The Max Martin bassline

[JamesSongwriter]

Max has used a similar sort of baseline sound in a lot of his recent songs. And a lot of songs are starting to copy it. The sound typically comes in in the chorus, giving it a very fat and full sound.

Does anyone know how to replicate this sound, or have any presets?

I've included some examples.

Love Me Harder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5qU7p7yOY8
Can't Feel My Face: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqt8Z1k0oWQ
Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CmadmM5cOk
Cool For the Summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il9nqWw9W3Y
Back Together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CWksoNpXsU
Under You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_UPpaDAS3Q
In The Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_I8BaqotxU

Non-Max examples:

Levels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X-V34Ly_Z4
Do What U Want: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3jzMyYgPQs

[AlexanderLaBrea]

Not Max! Production by Ali Payami. Credit to him

[sonnyblack2000]

synth bass but the side chain compression gives it movement (a moog voyager can get you there quickly)

[j.fco.morales]

Plus the right sidechaining and good mixing.

It's not a hard sound to design actually.

[sonnyblack2000]

Ya i do it the lazy way these days with vengeance vps plugin,a multiband sidechain plug in with all sort of goodies, heard lfo tool was great as well from xfer

[bootlegger]

I also noticed this new style of bassline.

Also check out Katy Perry - Roar and Taylor Swift - Bad Blood. Same thing.
Long legato bass synths driven by sidechain and portamento.

I like it. Makes it sound very lush. Especially when only used in the chorus.

I also use a lot of VPS plugins. Great interface and easy to use.
Can't recommend the Xfer LFO TOOL. It sometimes alters the original sound and produces small clicking sounds at the end of the volume envelope. In was not able to fix that.

[Oroz]

Can't recommend the Xfer LFO TOOL. It sometimes alters the original sound and produces small clicking sounds at the end of the volume envelope. In was not able to fix that.

To avoid the small clicking sound at the end pull that line a little bit. That way you'll create a small fade out.

Best regards!

[Encite]

So basically you get the sound by sidechaining the kick into a compressor on the synth bass and play with attack and release until you get the movement you want? Waves H-Comp would be great for this because the release can be synced with the tempo. I'm sure other compressors sync to tempo also but H-Comp is the only one I've got with that feature.

[PacoMaco]

I think the Polysix-synth will get you close, but some post-processing (like lowpassing it) might be necessary.

[j.fco.morales]

It's only good taste: the right amount of FXs and try to make it sound special.

I love Love Me Harder mixing, specially the sidechain and the guitars.