Reese bass

Reese Bass is one of the most iconic sounds in EDM. It has essentially become an essential part of genres like DnB, dubstep, and garage. This distinctive sound owes its existence to synthesizers like the Roland Juno-60, which emerged in the early 1980s and quickly gained popularity.

What sets Reese Bass apart is its thick, distorted bass, which can be easily adapted to any musical style or need. It’s a versatile tool for creating everything from smooth, mellow tones to aggressive, in-your-face sounds.

Today, Reese Bass remains a staple in music production, filling tracks by some of the most famous producers. It continues to be a relevant and widely used element in EDM, maintaining its popularity and staying power.

What is Reese Bass?

You’ve probably heard that low-frequency rumble filling the space in long background sections of tracks, or the sharp, distorted solo cutting through the club’s atmosphere at a late-night party. That’s Reese Bass.

For many, the process of creating Reese Bass might seem complicated, but it’s actually much simpler than it appears. Essentially, it’s a combination of two or more sawtooth waves interacting with each other, creating a phase cancellation effect. This happens when the two signals “go out of phase,” altering the sound’s texture.

The result is the signature Reese bassline, perfect for use in production as a background melody, a solo element, or even as a top layer of sub-bass.

Reese Bass gained its popularity in the ’90s, and recently, it has made a strong comeback due to the rise of bass-driven house melodies. Many mistakenly think that Reese Bass is a component of Bass Music, but in reality, this sound has been a core part of House music since the late ’80s and continues to be a vital, in-demand element in all EDM genres.

The Origin of the Reese Bass

The name “Reese Bass” comes from a project created by DJ and producer Kevin Saunderson back in 1988. He dropped the single “Just Want Another Chance” under his alias “Reese,” featuring this super powerful and mesmerizing chorus-like bass synth. That sound really took off and opened up a whole new world for EDM production.

Even though this sound was totally groundbreaking, Saunderson didn’t get immediate props for his invention. It took a while for his music to get the recognition it deserved. It was a few years before the Reese Bass really caught on with other musicians and the wider audience started to appreciate its impact.

Over time, this bass became a signature sound for a lot of EDM genres, giving them a distinct sonic identity. While drum and bass artists and DJs played a huge role in popularizing the Reese Bass, it’s important to remember that it actually originated in house music. It’s a key reminder of where the sound came from. It’s awesome how it’s been integrated into so many other genres, but it’s important to give credit where credit is due.

The Rise of the Reese Bass

The real turning point for the Reese Bass hit in the early ’90s, when Ray Keith, aka Renegade, sampled that sound in his track “Terrorist.” That was a total game-changer for UK electronic music, especially for drum and bass and jungle. Producers back then couldn’t get enough of that powerful, pulsating bass. It became super recognizable, defining the vibe of a ton of genres we still hear today.

While the Reese Bass is most closely associated with drum and bass, its influence spread like crazy across various subgenres of UK rave and dance music. UK garage wouldn’t even be the same without it. The Reese Bass just fits perfectly in those styles, thanks to its ability to fill up space and drive the music forward.

The standout thing about this bass is its dynamic quality, something you just can’t get from a regular bass guitar or some basic synth sounds. It’s almost like a chorus of upright basses all playing together, slightly out of tune with each other, giving the sound this living, breathing feel. That’s the real magic of the Reese Bass, and it’s why it’s stayed relevant in EDM for decades.

How to Make a Reese Bass

Creating a Reese Bass is actually pretty straightforward and doesn’t take a ton of time. You’re aiming for a sound that’s powerful, pulsating, and alive. Here’s the rundown:
First, fire up any subtractive synth in your DAW—analog or digital, doesn’t matter. Something like Sylenth1, which is basically a go-to for beefy basses, or Serum, which is super popular these days. If you’re into analog gear, a Novation Bass Station will do the trick.

Start with a sawtooth wave in your first oscillator and a pulse wave in the second. Add a few voices, like around 5 per oscillator, to fatten up the sound.

Next, you’ll need to detune the oscillators to add that “out-of-tune” vibe that gives the Reese Bass its signature effect. How you do this depends on the exact sound you’re going for, so play around with the settings until you find the sweet spot.

Then, throw on a low-pass filter and crank up the resonance to give the bass some edge and presence. You can also add a bit of distortion to beef it up even more.

Tweak the settings to your liking, and boom—your bass is ready to go. Serve it up with a side of 1000 drum hits.
Just remember, in the world of EDM, it’s all about standing out from the crowd. So, make sure your bass has its own unique flavor. Don’t be afraid to stray from the standard settings and experiment to give your sound some personality.

Dubstep, Neuro, and Beyond

As genres like dubstep and neuro evolved, the Reese Bass continued to play a major role. Modern musicians, inspired by this sound, often use it as a foundation for creating aggressive and dynamic variations that keep morphing into something new.

Musical genres like dubstep and neuro are constantly pushing the boundaries of sound design. With every track that drops, this sound transforms and mutates, becoming more complex and intense. Sounds that once seemed original and revolutionary now serve as a base for expanding sonic horizons, creating increasingly unique sounds that make these genres so captivating.

How the Sound Lives On Today

In an interview with Attack Magazine, Saunderson mentioned how he used a Casio CZ-5000 synth early in his career to create the Reese Bass. He was just messing around with patches and oscillators until he found a sound he liked. Back then, nobody could have predicted how iconic that sound would become and how it would shape the future of electronic music.

Today, producers often turn to modern synths like Serum or synths with FM and wavetable capabilities to create the Reese Bass. These tools offer incredibly detailed sound design options, allowing musicians to not only recreate the classic sound but also build on it, adding new layers and textures. This way, the iconic bass continues to live and evolve, remaining a key part of the sound in modern electronic genres.

Reese Bass Creation Tips

To nail that true Reese Bass sound, there are a few key aspects of synthesis and mixing you’ll want to keep in mind to get the right vibe and texture. Even the smallest tweaks can make a big difference, so pay attention to every detail.

If you’re using Serum, one super useful tool is the “remove fundamental” feature. It lets you take out the main tone from the wave, which makes the sound way more aggressive and rich. After that, set your sub-oscillator to a sine wave. This step lets you focus on the harmonics, building a layered, full-bodied bass.

Knowing that the key elements of a Reese Bass are detuned sounds, rich harmonics, and a wide stereo image, you can start working with these parameters to find your perfect sound. Play around with detuning the oscillators and widening the stereo to add depth and thickness.

A lot of producers using synths like Serum or Massive get those powerful effects by stacking oscillators and using filters. This method lets you create more complex harmonics and give the bass some serious volume, and also control the sub-bass for that extra punch. Keep in mind that modulation and filter effects can really change the timbre, making the sound more expressive and full.

Some producers, aiming for a clean and controlled fundamental tone, isolate the mid and high frequencies of the Reese Bass. They do this by playing the main sine wave on a separate synth and then blending it with the other frequencies. This approach lets you keep the sub-bass clean in the lows, while the main body of the bass stays clear and doesn’t overshadow other elements in the mix.

How you EQ and mix your bass really depends on the role it needs to play in the track and the overall sound of the composition. By developing your synthesis and mixing skills, you can create a Reese Bass that fits your musical style perfectly and sounds exactly how you want it to.