Dark Techno, Synthwave & Acid Bass

These bass sounds are pretty similar but are used differently across various genres. First up, we have the Cyberbunk or Dark Techno bass. It's super aggressive with a lot of distortion, but it really packs a punch. Then there's the Synthwave bass, which is a toned-down version. You can hear something like that in most Kavinsky tracks. It's not as aggressive, but it still has a bit of that Acid or distortion vibe. Finally, we have the classic Acid bass in the TB-303 style, which you probably recognize from 90s techno classics known for their chromatic basslines, definitely a fan favorite!

"Cyberpunk" / Dark Techno Bass (14:27)

  1. Start with a Saw wave.
  2. Turn on Unison and set it to a high number of voices (e.g., 16).
  3. Turn the Unison Detune up a lot.
  4. Use your synth's "Fat" or "Spread" features to make it even wider.
  5. Add a steep Low Pass filter (like an LP3 or 24dB/oct) and cut off the fizzy high end.
  6. Add heavy Distortion (like a Hard Clipper) to finish the sound.

Synthwave Bass (Kavinsky Style) (17:11)

  1. Start with a simple Saw wave.
  2. Use a Low Pass filter and turn Key Tracking OFF.
  3. Crank the Resonance up very high.
  4. Add Distortion after the filter.
  5. The sound comes from automating or playing with the filter cutoff. You can get even more control by adding an EQ after the distortion to shape the resonant harmonics.

Classic Acid Bass (TB-303 Style) (24:22)

  1. This is very similar to the Synthwave bass, but with a different waveform.
  2. Start with a Pulse wave (or Square wave).
  3. Use a Low Pass filter (a 12dB/oct or LP2 is traditional).
  4. Crank the Resonance all the way up.
  5. Add Distortion (this is key!).
  6. The "acid" sound is all about modulating the Filter Cutoff and Envelope Decay on a per-step basis, often with glide between notes.

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