Neuro-Funk Bass Tutorial: Easy and Fast Techniques

Tutorial | Jun 18, 2019

In this video, I show you how to create a Neuro-Funk Bass using synthesis techniques in the pulley grid. I start by swapping out an envelope for an ADSR to have more control, and I change the triangle to a phase one oscillator. Then, I clone the oscillator and phase modulate one with the other. This creates a nice sounding bass quickly. I also add some effects like an all pass filter and distortion to enhance the sound. I use EQ and a macro knob to further shape the bass. The key is to experiment with different parameters and create movement in the right ranges. I also demonstrate how to create different variations of the bass sound by making small edits and changes. Finally, I share the patch I created in my guitar repository. Overall, it's a fast and easy way to create a Neuro-Funk Bass.

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Video Summary #

The video demonstrates how to build a flexible Neuro Bass patch from scratch within the Bitwig Poly Grid. The process starts with simple oscillators but quickly moves into Phase Modulation and heavy filtering. The core philosophy is to map various parameters (filters, phase, distortion) to Macros, allowing the producer to automate "movement" rather than static notes. The creator also suggests that the final sound often comes from "resampling"—taking these recorded movements and further chopping or reversing them in the arrangement view.

Important Takeaways #

• Movement is Everything: Neuro bass relies on the interaction between multiple shifting parameters. If it’s static, it’s not "Neuro."
• Phase Modulation: Using one oscillator to modulate the phase of another is a shortcut to getting those metallic, growling textures.
• Macro Control: Mapping multiple internal parameters (like filter cutoff and distortion drive) to a single Macro knob allows for complex "vowel" sounds (the "yoi-yoi" or "wah" sounds).
• The Sweet Spot: Finding the range where the filter and modulation react best is key. You don't always need to turn a knob 0–100%; often, the best sound is in a 10% range.
• Post-Grid Processing: The sound doesn't end in the Grid. Adding Bitwig’s native FX (Distortion, EQ, Frequency Shifter) outside the Grid adds extra Grid and polish.

Step-by-Step Neuro Bass Tutorial #

1. Initial Grid Setup #

• Open a Poly Grid device on a new track.
• Replace the default envelope with a more flexible ADSR or an LFO to control the initial "pluck" or "movement" of the sound.
• Set your oscillators to basic shapes (Sine or Saw); the complexity will come from how they modulate each other.

2. Phase Modulation (The "Grid") #

• Use one oscillator as a carrier and another as a modulator.
• Experiment with Phase Modulation. In the Grid, you can plug one oscillator into the "Phase" input of another.
• Adjust the ratio between the two oscillators to find metallic, disharmonious textures.

3. Shaping with Filters #

• Add a Low-pass or Band-pass filter after the oscillators.
• Neuro bass often uses "Notch" filters or "Comb" filters to create "phasing" peaks that sound like a human voice.
• Action: Modulate the Cutoff frequency slightly with a slow LFO to keep the sound "alive."

4. Adding Distortion and Saturation #

• Inside or outside the Grid, add a Distortion or Saturator module.
• This "squares off" the waves, making the bass sound much more aggressive and full.
• Use an EQ after the distortion to cut out muddy low-mids (around 200–400Hz) and boost the sub-frequencies (around 40–60Hz).

5. Macro Mapping for Performance #

• Create a Macro (Remote Control) in Bitwig.
• Map this Macro to the Filter Cutoff, Wavetable Position, and Distortion Amount simultaneously.
• Tip: Reverse the direction of one mapping (e.g., as the filter opens, the distortion goes down) to create a more organic, shifting feel.

6. Automation and Resampling #

• Record a MIDI clip and automate your Macro knob.
• Bounce the audio: Once you have a long recording of shifting bass sounds, chop the best parts out.
• Experiment with reversing short clips of the audio or using a Frequency Shifter to create that final "alien" Neuro texture.

Transcription #

This is what im talking about in this video. The text is transcribed by AI, so it might not be perfect. If you find any mistakes, please let me know.
You can also click on the timestamps to jump to the right part of the video, which should be helpful.

