In this Ableton 9.5 Tutorial we look at how to create a warm deep house bass sound using Ableton Operator and it’s new analog filters.
FM synthesis is a great way to create bass sounds and as you’ll find out, just a few tweaks can drastically change the sound!
We start by creating a rich bass patch using saw waves and FM synthesis. At this stage we discuss the importance to timbre of octaves in both the base oscillator and the modulator.
With the basic sound in place we shape the frequencies with Operators filters, selecting one of the new Ableton 9.5 algorithms and driving it to produce a warm character.
Next up we play the bass in context with the drum loop and tweak a variety of parameters such as oscillator shape, filter envelop and FM amount. When the bass is working well with the drums it’s time to move on and add some audio effects.
We start out with a ping pong set to 1/8th delays and very subtle settings. This is designed to add a little space around the upper frequencies of the bass and help it sit back in the mix.
The final touch is a chorus rack that adds movement and width to the upper frequencies of the bass whilst leaving the sub focussed and powerful.
The main thing to remember with this sound is how easy it is to create new timbres using the FM parameters but… set up your filters first or the upper frequencies become very confusing!
If you’d like to watch some more Deep House tutorials, check out this link here.
Good luck and have fun! 🙂
As always I hope you found this useful – once you get the basic bass sound nailed you can create your own unique variations with ease.
The next Ableton Live tutorial will be posted at the same time next week.
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