The Classic Reese Bass (Multiple Ways)

The Reese Bass is a super classic Drum'n'Bass sound that’s also being used in other music styles these days. You often hear it in UK Bass or Dubstep too. It’s all about that strong, deep bass and those really nice, warm overtones. And when you crank up the filter, you get this super aggressive rave sound on top of it. It can really fill out the whole spectrum, especially if there aren’t many instruments in the track.

Method 1: Detuned Oscillators (1:19)

  1. Start with two Sawtooth oscillators. (I use the main oscillator and the sub-oscillator set to "Saw" and 0 octave).
  2. Mix the second oscillator in (e.g., 50%).
  3. Slightly detune one of the oscillators. The difference in frequency creates the "beating" effect.
  4. Switch your synth to Monophonic mode.
  5. (Optional) Add a small amount of Glide (or Legato) for that classic sliding effect between notes.

Method 2: The "Phaser" Notch Filter (3:34)

  1. Take your basic Reese sound from Method 1.
  2. Add a Notch filter after the oscillators.
  3. Sweep the filter's cutoff frequency up and down the spectrum. This creates that classic D&B "phaser" movement.
  4. Pro Tip: Turn off "Key Tracking" on the filter so the filter's position stays the same no matter what note you play.

Method 3: Stereo Detune (Mono) (4:59)

  1. Start with just one Saw oscillator.
  2. Use a "Stereo Tune" feature (if your synth has it) to detune the left and right channels from each other.
  3. This will sound very wide and weird. The final (and most important) step is to add a utility/tool after the synth and set the Width to 0% (mono).
  4. This sums the detuned stereo signal back to mono, creating a Reese sound with a slightly different character.

Method 4: The "Static Sub" (8:04)

This is a modern trick for when you want the movement of a Reese in the mids/highs but a perfectly stable, clean sub-bass.

  1. Use a Wavetable oscillator and select a Saw wave.
  2. Use your synth's "Remove Fundamental" feature (or a steep high-pass EQ) to cut out the lowest sub-frequency.
  3. Now, turn on your Sub Oscillator, set it to a Sine wave, and mix it in.
  4. You'll get the detuned, beating harmonics from the wavetable, but the sub-bass will be a single, static sine wave.

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