How to Create the Boards of Canada - ROYGBIV Bassline Using Koala Sampler’s Quokka Synth

Boards of Canada’s iconic "ROYGBIV" features a smooth, nostalgic bassline that many producers have tried to replicate. In this guide, I’ll show you how to approximate this bassline using the Quokka Synth in Koala Sampler. We’ll walk through the steps of setting up the perfect oscillator, filter, and envelope settings to create that signature sound.

Follow along in real time with this video, also including synth sounds inspired by Aphex Twin and Radiohead as well:

Step 1: Getting Started with Koala Sampler and Quokka Synth

Before we get into creating the sound, make sure you have the Samurai Update for Koala Sampler installed, as that’s required to unlock Quokka Synth. Once that’s done, follow these steps to load the Quokka Synth:

1. Open Koala Sampler

2. Navigate to the Samples section

3. Tap More, then locate Quokka at the top

4. Hold down Quokka and drag it into your workspace

Once loaded, we’ll start with the default patch and tweak it to fit our desired sound

Step 2: Setting the Oscillator Type

To match the bass sound from ROYGBIV, we need a Sawtooth waveform. Follow these steps:

• Waveform: Set it to Sawtooth (the default one)

• Octave: Keep it at the normal setting

• Morph: Set to 19% to add a subtle low-end modulation

• Glide: Set to 49ms for smooth note transitions

• Enable Mono Mode for a clean, single-note bassline

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Step 3: Filter Settings

Next, we’ll shape the sound with a Low Pass Filter:

• Filter Type: Set to Low Pass

• Cutoff: Adjust to just shy of 35-45% for a warm, muted sound

• Resonance: Set between 10-15% to add a touch of character in the higher harmonics

• Drive: Turn the drive to around 30%, ensuring the drive is higher than the cutoff

Step 4: Adding LFO Modulation

To give the bassline some subtle pitch modulation, we’ll use an LFO:

• Waveform: Set to Sine

• Speed: Sync it to 1/2 (half-speed)

• Depth: Set to 0.57% for a slight wobble

• Target: Set to Pitch to modulate the bass pitch

Step 5: Modifying the Envelopes

Now, let’s shape the attack, decay, sustain, and release to give the sound its final character.

• Mod Envelope:

  • Target: Set to Cutoff

  • Depth: Set to 12%

  • Time: Adjust to 57ms

• Amp Envelope:

  • Attack: Set to 14.7ms

  • Decay: Set to 269ms

  • Sustain: Set to 31%

  • Release: Set to 122%

Step 6: Adding the Sub Oscillator

The ROYGBIV bassline is famously made with the Roland SH101, a classic synthesizer known for its deep, punchy sub basses. The SH101 features a square wave sub oscillator, which is key to creating that characteristic low-end warmth and presence. However, Koala’s Quokka Synth, which is a one-oscillator synth, doesn’t have the direct ability to emulate the SH101’s sub oscillator in the same way.

But don't worry—there’s a workaround!

To replicate that sub bass sound in Quokka, I used two instances of the synth. For the main bass sound, we stick with the default sawtooth wave, but for the sub bass, we duplicate the synth and set the second instance to a square wave. This gives us the deep, rich sub oscillator layer that’s essential for that ROYGBIV-style bassline.

Here's how to set it up:

1. Duplicate the existing patch

2. Change the waveform of the new instance to Square (for the SH101 sub oscillator sound)

3. Adjust the volume, filter cutoff and resonance to fine-tune the tone (I typically set the volume to 1/2 or 3/4 of the main quokka synth's volume)

Step 7: Fine-Tuning the Sound

• For more character, add some bit-crushing effects with Koala’s Bit Cooker to mimic the vintage sampler sound that Boards of Canada is known for

• Additionally, if you want to add even more warmth, consider using the warble & compressor

Conclusion

With these settings, you should have a bassline very close to the one heard in ROYGBIV. While it’s not a perfect match, it’s a great starting point for making bass sounds inspired by Boards of Canada’s iconic style. I encourage you to experiment with subtle tweaks, especially with the filter, envelope, and modulation settings, to personalize the sound.

For those of you who want to explore more sound design tips and synth recipes, I’ll be updating my Koala Sampler Cheat Sheet soon, so make sure to grab that from the link in the description.

Happy producing!

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