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1. Dub pioneers such as superhuman nutcase Lee Scratch Perry get their starling, otherworldly sound by misusing and experimenting with regular bits of kit. For example, King Tubby would use a mixing console test tone, swathed in delay and reverb to create those characteristic lo-fi sci-fi effects. Give it a go!

2. Dub is much more than just a subgenre of reggae, it's a production style that can be used and adapted how you wish. Disparate styles such as ambient (The Orb), rock (Public Image Limited) and techno (Leftfield) use dub tricks and techniques, so don't be afraid to twist it to your own ends.

3. The key to getting that twisted dub sound is all in the details. Get to know what every control on your delay and reverb plug-ins does - sometimes a seemingly incongruous function can have a dramatic effect when part of a big effects chain. Delay effects where you can mess with the pitch of the signal work particularly well for creating abstract sounds.

4. A big part of traditional dub is the mellifluous sound of the bass guitar. However, if recording real instruments isn't an option, you could get away with using a monophonic bass synth with reasonably long release time and careful use of your MIDI controller's pitchbend wheel for added expression.

5. If you're able to record live playing for your tracks, using unusual instruments can add an individual tinge to your music. Played in the correct style and with the right processing, any instrument can have that dubbed-out flavour. Likewise, 'found sounds' put through some delay, reverb and other effects will always add a unique touch.

6. The organ is a commonly used instrument in dub, and as its sound is fairly easy to reproduce digitally, you can get away with using a plug-in version without it sounding too cheesy.

7. Vocals, instruments and effects that have a lot of delay on them can sound great when silenced halfway through a word or musical phrase.

8. Much of dub's hard-hitting power comes from its combination of big bass and drum sounds. For maximum impact, sequence your bassline to trigger on the same note as your kick drum. Switching it to the offbeat will give a more laid-back, syncopated feel.

9. For some truly authentic dub-style processing, organise your track into groups of instruments, and use aux effect chains tweaked live. This will give you less control than automating each part's effects individually, but this method is truer to the techniques employed by the original dub scientists.

10. Dynamically used effects are possibly the most important characteristic of the dub sound. For instance, occasionally the snare will get a big hit of reverb for impact, but this would sound ridiculous on every snare in the track. Automation can be used to apply effects only when needed, though you may find manually 'riding the faders' gives the mix a more human quality.

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