How to recreate this house bass sound?

Hello Elektronauts,

I’m trying to recreate the typical house bass used in below tracks on my analog keys. If you have any tips and tricks how to recreate this patch with the Analog Four/Keys, I would be very happy!!

What would you call the bass sound?
And what gear is originally used?
Is it the Roland SH-101?

Tracks with similar bass patch:

JDHSBDY, DOHRNII - Scan Da Las

Demarkus Lewis, T.Markakis - Nicely Grooved T.Markakis Remix

AJ Edward - 2am on the A34

Colorjaxx - Strawberry Love

Luca Olivotto - All night

Henrik Villard - Find a certain way

Demarkus Lewis - Everyday we vibe

/
KSTN

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I would say there’s nothing special on this bass in terms of synthesis except the way Demarkus Lewis (damn I love his music) use it. I think he plays a bit with the pitch bend (which is pretty common for keyboardist when playing a bass synth) or he simply put some sort of instability on oscillators so there’s drifting a bit (pitch modulation but gentle)

This is an analog tone (I don’t think this is FM) it’s pretty stable like a subBass but the filter not cutting that low. I don’t think there’s much filter envelopes but you can try a little. I would go a classic pair of Square + Saw. No intervals but you can set the SAW one octave higher than the square. Just get that tone first.

But more over the tone of the bass (which is pretty basic) that’s more over the way it sit in terms of mixing (I would say a bit low into the accompany/groove reinforcement level) and certainly the most fundamental aspect is this funky ! and so I would first try to get that vibes into the playing, I would not quantize and would not step sequence.

I will try to get something on my side and give you more informations later in the afternoon.

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Also you should pretty much follow and watch every video from Olean

But clearly don’t overdo the attack portion of the bass sound as we usually do naturally, this sound don’t stand up it gives a funky groove behind.

I would set the AMP Envelope attack not instant but not a brass, just in between.
it’s really into the groove so playing it will be way better than step sequencing it.

Start with Square + Saw (same octave) & find the right waveforms pairing in terms of mixing, set the Filter to the desire position in terms of darker/brighter the tone.

Try also Square (-1oct) + Saw (0 octave) & find the right waveforms pairing in terms of mixing, set the Filter to the desire position in terms of darker/brighter the tone.

On the Square experiment with the Pulse Width to get more control over the timbre (tone) of the bass (a pulse bass actually is not a bad idea) I think this is a very Korg’ish gentle Bass

You can try a very gentle filter cutoff envelope, with maybe also a little bit of attack. But this bass is very soft, subtile… kinda like an acoustic bass played delicately with fingertips… no plucked here

You can also try Triangle + Square (or) Saw ( mixed lower between the waveform pairing and filtered right on a great tone) for a more Subby Tone and maybe in this case a bit more filter cutoff envelope in this case…

You can also try Two triangle with one octave separation between this pair. Filter cutoff quite low but high boost on the resonance. (but it should sound more close to a sub probably too much)

Also, Two Saw (1 octave separation) the second one mixed 1/3 of the first, Cutoff very low… and make a good use of the feature “PWM on every waveforms” of the analog Four for this Tone design. Very gentle Filter cutoff envelope (just tiny bit)

Many OSC config can get you in that kind of Bass, even Square with the right amount of Pulse width + Sub (-1oct) could get you there. But the sub is Square on the Analog four so maybe it will not work.

But there’s some harmonics into the sound so… there’s some degree of dirt (don’t think it’s only squarish) I would probably go Triangle or Square + Saw one octave higher filtered very low… I would soften the attack (amp) so it’s not too clicky… I would get my funky playing and then I would think if the sound need a bit of Filter envelope, Pitch drifting gently etc…

Use a small release and mono on the configuration, (no portamento) so you can benefit from that into the playing, you should be able to maintain the sound as you wish but also when you let go keys the sound die quite fast, easier if you want to groove with the sound you endup with.

You can try unison to boost the sound but keep the number like 2 and center (no unison spread or just a tad) but maybe there’s no need.

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When you hear one note of a bass make some kind of Doo-WHoop this is a pitch bend trick into the playing.

@KSTN
Please let us posted with your achievement :wink:

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Thanks a lot man, really cool that you took the time to answer so thoroughly. I didn’t have enough time to fiddle around tonight but I tried a couple of simple patches with different waveforms. I stuck with a triangle on osc 1 -24 and a saw on osc 2 -12, little bit of pmw on osc 1 and osc retrig activated. Filter 1 on frequency 70 and resonance 0. LP1 on Filter 2, frequency 36 and resonance 25, env depth +2. Env.F attack 8 with shape 3. Env.A attack 8.
It’s not close to what I’m looking for but I think it was pretty cool, to be continued tomorrow.

