Bthelick Takes on the Reese Bass Revelation

Bthelick kicks off his latest video with a confession, admitting he was wrong about a key detail in crafting the iconic Reese bass sound. He had previously explained this wobbly, unstable sound as an interference pattern generated when multiple frequencies align imperfectly, resulting in a phenomenon known as ‘beating.’ Yet, he admits his claim about the use of the Roland Juno synth was incorrect. In his original video, he suggested emulating a Casio phase distortion synth using detuned saw waves on a subtractive synth like the Juno. However, his followers pointed out that the Juno couldn’t detune oscillators since it only had one.

Bthelick uncovers a rabbit hole of discovery involving the Juno’s secret weapon: Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). Previously forgotten in his exploration, he reveals PWM as the key to achieving dynamic sound variation without traditional detuning. Unlike most synths, the Juno allowed modulation of the pulse width not only on square waves but also on saw waves. This capability was rather uncommon and was the Juno’s unique twist, mirroring phase distortion techniques used in the original Reese creation. Bthelick marvels at this feature, recognising it as a form of phase distortion, echoing back to the roots of its sound inspirations. His video provides a platform for exploring the underappreciated modulation landscape of synth design, proving once again his commitment to deepening the understanding of electronic music production.

In an engaging twist, Bthelick proposes a fascinating hypothesis about why PWM might hint at detuning characteristics. By leveraging the Doppler effect as a metaphor, he hypothesises that phase manipulation might trick the brain into perceiving a detuned quality in the sound. As sounds modulate in phase, they might appear to move closer or farther, akin to how passing cars alter pitch perception with their speed – not from an inherent pitch change but the relative motion. Bthelick’s educated guess suggests that the brain’s interpretation of these harmonics as varied in pitch could be the answer. While he navigates this complex soundscape, he invites viewers to join him in pondering this mystery, displaying his characteristic blend of curiosity and technical insight.