How to make this Psy Trance Bass

[hhuang9611]

I have tried to follow many tutorials but I couldn't find any one that can give me the Psy Bass sound in this track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJafnZd86BM

I think the psy trance bass in this track has a lot of mid low end and has a very nice tail. It's very much like the bass sound in Astrix's Sahara. But I have watched bunch of tutorials on making "Astrix Psy trance bass" and none of them do the trick. I tried several synths including serum, sylenth1, spire, Hive, even Diva, but failed (I failed, not the synths). I tried to find some nice psy bass samples but couldn't find one sounds like this.

Someone mentioned in a comment that this kind of sound requires layering. But when I tried to layer the bass sound, all sorts of phase cancellation happened.

It's soooo frustrating... Could somebody please help me? (Links to tutorials, presets, samples, anything!!! Anything that can help me to have this sound in my track)

EDIT:
Thanks very much guys for all the suggestions! So I just made this short clip of the bass that I created, maybe it will help find my problem.
https://soundcloud.com/ray_d8/psy-bass/s-kJzpL

I made three parts: straight 16th, simple triplet and a common trance groove (forgot its name)
I think the last part sounds most unsatisfactory to me, because it feels empty and the notes feels too short and therefore not powerful enough, especially compared with the sound in the video above starting from 1:00. And I don't think the overall sound matches what I wish to achieve, something is missing but I have no idea what should I do next. Processing more or adjust synth parameters.

Just FYI, I made this with Serum with a little bit processing using OTT.

Update:
Huge thanks to everyone, I finally got a sound that I feel close to what I want! Here is another short demo. (BazzISM and Ultimate(by superwave) are used. The only processing is an EQ on Bass)
https://soundcloud.com/ray_d8/psy-bass-2/s-vcg5S

New Update
Thanks to everyone's help, I have made this track.
https://soundcloud.com/ray_d8/skyward

[hhuang9611]

Also, I don't think I am tuning my kick correctly. Say if I work in key of A minor, what would be a good choice of fundamental frequency for kick? (Given that bass line is playing A note constantly)

[DJ Warmonger]

Also, I don't think I am tuning my kick correctly. Say if I work in key of A minor, what would be a good choice of fundamental frequency for kick? (Given that bass line is playing A note constantly)

My rule of a thumb is to always make kick in G (44 Hz). Majority of stock samples are tuned to G.
Alternatively try F# or G# to match the key.

[Aloysius]

Have you seen this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuXZgcTpYKk

How To Make Progressive Psy Trance James Dymond - The Bass

[Aloysius]

SampleRadar: 293 free trance samples

http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/sam ... les-223498

Full List of Free Stuff: Free music samples: download loops, hits and multis from SampleRadar

http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/fre ... tis-627820

[andymcbain]

Doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary I'm afraid - possibly the classic Trillian / Quadrafuzz combo with the right filter and envelope settings. I don't think there's any layering going on here. Keep experimenting!

[Kwurqx]

To my ears it's indeed nothing too special. Which is good news....

It's generally
- a single oscillator
- a lowpass filter
- zero attack, fast decay, zero or fast release on both filter and amp

This sort of bass can can be achieved/approximated by any subtractive synth that has:

- very fast envelopes (zero attack, short decay and zero release), preferably exponential/logarithmic "analog" curves instead of linear "digital".
- a pretty fast reacting and clean Lowpass filter
- generally avoid a lot of distortion/drive since that will soon destroy the clean character of a filter
- generally not too much resonance (high resonance filter curves will also generally negatively effect the low end)
- use oscillators ( and shapes) that have the following properties
- restart when triggered (and are phase synced, especially when using/mixing multiple 1 oscillators to getthe right shape)
- rich in high frequencies (generally having sharp edges at start/end of cycle)
- rich in low frequency energy (strong first harmonic(s), generally having a positive curve at around the mids of half of the cycle)

So, try "straight/diagonal line" or "sharkfin cuved" saw waves and/or pulses at various widths.

At some point modulate the attack time to a longer attack for that "reverse like" effect.
At some point do some highpass filter sweeping.
Actually some High passing may give you a better/cleaner result by removing some of the excessive bass content.

Hope this helps.

BTW: For those who do not have the luxury of commercial hard- or software synths...

A synth like the free SURGE has everything you need and (much) more.
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/surge-by-vember-audio

But in this case many simpler ones can achieve similar results.

[Distorted Horizon]

You could ask this question also in viewtopic.php?f=4&t=475377

[Distorted Horizon]

But I think it's basically a very simple bass to make.

[CHOOS]

it's a simple saw-pluck bass

[Ah_Dziz]

Mixing it properly up front without drowning out other elements is the only thing that makes this bass seem like anything special. It could be done with pretty much any vst out there. Also you generally want your kick tuned either to the root of your key or to a fifth/ fourth away. Anything else would be messy quick. Since the bass here has so much mid/ high energy, you should probably tune the kick to A if that’s your key and then have the bass duck under the kick when it comes in. Those psytrance kicks have a pretty broad frequency sweep which gives them a pretty energetic transient. I would try some soft clipping to smoothie that transient out and a very surgical compressor on the bass being triggered by the kick with a release somewhere right around an 8th note. These kinds of things were originally made with a 303 and a sampler for the reversed notes and stuff so you won’t need a very complicated synth to make the sound. Just a saw into a low pass with a simple decay only or attack/ decay envelope. I would guess that you have the sound already, but you don’t have the kick and bass balanced properly to make sure the bass is right up front. That feeling will be coming from the energy in the two octaves above the fundamental frequency which should be carried by the kick.

