How the Techno Bass Is Built in Granulator III | Project 114

In Project 114, the low end is built from two elements: kick and bass.

The techno bass is created in Granulator III using a bass one-shot as the source sample. In this video, I break down the full bass processing chain, including EQ, gain control, ducking, automation, and dynamic control.

The processing shown here is not a universal formula. Every time I create a bass, I choose the processing depending on the sound and the situation. However, I always use Utility to create the ducking effect and control the bass dynamics. For me, this is a more transparent and clean way to shape the bass than using compression.

Setting up the automation is not complicated. I usually create the bass envelope for 1/2 bar or 1 bar and then simply duplicate it across the track. This gives me precise control over the bass level and creates space for the kick without unnecessary processing.

My main goal when processing bass is to achieve a signal with a minimal dynamic range and a consistent level throughout the track. For monitoring and checking the result, I use the free Youlean Loudness Meter.

I also show how I set up the limiter on the master. Throughout the entire production process, I keep an eye on the master level and make sure the peaks don’t go more than 3-4 dB above the kick level.

Once all the elements are added, I test how the mix responds to increased limiting. I set up the limiter by putting the kick in solo and increasing its level as close to 0 dB as possible, right before the limiter starts compressing it. Then I turn off solo on the kick and listen to the full mix.

If the limiter’s gain reduction stays within 3-4 dB and the overall loudness is around -7 LUFS, I consider this an ideal result. This is not a mastering rule, but my own way of testing whether I can achieve a loud and controlled mix without excessive processing or distortion of the low end.

This is another example of how I use Granulator III to create and shape techno bass while keeping the low end controlled, clean, and consistent.