synth from “west end girls” by pet shop boys | ToneDB
west end girls
pet shop boys
synth
AI generatedv1.0
Tone Profile
The synth bass has a gritty, distorted sound that provides a rhythmic foundation for the song. It's a classic example of 80s synth-pop, with a slightly harsh and metallic edge.
Gear
- Emulator IIinstrument
- Reverb$95Sweetwater
- Distortion Pedalprocessing
- ReverbSweetwater
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The Story
The synth bass on 'West End Girls' was created using an E-mu Emulator II sampler, which was heavily used by Pet Shop Boys throughout their career. The distinctive gritty, metallic edge was achieved by processing the sampled sound through distortion, giving it the harsh character that became a signature of 80s synth-pop. The track was produced by Stephen Hague at Advision Studios in London.
Production Credits
Producer: Stephen Hague
Engineer: J. J. Jeczalik
Recorded at: Advision Studios, London
Signal Chain
Instrument: Emulator II
Processing: Distortion Pedal
Recreation Tips
- Start with a basic saw wave or square wave synth bass sound.
- Add a layer of distortion to give it a harsher edge.
- Experiment with different distortion pedals or plugins to find the right level of grit.
- EQ to taste, cutting any unwanted frequencies.
Original Gear
- Emulator II(synth)
- Distortion Pedal(pedal)
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: E-mu Emulator II sampler
Official emulation of the original Emulator II with authentic samples and character for that classic 80s synth-pop sound
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Distortion processing on synth
Versatile distortion plugin that can add the metallic edge and grit needed to recreate that harsh 80s synth bass tone
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: E-mu Emulator II sampler
Modern sampling drum machine that can load custom samples and apply distortion/filtering to recreate gritty 80s synth bass sounds
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Distortion processing
Classic distortion pedal that can add the harsh, metallic edge when used on synth bass sounds, popular in 80s productions
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: E-mu Emulator II sampler
Powerful sampler that can load Emulator II samples and has built-in distortion effects to recreate the processed 80s sound
ReverbSweetwaterFrequently Asked Questions
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