eetsummorr
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Any good bass VSTs for mac?
Anyone know of any good Bass vsts that are free?
Im just trying to record some demos, and have DI'd the bass, and the tone is a bit lame. need to something to boost the tone and the low end, that isnt going to make fart sounds!
Im using pro tools, and a mac G5, so pref something that is RTAS or VST!
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Old July 10th, 2011, 03:07 AM #2 (permalink)
006
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Free plugs on a Mac? I lol'ed (Mac user for many years). Good luck finding one!
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Old July 10th, 2011, 03:11 AM #3 (permalink)
eetsummorr
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Ive found a few. Just not any for bass
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Old July 10th, 2011, 05:47 AM #4 (permalink)
006
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Yeah, it was sarcasm...
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Old July 10th, 2011, 04:28 PM #5 (permalink)
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[post deleted - I misread the OP's post]
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Old July 11th, 2011, 06:13 PM #6 (permalink)
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Free plugs on a Mac? I lol'ed (Mac user for many years). Good luck finding one!
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Old July 11th, 2011, 07:30 PM #7 (permalink)
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If you don´t mind paying a few bucks, there´s Native Instruments Komplete Elements for 60 bucks that comes with Guitar Rig with a great bass amp sim (among other great stuff).
http://www.native-instruments.com/en...lete-elements/
Studio Devil Virtual Virtual Amp Pro is 100 bucks and is also cool.
http://www.studiodevil.com/products/..._bass_amp_pro/
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Old July 12th, 2011, 01:29 AM #8 (permalink)
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I vote fuck software and get a preamp made for bass.
I'm drawing a blank on what I could recommend that wouldn't hit your wallet to hard though. I've heard ok things about the behringer pedal:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHBDI21
But it is behringer so take my suggestion with a grain of salt. haha
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Remember, you're dealing with people who can't remember where beat four is, or how a song is arranged, or how to tune an instrument. What makes you think they're going to remember to clean up after themselves?
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Old July 12th, 2011, 09:29 AM #9 (permalink)
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You don't necessarily need an amp sim to get a good recording tone with bass. If you have a decent enough bass with onboard tones set how you want (i.e. fiddling with the tone knobs), try recording the DI (as you've done) on one track and copy and paste it.
On your first track, set a LP around 3500 to cut the highs and do a big dip a few db around 500Hz with a Q between 1.25-3.5 (to taste of course, use your ears) then compress the ever living shit out of it ... this track is going to be your bottom end of the bass.
On the second track, set a HP all the way up to around 550-600Hz (12db slope should do the trick) and LP everything from 4000-4500kHz (to taste of course) since everything above that is pretty much nonsense for bass ... you can get lower if you want to give your guitars/drums/vocals more room, but that's entirely up to you. Now add some distortion ... I recommend "NoAmp!" which is based off a Sansamp bass driver ... not the best emulation of it, but it's perfect for what I need it for, sounds good, and it's free. It's a windows-based vst, which I know you're looking for a Mac-based plugin of sorts, but all the plug-in consists of is a .dll file (I dunno if you can execute those on a Mac since I'm a PC guy, so don't burn me if you can't!). When you add whatever distortion you decide to use, make it sound hideous ... this track on it's own is going to sound like shit, but once you start adjusting the volume of your bass distortion track, everything starts sitting together very nicely.
Once you've adjusted the fader levels of both tracks to your ears' content, I normally send both of those to a single "Bass Buss" where I apply global EQ (do a cut in the lower sub-Hz where the kick's sub bass sits so they don't conflict with one another) and cut/boost as necessary. I'll also add some additional compression to "glue" the two tracks to one another a bit better and also add some limiting to really squash the bass even more so it stays consistent volume/dynamic wise ... if you need volume changes, automation is your friend.
You also have the option of using bass cabinet impulses (which you can probably find for free using Google) and loading them into a plug-in for Mac that loads convolution reverb impulse files ... check out LAConvolver (it's free!) if you wanted that bass cabinet sound, but that's entirely up to you!
The best part about all that was that was all free! The only instance I would ever add an amp sim is to give the tone a bit more color, but if you carefully EQ/Compress, you really don't need one for bass. Hope this helps!
