Remaking the bass synth from the 2013 song "Retrograde" by James Blake can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Retrograde" 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
James Blake’s “Retrograde” includes a notable round, oomph-y sub bass that underscores the track. This bass sound is characterized by its deep, moving, and oh-so slightly swirling quality. The sub bass is most prominent in the chorus at around 1:41.
Original Performing Instrument
Unknown. The specific synthesizer used in the song "Retrograde" by James Blake is not documented in the provided sources.
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 "Retrograde" by James Blake, 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: Saw
- Volume: 50%
- Pitch: +3 Cents
- Oscillator 2
- Waveform: Saw
- Pitch: -3 Cents
- Volume: 50%
- Reset All Oscillators Phase On Note Start: Yes
Filter
- Type: Low Pass
- Cutoff: 25%
- Resonance: 45%
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- James Blake Retrograde Synth // ASM Hydrasynth (YouTube)
- Synth Tutorial: James Blake “Retrograde” (Syntorial)
- James Blake Synth Sounds (Reverbmachine)
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
- Vital
