Remaking the bass synth from the 1986 song "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Take My Breath Away" bass patch and play this iconic sound on most hardware or software subtractive synthesizers (Serum, Vital, Pigments, Prophet, Korg, Moog, etc). We've included the preset download directly for your convenience, but we strongly recommend you use our programming tutorial to recreate it yourself.
Original Audio
Berlin’s 1986 hit “Take My Breath Away” features a haunting synth bass that dominates the track’s opening moments, establishing its signature atmosphere. The bass sound was primarily created using a Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, leveraging its FM synthesis capabilities. While some sources suggest possible use of Roland Super JX or MKS70, the most widely cited approach involves a tweaked version of the DX7’s Preset 16 Bass 2, enhanced with heavy chorus and reverb effects to achieve its ethereal, fretless-like quality. The bassline begins immediately at the track’s start, providing the foundational pulse that underscores the song’s emotional tension. While this patch was likely made with FM synthesis, you can get very close with subtractive synthesis using Pulse Width Modulation, which is what we do hear.
Original Performing Instrument
Yamaha DX7 (16 Bass 2 preset)
Our Remake of The Bass Synth
This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the bass synth from the song "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin, giving you a reference point as you design your own synthesizer preset. Play it as often as you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of the sound.
Synth Patch Programming Recipe
Remake This Sound Yourself
Learn how to program this synth preset with Syntorial, all by ear. Download the demo and try unlimited famous sound challenges for free.
Getting Started
- Start by initializing your synthesizer to a plain saw with no filter, modulation or effects. For soft synths use the "init"/"default" preset or the the button to reset all parameters to their default factory values.
- No two synths are exactly alike, so treat the values below as approximate, and use your ear.
- Percentage values (e.g. 50%) represent the relative position of a knob or slider within its full range. The full range of each parameter may differ from synth to synth, so use your ear.
Voices
- Voice Mode: Mono
Amp Envelope
- Attack: 0 ms
- Sustain: 100%
- Release: 20 ms
Oscillators
- Oscillator 1
- Waveform: Pulse
- Pulse Width: 50%
- Volume: 100%
Filter
- Type: Low Pass
- Cutoff: 45%
- Resonance: 65%
Filter Envelope
- Modulation Amount: 25%
- Attack: 10 ms
- Decay: 750 ms
- Sustain: 0%
LFO
- Destination: Pulse Width
- Waveform: Triangle
- Amount: 20%
- Rate: 1/16 Note
Chorus
- Mix: 15% Wet
- Rate: Slow
Reverb
- Mix: 20% Wet
- Size: Medium
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- How to make the bass for Take My Breath Away – YouTube (Tutorial demonstrating bass sound recreation using DRC Polyphonic Synthesizer)
- Synth bass sound in “Take My Breath Away” from movie Top Gun – KVR Audio (Forum discussion confirming DX7 and MKS-70 usage, including preset references)
- What is that Keyboard/synth sound used in the song Take My Breath Away – Harmony Central (User confirmation of MKS-70’s role in replicating the bass sound)
Preset Downloads
Don't want to learn synth programming now? Use our synth preset as your starting point and tweak it from there. Register an account with Audible Genius and download the presets for free for the following synths:
- Primer, our free synthesizer VST
