Some Bass advice

[BobTheDog]

Hi,

I didn't quite know where to post this so someone may want to move it to a better place?

I am trying to help a guy who is new to subtractive synths patch up a couple of bass sounds as heard here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wrtSUB7i2s in the NI Massive synth, and it is becoming like the blind leading the blind.

I have something like the buzzy bass but the wow type bass is causing me problems.

Any advise from you experts would be really appreciated.

Cheers

Andy

[jksuperstar]

Creating an autowah is a good start (use note on gate to trigger an envelope, then effect the wah or other filter).

I like the vocal filter, also.

Then start adding harmonics to the oscillators until you get the punch needed). Also, adding a sine wave at the fundamental or subharmonic adds the deep brown-tone

[BobTheDog]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Sorry if I am being basic but I am not the best patcher in the world!

I have the autowah bit but cannot get the basic sound, what oscillator shapes should be used?

Cheers

Andy

[Kassen]

That "buzzy" one is a square, without any doubt. The higher one kinda sounds like a triangle to me, but something else is going on, maybe a modulated overdrive.

Both are pritty basic structures, the trick is in the modulations used and the production.

Take it in order;
*get a basic sound
*Get the modulations right (MIDI synced LFO, it may be worthwhile to play it manually trying lots of stuff and recording the best bits, then copy-pasting those)
*Lay on the compressors and enhancers (not sooner or you'll make it harder). Use analogue EQ, fuly parametric at modest settings, consider slightly over driving it. Side-chain the compression on the bass with the kick.

If you don't have the basics right after the first session make notes on what did work but don't save it. After a few tries you should be able to out-do that song, there's nothing too hard going on there. Keep it simple, discard your patch if it gets too large.

[dasz]

yes, the square or also known as over-amp-anything beyond any sanity = square wave = buzzzz

Flourish with EQ which is somehow together with your filter (with modulation of frequencies in eq/freq's and filter cutoff simultaneously via a single control source)

And a short delay line.

yes.
/Dasz

[BobTheDog]

It all sounds so easy

[ian-s]

I can't record the audio from youtube but if you have access to a wave editor, you can sometimes see the wave shape when the filter frequency is high enough. They both sound like single oscillators to me.

[Kassen]

EM classics; bass.
http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-6655.html

[Jason]

One thing I would like to mention is about filters and envelopes.
If you have the filter properly routed to Envelope 2 you can easily open and close the filter in a way more linked to the musical performance.
Your envelope settings have to be correct in order to do this of course.
Just thought I would mention that as a tip for bass sound creation that has been useful to me anyway. But by all means experiment.

[Kassen]

[Jason]

erm nuttin