One Drop, Rockers, Steppers - Definitions

[chromatic]

The thread on one drop discomixes reminded me...

I've read a lot on this topic on various reggae sites, and the styles often get referred to in terms of the evolution of roots through the mid to late 70s and early 80s, but none of this has really cleared it up for me - could someone give me a hand & explain the basic musical features of these styles, and point out a couple of well-known examples of tracks in each style?

I'm also intrigued as to the origins of the term 'discomix'...

Cheers!

[stepping razor]

I think its more of a modern thing, like having labels.
I define a style in how you would dance to it.
Is one drop a tune that has no version on another record?
Thats what i thought it meant.
Steppers is mainly used now for new (past 10 years) digital roots (or some might say drum & bass).
Rockers is it to do with Augustus Pablo Rockers label?

The terms of things change with different generations,and what we may call something, some one of a younger generation might call it some thing different, but is the same thing.
It used to be all three: one drop, rockers,steppers and was called roots reggae.

Peace

[jahganja7]

one drop is when the snare rimshot and bass drum fall on the third beat of the measure, hitting together. check any roots tune from mid seventies and most likely is one drop (if not flyers-which is the opening of the high hat syncopated with the guitar skank).

steppers and rockers are harder to define i have found. steppers is usually considered where the bass drum is playing on every beat, such as the beat on Exodus or many many channel one tunes. i always thought that rockers was the above definition of steppers, but it seems to be the most elusive to categorize. from my best understanding, rockers is just the style played from the middle to late seventies on until dancehall. it may not have to do with the type of beat or tings like that, but the dread attitude that comes forth in the chune...

also have heard that steppers is where the snare drum is hit in time with the guitar skank (think barrington levy's bounty hunter)....

[leggo rocker]

If people could load small clips to illustrate the style they think is rockers/steppers/etc, it might help the less musically technically minded like myself get their heads around this!

I'm still pretty confused. I thought I knew what steppers was until I read this thread!

[Greg]

one drop is when the snare rimshot and bass drum fall on the third beat of the measure, hitting together. check any roots tune from mid seventies and most likely is one drop (if not flyers-which is the opening of the high hat syncopated with the guitar skank).

steppers and rockers are harder to define i have found. steppers is usually considered where the bass drum is playing on every beat, such as the beat on Exodus or many many channel one tunes. i always thought that rockers was the above definition of steppers, but it seems to be the most elusive to categorize. from my best understanding, rockers is just the style played from the middle to late seventies on until dancehall. it may not have to do with the type of beat or tings like that, but the dread attitude that comes forth in the chune...

also have heard that steppers is where the snare drum is hit in time with the guitar skank (think barrington levy's bounty hunter)....

you nailed it. i agree rockers music is the hardest to catagorize, i have heard its just another word for steppers but recently came to the conclusion its just the term for the 70,s style roots rock reggae, hence the reason its called rockers

[selecta bing]

@ Chromatic ......check the "STEPPERS " thread I pulled up.

also DISCOMIX is just an extended mix,usually 12"
usually vocal followed by version

[jahganja7]

it is confusing that rockers is not really a type of beat, and can be played inna stepper or one drop stylee. forever i thought that rockers meant what steppers is. confusing stuff

[Nefta]

I'm confuse.I was thinking of the steppers rythm as a militant one. For example the Congos "open the gates"; then i realize that it seems than there are couple of versions of the steppers sound another example being Freddy McGregor's "walls of jericho".Both tunes sound to me like military styles.Can anyone explain....

[donstrumental]

Typical steppers:

Famine - Junior Delgado
You Jammin_Al Campbell
Warn Dem Jah-Michael Prophet
Higher Field Marshall_Peter Broggs

One drop can be a bit more difficult to define because the hi Hat pattern can vary quite dramatically eg

Bobby Babylon- Freddie Mcgreggor
Heathen-Bob Marley
Pain- Brigadier Jerry
Don't Cut Off your dreadlocks

All come under the one drop banner and all sound very different from each other because of the hi hat variation.

Will try and get some clips up

bless up

[Rootikalist]

I have never read nowhere and noone tell me the meaning of Roots stepper or roots rockers...but i think that:


Roots Rockers...Slower rithm

Kiddus I - Security In The Streets
Wayne Jarret - Satta Dread
Eric Clarke - Dreadlocks Don't Like That Style

Roots Stepper...fast drumms , fast rithm!

Enforcers - Ride On Marcus
Gladstone Henry - Africa Is Calling
Eric Bubbling Buddle - Rebel Lion
Honey Vaughn - This Tribulation

When i hear fast drumm i think it's a roots stepper tune...to be honest i don't know why but it's my favourite style!