Produce a Live Bass Sound (Part 1)

With constantly growing soft-synth/effect technology in the audio production world, we can use some instruments considered impossible to synthesize just over a few decades ago. Instruments like piano, electric violin, and electric bass guitar are just some of them. Physical modeling audio synthesis is an excellent way to try to faithfully replicate a live instrument's sound in the digital domain. Consequently, the following tutorial will present a groundbreaking software instrument, MODO BASS, designed by IK Multimedia.  

IK Multimedia MODO BASS

Since MODO BASS possesses many features, we will cover its functions and various instruments in a two-part tutorial. So, let's start with a brief introduction and then move to some audio examples. As usual, we will begin using our SoundBridge: DAW sequencer. MODO BASS is the industry's first accurate physically modeled instrument from the leader in analog modeling technology. The development took eight years in collaboration with one of Europe's oldest universities. MODO BASS is an entirely new breed of instrument that delivers the best of both worlds: the realism and sound of a master musician playing an instrument and the convenience of a plug-in virtual instrument. Every component that contributes to the unique tonal properties of a bass player playing an instrument has been modeled; the effects of each component and the interactions between each tone variable have been recreated to give you a dynamic, living, breathing, and ever-changing performance. You can produce a sound by triggering recorded samples of instruments. This is because of the sample-based core of virtual instruments.  

The Interface

The interface itself is pretty big. However, it is scalable to fit your screen if you like to see it even bigger. At the top section of the instrument interface, we can see the preset menu followed by the "Save," "Save As," and "Delete" options. Also, in the top left corner, we can see the icon for information about the developer and potential updates of the instrument, authorization, and options where you can set the value for the velocity cure and so on. Things get interesting at the lower section of the interface. Here, you can choose from a wide variety of some of the most famous live bass guitars.

Furthermore, as you click on one of them in the row, you will see a picture of the instrument shifts in the central portion of the interface down below. On the left of the instrument picture is a helpful list of specifications for the selected bass guitar. It contains a bass model, the number of strings, scale, frets, etc. You will notice a big yellow indicator for the position of playing the strings. Playing closer to the bridge provides a more pronounced upper-frequency tone, while playing closer to the neck accentuates more low and mid frequencies, delivering a "rounder" tone. You can also select the individual notes' type of sustain and ring. The lowest part of the interface contains a magnified guitar neck with frets followed by a piano roll. Here, you can check the sound of the instrument.  

Audio Examples

After introducing some MODO BASS features, let's hear some audio examples. In part 2 of the MODO BASS tutorial, we will tackle some advanced functions of this remarkable instrument.

~MODO BASS - 1

~MODO BASS - 2