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Reference
Reggae style reference
Roots, dub, rocksteady, ska, dancehall, ragga and reggae-adjacent Caribbean styles.
How to use this list
Each row pairs a style term with a cue line written in the same grammar: what the music is, what plays it, roughly how fast, and how it feels. Copy the cue, then change one thing at a time so you can tell which token moved the result.
The one-drop, steppers and rockers patterns are different drum feels; naming the pattern is the fastest way to a correct reggae groove.
Combining entries
Dub prompts should mention the effects explicitly — tape delay throws, spring reverb, dropouts — because dub is a mixing style, not a rhythm.
If a take drifts away from what you wanted, remove tokens rather than adding more. Long prompts dilute; short, specific ones steer.
| Roots reggae | roots reggae, one-drop drum pattern, deep round bassline, skanking offbeat guitar, bubbling organ, 76 BPM, meditative and soulful |
| Rocksteady | rocksteady, relaxed walking bassline, offbeat piano, soft brushed drums, smooth harmony vocals, 80 BPM, sweet and unhurried |
| Ska (first wave) | classic ska, upstroke guitar skank, brassy trombone and sax lines, shuffling drums, walking bass, 150 BPM, bouncy and celebratory |
| 2 Tone ska | 2 tone ska, fast skank guitar, punchy horns, driving snare, shouted-sung vocal, 165 BPM, urgent and danceable |
| Dub | dub, stripped drum and bass foundation, cavernous spring reverb, tape delay throws, melodica ghost melody, 72 BPM, spacious and hypnotic |
| Steppers | steppers reggae, four-on-the-floor kick, militant bassline, echo-drenched guitar skank, 78 BPM, marching and heavy |
| Rockers | rockers reggae, busy syncopated drum fills, prominent bass melody, clavinet accents, 80 BPM, muscular and rootsy |
| Lovers rock | lovers rock, sweet female lead vocal, mellow one-drop, warm electric piano, soft strings, 74 BPM, romantic and tender |
| Dancehall | dancehall, digital riddim drums, deep sub bass, sparse synth stabs, patois toasting, 100 BPM, confident and rhythmic |
| Ragga / digital dancehall | ragga, hard drum machine riddim, sine bass, rapid-fire toasting, minimal synth hook, 105 BPM, raw and electronic |
| Bashment | bashment, punchy modern dancehall riddim, chanted hook, filtered synth riff, 98 BPM, party-ready and aggressive |
| Reggae fusion | reggae fusion, one-drop groove with pop chord structure, R&B-styled vocal, polished production, 92 BPM, radio-friendly and warm |
| Dub poetry | dub poetry, spoken word over sparse dub riddim, heavy bass, echoing percussion, 70 BPM, political and hypnotic |
| Nyabinghi | nyabinghi, hand-drum trio bass-funde-repeater, chanted devotional vocals, no bass guitar, 70 BPM, ceremonial and trance-like |
| Reggaeton roots (dembow) | dembow riddim, bomp-ch-bomp-ch percussion, sub bass, chanted hook, minimal synth, 96 BPM, hypnotic and physical |
| Ska punk reggae hybrid | reggae punk, alternating skank verses and distorted choruses, horn stabs, shouted vocal, 160 BPM, rowdy and dynamic |
| Reggae ballad | reggae ballad, gentle one-drop, lush organ pad, clean guitar chops, soulful pleading vocal, 68 BPM, wistful and warm |
| Roots revival | roots revival, live-band one-drop, horn section, conscious lyrics, analog warmth, 78 BPM, earnest and organic |
| Dub techno crossover | dub techno, chord stabs drowned in delay, deep sub pulse, hissing hats, 120 BPM, submerged and hypnotic |
| Reggae gospel | gospel reggae, uplifting one-drop, church organ, choir backing vocals, tambourine, 80 BPM, joyful and devotional |
| Mento | mento, banjo and rhumba box, hand percussion, acoustic guitar, humorous storytelling vocal, 110 BPM, rustic and playful |
| Calypso | calypso, bright brass riffs, steel-pan accents, syncopated guitar, witty lead vocal, 120 BPM, festive and breezy |
| Soca | soca, driving four-on-floor with syncopated percussion, blaring synth brass, crowd chants, 155 BPM, euphoric and relentless |
| Reggae instrumental / riddim track | reggae riddim instrumental, one-drop drums, melodic bassline, organ bubble, guitar skank, 76 BPM, warm and open for vocals |
| Zouk | zouk, silky syncopated drum programming, bright guitar licks, warm bass, French Caribbean vocal, 112 BPM, sensual and smooth |
| Afro-reggae | afro reggae, one-drop mixed with West African percussion, highlife-style guitar, group vocals, 92 BPM, sunny and communal |
Raw data: /guide/reference/lists/reggae-list.json · 26 entries
FAQ
How do I get the offbeat guitar?
Ask for skank guitar on the offbeat or bubble organ; simply saying reggae often produces the bass and drums without the chop.
Do I have to use the whole reggae cue line?
No. The lines are built from independent tokens, so you can keep the two or three that matter and drop the rest without breaking the grammar.
Can I mix this list with another one?
Yes — keep one rhythm description, one lead instrument, one production word and a single tempo. Competing rhythm descriptions are the usual cause of muddled results.