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synth from “living for the city” by stevie wonder | ToneDB

living for the city

stevie wonder

synth

75% ai confidence

Tone Profile

This synth bass sound is thick, round, and funky, providing a deep and driving rhythmic foundation for the track. It has a pronounced low-end with a slightly buzzy character that cuts through the mix.

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The Story

The synth bass on "Living for the City" was created using a Moog Minimoog, recorded at Record Plant, Los Angeles with engineers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff. The signal was likely recorded direct and processed through a Neve preamp to add warmth and slight harmonic distortion. This gave the Minimoog's already thick bass tone additional character and presence in the mix.

Production Credits

Producer: Stevie Wonder

Engineer: Malcolm Cecil, Robert Margouleff

Recorded at: Record Plant, Los Angeles

Signal Chain

Amp: Neve 1073Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a sawtooth or square wave on your synthesizer.
  • Use a low-pass filter to shape the tone and remove harsh high frequencies.
  • Add a subtle amount of resonance to give the sound some character.
  • Apply a touch of overdrive or saturation to replicate the Neve preamp's warmth.
  • Use EQ to boost the low frequencies and cut any unwanted muddiness.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Moog Subsequent 25Shop on Reverb$800-900

Alternative to: Moog Minimoog

Modern version of the classic Moog sound with the same oscillator and filter architecture as the Minimoog, perfect for recreating that thick bass tone

Behringer Model DShop on Reverb$300-350

Alternative to: Moog Minimoog

Budget clone of the Minimoog with authentic analog circuitry that captures the original's fat bass character

Universal Audio 1073 pluginPlugin Boutique$150-200

Alternative to: Neve 1073 preamp

Accurately models the Neve 1073's warm saturation and EQ that shaped the recorded synth bass tone

Warm Audio WA73-EQShop on Reverb$900-1000

Alternative to: Neve 1073 preamp

Hardware recreation of the 1073 circuit providing the same harmonic warmth and EQ coloration as the original

Arturia Mini VPlugin Boutique$200-250

Alternative to: Moog Minimoog

Software emulation of the Minimoog with detailed modeling of the original's oscillators and ladder filter for that classic bass sound

Sources

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