Moog Music Forum

Looking for some insight on subbass sound design.

Very curious to hear some thoughts on how to really achieve that "underwater" filtered subbass sound, particularly what Hot Since 82 does.

Here are some examples:

- https://youtu.be/tapxo62i1yw (at 1:30)

- https://youtu.be/CJL6uHqLyfU (also 1:30)

It sound likes its really pulsing underwater, almost like it also has reverb under the filter with the subbass. I also think that there is a fifth note in there making the tone very rich. These 2 tracks are in A and A#, which is giving the underwater sound as well.

Also love how it cuts through even on an iphone speaker. You can actually hear the bassline groove right through the phone which is so amazing. Obviously this isn't a simple answer, but curious to hear if anyone has any ideas. New to sound design on the moog.

First of all the pitch is very low, a little bit lower than “normal” bass range. Sounds like one or two oscillators with a triangle wave containing a lot of resonance giving the character of the sound. To be able to be heard easely in smaller speakers I guess another oscillator was used an octave up, but not that loud. The fifth note sounds like a layer of another more bright sound with filter openings (layers are very common in EDM basses and kicks... but Im not an EDM guy, but more into ambient music.

Of course its EQed and compressed. A classic way to get a bass sound audieble in smaller speakers is to roll in some dB at 800Hz. Two types of compression was certainly used: A parallel compression to clean up the bass frequencies nd gives punch and a regular compression.

Im not an expert on the area, just try to analyze the sound you mentioned and can be totally wrong, but think its in that direction. Good luck with your sounds and music!