Crash Course on Bass Sound Design: 808s, Subs and More

Sound design is one of those areas where small technical decisions have a huge musical impact. When it comes to bass, those decisions define weight, movement, and energy in a track. This guide breaks down four essential bass tones that form the backbone of countless productions:

  • The 808 bass
  • A punch or pluck bass
  • A saw or growl bass
  • A simple sub bass

Each sound is introduced, analyzed, and constructed step by step, focusing on fundamental synthesis concepts that translate to any synthesizer. While a third-party synth is used here for clarity, the techniques themselves are universal.

The Four Core Bass Sounds at a Glance

Before diving into sound creation, it’s useful to understand what roles these basses typically play:

  • 808 Bass – Deep, sustained, punch-capable low-end with tonal control
  • Punch / Pluck Bass – Short, percussive bass often used in dance and house music
  • Saw / Growl Bass – Aggressive, wide bass that responds well to sidechaining
  • Sub Bass – Clean, fundamental low-frequency support

Each one occupies a different space in the mix and responds differently to rhythm, envelopes, and processing.

1. The 808 Bass: From Drum Machine to Modern Low-End Weapon

Understanding the Modern 808

The original 808 comes from the TR-808 drum machine, but the modern 808 bass is often far removed from that source. Most producers:

  • Use samples from packs
  • Drag them into a sampler
  • Adjust pitch and patterns in a piano roll

That approach works—but synthesizing an 808 from scratch provides far more control over punch, tone, and character.

Synthesizing an 808 allows you to shape punch, grit, and sustain instead of relying on a fixed sample.

Building the Core Tone

Start with:

  • One oscillator
  • Sine wave
  • Lower octave playback

This creates a clean, fundamental sub tone.

Next, shape the amplitude envelope:

  • Attack: 0 (later adjusted slightly to remove clicks)
  • Hold: ~300–400 ms
  • Decay: ~1.5 seconds
  • Sustain: 0%

This produces:

  • A sharp onset
  • A brief hold
  • A smooth decay

If a click appears at the start, slightly increase the attack until it disappears.

Adding Character with Waveform Warping

To avoid a completely sterile tone:

  • Enable Bend ± (warp mode)
  • Apply a subtle amount

This introduces harmonic character without overwhelming the sub.

The Crucial Step: Pitch Envelope Punch

For a truly punchy 808, a short pitch envelope is essential.

Create a second envelope:

  • Very fast attack
  • Extremely short decay
  • No sustain

Route it to:

  • Global Master Tune

This creates a brief pitch drop, producing a kick-like transient at the start.

This quick pitch movement is what gives an 808 its impact.

Distortion, EQ, and Mix Interaction

Apply light processing:

  • Tube distortion with restrained mix
  • EQ boost around ~100 Hz for added weight

When combined with a kick:

  • If both are too punchy, increase the 808’s attack time (around 80–100 ms)
  • Let the kick provide the transient
  • Let the 808 fill the space afterward

This often removes the need for sidechaining entirely.

2. Punch or Pluck Bass: Tight, Rhythmic, and Dancefloor-Ready

What Defines a Pluck Bass?

Often associated with:

  • House
  • Deep house
  • Four-on-the-floor rhythms

This bass is defined by:

  • Short decay
  • Strong transient
  • Controlled sustain

Initial Setup

Start from a clean preset:

  • Choose a square wave
  • Set voicing to mono
  • Enable a low-pass 24 dB filter

The raw oscillator will sound buzzy and aggressive—this is expected.

Envelope Shaping for Pluck Behavior

Amplitude envelope:

  • Small attack
  • No hold
  • Sustain pulled down
  • Slight release

This shapes the volume, but not the punch yet.

Filter Modulation: Where the Pluck Comes From

Use the same envelope to modulate:

  • Filter cutoff

Adjust the amount until:

  • The sound snaps open
  • Then quickly closes

Add slight filter drive for subtle saturation.

The pluck comes from filter movement, not just volume shaping.

Adding Width with a Second Oscillator

To modernize the sound:

  • Add a second oscillator
  • Choose a brighter waveform
  • Increase unison voices (5–7)
  • Slight detune
  • Route it through the same filter

This creates:

  • A solid mono low-end
  • With wide, airy upper harmonics

Spatial Effects (Used Carefully)

Optional enhancements:

  • Light delay
  • Subtle reverb

Key adjustments:

  • High-pass the reverb
  • Reduce low-end buildup
  • Keep frequencies below ~100–150 Hz mono

Stereo width belongs in the highs, not the sub.

3. Saw or Growl Bass: Aggressive, Wide, and Sidechained

Core Character

This bass is defined by:

  • Sawtooth waves
  • Heavy unison
  • Sidechained movement

The default saw waveform already provides the foundation.

Oscillator and Envelope Setup

  • Two oscillators
  • Multiple unison voices (7–8)
  • Slight detune
  • Mono voicing
  • Very short release

Clicks and pops are acceptable here—the sound is intentionally abrasive.

Creating the Sidechain Movement

Instead of external compression:

  • Use an LFO
  • Assign it to oscillator volume

Choose a sidechain-shaped LFO curve and adjust:

  • Start position
  • Length
  • Depth

Apply the same LFO to both oscillators.

The bass now breathes around the kick without external processing.

Filter Control and Macros

  • Route both oscillators through the filter
  • Assign cutoff to a macro
  • Control tonal intensity in real time

Optional:

  • Assign reverb and delay to macros
  • Blend spatial effects dynamically

Sound Quality and Low-End Reinforcement

To keep the sound clean:

  • Set oscillator quality to highest

If the bass feels thin:

  • Boost low-end with EQ (around 120–150 Hz)

The growl lives in the highs—but the bass still needs weight.

4. Simple Sub Bass: Clean, Controlled, and Essential

Choosing the Right Waveform

The sub bass is the simplest:

  • Sine wave
  • Single voice
  • Low register

Alternative sine-based waves also work well.

Eliminating Clicks with Envelope Control

Critical envelope settings:

  • Attack: ~5 ms
  • Release: Slight, not instant

Without this:

  • Clicks appear at note start and end

With it:

  • Smooth, musical transitions

Mono Behavior for Clean Performance

Enable mono mode:

  • Prevent overlapping notes
  • Ensure smooth pitch transitions
  • Avoid low-end buildup

Sub bass works best when it behaves predictably.

A Shared Principle Across All Bass Sounds

Across all four bass types, a few concepts repeat:

  • Envelope shaping defines character
  • Pitch and filter modulation add punch
  • Mono control protects the low-end
  • Subtle processing goes further than heavy effects

These bass sounds may differ in texture and aggression, but they all rely on the same fundamental synthesis principles—applied with intention and restraint.