Serum Guide + Virus Grime Guide

Here is a step-by-step guide to creating that iconic growl bass using Serum, a powerful wavetable synth often used for bass-heavy genres like dubstep:

Step-by-Step Serum Growl Bass Setup:

1. Oscillators:

• Osc A:
  • Wavetable: Choose "Basic Shapes" or "Saw PWM" from the wavetable menu. You want a rich sound with harmonics, and these are good starting points.
  • Unison: Set to 2-4 voices to add width and richness to the sound, but don’t overdo it. Slight detune to around 0.03-0.07 for a phasing effect.
  • Wavetable Position: Keep it around the midrange (50%) for a good balance of harmonics.
  • Pitch: Leave at 0 semitones unless you're experimenting with harmonics.
• Osc B (Optional for layering):
  • Wavetable: Use "Square Saw" or "Digital" for a gritty texture. You can detune it or adjust the wavetable position to add more depth.
  • Blend: Keep this oscillator mixed lower than Osc A, acting as support.

2. Sub Oscillator (for Sub-Bass Layer):

• Enable the Sub Osc and set it to a Sine wave. This gives you the clean low-end rumble.
• Direct Out: Check the "Direct Out" option to bypass the effects section, ensuring the sub stays clean.

3. Filter:

• Type: Choose MG Low 12 or MG Low 24 from the filter menu for the classic low-pass filter. This will be modulated for the growl effect.
• Cutoff: Start with the cutoff around 100 Hz to allow the lower frequencies to pass, then use LFO modulation (described below).
• Resonance: Increase resonance slightly (~25%) to accentuate the "vowel" shape of the growl.
• Drive: Turn up the drive to add extra saturation and boost the filter.

4. LFO Modulation (Creating the Wobble/Growl):

• LFO 1:
  • Shape: Set LFO 1 to a triangle or sine wave. This will smoothly modulate the filter cutoff, giving the growl its rhythmic movement.
  • Destination: Drag LFO 1 to the Filter Cutoff. This modulates the low-pass filter, making the bass "wobble."
  • Rate: Sync the LFO to the BPM (140 BPM for typical dubstep), and set it to 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16 depending on how fast you want the growl movement to be. You can experiment with triplets or even random timings to vary the sound.
  • Modulation Depth: Set the modulation depth of the LFO so the cutoff sweeps across a wide frequency range (from around 100 Hz up to 1-2 kHz).

5. Distortion:

• In the FX Tab, enable Distortion.
• Type: Choose Tube or Diode distortion to create that gritty, aggressive sound.
• Drive: Turn up the drive to around 50-70% for heavy saturation, but be careful not to destroy the definition of the bass. You want the distortion to add grit but not too much noise.

6. Formant/Vowel Effect:

• Filter (FX Tab):
  • Add another formant filter from the FX tab, or use Combs or Phaser to emulate the talking or growling effect. The key is to automate these filters in a way that mimics vowel sounds.
  • Modulation: Use LFO 2 (set similarly to LFO 1) to modulate this formant filter for additional movement and "talking" quality.
  • Adjust the filter cutoff to sweep through vocal-like formants (think "A" or "E" vowels).

7. Effects for Additional Texture:

• Hyper/Dimension: Use this to add width to the sound. Keep the mix level low to avoid muddying the bass.
• Phaser/Flanger: Subtle use of these can add complexity and movement to the sound, but don’t overuse it.
• EQ: Use the EQ in Serum to further shape the growl. You can emphasize specific frequency bands to enhance the "vowel" effect or clean up any muddiness.
• Compressor (Multiband): Enable the Multiband Compressor to tighten up the sound. This brings out the aggression and punch by compressing different frequency bands separately.

8. Envelope and Pitch Modulation:

• Pitch Envelope (Optional): Add slight pitch modulation to give the sound more movement. You can assign an envelope (Env 2 or Env 3) to the pitch of Osc A/B for a quick pitch drop or rise.
• Amplitude Envelope: Keep Attack short for an instant punch, with a Decay around 400-500 ms and Sustain around 50-70%. Adjust the Release to avoid overlap between notes.

9. Automation:

• Automating LFO rates or switching between different LFOs during the track (e.g., moving from 1/8 to 1/16) can add variety and evolution to your growl bass. You can also modulate the filter resonance or distortion over time for more dynamic effects.

Serum Growl Bass Settings Summary:

• Oscillator A: Saw wave (or wavetable with rich harmonics)
• Oscillator B (optional): Square or Digital wavetable for texture
• Sub Oscillator: Sine wave for clean sub-bass
• Filter: Low-pass with LFO modulating cutoff (LFO 1)
• LFO 1: Triangle or sine wave to modulate filter (1/4 or 1/8 sync)
• Distortion: Tube/Diode with moderate drive
• Formant Filter (optional): Adds talking/growling effect with LFO 2 modulation
• FX: Hyper/Dimension, Phaser, EQ, Multiband Compressor

Example Screenshot of Settings (optional reference):

If you'd like, I can explain further how to fine-tune any of these parameters based on your specific needs, such as a more subtle growl or a more aggressive tone.

Creating the growl bass sound using the Access Virus B/C/TI series synthesizers requires a slightly different approach due to the analog-style architecture of the synth, but the principles are the same. Here’s how to set up a similar growl sound on these synthesizers.

