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Plenty of synths promise analog sound, but few make it as easy to get there as the Novation Bass Station II. It has 25 full size keys, a panel where almost every control has its own knob or slider, and a sound that ranges from round sub bass to screaming acid leads. Novation released it in 2013 as a modern take on its original Bass Station from the 1990s, and it has stayed in production because it does a lot without getting complicated.
What the Bass Station II is
The Bass Station II is a monophonic analog synthesizer. Two oscillators and a sub oscillator feed a filter, then an amplifier shaped by envelopes. Two LFOs add movement. There is an arpeggiator and a step sequencer, an overdrive and distortion stage, and patch memory so you can save sounds. The keyboard has aftertouch, which lets you add vibrato or filter movement by pressing harder after a note.
Connections include MIDI in and out on five pin DIN, USB for MIDI over a computer, an external audio input so you can run other sounds through the filter, and a sustain pedal input. It runs from a supplied power adapter or from USB power.
The two filters explained
The filter is where the Bass Station II earns its reputation. There are two types. The classic filter is a multimode design with low pass, band pass and high pass options and selectable slopes, good for warm basses, pads and plucks. The acid filter is modelled on the squelchy diode ladder sound associated with classic 303 style lines, and it gets vocal and rubbery when you raise resonance.
Switching between them on the same patch is a fast way to hear how much a filter shapes a synth. Run the acid filter with a sequenced pattern and the overdrive pushed slightly, and you have a convincing late night techno line in seconds.
Sound and workflow
The low end is the obvious strength. Sub bass sits solid and clean in a mix, and the sub oscillator adds weight one or two octaves below without muddying things. Leads cut through easily, especially with oscillator sync. Because it is monophonic, it will not play chords in normal use, though later firmware updates added a paraphonic mode that lets the two oscillators play separate notes for simple intervals.
The sequencer and arpeggiator make it a self contained idea machine. You can program a short pattern, hold it, and spend time turning knobs instead of clicking a mouse. That hands on approach suits slow, evolving music as much as dance tracks. Long filter sweeps under drones, the kind of texture you hear building on Tineidae Simulation or E-J-R-M Pathways, are easy to perform live.
Who the Bass Station II suits
- Producers adding a first analog synth. Clear layout, compact size and full size keys make it easy to learn.
- Electronic musicians who want real bass. It covers sub, acid and aggressive basslines well.
- Players who also want a controller. The keyboard sends MIDI, so it can play software instruments too.
If you need big polyphonic chords, a polysynth is a better buy. If you want one analog voice that does bass and leads with character, the Bass Station II is hard to beat for the space it takes.
Bass Station II vs other compact monosynths
Many compact analog synths use mini keys or touch plates to save space. The Bass Station II keeps full size keys with aftertouch while staying narrow enough for a desk, which is a big part of its appeal for players with keyboard experience. It also has more direct controls than most small boxes, so you rarely dig through menus.
Setup tips
Record it through a clean interface input at line level and leave headroom, because resonant filter peaks can jump in volume. Use the external input to process drum loops or guitar through the acid filter. Save your favourite patches early and back them up with Novation's free editor software. Finally, give the synth a few minutes to warm up before tuning critical parts, as analog oscillators settle as they reach temperature.
For calmer listening between sessions, records like Dawn show how a single synth line can carry a whole mood.
Where to buy
Bass Station II at Novation
Novation Bass Station II Analog Monosynth
Firmware updates, the Components editor and the full manual are available on the Novation site.
For more synths, interfaces and recording gear, explore the home studio hub.
