Most dubstep bass-line sounds are created using a technique called frequency modulation synthesis also known as FM.
This is basically where one oscillator (a sine wave for example) oscillates the frequency of another oscillator.
FM synthesis can produce a variety of complex tones depending on the type of waveform you use as the oscillation source.
Step 1 On the ES2 synth go to the oscillator section where you will see an 'oscillator mix' triangle.
Set it so that the square inside the triangle is in the top corner.
This means that only oscillator #1 will be output.
Step 2 On oscillator 1 set the wave knob to FM.
Step 3 On oscillator 2 set the wave knob to sine.
Then click on the 'sine' text and slide it up until it reads 'glass 1'.
You are welcome to choose a different waveform but I think glass 1 seems to work well.
Alternatively, if it helps you can press and shift as you slide up and you see a numbering system instead of the name.
Step 4 Left of the 3 oscillators is where you can tune the pitch of the oscillators.
Set the coarse frequency of oscillators 1 and 2 to -24.
The coarse frequency value has a suffix of 's'.
You can then fine tune the frequency using the value next to it.
For now set the fine tune to 0.
Step 5 Go to the filter (round section in the middle) and set the left cutoff frequency to 0.
314.
On the ES2 it is simply labelled 'cut' and ensure that the 'blend' slider is to the left.
Set the filter mode to BP.
Turn the drive right up and resonance (res) right down.
Step 6 Next go to the effects section on the far right.
Select 'Chorus', turn the intensity up full and the speed to 0.
60hz.
Step 7 Go to the 'Glide' knob on the far left and turn it up to 210ms.
Step 8 Above the filter section there are several options such as poly, mono etc.
Choose mono, unison and set the voices to 8.
Step 9 Now go to the router section.
You don't want any routing for now so press ctrl and click on all of left pointing triangles.
This will reset all of the modulation routing.
Step 10 Instead of using the modulation router we are going to use the 'vector' modulation feature.
I prefer to use the vector feature as I feel that I have more control over the modulation.
Click on the vector button on the far right of the router.
By default there should be 3 dots.
Click on the first value which says 500% and slide it down so that it says 48.
5% or around that figure.
Go to 'Loop Mode' just below and select the mode 'Forward'.
Now go to the 'Loop Rate' section and set it to 1/4.
On the right hand side near the vector button, below where it says 'X-Target' click and hold the text where it says 'Off' and set it to Cutoff 1.
On the interval (Int) value just below set it to 0.
44.
Step 11 Find the 'Planar Pad'.
This is situated next to the effects section on the right hand side.
Before doing anything here click on the first dot on the vector router then go back to the planar pad and drag the square to the right roughly half way.
Click on the second dot on the vector router, go back to the planar pad and drag the the square all the way to the right.
Now hopefully when you press a note on your keyboard you should hear a fat sounding bass-line.
Now that you have created this patch you should save it.
Then open up a second instance of the ES2, open the saved preset and change the 'Loop Rate' to a different value such as 1/16 etc.
By layering up the synth's in this way you can create complex and moving bass-line patterns similar to what you hear in many dubstep tracks.
I am currently in the process of compiling a collection of dubstep patches/presets which will available for download via my website http://www.
synthsoundz.
com