Source sounds

First off, it’s important to be aware that it’s extremely difficult – if not impossible – to generate the basslines heard in Noisia, Phace or Mefjus’ tunes straight out of a synth without further processing and resampling techniques – which we’ll look at later in the feature. That said, creating a great source sound is still crucial to getting an end result that both shakes subs and screws faces up; so it makes sense for us to start our neurofunk journey at the synthesis stage.

With traditional subtractive synthesis, you begin with basic waveforms – square, saw and triangle shapes, for example – before sculpting away harmonics with the synth’s filter. This method is great if you’re after clean, weighty sounds, but the end result will lack the timbral movement and aggression synonymous with dark-edged DnB. Instead, a good starting point is to use cutting-edge digital synthesis techniques such as wavetable, FM (Frequency Modulation) or phase distortion synthesis, all of which provide much more scope for creating unusual waveforms and harmonic complexity over time. Ultimately, the aim is to create an intricate, moving spread of mid and high frequencies with a sufficient balance of low-mid and midrange harmonic movement that can then be ‘magnified’ and exaggerated with distortion, filtering and processing further down the chain.

In addition to this midrange complexity, bear in mind that your synth sound should also feature a solid, consistent low end to provide the bass’s underpinning sub weight and power, which can be achieved either by blending in an additional sine or triangle oscillator with the source synth, or by layering a separate sine sub underneath using a different one.

Once you’ve created a suitable bass tone that features both low end solididy and midrange interest, it’s time to induce movement and motion via modulation. Using an LFO or step sequencer to modulate oscillator harmonics – for example, moving the position of a wavetable oscillator, or the amount of frequency modulation (FM) applied – will quickly give a dense, tearing sound that can then be shaped further with processing. The synth’s filter can also add flavour to a source sound, with subtle modulation of a filter’s cutoff or resonance (via an LFO or envelope) adding movement and texture to your frequency-rich tone.

“A good starting point is to use cutting-edge digital synthesis”