bass synth from “this is america” by childish gambino | ToneDB
this is america
childish gambino
bass synth
Tone Profile
A deep and resonant synth bass, providing a dark and driving foundation. The sound has a subtly distorted character, lending a slight edge to the sub-bass frequencies.
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The Story
The bass synth in 'This Is America' was produced by Ludwig Goransson and uses a deep, resonant analog synthesizer tone with subtle harmonic distortion. While a Moog Minimoog has been mentioned in online discussions as the likely source, the exact synthesizer used has not been officially confirmed by the production team.
Production Credits
Producer: Ludwig Goransson
Engineer: Donald Glover
Signal Chain
Instrument: Moog MinimoogShop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Start with a Moog Minimoog or a similar analog synth known for its powerful bass.
- Use an initial sine wave with a saw wave mixed in.
- Experiment with slight overdrive or saturation to add subtle harmonic distortion.
- EQ the low end to make sure you retain the sub frequencies.
- Compress subtly to keep the sound consistent.
Original Gear
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- Moog MinimoogShop on Reverb(synth)
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Moog Minimoog analog synthesizer
Provides the classic Moog bass character with powerful oscillators and ladder filter, perfect for deep sub-bass tones
Alternative to: Moog Minimoog analog synthesizer
Budget analog option with aggressive filter and built-in overdrive circuit for adding subtle harmonic distortion
Alternative to: Moog Minimoog analog synthesizer
Accurate software emulation of the Minimoog Model D with precise oscillator modeling for authentic bass tones
Alternative to: Analog saturation/overdrive processing
Adds controlled harmonic saturation to synth bass without losing low-end clarity
Alternative to: Moog Minimoog analog synthesizer
Direct Minimoog clone offering the classic Moog bass sound at an accessible price point
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