What synth sound is this and how do I do it? - Leprous content

Jonathanthomas83

Looking for the deep bass sound that kicks in at 0:17 seconds - any ideas what it is and how I can do it? Taa!

Funkfingers

The embedded copy of that video has no sound. It plays correctly on YT.

The bass synth sound does not immediately resemble any preset patch with which I am familiar. It could be several things layered up together.

When the pitch bend is applied, the elements seem to bend slightly separately from each other. It is possible that the sound is monophonic and that what I am interpreting as pitch bend is actually Portamento. The Portamento rates or curves could be different for the various elements that comprise the overall sound.

Jonathanthomas83

Ah ok, I'm not sure why that is. It works fine for me, any ideas how I fix it?

That's a good insight, thank you. When you say the elements bend slightly separately, how do you mean? I'm guessing it's just a regular mod wheel pitch bend on a mono bass synth then?

Fretwired

It sounds like a generic synth patch. It could be a soft synth or physical hardware. You could get something similar using soft synths like Massive or Monark.

Jonathanthomas83

I need to learn synthesis. I have massive  and Monark and would love to be able to make a sound like that.

Fretwired

Jonathanthomas83 said:

I need to learn synthesis. I have massive  and Monark and would love to be able to make a sound like that.

Go with Monark .... shouldn't be too hard. It's based on a Moog synth.

Funkfingers

Funkfingers said:

The embedded copy of that video has no sound. It plays correctly on YT.

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Ah ok, I'm not sure why that is. 

I had temporarily stopped and muted a YT video earlier in the day to answer the telephone. Then, I forgot to unmute. So, the next time I played a video, there was no sound.

Pilot error and/or senior moment. 

Jonathanthomas83

Ha, thanks.

I've tried Monark, really nice sounding synth. I've got a nice deep sound, but I've no idea how to make the bends sound as nice as this. I think it's more automated than using the pitch wheel.

Fretwired

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Ha, thanks.

I've tried Monark, really nice sounding synth. I've got a nice deep sound, but I've no idea how to make the bends sound as nice as this. I think it's more automated than using the pitch wheel.

Automated modulation. What DAW are you using?

Jonathanthomas83

Reaper @Fretwired ;

Fretwired

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Reaper @Fretwired ;

OK. Check out automation and look at using something like modulation. If you want the bends to sound like someone playing a bass then you need to use a pitch shifting effect. I'm pretty sure Reaper does this sort of thing. Hit YouTube.

Jonathanthomas83

Thank you mate.

WiresDreamDisasters

@jonathan ;

It's two things happen at once. It's a pitch-bend going up what sounds like a variety of intervals throughout the riff. +1, +3, +5 semitones maybe.

But also it's got this growly thing going on. You mostly get that by detuning two or more oscillators against one another. So it sounds like the detune is increasing throughout the short amount of travel in the notes. Probably with an envelope that retriggers every time a note is played.

But you should be able to get it with a combination of sawtooth and pulse waveforms on a subtractive synth. 

The overall tone is made by running the osc's through a filter with the cutoff fairly low, maybe with a bit of resonance.

Jonathanthomas83

Prefect, thank you @WiresDreamDisasters. I have so much to learn but am hoping to get a Sub37 tonight as I was massively impressed by Monark. An analogue synth will be a bit more accessible and should sound even better.

I'll let you know how I get on and may post some recordings. Excited!

WiresDreamDisasters

I did find this:


Looks like he's using a Prophet 6 and a NORD Electro

Jonathanthomas83

@WiresDreamDisasters ;Yes, I've watched that a few times now. I cannot get enough of this band, they're superb. Great mix of synth and guitars, for my tastes.

wave100

At first I thought it was clever use of the pitch bend wheel, then I thought it was a slow lfo modulating the oscillator pitch with a sine wave, then I thought it might be a Roli MPE thing.  Whatever it is, it has a slow attack and a fuck tonne of distortion.