Pasting a link if you are interested in hearing it out: Smash

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You can drop wav/mp3 files (up to 10mb) directly into the editing box for your comments, like this

I tried but I wasn’t allowed since I just registered at the forum.

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Aw yeah, I forgot you can’t do that until you make 1000 posts.

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What is your setup ? How do you mix your analog keys through the rest of the sounds ? Analog Mixer, Soundcard, Overbridge, DAW …

From what I’ve heard (your audio) yes you are not there. The first thing I can say is it’s muddy and your bass took too much space, also too in front. it’s not only the sound design as I said … it’s also how you play/perform and how it is mixed…

But

Sometimes you try to re-create something and it’s not going anywhere but failed and sometimes you get something really cool. So even though if I’m referring to your references you’re not there - I would say what you end up I would not delete/abandon and I will go further ad arrange my track even if it’s not close to my « genre master yoda » (godfathers) whatever you called them.
Yes it’s not funky, yes it’s not clean - but there’s a real vibe.

So keep that one and Finnish it.

For the exercice you split it and you start up again until you get it.
I consider myself experimented but without analysing (like Olean does) it can be very hard to reproduce something exactly on point. I can say already you have a good hear to suggest 7 references tracks with more or less the same Bass sound, so maybe they utilise the same preset form the same synth and tweak it a bit which is way easier that going from scratch.

You really have the sound in your mind, I’m sure by trial and errors you will get that timbre. Could be Roland SH101, still Korg is on my mind for that sound probably because of the OSC config I see with some pulse setting in the oscillators pairing/mixing.

I will investigate it further and may come back to give more help in your challenge to get that sound. But fact is I don’t have my analog four anymore otherwise I would have design it for ya - I try some shaping on DIVA and I get pretty much the timbre with the Dual VCO and DCO

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My setup: I use Digitakt and Analog Keys, both connected to Ableton Live through Overbridge. No analog mixer involved. I monitor through an audio interface (Steinberg UR22C), audio technica ath-50 and Adam Audio T5V studio monitors. I’m still figuring out the gain-staging through Overbridge, I’ve noticed the Analog Keys output is super low, and I’ve had to crank up Utility in Ableton quite a lot…

Totally agree that it’s not just about the sound design, but also performance and mixing, that’s something I’m working on. I’ve been trying to recreate that particular deep/funky house bass that feels alive but tight in the mix, and yeah… I’m not there. But like you said, sometimes you go off track and still find a cool vibe. I actually feel this sketch has something going on but I also think it’s too muddy and too loud. Do you have any tips on pushing the bass back in the mix and getting the volumes right? I often seem to crank up the bass to high in the mix since I love the bass…

If you ever get around to recreating that vibe on DIVA or any other synth, I’d be really curious to hear your take. Thanks again for the encouragement — it means a lot!

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Didn’t know you were a legend here!! Found your Lowend101, thanks a lot! It’s gonna be a good read! Do you have any YouTube channel?

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Oh boy (I’m no legend, but you funny and kind) I’m just a 48 years old guy with more than 3 decades in the music, who like Elektron stuff and have a certain wish to help people progress … (if they want to) Nope no YouTube channel I’m too sensitive and I don’t want to cope with junk comments… but I’m on to something that might interest ya… I’ll put the thread link in the footer of this post.

I will come back to you very soon to give you more hints on your House bass.
(probably tomorrow I think)

I’m off for the day, I worked all day long on the new website, still a tone of work to make until it goes public and looking for topics contributors … :stuck_out_tongue:
Lowend101 will be accessible as an archive on that new website very soon but it’s here as PDF in the Elektronauts file section and on the original thread.


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Haha, respect! Three decades in music definitely qualifies you as a legend in my book, whether you claim it or not :smile: Seriously though, it means a lot that you’re taking time to share insights and help others gain knowledge.

Cool! I’m definitely interested in what you’re working on, I’ll keep an eye out for that thread! Let me know if there’s a way to contribute once it’s live, happy to be part of something that helps others in the scene. I recently started to document my journey with hardware, my goal is to build a live set from scratch. Trying to learn as much as possible and share along the way.

