Step 01 / 6
Make the rounded bass body #
Load the plain Operator instrument in Live 12 Suite.
Click Operator's lower-right global area. Select algorithm 11, the far-right diagram with all four oscillators side by side. They now mix directly into the output. Set Voices 6, global Retrig Off, interpolation On, antialias On, Tone 100%, Spread 0%, Transpose 0 st, and Volume −12 dB. Set Time, Time < Key, Pan < Key and Pan < Rnd to 0. Leave the global modulation matrix at its default: velocity/aftertouch/mod-wheel connections Off, Key → Time at 0%, and Pitch Bend → Pitch at +5 st.
Switch B, C, D, Filter, LFO and Pitch Env Off. Enable A, choose Sine, and set Coarse 2, Fine 0, Level 0 dB, Fixed Off, frequency quantization On, retrigger On, Phase 0%, Feedback 0%, frequency-to-velocity 0, and Key 0%.
Give A this envelope: Attack 2.00 ms, Initial −∞ dB, Peak 0 dB, Decay 1.00 s, Sustain −3.5 dB, Release 25.0 ms. Set Loop None, Repeat Off, Vel 35%, Time < Vel 0%, and Release < Vel 0%. Retain the standard amplitude curves: linear attack and exponential decay/release. User-saved defaults can differ; the starting settings collect these controls.
Although A is an octave above the played note, a quieter fundamental will join it in step 3.
Hear step 1:
Next: Give the body a bright edge →Step 02 / 6
Give the body a bright edge #
In A's central panel, change Wave from Sine to Saw 64, displayed as Sw64. Keep Coarse 2, Level 0 dB and the envelope from step 1.
This waveform adds a row of harmonics above the strong second harmonic. The sound is deliberately brighter here; the filter added later will close over the note.
Hear step 2:
Next: Add the hollow harmonic balance →Step 03 / 6
Add the hollow harmonic balance #
Enable B and C and set them separately:
| Control | B | C |
|---|---|---|
| Wave | Saw 64 / Sw64 | Sine / Sin |
| Coarse | 3 | 1 |
| Fine | 0 | 0 |
| Level | −6.5 dB | −15 dB |
| Attack | 2.00 ms | 2.00 ms |
| Decay | 1.00 s | 1.00 s |
| Sustain | −2.5 dB | −2.5 dB |
| Release | 25.0 ms | 25.0 ms |
For both oscillators, use Initial −∞ dB, Peak 0 dB, Loop None, Repeat Off, Vel 35%, Key 0%, and both envelope time/release velocity amounts 0%. Set Fixed Off, frequency quantization On, retrigger On, Phase 0%, Feedback 0%, and frequency-to-velocity 0.
B adds the third harmonic and reinforces shared upper harmonics. C supplies the actual fundamental at a much lower level. The result stays hollow because the octave component remains stronger than the root.
Hear step 3:
Next: Swell the fourth harmonic →Step 04 / 6
Swell the fourth harmonic #
Enable D. Choose Sine, Coarse 4, Fine 0, and Level −10 dB. Use the same oscillator switches, phase, feedback and velocity settings as B and C.
Set D's envelope to Attack 280 ms, Initial −∞ dB, Peak 0 dB, Decay 120 ms, Sustain −∞ dB, and Release 25.0 ms. Keep Loop None and Repeat Off.
The slower attack brings in a rounded middle to the note. D then fades away, allowing the fourth harmonic to recede before the note ends. This is amplitude movement in one oscillator; no LFO is needed.
Hear step 4:
Next: Close the filter over the note →Step 05 / 6
Close the filter over the note #
Enable Filter, then click its section to reveal the filter envelope. Select Lowpass, 12 dB, Clean, Frequency 280 Hz, and Resonance 0%. Set frequency key tracking and frequency velocity tracking to 0%. Keep filter LFO modulation Off and Shaper Off, with drive 0 dB and Dry/Wet 100%.
| Filter-envelope control | Value |
|---|---|
| Amount | 55% |
| Attack | 0.00 ms |
| Initial / Peak | 100% / 100% |
| Decay | 480 ms |
| Sustain / End | 0% / 0% |
| Release | 50.0 ms |
| Attack / Decay / Release slope | 0% / 0% / 100% |
| Loop / Repeat | None / Off |
| Time < Vel / Release < Vel | 0% / 0% |
The envelope raises the cutoff at the start, then brings it back toward 280 Hz. The bright edge gives way to the bass body over roughly half a second. The envelope's Decay slope is 0%: drag its middle slope handle until the segment is straight.
Hear step 5:
Next: Add a small tuning drift and set the output →Step 06 / 6
Add a small tuning drift and set the output #
Enable Pitch Env and set its main Amount to 1.0%. Click the pitch-envelope section; its central panel is labelled Aux in this version of Live.
| Pitch-envelope control | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 0.00 ms |
| Initial / Peak | −5 st / −5 st |
| Decay | 500 ms |
| Sustain / End | −18 st / −18 st |
| Release | 50.0 ms |
| Attack / Decay / Release slope | 0% / 0% / 100% |
| Destination A | A, B, C and D On; LFO Off |
| Destination A amount | 100% |
| Destination B | Off |
| Loop / Repeat | None / Off |
| Time < Vel / Release < Vel | 0% / 0% |
At 1%, those envelope levels produce approximately −5 cents at the start and −18 cents at the end, rather than a large pitch fall. Set the Decay slope to 0%, so the envelope segment is straight. Keep Glide Off, LFO Off, and Spread 0%.
Raise Operator's Volume to −8.0 dB. The full signal order is now four parallel oscillators → Operator's lowpass filter → Operator output, with no extra effects.
Hear step 6:
Play C1 / MIDI 36, D#1 / MIDI 39 and G1 / MIDI 43. Lower D#1's velocity to 70 for a softer note. Hold notes longer to sustain A, B and C while D fades away. When playing far above this bass range, raise the filter cutoff to retain brightness.
Audio & settings ↓