Simple kick and bass

[Spatialsound]

Despite the massive variety of kick drums and bass synths used in trance I am somehow unable to make a combination that sounds good (or passable at least) - everything I put together, whether using samples or self-made patches - sounds very much noticeably 'off'.

This is a perfect example: at the timestamp (3:43) the only elements are a kick and bassline (and a short perc/fx rhythm), and the bass sound is fairly 'simple', yet I can't create anything on that level at all, even when I try to replicate the sounds exactly.

I know people have suggested using analogue gear in the past, but surely even with a digital setup there's a way to account for the differences and make something sound like it's taken from the time.

 

[Hensmon]

I know how you feel. As a designer I spent 10 years in my career trying to design or replicate stuff and no matter how hard I tried or followed instruction I ended up with something I felt was sub-par. I learned that ultimately the difference between ok, good and great is an extremely thin line, so even if you feel so far away keep trying and you will get there, and then one day it will become easy. At least you recognize the value in what you are trying to create.

 

[Spatialsound]

I learned that ultimately the difference between ok, good and great is an extremely thin line, so even if you feel so far away keep trying and you will get there, and then one day it will become easy.

That may be true, but I've been trying for almost a decade now and I've not gotten any closer - I really have no idea how to 'get there'. Not just the 'sound' but production techniques have changed a lot since the late 90s, it's not like there's tutorials out there for this specific virtually-extinct style, so I just don't know what to do to get to that level.

 

[LostLegend]

https://soundcloud.com/mrlostlegend%2Foldschool%2Fs-57HYA9HAYZv
Would probably need a bit more time to find an exact match for the percussion sample, but the bass is fairly easy made in Diva.
It's 2 osc's. 1 is a saw the other a square.. A bit of an envelope applied to the filter with a short decay to give that subtle pluck and that's then going through a 16th note ping pong delay.

I can't help but feel that you are overthinking this somewhat, the sounds are relatively simple to replicate, the key is in the processing to get the 'vibe' of the era.
Using saturation, distortion, filter drive etc. in small amounts on your different channels can help replicate the extra harmonics and artifacts you get from analogue gear. Even adding a vinyl crackle sample like I've done here adds a ton to the atmosphere.
It can be fun to make music that sounds like it's from this era, but maybe not to obsess with getting it to sound 100% like it was recorded in that era. That way madness lies.

 

[Spatialsound]

I can't help but feel that you are overthinking this somewhat, the sounds are relatively simple to replicate, the key is in the processing to get the 'vibe' of the era.
Using saturation, distortion, filter drive etc. in small amounts on your different channels can help replicate the extra harmonics and artifacts you get from analogue gear.

I've probably not worded my original post very well but the processing (and 'getting the vibe of the era') is the bit I struggle with - I can make some simple bass sounds (and replicate certain examples somewhat) but getting it to sound 'authentic' - as in like a properly-produced track as opposed to slapping some synths and drums together - is the issue.

I don't know if that's any better as an explanation, sorry, but the upshot is I basically have no idea how to make a genuine track