How to create an ABBA like synth bass from scratch?

[jalexquijano]

Trying to recreate the Oberheim Analogue Synth Bass produced by Bennie in ABBA´S Gimme Gimme Gimme? Any recomendation on how to start?

[WannitBBBad]

Hello, some step through the synth presets to find something close to what they are looking for and work from there. In your case, you could start with the bass I have posted in the program "ABBA GmeGmeGme W.ns3f" at nord-stage-3-programs-ns3p-ns3pb-files- ... ml#p137602 and tweak it from there. A program viewer is available at nord-stage-forum-f3/ns3-program-viewer-t19939.html that will let you look at the settings of any Stage 3 program if you want to try to recreate it. Good luck!

[Kaffimusic]

From scratch means:
Set the OSC section to Classic. You need to set it to play 2 OSCs. One sawtooth, second sawtooth, too, or maybe triangle. That provides some beef. Minimal detuning might be nice when on the same octave, maybe try one down compared to the first, then you do not need detune. This is the basic.
Not sure about that sound right now, in my memory it might be they did not have the OSCs in an octave apart, I remember it a bit thin.
The filter has to be set to 24db ladderfilter, that Moog style one will fit. Turn the filter down roughly 90% (Means down to roughly 7-8 o´clock). Now apply some ModENV to the filter, and set the envelope on the left to a short attack phase and slightly longer decay. The filter should now do that "bow" sound. Add some resonance to emphasize that fluppy sound. You should be in the terrain of that sound already. Play around with the paramenters until it fits better. Most likely the ENV amount and filter close/open will be the main thingys here. Maybeplay around with velocity on the filter if that feels more natural to play, but NO velocity on AMPlification, mean velocity should only influence the brightness, not the volume. There you need full throttle.
I guess there is also a slight bit of releasetime set into it, too, so it never has a sudden stop when the key is released. the filter still needs to have time to close after release or it will sound different.
Ah, and set the section to play monophonic. Maybe set them to double voices to make it thicker. But sometimes this alters the sound a bit into a wrong direction. You might also try the filterdrive.
This is a very basic sound for analog synth recreation and a good one when you do not have any clue but want to learn.

Din´t they use a Minimoog back then? Without checking any information about this, this was the contemporary instrument for that type of basses back then. Today the same.

[WannitBBBad]

From scratch means: ...

Yes, just addressing a question jalexquijano also asked on the related Stage 3 programs post.

[jalexquijano]

Hello, some step through the synth presets to find something close to what they are looking for and work from there. In your case, you could start with the bass I have posted in the program "ABBA GmeGmeGme W.ns3f" at nord-stage-3-programs-ns3p-ns3pb-files- ... ml#p137602 and tweak it from there. A program viewer is available at nord-stage-forum-f3/ns3-program-viewer-t19939.html that will let you look at the settings of any Stage 3 program if you want to try to recreate it. Good luck!

Sorry but it doesnt sound like the Synth Bass used by Bennie in such recording. I really want to get the sound from scratch.

Asides from that i have also noticed some SYnth Bass that can be downloaded here: https://www.nordkeyboards.com/sound-lib ... synth-bass. Nevertheless, i dont want to consume all the small space altering the factory presets.

[WannitBBBad]

Sorry but it doesnt sound like the Synth Bass used by Bennie in such recording. I really want to get the sound from scratch...

Perhaps try the guidance from Kaffimusic above; it's a good start without relying upon a sample.

[jalexquijano]

Ill try such approach to see if i can emulate such synth

[Kaffimusic]

From scratch means: ...

Yes, just addressing a question jalexquijano also asked on the related Stage 3 programs post.

All good, I just wanted to brag with my knowledge of synth programming. And well... make people actually use the synthsection by themselves.

@jalexq... : You will have to spend some time balancing the parameters until it is close to that. While you do that, you learn what happens when you play around with it. But I have no doubt it´s no problem to do that sound. As I said, it is very basic and the NS synthsection is laid out to do that quite easily and fast. And: I think it is better to let the synth do that instead of playing a sample. A sample is dead, a synth is alive and moves.

[jalexquijano]

Thanks, man. I would really appreciate if someone here can guide me with the closest parameters possible to obtain such synth bass sound to be played by the left hand. I do play some bass also but its not the same as getting the synth bass tone from the Gimme Gimme Abba Cut.

I dont want to start downloading synth bass samples. I want to produce them from scratch.

[Kaffimusic]

Sorry, I can´t. I sold my NS3 some time ago.
The waveforms I told you are the ones used in analog gear back then. This is the raw indegrient and the unfiltered sound. When you are confused about the detailed setting, just use a simple saw and nothing else. You can twiggle that later. Just save your progress now and then when you are satisfied with something done.
The main guidelines are those ENV settings I told you (short attack for that wha) and slightly longer decay (for going back to zero). The filtertype M (for MOog 24db) and turned down between 0-30%. Further up means brighter. The MODEnv value controls the intensity how far the filter goes up and down, the resonance emphasizes that process and provides exactly that typical sound. "Baow"
Just do it, listen and understand what the pots do and trim it accordingly. This is no rocketscience.