[Passing Bye]

Maybe invest in good tutorial, you can stream for monthly subscription, it's worth it IMO
https://www.sonicacademy.com/courses/ps ... chronicles
https://www.sonicacademy.com/courses/ps ... hronicles/

You are probably struggling the most with symbiosis of programming and processing, which is natural if you are starting out, you need lot off trial&error to realize how things influence each other and to start making right decisions.

It's frustrating comparing mastered track with your raw patch from synth and even more not even knowing where to go from raw to finish, I know you would have easier time if you could just once hear the raw patch and than all the processing one by one, than all that in context of mix and final production, that would for sure open your eyes to know what to expect from programming and what from processing and from there you would make your bass in paces and with little more confidence.

So be sure to check out those tutorials and I would have free time to talk about it more, just send me private message.

[hhuang9611]

Thanks very much guys for all the suggestions! So I just made this short clip of the bass that I created, maybe it will help find my problem.
https://soundcloud.com/ray_d8/psy-bass/s-kJzpL

I made three parts: straight 16th, simple triplet and a common trance groove (forgot its name)
I think the last part sounds most unsatisfactory to me, because it feels empty and the notes feels too short and therefore not powerful enough, especially compared with the sound in the video above starting from 1:00. And I don't think the overall sound matches what I wish to achieve, something is missing but I have no idea what should I do next. Processing more or adjust synth parameters.

Just FYI, I made this with Serum with a little bit processing using OTT. Kick is a psytrance preset in Kick2 vst tuned to G#

[hhuang9611]

SampleRadar: 293 free trance samples

http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/sam ... les-223498

Full List of Free Stuff: Free music samples: download loops, hits and multis from SampleRadar

http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/fre ... tis-627820

Thanks, I will check them out!

Also, I don't think I am tuning my kick correctly. Say if I work in key of A minor, what would be a good choice of fundamental frequency for kick? (Given that bass line is playing A note constantly)

My rule of a thumb is to always make kick in G (44 Hz). Majority of stock samples are tuned to G.
Alternatively try F# or G# to match the key.

Thanks for the tip!

Doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary I'm afraid - possibly the classic Trillian / Quadrafuzz combo with the right filter and envelope settings. I don't think there's any layering going on here. Keep experimenting!

Quote Aloysius
by Aloysius » Fri Mar 29, 2019 3:16 am

But I think it's basically a very simple bass to make.

I understand that there is nothing complicated with this kind of sound, but I just cannot get it right. You can check the short clip I just uploaded, maybe it will reveal some more specific problem. Thanks!

To my ears it's indeed nothing too special. Which is good news....

......

But in this case many simpler ones can achieve similar results.

Thanks for the detailed demonstration!

Mixing it properly up front without drowning out other elements is the only thing that makes this bass seem like anything special. It could be done with pretty much any vst out there. Also you generally want your kick tuned either to the root of your key or to a fifth/ fourth away. Anything else would be messy quick. Since the bass here has so much mid/ high energy, you should probably tune the kick to A if that’s your key and then have the bass duck under the kick when it comes in. Those psytrance kicks have a pretty broad frequency sweep which gives them a pretty energetic transient. I would try some soft clipping to smoothie that transient out and a very surgical compressor on the bass being triggered by the kick with a release somewhere right around an 8th note. These kinds of things were originally made with a 303 and a sampler for the reversed notes and stuff so you won’t need a very complicated synth to make the sound. Just a saw into a low pass with a simple decay only or attack/ decay envelope. I would guess that you have the sound already, but you don’t have the kick and bass balanced properly to make sure the bass is right up front. That feeling will be coming from the energy in the two octaves above the fundamental frequency which should be carried by the kick.

Thanks and spot on! I believe making a proper kick and mixing it with the bass is another thing I am struggling with.

Maybe invest in good tutorial, you can stream for monthly subscription, it's worth it IMO
https://www.sonicacademy.com/courses/ps ... chronicles
https://www.sonicacademy.com/courses/ps ... hronicles/

You are probably struggling the most with symbiosis of programming and processing, which is natural if you are starting out, you need lot off trial&error to realize how things influence each other and to start making right decisions.

It's frustrating comparing mastered track with your raw patch from synth and even more not even knowing where to go from raw to finish, I know you would have easier time if you could just once hear the raw patch and than all the processing one by one, than all that in context of mix and final production, that would for sure open your eyes to know what to expect from programming and what from processing and from there you would make your bass in paces and with little more confidence.

So be sure to check out those tutorials and I would have free time to talk about it more, just send me private message.

Exactly! I am often confused about if I should process or reprogram to get the sound I need. And it's very interesting that you mentioned the sonic academy tutorial, because I have actually watched it, and it is what got me into psy trance. The bass sound in the short clip I just uploaded, I actually designed it following protoculture's (or shadow chronicles') tutorial. However, I don't feel it is the same sound in the video I posted. The bass in the video sounds more rich in tail, and I am having a hard time trying to achieve that.

[anoise]

Regarding your example above:
Change that kick. It doesn't fit the bass. Sounds more like a mainstream trance kick. Too much mids. (Use Kick2 or Bazzism to make your own kicks or use psy kick samples and tune them to fit the bass).
The bass synth/patch is not bad but it may help to reduce the low mids, around 300-400Hz. Adjust the decay of the filter to taste.
See also:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSzP2_AO0DQ