How to Make a Bass House Bass in Serum

What is Bass House Bass?

Bass house is a high-energy fusion of house music and heavy bass music. The bass sounds in bass house sit between the four-on-the-floor groove of house and the aggressive weight of dubstep. The result is a sound that works on dancefloors while delivering genuine low-end impact.

The style was shaped by artists like Jauz, Habstrakt, Joyryde, and Skrillex. Bass house bass typically combines punchy mid-range distortion with deep sub weight, all locked tightly to a sidechain-pumping kick pattern. The bass needs to be heavy but never slow, always driving the groove forward.

What Makes Bass House Bass Different

Bass house bass has specific characteristics that set it apart from other bass music styles:

• Sidechain-friendly dynamics – The bass must pump with the kick drum. Every element of the sound design needs to work with heavy sidechain compression
• Mid-range aggression – The main energy sits in the 200Hz-2kHz range with aggressive distortion and filtering
• Tight timing – Bass house runs at 125-130 BPM with straight rhythms. The bass needs precise envelopes that lock to the groove
• Layered construction – A clean sub layer underneath a heavily processed mid-range layer is standard practice

Step 1: Oscillator Setup

Start with a saw wave in Oscillator A. Saw waves provide the harmonic richness needed for bass house distortion to work effectively. Set the octave to C2 for the mid-range layer.

Add 2-4 unison voices with moderate detune for width and thickness. Bass house bass benefits from a wider sound than drum and bass styles because the slower tempo gives the bass more space in the mix.

For the sub layer, use a separate instance or Oscillator B with a pure sine wave pitched at C1. Keep this completely clean with no unison or effects. The sub layer provides the physical weight while the mid-range layer provides the character.

Step 2: Filtering

A low-pass filter shapes the mid-range layer. Set the cutoff between 1kHz and 3kHz depending on how bright you want the bass. Add moderate resonance for a peak that helps the bass cut through the mix.

Modulate the filter cutoff with an LFO synced to your track tempo. A quarter-note or eighth-note LFO creates the rhythmic filter movement that gives bass house its signature groove. The filter opens and closes in time with the beat, creating a pulsing quality.

For more aggressive sounds, try a band-pass filter instead. This focuses the energy in a narrower frequency band and creates a more nasal, aggressive character when driven into distortion.

Step 3: Distortion

Distortion is essential for bass house. The goal is aggressive but controlled, never muddy:

• Tube saturation – Start with tube distortion for warm harmonic content. This rounds out the saw wave and adds density
• Hard clip – Follow with a hard clip stage for aggressive edge. This creates the harsh, in-your-face quality that defines bass house
• Multi-band processing – If possible, apply heavier distortion to the mid-range while keeping the low end cleaner. This maintains sub weight while adding mid-range aggression

The distortion amount should be balanced against the filter. More distortion with a lower filter cutoff creates a darker, growlier sound. Less distortion with a higher cutoff creates a brighter, more energetic sound.

Step 4: Sidechain and Envelope

Sidechain compression is non-negotiable in bass house. The bass must duck on every kick hit to create the pumping groove:

• Set a fast attack on the sidechain compressor so the bass ducks immediately when the kick hits
• Set the release to match the groove. A faster release creates a tighter pump, a slower release creates a more dramatic ducking effect
• Apply sidechain to the mid-range layer. The sub layer can have lighter or no sidechain depending on taste

The amp envelope should have a fast attack and moderate sustain. Unlike jump up bass which uses short stabs, bass house bass typically sustains between kick hits and lets the sidechain create the rhythmic shape.

Step 5: Mix Preparation

Bass house bass needs careful frequency management to sit in a dense mix:

• High-pass the mid-range layer at 80-120Hz to prevent it from clashing with the sub layer
• Keep the sub mono while allowing the mid-range layer some stereo width
• EQ out mud around 200-300Hz where the mid-range and sub layers can overlap and build up
• Reference against commercial tracks to check that your bass weight and mid-range aggression are in the right ballpark

Bass House Presets for Faster Production

Getting the distortion, filtering, and sidechain interaction right in bass house takes experimentation. A well-designed preset handles the oscillator setup, distortion chain, and filter modulation so you can focus on writing patterns and arranging tracks.

Preset packs with bass house sounds:

• Dirty Bass House Vol.1 – Aggressive mid-range patches designed for bass house drops
• Dirty Bass House Vol.2 – Updated bass house sounds with tighter processing
• Dirty Rave Hitters Vol.1 – Heavy stabs and impacts that cross into bass house territory

For more on bass house production, see our Bass House Serum Presets guide. Browse the full collection or try the free taster pack.