LOW: make the bass line's articulation the starting point

Choose a foundation for the actual line

LOW is a monophonic instrument with SUB, MOOG, 808, REESE, GROWL, FM and PLUCK flavours. It is useful when the bass's main decisions should remain direct: weight, definition, movement, note length and the transition between notes. Begin with the actual MIDI line and the kick playing.

A flavour supplies a starting architecture, not a finished arrangement decision. A simple foundation may suit a busy track, while a more textured source can become a featured motif. Choose the role before making the sound as large as possible.

Read the macros in relation to the preset

Weight balances low and mid contributions, while Bite, Move and Dirt develop the selected sound's character. Their useful response depends on the preset's design. Decay shapes duration, and Level provides the final output balance.

Cutoff is an octave offset around the preset's own filter frequency. Zero retains that authored starting point; it is not zero hertz. Width is inactive on SUB. On supported flavours, Mono Low helps focus the bottom of a wider sound, while glide, note priority, retrigger and sustain determine the played behaviour.

Workflow one: a bass that leaves room for the next kick

Use the busiest part of the bass line and include a quieter variation.

1. Choose a flavour that supplies the intended foundation or articulation without requiring extreme settings.
2. Set Decay and MIDI note lengths against the kick pattern.
3. Use Weight for the low-to-mid relationship and Cutoff for a useful brightness offset.
4. Add Bite or Dirt only where the line needs more note definition.
5. Match Level and hear the lowest and highest notes in context.

If one note seems much heavier or longer than the others, revise the patch and performance before making the whole line louder. A low foundation is useful when its rhythm remains clear and the kick still has an intentional place. Leave deliberate MIDI gaps when the next kick or vocal entrance needs a clear reset, rather than relying only on a darker filter.

Workflow two: a sliding phrase with deliberate restarts

Use a MIDI line containing an overlap that should glide and a gap that should begin a new event.

1. Choose Glide Mode and time for the desired transition rather than adding the same long glide everywhere.
2. Set note priority for the way held or overlapping notes should be chosen.
3. Compare retrigger and sustain behaviour against the phrase's accents.
4. Adjust the source macros only after the note transitions feel right.
5. Recheck the line at different velocities using the chosen velocity curve.

A phrase can feel wrong because of keyboard behaviour even when its oscillator tone is suitable. If every note slides or the intended accent fails to restart, revisit the performance settings before adding more attack or brightness.

A creative use: a restrained foundation with an occasional textured answer

Use a more textured flavour for a short answering phrase or final-bar variation, while keeping the main foundation simple. Print or arrange the alternate part deliberately so its extra movement and upper energy have a clear duration. The contrast can develop the bass role without making the whole song equally busy.

On a supported flavour, use Width for the upper impression and keep Mono Low appropriate to the foundation. Do not expect the Width control to widen SUB. Hear the answer in mono and check its interaction with the kick.

Compare the quiet notes as well as the accents

Before printing, hear the complete line, its overlaps and its ending. Check how Move and the mod-wheel choice affect the selected preset rather than assuming one fixed destination for every flavour. Keep the final level sensible during comparisons.

Keep LOW when the flavour, macro balance and performance settings support the bass line's job. A clear rhythmic foundation with one useful colour gesture can carry more musical weight than a larger sound that obscures the phrase.