Weaponized DNB: How V O E Designs Sounds for the Mainstage

Mainstage DNB by V O E is a high-impact Serum 2 preset pack engineered for producers chasing the cutting edge of modern Drum & Bass. Built from the ground up for maximum clarity, power, and mix translation, this collection delivers 130 meticulously designed presets spanning dark cinematic intros, emotive melodic moments, and ruthless drop energy that punches straight through the mix.

Drawing from years of global touring and releases on leading Drum & Bass labels—including Blackout, Liquicity, Viper, NCS, and RAM Records—V O E bring firsthand mainstage experience into every sound. Inspired by the sonic intensity of artists like Kanine, Koven, Culture Shock, Bou, Basstripper, and Annix, each preset is crafted to feel massive on festival systems while remaining precise and usable in the studio.

Designed exclusively for Serum 2, Mainstage DNB fully exploits the synth’s latest features to go far beyond legacy preset packs. With cinematic depth, neuro-level detail, and floor-shattering bass design, this is a fast, polished, and hard-hitting toolkit for producers who want their tracks to compete at the highest level.

Artist Spotlight: V O E

From the Stage to the Synth

Your experience performing at major festivals like Let It Roll, Rampage, and Beats For Love clearly shapes your sound. How did those high-energy stages influence Mainstage DNB?

Yes, 100%—touring and playing festivals has massively shaped how I approached sound design for this pack. Seeing which tracks and sounds really make crowds react gave me a clear reference point for what needed to be included. A big focus was making sure every sound translates properly on large systems—making sure the subs hit hard and the leads cut cleanly through heavy bass.

Crafting the Sonic Arsenal

With 130 presets covering basses, leads, pads, plucks, chords, arps, and FX, how did you decide where to focus?

In mainstage Drum & Bass styles like Dancefloor and Jump Up, the drop can make or break a track. On top of that, finding unique drop ideas that still hit harder than what you’re competing against is a huge challenge. Because of that, I focused heavily on giving producers a true arsenal of diverse, customizable, hard-hitting bass presets.

The next most important element is melody, so I also made sure to include a strong selection of exciting and emotive melodic presets to match the epic and euphoric energy you hear on mainstages around the world.

Serum 2: Unlocking New Potential

You built this pack specifically for Serum 2. What did the new version unlock creatively?

I used so many of the new features that it’s hard to list them all. One of the biggest advantages is having eight assignable macros, which makes each preset incredibly versatile—it can feel like two or three sounds in one.

The addition of three oscillators allowed for much deeper layering and more complex FM and phase distortion sounds. The upgraded FX section was also huge—it meant I could get sounds to a finished, polished level without relying heavily on external plugins. Being able to process the sub separately or stack multiple instances of distortion and filters made a massive difference.

Producers First

Is there a particular preset you’re most excited for producers to discover?

That’s a tough one, but ‘BA - Steam Roller’ is a standout for me. It’s my take on a modern rolling Dancefloor DNB bass, with a lot of modulation built into the filters to create strong rhythmic movement. For anyone making melodic Dancefloor DNB in the vein of Sub Focus, Dimension, or Culture Shock, it works incredibly well as a main drop bass with plenty of room for epic leads on top.

The V O E Sound

What defines the V O E sound, and how does that translate into this pack?

Like any artist, we’re influenced by what we listen to, but I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with sound design to find something new. Mainstage DNB focuses on the sounds you hear in current festival-level tracks, but with a unique and original V O E twist. Every preset gives you the core sound you’re looking for, plus deep macro customization so producers can really make it their own.

Forged in the heart of modern Drum & Bass, Mainstage DNB by V O E is a weaponized Serum 2 preset pack built for producers who demand power, precision, and impact. Whether you’re designing massive festival drops or crafting melodic anthems that translate across streaming platforms, this pack delivers mainstage-ready sound at every turn.

Please note: V O E requests that their name not be used in the branding of your music, track credits, titles, or artist names.