I kept tweaking the bassline tonight and ended up with something totally different, but I’m learning something new every day! :grin:

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Hey not bad the new bass synth tone this one sound very SH-101esque … when I feel we are close to acid TB I link SH-101 to it… That part (SH-101esque) of this one isn’t quite right with what you after… but you have two usable Bass already :wink: . Continu ! you will get the one you want, explore the Bass timbre that your AK can gives you, it’s the better way to learn “timbre shaping”

I explain the basics on timbre shaping (lowend101), but I never find documentation on how to design timbre, you get how to get that sound from “some artist”, how to get that Reese bass… but not much on Timbre.

The best I find is the how to make a noise from Simon Cann, which one is offered for free now as he moves to writing other types of books now. As I’m French it was kinda painful to me to read at that time I bought it… but I do think he did an amazing jobs at explaining how to find a strategy on that topic (timbre)

Chapter 4

Althought at some point in what he describes not every synth are capable, when he talk about 1 waveform (raw) + 1 waveform (filtered) in terms of educate you hears to that pair (a timbre) you have to find your way to it. (mostly VST or Synth with powerful routing options)

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This can help on the playing part : listen and observe the way he play and also the pitch bending on some notes…

https://youtube.com/shorts/fHWP6dQxHSM

This is from an era where sound designer tried to recreate an Acoustic Bass. There’s plenty on few Analog Synths and you can also recreate a convincing Acoustic Bass with FM (but you introduce your thread with Analog Four/Keys so…)

One good answer with analog synth (when you have the option) would be the quarter pulse + sine wave as follow. (and you get the quarter pulse with the square and adjusting the pulse width)

Recipe :
Cutoff around 25/30% or 4 o’clockclock (no resonance, no drive : clean)
You can add an LFO destination Pitch Envelope (sine) and add a subtle vibrato
We want the oscillators “Retrig” each time we play a note
Bass is mono, no portamento between the notes better to play with the pitch bend in that case
But you might try portamento 40% (this really depending on the playability/expressivity you feel better while playing)

The idea is sorta going for a recreation of an acoustic bass. (So any preset start point named Acoustic Bass can do it. (PM for that)

OSCILLATORS
OSC 1 quarter Pulse wave with 2 voice unison octave -1
OSC 2 Sinewave (Triangle) octave -1

AMP Envelope :
Attack : no attack (or to taste)
Decay : no decay
Sustain : 100%
Release : no release

Filter cutoff envelope :
Attack : 0
Decay : very low maybe 20% or less (darker/brighter the tone as I said)
No sustain, just a very little release.


(of course processing next so it’s sitting well in the mix)

i will make you a zip pack with ressources that I will PM you a bit later in the day

also this option could help try on and off…

Thanks for pushing me to find a solution!
I’ve tried a couple of different settings on my own after your first suggestion, I will link what I came up with that I was pretty pleased with. It’s still not close to what I’m looking for, more like an acid bass, little squelchy and muddy, but still pretty cool.

I tried playing live as well and it sure sounds more funky when applying the technique used in the video you sent. I recorded it unquantised in the sequencer and I think it got more groove to it.

Using the pitch bend and mod wheel is hard for me, sometimes I get it to sound very nice but most of the time i can’t hit it right. Would be nice if it was possible to automate it, guess the way is to automate the tune +12 inbetween notes maybe? I haven’t tried yet.

I also recorded the live play in Ableton to compare the difference between unquantised and the live play and it’s about the same. My wish is to be able to prepare a live set, but I’d like to sequence everything otherwise I’m doomed…

Now I’m working on making the new patch recipe:
Man, the oscillator drift has always been on I guess, it made a huge different to turn it off I think.
Also the same with F1 Resonance boost, I liked it better off.

When you say OSC 1 quarter Pulse wave with 2 voice unison octave -1.
Do you mean that I active unison for two voices? Or is it some specific setting for the OSC 1 I don’t know about? See picture below.

Also regarding the 1 quarter pulse wave, do you refer to having the pulsewidth at -32 or +32? I went with -32 now.


This is what it sounds like with the recipe you provided if I understood it correctly:

I’ve also added:

  • Env.Depth 8 (I guess that was implied)
  • Keytrack -20
  • a little release on both Amp & Filter.Env otherwise I got a clicky sound

No more processing at this time, but I will continue to modify it until I find the sweet spot!

Quarter Pulse (on Pulse Width middle or 52ish is a Square Wave… when dialing you get a variety of Pulse…) the Quarter is thinner and less buzzy in quality.

