Tone Profile

A punchy, iconic analog synth bass with a distinct percussive attack and a warm, growling sustain. It's a driving, funky sound that forms the rhythmic and harmonic backbone of the track.

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The bassline is a prominent feature, meticulously performed and mixed for maximum impact.
• Bruce Swedien, the engineer, was known for his techniques in capturing powerful low-end and creating distinct sonic spaces for each instrument.
• The sound benefits from the warmth and saturation of analog recording equipment of the era.
• While the Synclavier was used extensively on the album (e.g., for the heartbeat intro), the main bassline is widely attributed to a Minimoog.

Recreation Tips

• Start with a Minimoog emulation (hardware or software). Use two sawtooth oscillators, tune one slightly sharp and the other slightly flat (e.g., +/- 5 cents) for a chorusing effect. A third oscillator, perhaps a square wave an octave lower, can add more body.
• Set the filter to low-pass with the cutoff relatively low, but with a moderate amount of resonance to emphasize the attack.
• Use a fast attack on both the filter and amplifier envelopes. Decay should be set to match the staccato nature of the notes, with minimal sustain and a quick release.
• Apply a compressor with a medium to fast attack and fast release to enhance the punch and even out the dynamics. Ratio around 4:1 to 6:1.
• Subtle EQ can be used to shape the tone: boost low-mids (around 200-400Hz) for warmth and presence, and perhaps a slight boost in the upper-mids (1-2kHz) for attack definition. Cut unnecessary sub-bass if it muddies the mix.
• Consider playing the part with a very slight swing or quantizing tightly to capture the original groove.

Recommended Gear

• Moog Minimoog Model D(synth)
• Behringer Model D(synth)
• Arturia Mini V(plugin)
• Universal Audio Urei 1176LN Classic Limiter Collection(plugin)
• SSL E-Channel (Plugin or Console)(plugin)
• Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ (Hardware or Plugin)(preamp)