Making a Simple FM8 Electro Glide Bass Synth

When it comes to designing bass sounds that will be super funky and really shake up a song, it is more about what you do with it than anything else. And sometimes it is the smallest of details that can make a huge difference in how the instrument is perceived. This FM8 electro glide synth, for instance, has just a touch of glide on one note in the audio example that is played at the beginning and end of the video. It is this briefest of moments that make this bass seem much more funky than it ever would without it. One more big difference maker in a sound like this is understanding how it will be used and making small adjustments throughout the designing of the sound to ensure the best results during the mixing and mastering phases of your workflow.

This FM8 electro glide bass synth starts out in the FM Matrix where all the routing happens. With one main carrier (OperatorF) and one supporting carrier (Operator B), the rest of the operators are acting as modulators. Operator F is routed to both the main output strip and into the filter (Operator Z). All operators in use are set to run in Key Sync mode to ensure an even and consistent delivery each time a note is played. The balance of sawtooth and sine waveforms keeps the sound gritty and sharp, yet fat. And the variations in pitch values creates a gentle movement over time due to the naturally occurring phasing.

On the Master window, the synth is set to run in Mono mode with a total of three unison voices. The sound is spread out via the Detune and Pan features. Some glide (Portamento) is added, and both Analog and Digital Quality are introduced for extra character. Then a few effects are added to finish this FM8 electro glide bass synth. Some Overdrive is added for punch and drive, while a Shelving EQ and Peak EQ are both used to finish shaping the sound. Lastly, a very small amount of Reverb is added to help thicken the synth and prepare it for a mid-side mastering process, which should result in a very deep and wide mix with plenty of punch and presence in the middle.

Cheers,
OhmLab