hi!! i see you're new to the forum, so welcome!

the main bass in this seems like it's probably a saw wave with maybe some kind of phasing or chorus (or just multiple voices detuned), then getting really really distorted. that specific patch also sounds like it has a really fast attack on the pitch to give it that sort of pluckiness on the faster notes.

i spent a little bit of time trying to remake it, the harmonics aren't perfect but i got the main idea of it down. one saw wave patch going into a flanger that acts as a big ol' chorus (u could probably use a big supersaw too), then just lots and lots of compression and distortion.

i'd echo what lydian said!

something that helped me improve in terms of songwriting and harmony is to try intentionally limiting yourself. think of how valuable sketching ideas w/ pen and paper is in graphic design, it's like that. computers are extremely powerful for getting our ideas out, but the abundance of choices can be paralyzing. the simple act of starting a project on computer vs. "traditional" mediums has an effect on your process, which isn't good or bad, just something to keep in mind. try sketching lots of song ideas out with simple pre-made templates (ask mussar about his methods for that), and worrying about production details later.

if that doesn't work, try limiting yourself to one instrument at a time, especially playing one physically if you're able to! i started learning piano this past year, and have spent a lot of time learning beginner pieces that only use two voices, like Bach minuets. from there, i tried writing a few pieces on piano with that same two-voiced rule, and i feel like those strict limitations really helped my sense of harmony and composition.

those "the clouds parted and this song idea came to me fully formed" definitely do happen, but they're pretty rare. a lot of it is starting with a small idea and stumbling into happy accidents. try to just have fun and mess around with sounds and melodies, let it take you where it wants. you can do it!!

ooh ive heard of SQ8L, will have to check them out. same with CMT bitcrusher, i mainly use TAL (too much tbh), how much different is the sound of them?

shorter answer: u sort of can't

longer, fl studio exclusive answer:

u could kind of rig something up in FL studio, but it might be more hassle than it's worth. to explain, a bit about stereo imaging as a concept. sound is perceived as "wide" when there is difference between the Left and Right channels. sound is perceived as "narrow" when the sound is the same in both Left and Right channels. you would need something that switches between the mono output and stereo output.

the Fruity Stereo Shaper plugin can create Mono output from Stereo input by adding the Left and Right channels of the Input together, dividing them by 2, and then putting the sum of those channels out through both the L and R channels, so it's the exact same Mid signal coming out of both channels. within the plugin, it looks like all 4 of the sliders at 50%, for reference. im pretty sure that's how FL's other plugins create Mono outputs, just in the background.

&& there's another plugin, the Fruity Peak Controller, that controls parameters based on an Input signal (think like Sidechaining, but u can make it affect anything you link it to). you split the L and R channels of a source to separate Peak Controllers, and have them control the Fruity Stereo Shaper's L->R, L, R, and R->L settings, so that when a source gets louder, it gets wider (or vice versa).

im fairly certain it would get the result you're looking for. idk if there's an analogue to the Peak Controller in other DAWs, though. i'll give this a shot tonight and update.

saw you join the slack chat as well, but welcome mfzachary! ive never heard of studio one, how is it?

anyway, glad youre here!! hope you'll check out the rest of the forum 

we have a section of the Slack Chat where we talk about promo stuff here and there. i think that its good to learn about the industry side of it if thats what ppl need, but imo there are other spaces better suited to it than here - i like that this is just about making music!

's up to the admins tho so who cares what i think haha

Cooper, that's really interesting about 40's production. i adore "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" for that grittiness, but had never really listened to it close enough to notice. do you have a link to that or any other interviews with 40?