Depeche Mode Synth Bass

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yeah, I said Ga-han instead of Gawn. I do apologise. You live and learn. Anyway, hope you enjoy the video.

[@Jay.Ramone]

Think of the old joke: What do you call a pop star whose friends keep disappearing? Dave Gahan

[@dionysiaex5538]

Words are very unnecessary. They can only do harm.

[@pissmilker2313]

Do never let me down again next

[@AlexBallMusic]

@@Jay.Ramone 😂

[@anderslarsson6149]

Funny that’s what everyone said here 🇸🇪 in the 80s until we understood differently much much later ☺️

[@StanleyKubick1]

imagine recording your 7th album and still having a banger like this up the sleeve

[@JonMurray]

Right? When he said 7th I couldn’t believe it. Be digging through their records over the weekend!

[@JonMurray]

Be quiet. I’ll be playing them on Spotify.

[@wonderwheel80s]

Yeah, I always think about this. The best example of this kind of thing (although the genre is totally different) is "Painkiller" by Judas Priest, their 10th album, released in their 21st year of career. The true epitome of heavy metal, at least for me.

[@K.KILLORAN]

While they haven’t had much great stuff in a long while, like them or hate them, you also have to marvel at U2 releasing Joshua tree as their 5th album and Achtung Baby as their 7th. Both those albums are insane and totally different.

[@Its303AcidBass]

They got better with each album.

[@Bigmojo75]

This is splendid. I do all the programming for Depeche Mode Tribute The Devout. This bass line is a massively iconic part of Depeche’s legacy and the right filter behaviour makes it or breaks it. To show this technique applied on other modular / semi modular synths is a very clever idea. A joy to watch.

[@delmac060]

Mod the filter with a Random S/H wave as an alternative. 😆

[@croonologist]

Long Live The Devout. Cheers

[@magicknight8412]

Saw them in Winchester in December, they were bloody brilliant ! Great work sir !

[@Bigmojo75]

@@delmac060 yeah tried that in the early days but the random filter never opened at the right point. Did it with velocity -> filter in the end.

[@Farewelltokingz]

The genius of Alan Wilder never disappoints

[@titovalasques]

He was an absolutely awesome producer but let’s not forget that it was Martin Gore that wrote this masterpiece.

[@Farewelltokingz]

@@titovalasques wouldn't be a household name without Alan's insistence to give it a dance beat and bassline.

[@titovalasques]

@ Taylor Swift is mainstream but I don’t see that as inherently genius. You think the genius of producing a song is more ingenious than the genius of writing it?

[@GodsRockstarMusic]

@@titovalasques It was a perfect marriage no need to argue jeez great writing AND great production.

[@titovalasques]

@@GodsRockstarMusic Oh I totally agree. It took both or even all of them to create genius which is why I just don't understand (and frankly grow a little tired of) all this Alan Wilder fanboying that's going on everywhere.

[@deanbr6ndo70]

Ive got to say, this cover is exquisitely done. Fantastic vocals. Absolutely well done all of you.

[@jamesm601]

Many thanks from way over here in smoky California. Dark times over here, but an Alex Ball video is always a bright spot. Never stop!

[@AlexBallMusic]

So sorry to hear about what's going on there, I really hope it's brought under control very soon and you can come together and rebuild.

[@dvuemedia]

That whole album is a Masterpiece! My daughter who is 16, just got me a t-shirt with that album logo for my birthday, she knows I like this album so much.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Wish my tour T-shirt from that tour with the flower in blue hadn't got holes in it from me wearing it as often as possible as a teenager. :))

[@SpikesStudio3]

I have so much emotional baggage tied up with Depeche Mode's music that even hearing this baseline makes me anxious. You just cant credit how good it really is. Was a very big part of my life. Cheers Alex

[@GP-2000]

Big fan of Clemens. More collaborations please. ❤❤ 🤘🤘 This is one of my favorite covers now. Excellent work guys.

[@DaveG207]

A masterpiece as ever. Great to see Clemens in there, I miss his videos!

[@DJKL]

I always love your vocals Alex, but Clemens is amazing on this cover!

[@AlexBallMusic]

He is! My attempt was terrible.

[@DetlevSchwabe]

It's a special day whenever Alex releases a new video. Give this guy an Oscar already!

[@chriswareham]

Alan Wilder was such a huge part of Depeche Mode's distinctive sound - he would spend hours in the studio essentially co-producing their albums while the other three were off elsewhere. They've had a few tracks I like since he left, but he definitely added a lot to the basic demos that Martin Gore would present the band with. That's not to lessen the importance of Martin, as he clearly was the most important in creating the foundations of the songs.

[@HJPhilippi]

Alan Wilder fan boy alert. Like me, too. 😊 But then again... who isn't?