Step-by-Step Virus B/C/Ti Growl Bass Setup:

1. Oscillators:

• Oscillator 1:
  • Select a Sawtooth Wave. Saw waves provide the rich harmonics needed for the growl.
  • Unison: Set Unison Voices to 2-4 to create a thicker, richer sound. Slightly detune each voice by around 2-5 cents for a phasing effect that adds depth.
• Oscillator 2:
  • Choose either a Square Wave or Saw-Square Hybrid Waveform for additional texture.
  • Semitone Detune: Detune Oscillator 2 by -12 semitones (an octave lower) for deeper harmonics or leave it at the same pitch for added grit in the midrange.
  • Set the balance between Osc 1 and Osc 2 to blend the waves in a way that favors the saw but adds some of the square’s body.

2. Sub Oscillator (Virus TI only, or manually create sub in B/C):

• For Virus TI users, turn on the Sub Oscillator and set it to a Sine wave for a pure, deep sub-bass layer.
• On the Virus B/C, you’ll need to use Oscillator 2 as your sub by setting it to Sine and pitch it down by an octave (-12 semitones).

3. Filter Settings:

• Filter 1:

  • Choose the Low-Pass 24dB filter mode. This filter will shape the growl sound and be modulated by the LFO.
  • Cutoff Frequency: Start with a low cutoff (around 100 Hz), so only the sub-bass passes through, and use modulation to sweep into the higher harmonics (around 1-2 kHz).
  • Resonance: Increase resonance moderately (~25-35%) to accentuate the growling frequencies, creating the vowel-like effect.

• Filter 2:

  • If available, you can use Band-Pass or Formant Filtering on Filter 2 to add a talking, vowel-like quality. Modulate this with an LFO to create movement between vowel sounds like "A" and "O".

• Filter Envelope: Use a short attack and moderate decay (300-400 ms) for a plucky, aggressive sound.

4. LFO Modulation (Creating the Growl/Wobble):

• LFO 1:

  • Assign LFO 1 to the Filter Cutoff of Filter 1.
  • Shape: Set the LFO shape to Triangle or Sine for smooth modulation, or Square for a more choppy, aggressive wobble.
  • Rate: Sync the LFO to the tempo of the track (around 140 BPM for dubstep) and set it to 1/8 or 1/16 for the standard wobble rate. Experiment with triplets or different LFO timings to add variety.
  • Depth: Adjust the modulation depth so that the cutoff sweeps through a wide range, creating a strong, growling motion.

• LFO 2 (Optional):

  • Use LFO 2 to modulate the Resonance or Pitch for additional movement and complexity in the sound.

5. Distortion/Saturation:

• In the Virus Effects Section, turn on Distortion to add grit and aggression to the sound.
  • Type: Choose Saturation or Distortion (Soft or Hard).
  • Drive: Increase the Drive to about 50-60%, depending on how dirty you want the sound to be. Distortion is essential for getting the harsh, aggressive growl.

6. Formant/Vowel Effect (Optional, on Virus TI):

• The Virus TI has a Formant Filter, which can be used to create the "talking" quality in your bass. Modulate this with an LFO (either LFO 1 or LFO 2) to create movement between different vowel sounds.
• Formant Filter Settings: Sweep between vowel sounds like "A", "E", and "O" using the LFO to achieve the growling, talking bass characteristic.

7. Additional Modulation:

• Pitch Modulation: Use the Modulation Matrix to assign LFO 2 to modulate the pitch of Oscillator 1 or 2 slightly (e.g., +/- 1-2 semitones). This adds subtle pitch movement and gives the sound more complexity.
• Amplitude Envelope: Set the Amp Envelope with a quick attack and short sustain to give the sound an aggressive, punchy attack. A quick release helps to keep the bass tight and clean.

8. Effects Section:

• Chorus: A subtle chorus effect can add width and a sense of stereo movement.
• Phaser/Flanger (Optional): Use lightly to add a metallic, evolving character to the sound.
• EQ: Boost the low end (sub-bass frequencies) and high mids (~1-2 kHz) to make the growl sound more pronounced.
• Reverb/Delay (Minimal): Apply a very short reverb or delay to add some space without muddying the bass.

Example Growl Bass Patch Summary:

Parameter	Settings
Oscillator 1	Saw wave, slight detune, unison (2-4 voices)
Oscillator 2	Square or saw/square hybrid, detune or use as sub (Sine wave, -12 semitones)
Filter 1	Low-pass 24dB, cutoff modulated by LFO 1
Filter 2 (Optional)	Formant filter for talking effect, modulated by LFO
LFO 1	Modulates filter cutoff, triangle or sine wave, sync to 1/8 or 1/16
Distortion	Soft/Hard distortion or saturation, moderate drive (~50-60%)
Modulation (Optional)	Pitch modulation with LFO 2, subtle pitch bends
Envelope (Amp)	Short attack, quick decay, minimal release

Virus-Specific Features:

• Formant Filter (TI only): Allows for easy formant-based modulation to create talking, growl sounds.
• Analog Modeling: The Virus’ analog modeling helps give a warm, yet aggressive growl sound.
• Multi-Mode Filters: Using dual filters in series or parallel can add a lot of flexibility for shaping the growl.
• Modulation Matrix: Extensive modulation routing allows you to create complex, evolving growls.

This approach should give you a deep, rich, and aggressive growl bass that captures the essence of Excision’s X Rated bass sound on the Virus B/C/Ti.