This just in... Dub Step is awesome...

Okay, so I'm not the most wired-in person when it comes to music... especially trends taking place across the pond. Heck, I'm still greatly enthralled by Hot Buttered's Popcorn. However, I have recently discovered Dub Step (or, more likely and more often, Bro Step, which, as I understand it, is what we in America** think is Dub Step, but its bass fails to get into the truly sub-base range.)

I recently reviewed World of Tanks. The music in World of Tanks is cinematic and appropriate for the WWII period. However, once I had evaluated the game with its included music, I foudn myself muting the music, playing Dub Step on YouTube while I played and having a blast...

At any rate, I cannot fully express how awesome Dub Step is*. It is a nearly complete and ultimate synergistic manifestation of everything musical from my teenage years. It is Electronica. I uses samples from popular media, including not only movies, but videogames. It often has a certain amount of irreverence. It is often ambient or environmental in nature. It often utilizes (or, at least, sounds good with) rap. It is all about bass. Each of these elements resonate greatly with me.

I'm interested in trying my hand at forging some Dub Step*. I expect to do most of my creating on a computer, and must first find the appropriate software. I'm doing my research now, but I'm definitely open to any advice. Anyone know some good software for building up Dub Step and/or mashups?

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* That is GOOD Dub Step. Like any other genre of music, it is possible to create something with no creativity or skill to mention and label it as Dub Step. The label, in and of itself, does not make music good. (Nor does simple addition of Wub-wubs.)

**United States of America... not necessarily the North American or South American continents. Just the U.S.

This Week on the 'Net - An Introduction...

My friend and fellow Game Vortex review, J.R. Nip, has said for quite some time that he hates YouTube. I thought that was funny, but understood much more when he finally explained that the reason he hates YouTube is because he can end up stuck there for hours on end, following one link to the next, and that most of the content is utter crap, but, occasionally, some of the stuff there is, well, epic.

Point taken. That's why I've made it my job to show him really cool things on YouTube, without all of the crap... Sort of "The Best of YouTube", if you will. It only occurred to me today that others might benefit from that selection process, so I will share my picks here, on a recurring 'column' (?) called "This Week on the 'Net". Oh, and don't assume that I plan to have something every single week... I just don't plan for this to be more frequent than that. (I do have lots of other things to do.) Furthermore, the name doesn't include "YouTube" so that I'm not unnecessarily limiting my scope.

Personally, I will also be using this as a way to quickly find content that I want to be able to see on my TV; This will primarily be focusing on content that will look good on a large screen, so you can do the same, if you like.