[@blakecasimir]

To be fair, Mark Bell also did a fantastic job, just in a rather different style. RIP.

[@nobel11]

I miss his Recoil music. I was great, hearing his sound and production, but applied in such a different style and technique. He really made almost cinematic music, if that makes any sense.

[@TimesOfTheSines.official]

I agree, I'd love to see him working on something with Atticus Ross & Trent Reznor. Alan & Atticus have much in common imo

[@XavierRadix]

This song. That bassline. Hell, this ALBUM. Absolute masterpiece! Oh and also, GO CLEMENS!

[@earlygail]

One of the best albums of the last 50 years

[@crifox16]

i will never forget when my dad first played this record for me. my head just about exploded during the intro of world in my eyes. talk about kicking off an album! still my favorite song and favorite record of all time

[@random007nadir]

That comment makes me feel so old!

[@rkic5440]

Love to know what did the drums on that track 🤔

[@tectonia2605]

This track still hasn’t lost it’s charm and significance to the history of electronic music. Thanks for this video. 🙏🏻

[@henninghoefer]

"Enjoy the silence" is probably my favourite love song ever. Thank you and Clemens for that awesome cover! You've made my day.

[@Sandelec-gm2cl]

I agree with you.. I have the 12 inches vinyl with the long version..✌🏻😅

[@dyscotopia]

I guess it's a love song? I've always found it to be more of a song about returning to what's essential and beyond the endless chatter that we feel compelled to fill the "dead air" that is actually fully alive with potential

[@JonMurray]

Awesome job recreating the bass man! Thanks for taking the time. Superb cover as well guys!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you sir.

[@ringsystemmusic]

holy cow this is literally my favorite synth bassline of all time thank you so much

[@FatNorthernBigot]

"Enjoy the System" was almost worth it for the name alone.

[@kerzwhile]

My God this is great! ❤ love your version too! 😉 and yes, Violator is a very rare masteriece! I actually had NO idea that was a system 700. 😮

[@jamesscott6548]

Brilliant as always Alex , one of my all time favourite DM tracks

[@ScotLang]

I really love how you demonstrated the patch on multiple synthesizers. It really highlights how unique each one is. Would be interested in that as a recurring series of videos. Cheers

[@brianthomas6758]

Clemens is brilliant!

[@saarin0tsorry]

This song (and album) has been a staple for me and I have never even considered how the sound of the iconic bass line was created. I shared it with my old band mates and friends from that great time in DM music. Thanks for all you do!

[@filavadrit]

Orgogliosamente prodotta in Italia 💙 !! Great video & cover thank you !!

[@pablowentscobar]

Fantastic video sir. As a synth-noob I get a lot of value out of this type of video. As you said, I don't really care about recreating this song, but learning the techniques and theories of how to arrive at this sound is super beneficial to me at this point. Thank you Alex, top shelf fren. BTW, your cover is amazing.

[@NeonDream81]

I always love videos showing how classic sounds like this one were made, and you make it very entertaining to watch.

[@macronencer]

Another excellent video, Alex! I always look forward to your uploads. Nice cover from you and Clemens too.

[@TisMeJohnDee]

Expertly described as usual, thanks and Happy New year. Brilliant cover at the end Clemens Wenners vocals spot on.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers! And Happy New year to you too.

[@everpuremusic]

There are a million cover versions out there. But this one just made me smile from start to end. And thanks for the rundown of the bass - it's so simple and yet so spectacularly effective!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Ah thank you! Yes, all the parts just work exactly as though they've always been together.

[@jamakamicka]

Another great informative deconstruct of a truly epic band and track. Yes we adore Depeche Mode. Kudes cover ❤

[@JafarCalley]

I loved this whole vid. Synth theory with a cracking cover of one of my favourite songs. Interesting vocal harmonies at the end too :)

[@saulcross9690]

Another excellent cover and another excellent breakdown of the patch design.

[@insomniac5506]

One of the best synth basses in the history of mankind. Thanks a lot!

[@therealmattmann]

Brilliant and very educational video and VERY EXCELLENT covver of one of the most iconic DM songs ever! Cheerios!!

[@domlisboa4024]

Incredible work as always Alex. Every video is entertaining and informative.

[@magicknight8412]

So cool, this was very interesting. Love seeing these incredible songs broken down and how they were made. Violator really sparked my interest and love for Depeche Mode and also helped me get through some dark times.

[@Meteotrance]

I was 6 or 7 years old when the big brother of my neighbour , buy this album on his brand new Phillips CD player and hifi system and jesus , i love every track of this album it was a huge sonic shock when i listen to this almost day one of the release, it became a massive hit !

[@AlbertaDMode]

First proper video in ages about Violator production namely legendary Enjoy The Silence bass line. This sound is timeless!

