Wobble Grime Bass Synthesis

Welcome back to the Sound Synthesis Architect!

Today we are going to synthesize a grimy wobble bass that is popular for use in dubstep and drum & bass songs.
I created this sound using Native Instrument’s Massive but you are able to create the same sound utilizing different plug-ins with similar parameters.

First thing we are going to do is set our first oscillator to M-Talk and drop the pitch one octave (-12.00). Set your wavetable position to about 2 o’clock and route LFO 5 to the first modulation slot. Click and drag the first modulation slot so that the range of the wavetable parameter is at its peak (represented by the green line surrounding the potentiometer). The intensity should also be at about 2 o’clock and the amp should be all the way up.

Next we are going to set-up oscillator 2 by selecting a sine/triangle wave and set the pitch down two octaves (-24.00). The wavetable position should be all the way down, the intensity at about 2 o’clock, and the amp all the way up.

Then head on down to the modulation oscillator and drop the pitch one octave. We are going to use the phase parameter under mode and set it to oscillator 1. The phase potentiometer should be turned all the way down. Next link macro 3 to the first modulation slot under the phase potentiometer and click on the modulation slot and drag the range up about an eighth of a turn (the little yellow line around the pot).

Now let’s jump up to the filter and set it to scream. The cutoff and scream pots should be set to about 2 o’clock and the resonance to about 11 o’clock. Next we can attach LFO 5 to the first modulation slot of the filter’s cutoff and set the range to about a quarter of the full range of the pot (represented by the green line around the pot).

In order to be able to control the wobble of the bass we need to go to LFO 5 and attach the first macro to the modulation slot of the rate. Now set the LFO range somewhere between an eighth of a turn to a quarter of a turn around the pot. Last thing we want to do here is set the XFade Curve linear pot all the way up.

In order to give the bass sound its distortion we are going to go to the feedback and set the amp to a quarter turn and assign macro 4 to the modulation slot. Now turn up the range a quarter turn so that it meets the half way mark of the full range of the pot. Then scoot over to insert 1 and set it to sine shaper with the dry/wet all the way down and the drive at 12 o’clock. Then we will set insert 2 to bitcrush with the dry/wet pot at a quarter and the crush pot at three-quarters. Now attach macro 2 to the modulation slot of the dry/wet and turn up the range about 50% of the range of the pot.

Lastly, assign the macros to a MIDI controller in order to have analog control of the parameters that we set-up.

Below I have provided a screen capture that shows how Massive should look when the instrument is completed. I have also posted a sample of a song I’m working on so that you can hear the bass in action.

Happy synthesizing!

Happy synthesizing!