[00:00:00] Hey, welcome to another video on this channel and someone asked about a tutorial and someone asked about the Noyo
[00:00:06] Funk bass tutorial, so I'm trying to create some kind of Neuro-Funk Bass
[00:00:12] in this tutorial so and we start of course with the pulley grid and
[00:00:18] I'm turning on my
[00:00:22] Keyboard here so that I can use it turn on my headphones and we can start
[00:00:28] And
[00:00:30] the first thing I'm going to do is to exchange this envelope here to
[00:00:35] for an ADSR to have more control
[00:00:40] And
[00:00:46] Exchange the triangle to in phase one because I like this phase one oscillator and
[00:00:52] then
[00:00:54] Cloning this one. So I have two
[00:00:56] and
[00:00:58] I'm phase modulating
[00:01:00] The one oscillator with the other
[00:01:03] So
[00:01:05] You
[00:01:07] You
[00:01:09] You
[00:01:11] You
[00:01:40] And you can see you get a nice sounding bass pretty fast and it's all about
[00:01:47] what you are aiming for and what sound you are going for and
[00:01:51] there are probably
[00:01:53] thousands of ways to do this and
[00:01:56] Yeah, that's pretty much the easiest and fastest way. You just need to face
[00:02:02] oscillators here and a bit distortion
[00:02:06] And the right amount of values on the knobs of course
[00:02:40] So, this is one easy setup for a bassline
[00:02:55] and maybe we can add some fancy FX maybe
[00:03:03] Add one of these all pass filters here, but only on upper frequencies
[00:03:10] High pass there is
[00:03:14] And one of these mixer devices or modules
[00:03:21] Maybe try and add some filters
[00:03:48] I
[00:03:50] Oh
[00:04:08] Oh
[00:04:10] Oh
[00:04:38] And maybe also again distortion
[00:04:42] Or
[00:04:57] That's maybe a bit too much
[00:05:02] Oh
[00:05:04] Oh
[00:05:06] No
[00:05:33] Go to C5
[00:05:49] When this knob is at 100% here the filter actually changes when you press different
[00:06:00] So the filter is basically moving when you press different keys
[00:06:04] Okay, so let's add some EQ in the FX stage here
[00:06:28] And maybe add a macro knob here because we can define now range for
[00:06:35] For the EQ setting
[00:06:40] And we can use this macro knob here later on in the automation process or in the
[00:06:52] When we create a track we can then draw in some automation
[00:06:57] And we can also define not only the EQ here
[00:07:10] can also define some other different parameters here in the grid itself and
[00:07:17] whole secret about
[00:07:22] Having these nora funk bassline or creating these nora funk bass lines is basically the movement of different parameters in the right
[00:07:29] Ranges on the right sweet spot areas
[00:07:32] Oh
[00:07:34] Oh
[00:07:36] Oh
[00:07:38] Oh
[00:07:40] Oh
[00:07:42] Oh
[00:08:10] So maybe also at one of these FX to
[00:08:14] Devices here to actually only
[00:08:19] Apply the blue device on the upper frequencies
[00:08:26] And try maybe a very short reverb to get this metallic
[00:08:45] And
[00:08:47] So
[00:08:49] So
[00:08:51] Oh
[00:09:09] Oh
[00:09:11] Oh
[00:09:13] Oh
[00:09:15] Oh
[00:09:17] Oh
[00:09:25] Oh
[00:09:27] Oh
[00:09:56] So this is good enough for me for this tutorial at least
[00:10:01] to show you how you can create such an arrow nora funk bass lines pretty fast and easy and
[00:10:07] Maybe try on some notes. Yeah
[00:10:11] And yeah
[00:10:28] Oh
[00:10:34] That's let's take the perfect fifth here
[00:11:02] Let's take this one just for the demo
[00:11:27] When you are finished with creating the clips the midi clips or the note clips for the bass line here
[00:11:52] Then you start to bounce down everything the audio. That's what I do usually
[00:11:57] to create more edits and small changes like reversing certain audio files or
[00:12:03] apply
[00:12:06] filtering
[00:12:07] Pitch shifting and so on and draw in all the automation here at the at the bottom
[00:12:12] It's all about
[00:12:14] Keep the sound interesting. You can always go back to your original patch here make some small changes
[00:12:22] To create a different kind of sound for bridges or breaks or so on
[00:12:27] And yeah, it's all about
[00:12:29] the changes small changes
[00:12:32] Small edits and keep the sound interesting
[00:12:35] and this patch is
[00:12:38] Now called nora punk and I put this patch into my guitar repository and there's also a link down in the description
[00:12:48] And that's it for this tutorial. Thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next one. Bye
[00:12:52] You