Tone Profile

Aggressive and distorted synth bass with a raw, industrial edge. Characterized by its heavy low-end presence and buzzy, overdriven texture.

Production Credits

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• Trent Reznor is known for experimenting with various distortion and processing techniques to achieve unique synth sounds.
• The API 550 EQ can be used for broad tone shaping, focusing on boosting the low frequencies to enhance the bass presence and cutting some of the high-mid frequencies to reduce harshness.

Recreation Tips

• Start with a Moog Minimoog sawtooth wave and detune oscillators slightly for a thicker sound.
• Use a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal to achieve the aggressive, overdriven tone. Adjust the distortion and filter settings to taste.
• Apply API 550 EQ to shape the overall sound, boosting the low frequencies and cutting harsh high-mid frequencies.
• Experiment with different EQ and distortion settings to fine-tune the sound to your liking.

Recommended Gear

• Moog Minimoog(synth)
• Pro Co RAT(pedal)
• API 550(eq)