[@rossjackson2455]

I love everything about your content man, please keep making it.

[@ianwynne764]

Hello Alex: This bass line is amazing. You have shown what great ears you have. Thank you.

[@jlpower]

Love it! Been excited for this since you first mentioned it. My own… personal… favorite on this basically perfect album is Policy of Truth. Cheers!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers! Glad it delivered.

[@ThinkerThunker]

Great info! And really well done on the cover. Loved it.

[@climbatize]

Love these deconstruction type uploads. It kinda reminds me of "Jim Pavloff's Making of "The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up" in Ableton", showing where Liam got his samples from and how he used them for the final mix. Brilliant stuff!

[@lfo2vco]

Nicely done sir, you and Clemens nailed it!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks very much!

[@VirtualModular]

Nailed the guitar part too, love that 80s chorus! What was that? Great job anyway. Having had a crack at making (very amateur) modular tutorials myself, I really appreciate the amount of work and attention to detail that's gone into this video. Cheers for making such educational and inspiring content 👌

[@sub-jec-tiv]

00:20 "In 1989 Depeche Mode were still wearing leather and bondage gear." :) My favorite electronic pop music of all time. Saw them live on these classic 80s albums, they were stunning live at the time. Their combination of songwriting and sound design is just unmatched, especially their 80s albums. Thanks for the video!! Really fun!!

[@twoeggcups]

Another gem of a video.

[@caezium.133]

This is amazing, Alex!

[@colinstu]

THUMBS UP!!! for that whole cover, marvelous!!! I don't know if I have a 'fav' DM song but this is indeed on my list of 10-20 favs of theirs!

[@cerebralkaos2385]

Thank you so much Alex! I have been trying to nail this sound for ages on my Behringer System 100. Great video to start the year!

[@glencutwerkboom]

Excellent video and cover! What a perfect arrangement this song is.

[@MattUFO33]

Never would have thought to add that flat-envelope filter mod for the click - brilliant!!

[@VirtualModular]

Yeah that's a great trick. Mixing different CV sources is one of the best things about modular, and multiple envelopes/LFOs etc can really make sounds come alive. Amazing work here! 👌

[@LFOVCF]

I've always loved that bassline. just so deliciously synthy! I'd say you bloody nailed it! Great version guys!

[@Jay.Ramone]

It's a glorious track. Your cover was great, and love the tutorial. Thank you!

[@zoartis]

All your videos show the quality of the work you put into each release. You articulate and present the subject and the technical background well, but I also really like your humour! I really respect and appreciate your channel! Thank you!

[@mr_floydst]

Excellent work by both you and Clemens!

[@marsupialmicron]

Sometimes, from listening to a song so many times, you suddenly stop really listening to it. That's what happened to me with Enjoy the Silence. But when, for some reason, you pay attention to it, you realize that it's a great song that has even made me shed a few tears.

[@leesparey]

There is something deeply emotional in it isn't there, towards the end - especially live

[@SineBeta]

The nice thing about sequencing the filter is that you instantly double the perceived movement of the sequence. Always a nice trick!

[@justindpeak]

As I am watching this video, I am thinking, "He better do a demo of this song".......needless to say, you didnt disappoint! You nailed it!

[@dillipphunbar7924]

Thankyou Mr Ball and all who contributed. Love this song and really like your cover. I was trying to harmonize to it.

[@doctorscoot]

I remember when this was released and holy fuck from the first second of listening to the album me and my mate were just absolutely stunned with how brilliant it was - and still is.

[@anthonybrett]

Brilliant cover! I'm sure DM would be impressed.

[@thenext9537]

Very nice. My fav album, love it. Love this. Sounds great.

[@benjaminelshout]

again a great informative and educational video 💯

[@Dackelwurst79]

Such a wonderful video. Thx for that and a happy new year!

[@dewulfe9913]

a) my favourite Depeche track, hands down b) a 1000% fascinating bassline in the original - I could listen to just that by itself, endlessly (and why am I not surprised it was done on a 700m >.< HA! Of course it bloody was...lol) c) my favourite musical youtuber doing a breakdown on how to get to that sound...and a lovely cover of the original?? d) well, I guess today is done...nothing else is going to be better than that, might as well go to bed now, yeah?

[@spotlight-kyd]

Bravo for the cover! Great lead and backing vocals.

[@jayweb702]

My favorite album from them! Simply marvelous!

[@j8577798yt]

Superb demo !! Well done !!

[@TheKiriru]

I love you, Alex! I really do!

[@trabolmix2839]

Maravilloso trabajo de un verdadero clásico de la historia musical. ❤Felicidades

[@tsmith7146]

The formative period for music during my teenage years was the 'New Romantic' era in late 1980/1981 which Depeche Mode were lumped into. Most bands of this time produced their best work early on and were done by the mid 80s but Depeche Mode went against the grain, peaking in 1989 with Violator - their best album. Stunning album. Enjoy the Silence is my favourite DM song.