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Old July 12th, 2011, 01:48 PM #10 (permalink)
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noamp = pc vst only, no mac version
la convolver = audio unit only, not vst
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Old July 12th, 2011, 02:15 PM #11 (permalink)
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Quote:
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noamp = pc vst only, no mac version
la convolver = audio unit only, not vst
Thanks for clearing that up. Like I said, I know nothing of Macs so I wasn't sure if they could operate dlls or not. Same with LAConvolver ... I just found that with a Google search for the OP. If the OP has Logic, he could just use Space Designer to load the impulse files according to the almighty Google
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Old July 12th, 2011, 03:45 PM #12 (permalink)
Loren Littlejohn
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Windows: .dll
Mac: .vst
.vst makes more sense, so I don't know what retard derped on that one.
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I'd rather listen to a band with catchy riffs, melodies and clean un-autotuned vocals then a bunch of faggy douches with a side cuts playing open down tuned chords while screaming like a vagina full of air.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn Fricker View Post
Remember, you're dealing with people who can't remember where beat four is, or how a song is arranged, or how to tune an instrument. What makes you think they're going to remember to clean up after themselves?
Nerol Studio
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Old July 12th, 2011, 04:16 PM #13 (permalink)
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Waves GTR Solo is pretty close to free right now http://www.wavesgtr.com/html/product_gtr_solo.html
That being said you need a good mic pre anyway, why not get one that works great as a bass DI as well? If you are into the whole lunchbox addiction, I love the Shadow Hills Mono Gama for bass DI and vocals. That way your DI sounds great on the way in.
You could always go with the good ol' MXR or SanAmp Bass DI route as well.
I hope this helps.
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Old July 13th, 2011, 08:42 AM #14 (permalink)
friendforafoe
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Windows: .dll
Mac: .vst
.vst makes more sense, so I don't know what retard derped on that one.
REALLY?! I had no clue (again I'm a PC guy) ... that's one of the more facepalm-worthy things I've heard all day. Duplication of effort much? I agree that .vst WOULD make more since considering ... you know ... they're VSTs
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Old July 19th, 2011, 01:40 AM #15 (permalink)
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I miss the PC world of being able to steal everything...
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Old July 19th, 2011, 01:55 AM #16 (permalink)
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I miss the PC world of being able to steal everything...
First love, last love dude!
You'll get over it i promise
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Old July 19th, 2011, 10:44 PM #17 (permalink)
eetsummorr
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Originally Posted by friendforafoe View Post
You don't necessarily need an amp sim to get a good recording tone with bass. If you have a decent enough bass with onboard tones set how you want (i.e. fiddling with the tone knobs), try recording the DI (as you've done) on one track and copy and paste it.
On your first track, set a LP around 3500 to cut the highs and do a big dip a few db around 500Hz with a Q between 1.25-3.5 (to taste of course, use your ears) then compress the ever living shit out of it ... this track is going to be your bottom end of the bass.
On the second track, set a HP all the way up to around 550-600Hz (12db slope should do the trick) and LP everything from 4000-4500kHz (to taste of course) since everything above that is pretty much nonsense for bass ... you can get lower if you want to give your guitars/drums/vocals more room, but that's entirely up to you. Now add some distortion ... I recommend "NoAmp!" which is based off a Sansamp bass driver ... not the best emulation of it, but it's perfect for what I need it for, sounds good, and it's free. It's a windows-based vst, which I know you're looking for a Mac-based plugin of sorts, but all the plug-in consists of is a .dll file (I dunno if you can execute those on a Mac since I'm a PC guy, so don't burn me if you can't!). When you add whatever distortion you decide to use, make it sound hideous ... this track on it's own is going to sound like shit, but once you start adjusting the volume of your bass distortion track, everything starts sitting together very nicely.
Once you've adjusted the fader levels of both tracks to your ears' content, I normally send both of those to a single "Bass Buss" where I apply global EQ (do a cut in the lower sub-Hz where the kick's sub bass sits so they don't conflict with one another) and cut/boost as necessary. I'll also add some additional compression to "glue" the two tracks to one another a bit better and also add some limiting to really squash the bass even more so it stays consistent volume/dynamic wise ... if you need volume changes, automation is your friend.