For Unison you have 2,3,4 : I advise here to activate Unison with 2 Voices
But and this is very important as this is a Bass : Detune : very little and Spread : very little or none. it’s intended to boost the sound.

Quarter pulse I would say it’s more than -32 (it’s thinner than that)
yeah the filter cutoff envelope is just a little so you guess good with depth 8.

Also you have to find the right mixing level (oscillators a level + oscillators B level) between the Quarter Pulse and the Triangle (sine)


When you ask for pushing back in the mix the bass sound, if you listen your references, we hear the Bass it inject the groove, we “not” feel it (at least in the sub register) we hear it… it’s kinda acoustic by design (or nature) the kick provide the subs… to a certain extend if I can say that like that so you understand (that why I said the bass is not subby or very loud that doesn’t mean the subwoofer in club will not make the groove even better) that’s also why the the pulse and the triangle sit to the same octave as pairing.

it’s level in terms of balancing (probably a bit lower but it depends on the main element) and EQ to shape the bass frequencies (and it depend about you bass sound, you kick and the other elements)

another thing we are all guilty of that, most of us start with the Kick, some drums elements and the bass… we try to find a pleasing part, mixing, processing… nothing wrong with that ! but often we do too much mix and process already and the spectrum is already eaten :face_with_thermometer:

BUT

You should equally port attention on the low-end couple as well as the higher stuff in frequencies. especially because it’s the whole that giving the overall groove and sonic characteristics. If you don’t add the higher part I would not shape my bass extensively sound too soon (sure you have to find or design something that you like and work in context)

from what I heard from your references, “I” would focus on the keyboards first (we clearly have those in mind and it’s the main element) and the full beat and then your bass groove… complimentary to the keyboards + mixing & processing

(to me) it’s easiest to get my music theory harmony (what key my song is) what are my melody or chord progression. Part of my groove is my beat elements already in place (usually it missed some stuff or you have too much) and then I play my Bass and enrich the keyboard by providing the bass part and its groove. it’s just a personal advise on how I feel and prefer in this kind of track to work in terms of order that I find easier to work.

To summarize :
(it’s my personal thinking on that some may not work like me) I usually need a kickstarter in my own creative journey, whatever this is it could be anything and even sometimes I challenge me by changing completely my entry point. But I have to find my leading Part that’s where it’s kinda tricky sometimes it’s the Bass that leading my project sometimes it’s not. Sometimes the music genre gives me a hint on how to approach that as well. (if I know that early in the process)

I don’t mix, process (extensively) until I get the leading part. Not because I anchor on that part, but because it’s what I want to eat the space, it’s my point of focus. Then everything that comes against or compliment that point of focus will need to be shape/process to occupy the spectrum… and sound choosing to that part have a bit role even before to mix/process.

From your reference track the Bass are not leading the Track it’s the Keyboards. and so, I would possibly set a counterpoint with a simple sub so I can shape my beats & groove start… I can also start to feel a movement to groove until I get my keyboards right… that way it will be easier for me to find the right Bass for the right keyboards (or leading part) and even design the bass in context, then mix/process to the other parts.

It will also be easier to find the right complimentary bass groove for the leading part groove… could be call & response, could be enrich the overall groove, could be counterpoint, etc… could be bass reinforcement… it will help me also to play the bass with the right timing in terms of note decaying in relationship with the keyboards on how they last… (like lazzy on keys, fast on bass, opposite or similar for both)

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@KSTN

update ? did you succeed or happy with your results … ?

Cheers

Hey! I haven’t had the time to sit down since last time, I’m going to make some time this weekend to finialize the patch. I watched Olean’s latest deep house tutorial and I think I will try to recreate the full track but with Analog Keys and Digitakt with this bass sound. I had a few minutes yesterday to make a nice patch for the chords and started on an organ patch, but the organ seems difficult to get right. I think I got pretty close with below values, but it’s really brittle. 1 cent on the Frequency and it sounds crazy horrible haha… You have any ideas for trying to replicate an M1 or Hammond Organ?

OSC 1
Shape = Triangle
Tune = 0
Level = 100

OSC 2
Shape = Saw
Tune = +12
Level = 100

AMP ENV
Attack = 0
Decay = 100
Sustain = 100
Release = 8
Restart = ON

FILTER ENV
Attack = 0
Decay = 64
Sustain = 64
Release = 8
Restart = ON

FILTER 1
Frequency = 64
Resonance = 96
Env.Depth = 2

FILTER 2
Frequency = 92
Resonance = 68

AMP
Chorus, delay, reverb after taste

1 Like