Interesting DnB basslines.

[Expy]

So, I recently managed to get the DnB drum structure mostly down, I think. Now I'm looking for a way to make my basslines more interesting.

I can program a decent-sounding reese bass (detuned saws and stuff), but then the actual bassline sound pretty boring and simple, especially when compared to the kind of sounds they use in neurofunk. Listening to your average DnB track now, it either has that pulsing neurofunk sound (like Xilent's stuff) or a sort of swirling reese bass (like Lavender Harmony's Balloon Party track, Arrivederci).

The closest I can get to this is using low pass filter automation, but that still tends to be a bit simple. It would be great to know any techniques to make basslines more interesting.

[K3WRO]

When I was writing my first neurofunk track (WIP in my soundcloud), I thought a few things

Distortion

Filter

Overdrive


Well, that only killed my CPU, So I had to do ALOT of Resampling, But to get that Neurofunk sound, You need to add some slides on piano roll, and perhaps try adding phaser and LFO using something like Fruity Love Philter (lol)

Edit : I'll stop here, This is all I know

[Expy]

I haven't touched overdrive, I might see what I can get with that. Resampling - that's a bit annoying, but if I have to, I guess I'll have to give that a go as well. I'll also try phasers and LFOs. Thanks heaps for the help!

[K3WRO]

I haven't touched overdrive, I might see what I can get with that. Resampling - that's a bit annoying, but if I have to, I guess I'll have to give that a go as well. I'll also try phasers and LFOs. Thanks heaps for the help!

You don't need to resample, it's only when your CPU hit "100%" and everything freezes and crap especially when you start mastering things.

So, Drums, Pads and Bass can be resampled if necessary, as an emergency, and to make mastering/EQing/Adding effects etc. would be easier without all those pauses and noise caused by your laggy computer and to prevent your final draft from sounding like...crap.

Unless if you have like a quadcore or something, but whatever you want man.

Oh, and overdrive is to make that fuzzy, warm, noisy sounds you can hear in neurofunk or darkstep or whatever, If your making Liquid or plain old D'n'B Jungle, I wouldnt recommend adding Distortion.

[Icky]

I'm not an expert on the Xilent like basslines, but I do have some experience with the "swirling" ones you talked about.

Here's a picture of the reese bass used in my BP track Everfree.


As you can see this is really basic, there's some chords in there aswell and a shriek sound to make it a bit more interesting.

This is what it sounds like: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... tering.mp3

Not that great right? I mean there is already some movement in the reese bass thanks to phasing and detune but it still sounds a bit boring.


That's where this baby comes in. I put a LP filter on the reese out channel and created an automation clip in FL to control the filter.

This is what it sounds like now: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... tering.mp3

That's a lot better already, we get a lot of movement in the sound thanks to the stabby LP filter automation.

I added a little pitchbend down at the end here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... 20down.mp3

Okay so the basic reese bassline is done. Now just add some good drums and a subbass and we've got ourselves a track!

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... 20beat.mp3

This is just one of the many ways to make a reese bass more interesting. There are a lot of neurofunk producers that resample their reese to mess around with it, chop it up and reverse parts. I know guys like Xilent and Receptor create a single bass stab and copy the VST a couple of times to create different reese stab sounds. You can also mess around with automation on different kinds of filters and parameters.

I hope any of this helps and good luck creating awesome reese basslines!

[CommandSpry]

Hah, so much effort, I just use Dr Drum

[Friv]

Hah, so much effort, I just use Dr Drum

You've got to be F*!@ING kidding me -.-. No that's a joke; it has to be. Good one.

[Facade]

Hah, so much effort, I just use Dr Drum

You've got to be F*!@ING kidding me -.-. No that's a joke; it has to be. Good one.

something tells me hes serious o:

[itroitnyah]

Hah, so much effort, I just use Dr Drum

You've got to be F*!@ING kidding me -.-. No that's a joke; it has to be. Good one.

something tells me hes serious o:

People actually use that software? Dr. Drum is just LMMS with a pricetag equivalent to the cost of a really cheap instrument pack from Vengance! Only difference is that it's including.

[Icky]

Commandspry wins again.

[Expy]

I'm not an expert on the Xilent like basslines, but I do have some experience with the "swirling" ones you talked about.

Here's a picture of the reese bass used in my BP track Everfree.

(img)
As you can see this is really basic, there's some chords in there aswell and a shriek sound to make it a bit more interesting.

This is what it sounds like: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... tering.mp3

Not that great right? I mean there is already some movement in the reese bass thanks to phasing and detune but it still sounds a bit boring.

(img)
That's where this baby comes in. I put a LP filter on the reese out channel and created an automation clip in FL to control the filter.

This is what it sounds like now: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... tering.mp3

That's a lot better already, we get a lot of movement in the sound thanks to the stabby LP filter automation.

I added a little pitchbend down at the end here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... 20down.mp3

Okay so the basic reese bassline is done. Now just add some good drums and a subbass and we've got ourselves a track!

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52883961/MLR%2 ... 20beat.mp3

This is just one of the many ways to make a reese bass more interesting. There are a lot of neurofunk producers that resample their reese to mess around with it, chop it up and reverse parts. I know guys like Xilent and Receptor create a single bass stab and copy the VST a couple of times to create different reese stab sounds. You can also mess around with automation on different kinds of filters and parameters.

I hope any of this helps and good luck creating awesome reese basslines!

Wow, thanks, that was absolutely perfect! Thanks heaps for that. I do like the idea of taking a stab and copying and changing it for variation, I might give that a try. Cheers!

[Icky]

Wow, thanks, that was absolutely perfect! Thanks heaps for that. I do like the idea of taking a stab and copying and changing it for variation, I might give that a try. Cheers!

I bet you'll find this video very interesting in that case!


Receptor creating an awesome neurofunk bassline + beat and everything in 1 hour.

[CommandSpry]

Of course I use Dr Drum, the best software for instant bangers

[Facade]

Of course I use Dr Drum, the best software for instant bangers

still not sure if trolling or completely serious

[SixofLasers]

Everything Icky said!!!

Another thing to do is try other filter types other than just lowpass - automating notch and bandpass filters can give your bass sounds TONS of movement. From there you can distort/overdrive; or try placing your distortion BEFORE your filters for a different feel... it's all about experimentation!

I use this plug on all my bass sounds; it's wicked:
http://www.tone2.com/html/___bifilter.html

It's got something like 47 filter types (!) including comb filtering (awesome for those "metallic" sounding basses <3) and 8 distortion types that can be applied both before or after the filter. Sometimes I'll use 3 in sequence - one notch, one bandpass, maybe a comb filter, all at <50% dry/wet - then just automate those cutoff knobs! :3

[Icky]

Recently dug up this thread and only just saw SixofLasers post.

Definitely going to try and get my hands that plugin, sounds very tasty. And yeah 100% agreed, it's all about experimenting.