That’s a work-around though, using a filter.
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Bumping this old thread because it was so helpful!
I, like many others, oscillate between emotions about my A4. While it does certain things very well it always feels like a lot of work to get good basses, especially across octaves; you might create a tight mid bass that falls apart in the lower ranges or a good deep bass that relies on extreme filtering thereby losing its top end sizzle.
While most A4 users likely know about using the multimode filter with keytracking to boost low frequencies, there were a few other takeawys from this thread that I found very useful.
1.) The filters are the main source of bass woes; as evinced by oscilloscope images of external gear being run through the A4. In order to get the filters to behave in an “expected” manner (similar to other synths) try the following: for filter 1 take off res boost, leave keytracking off, set res to around 64, and leave the cutoff all the way open. I found that a bit of overdrive is also useful with positive values of 12-25. Use the multimode filter for your filtering needs (envelopes, LFOs etc.).
2.) It is possible to get a pretty hefty square using the tips in step 1 and by setting PW to ranges between -2 to -8.
3.) Not from this thread but it is also possible to get a nice saw by following step 1 and setting the oscillator shape to triangle. Next, turn the PW to -64 and voila.
While there are some other tips here and there, working around the above three (with tweaks to taste) has been incredibly helpful and I have achieved some bass sounds that I thought were outside of the A4’s palette. Of course there is no accounting for taste so experimentation is key but I am now back on the positive slope in my A4 relationship.
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Yeah, I always smile when I see this thread pop up.
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Nice trick. Thank you.
I would add, the center of a square wave seems to be achieved with PWM -8
I wish I could get that type of sound :
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Well, I think getting any synth to sound as hefty as a Minitaur is a tough proposition but I have gotten the A4 to sound surprisingly close to my SE-02 (which is modeled after the original Model D). While I haven’t performed any “scientific” tests (matching meters, using an oscilloscope) I have been consistently and pleasantly surprised by how beefy the A4 can sound by setting filter 1 as previously mentioned and using filter 2 for all modulation. Thinking about making a video because I haven’t seen anyone demonstrate these methods and the sound difference is huge! The only downside I’ve found is that the use of overdrive and cranking of filter 1’s res makes the res on filter 2 a bit harder to dial in.
Oh, and my default square patch is set to PW -8 too;) There was a post showing this as the most “square like” deep in the thread somewhere…
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It seems we are looking for the same type of synth. And thanks for your trick, I will have more pleasure to use A4. A video will be great for all of us who are looking for Minimoog type of square with our A4. Something I love with your values : rising resonance in filter 2 doesn’t lower bass. It’s a really good balance.
Se02 seems very close to minimoog in this test
But I didn’t see any real comparison about pure square exactly centered, without resonance. That’s something hard to get in all the synth I use… SE01 is nice for that.
Interesting that you say filter 1 with resonance around 64 and cutoff all the way open + additional overdrive. That’s exactly what I found out. I sometimes do this on synths with dual filters when I design heavy modulated, moving, soundscape-like stuff. Leaving cutoff on the first filter open, but raising resonance pretty high can cause interesting sounds when the intertwined modulation starts to go certain places and while fiddling around with a bass patch I couldn’t get quite the way I wanted it, I noticed that it helps a lot with boosting bass (not using heavy intertwined modulation ofc).
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I’m really obsessed by bass sounds. I bought what people say it’s the best bass sound : Minitaur and Bass Station. I compared a lot with A4 and Nord G2. I really never could program an A4 bass sound as punchy as the 3 other synth gave me. On the contrary, I really doubt Minitaur has something better other synth don’t have… I read that everywhere, but G2 and Bass Station 2 can be very very close. They all have different defects : Minitaur is very limited, Bass station control is slow and not very precise, and G2 has digital control too slow and steppy (and not so smooth in overdrive domain). The pain is A4 can have big bass with that 1st filter trick, but second filter isn’t a 4 pole. And more annoying, its attack is not as frank. Maybe somebody has another trick I don’t know?
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Regarding the attacks, I can’t believe other synths offer more than A4.
And you can have 8 oscillators in Unisson or even using all their track sound to compose a huge sonic wall, be smarter than that.
That A4 isn’t as immediate, ok. But you can have deep bass with no problem.
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Sound samples and graphical waveform are better to describe the difference I noticed. A bass square gives me a more powerful impression. I tried to center the square (not so easy in A4 since 0 isnt the center… and it is always a different value). This A4 square is recorded with Res 64 overdrive +24 (the best value for me to have a square - thanks to Jacob in this thread).
G2
A4
Minitaur
G2
A4
Minitaur
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Actually I do believe you are the trailblazer because you figured out what filter 1 settings are closest to neutral. In fact, because of your efforts I complete renewed my relationship with the A4 and it’s going better than ever, so major kudos!!!
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This saw sounds lovely!!! Thanks for the tips. On 4 voice unison it is beastly, tons of rich harmonics.
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Hi. I try out that sound for fun. Thanks.
Hey,
there are any tips to get this nice subby bass / movement in the bass with a4 ?
Thank you !
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Just found this (not mine) video 
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Hey thanks for posting this! This is indeed my video and I hope it helps everyone. Feel free to ask any questions you might have!
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Thank you for this!!! Wonderful bass patch. I found this a few years ago when i first got an A4 and sadly sold it but now have it back and this is the first thing i came looking for, glad i found it. Thanks for sharing.
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Does anyone have some tricks for a nice 808 like bass sound? I know the basics pitch envelope and all that and i am not looking for a classic 808 cause they need a lot processing to my ears. So far i got the best sounds with feedback but they are hard to control.
I will definitly play around with the no lp settings and the pwm. Is there a free oszilloscope somebody can recommend?
for that kind of bass u need sidechaincompression. the whole movement is based on the kick pumping the bass. also there is kickrumble which effects the bass segment too . that said the bass itself is probably just something like a sine wave with a late attack and the right timing u can get that pump effects. probably u can use the input of the analog 4 to modulate the bass to fake a sidechaincompression but i never did that.