Dubwise EP". A singer in
the line and style of Luciano, a DJ in the
style of let's say Ranking Ann. You can opt
to go deeper into the direction of Dancehall
and get yourself some works of Taran
Thriller or Jr. Tiger. Or perhaps, you
prefer a Rub a Dub style? There is Jr. Cat
and Kojak, to name but two.
Let's just mention the prevalent styles,
before we continue. Roots DJ, Rub a Dub,
Sing-Jay, Juggling, Ragga, Dancehall,
Contemporary Roots. Yes, that is more or
less the whole spectrum, especially because
we are speaking about specific vocal styles.
There's nothing to keep you using a
Dancehall vocal over a deep Roots Reggae
tune, or put U Roy's very, very specific
style of chanting on your
hardly-reggae-anymore Dub Techno or what
have you.
Ah, wait.
Yes, there is actually something that
could keep you and that has to do with the
fact that not everybody is able to perform
online payments, especially not the USD 50
(EUR 37) charged per volume. This is where
it comes in very handy that you can also buy
a track/stem for around USD 10 (EUR 8) per
piece. Where Loop
Masters accepts PayPal
and PayPal
accepts just about anything one way or
another, you don't need a Credit Card and
where Loop Masters always gives you like
10/15 % back in the form of "virtual
loyalty cash" that you can use for
your next purchase you can easily spread
your purchases over several months. Gives
you something to look forward too as well.
Even in the case you're unable to perform
any online payment (usually this means you
do not have a bank account), you can still
benefit from the Don Goliath series by
downloading the demo packages. They
too include a license for you, and when
you have scored your world hit with your commercial
release by using the material in that Demo
package then you are able to buy the
whole thing.
Why is all of this relevant?
Actually, it's pretty obvious. Can you
use some vocal works in your productions? Of
course you do, otherwise you won't be
reading this in the first place. Do you want
them? That's one more silly question indeed.
Of course you do, and you know what for as
well. Oh,
and yes... The
Don told the Dubroom that there won't be a
part seven to don't wait.
|