[@0richbike]

Abso flipping lutly marvellous cover!!

[@arwenthalion]

Great job, Alex!

[@starsky101]

Clemens makes awesome covers and partnered with a synth god well that’s made the first week back to work a lot easier!

[@francescotrevisan4453]

great cover, nicely done, its got its own flair, very enjoable

[@deepdivegooddive]

Thanks a lot ! A pleasure to listen and understand.

[@AlfieGoodrich]

Lovely, chaps. That guitar sound is so evocative of that era. Mode, The Cure.

[@MeeperDude45]

Goosebumps on 6:38 Well done!

[@juandager5220]

Around the 5 minute mark, reminds of Fischerspooner. Now I wonder if they were heavily inspired by Depeche Mode. Awesome content! I hope to see more. Thanks!

[@GlennBroadway]

What a joy to see Clemens here. If you haven’t seen his channel it’s a must!

[@markcrowley65]

It's some achievement to do justice to such a wonderful classic song. Well done to both of you

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you very much!

[@nik_elektrik]

The bass / filter sequencing on Violator is absolutely fab. My favourites: the intro sequences to „Halo“ and „World in my eyes“, which I made my ringtone decades ago.

[@alfredgravy6375]

Banger , thanks Alex

[@martindooley4439]

Absolutely brilliant

[@richied1939]

Sends a tingle down my spine, what a tune and an excellent cover

[@JonathanBeake]

I understood about 1% of this video, but enjoyed it immensely.

[@FuzzballRenakitty]

Another great video Alex! :D This is one of the most well known DM songs as you mentioned- but it does feel weird without hearing the vocal stab samples overlayed ;P Would be amazing if you could go back in time a lil and do something on People are People- that is one of my all time fav songs from the group~ Hope you had a lovely new year btw! Welcome to 2025~

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yeah, hence I just had to cover the entire song at the end as I wanted to hear all the other parts. People are People - up for putting more Depeche Mode videos on the list. I'd have to borrow an Emulator again, but that might be doable.

[@FuzzballRenakitty]

​@@AlexBallMusic❤❤❤

[@benanderson89]

The thing which surprises me the most is that it's a System 700! I honestly didn't know that. Given how many modern (for the time) instruments they were using, to have something kicking around from 1976 feels almost anachronistic. Also, yay Clemens Wenners! Been following him for years :D

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yeah, I guess they'd become affordable by then and people who were into modular were snapping them up. Flood described it as a "real boys toy" in one of his breakdown videos on KZbin, so he was obviously excited about it despite it being old even then. He's used it on all sorts of stuff, Nitzer Ebb obviously, but also some more recent Foals records have got audio processed through it. Seems he still likes it to this day.

[@Esperluet]

Always read it was made on an ARP 2600 though ​@@AlexBallMusic

[@Arx196372]

@@Esperluet arp2600 was Daniel's that they used on everything between 81-1986. The 700 is what flood brought to the table for the violator and sofad.

[@AlexBallMusic]

@@Esperluet In this presentation by producer Flood, from 3:30 he explains how it was created on the System 700 by himself and Alan Wilder. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXSVXpWio5aBeKssi=Ez9YUZ6GjU0cWbjj&t=211

[@Esperluet]

@@AlexBallMusic Totally right, I watched those videos 2-3 times but missed this, my bad. ARP 2600 gives interesting effects kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2bTeZd4odd2hrc

[@eatshrots]

amazing. no other words... enjoy the silence

[@ferenclucas2842]

fantastic job again as always

[@8888prodigy]

The bassline part was always the stumbling block when I’ve tried to do an accurate cover of this track. Thanks for this explanation and yet again another quality educational video. 👍

[@MeikelSteiding]

What a great channel Alex. This was awesome!

[@SeverityOne]

Wow, this is an amazing and inspiring video. Really well done. No, I won't go into the rabbit hole of Eurorack, but I'm going to give this a bit of thought. Thanks, Alex.

[@OriginalRaveParty]

Just goes to show what absolute masters of the artform they are and were even in the early days. You don't last 40 years as a band if you aren't doing something very very right 👍

[@alessandrogolinelli3185]

Fantastica illustrazione, tecnica, professionale.. Per chi come me e nom solo inesperti di tecnica ma amanti del suono della buona musica ✌️❤️

[@BlackMan614]

yeah... i use 2x sequencers w/ my modular. Always use one to CV modulate the filter. Then use div/mult on the modulator to get 'swing' or just more randomness. Excellent video to explain this.

[@dalehubert-c9b]

pleasure to watch this thank you