You also have the option of using bass cabinet impulses (which you can probably find for free using Google) and loading them into a plug-in for Mac that loads convolution reverb impulse files ... check out LAConvolver (it's free!) if you wanted that bass cabinet sound, but that's entirely up to you!
The best part about all that was that was all free! The only instance I would ever add an amp sim is to give the tone a bit more color, but if you carefully EQ/Compress, you really don't need one for bass. Hope this helps!
Yeah dude that helps allot.
Have heard similar tips before, but you cleared some stuff up and gave me some new ideas.
Cheers!
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Old July 19th, 2011, 11:29 PM #18 (permalink)
neptunian
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On your first track, set a LP around 3500 to cut the highs and do a big dip a few db around 500Hz with a Q between 1.25-3.5 (to taste of course, use your ears) then compress the ever living shit out of it ... this track is going to be your bottom end of the bass.
Yup I found this to be the key to a solid bass sound. Was working on a new song recently and couldn't figure out why the bass was lacking oomph. Boosting lows and messing with the compressor didn't fix it; seemed like the lows just wouldn't boost.
Well, turns out it just needed a broad cut in the 250-600 Hz region, which freed up lots of sonic space otherwise taken up by mud. That allowed the bass compressor and bus compressor to do their jobs and kaboom I had my big punchy low end. So yeah, too much in the 300-500 (+/-) area = lameness.
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Old July 20th, 2011, 05:01 AM #19 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Loren Littlejohn View Post
I vote fuck software and get a preamp made for bass.
I'm drawing a blank on what I could recommend that wouldn't hit your wallet to hard though. I've heard ok things about the behringer pedal:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHBDI21
But it is behringer so take my suggestion with a grain of salt. haha
This thing is pretty decent - was able to get a pretty solid tone once using one of these.
It's a stompbox, but it's cheapo plastic... It'll probably break if you operate the bypass with your foot, which is ironic as it's supposed to be an effects pedal
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Old July 20th, 2011, 05:08 PM #20 (permalink)
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IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX sounds awesome and does not cost that much. Totally worth it!
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Old December 15th, 2012, 05:28 AM #21 (permalink)
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i can lol on pc and ableton users :P
is amazing to read things from people who doesnt even know what they r talking about, thats funny :P
obviously is full of vst about mac softwares, and they are the best, much better than pc, even coz on mac and using logic, u can use the AU VST (Audio Unit System, created by Apple for logic users, and r amazing!!!), that other softwares or OS cant use....
the problem is that, about what u wrote in the question, i guess u dont need a vst but a plugin, as a vst is to MAKE sounds, but a plugin is just to modify and not to create... so if u already have a bass (as u wrote) and want add something on it, u need to use a plugin, and there are a lot on mac, than it depends about what kind of software u use....
cubase and logic are the best softwares and not ableton, so keep in mind the VST system had been create by Steinberg, same creators as cubase, so all other softwares just use what they invented, it is already a point to think about... ;-)
another thing is that other softwares, as Ableton (poor for me!!!), still use the VST (1), but the latest version of cubase is already using the VST 2 and 3, maybe cubase 7 reached VST 4 already but im not sure about it...
FL is much better than ableton, amazing dynamics and amazing sound, but i will be always a cubase user as cubase is a master software, and ableton, FL, and reason, are slaves, it means that inside my cubase i can use in rewire all other 3 mentioned softwares, but u cant do the opposite as they are slaves so they cannot have other softwares inside...
now lets go to ur problem.... if u need just to modify a sound u already created, in this case the bassline, u just need to add 1 or more plugins to ur track line, for example u can use one of this:
First u need a frequency analyzer to check frequencies and make a correct job when changing the bass, than u can add a BASS RIDER, or a CLA BASS, or a KRAMER BA, or a JJP BASS, or a MASERATI B62, or a MAXXBASS, or a RBASS, and so on.... there are a lot, so dont listen to people who doesnt know things, they r just ignorant about VST and softwares!!!
PS: other big differences between cubase and other softwares, are that on cubase u can export files in all formats and choose even the quality, u cant do it in other softwares as ableton, so if u need to publish a track on soundcloud, with cubase u just export the track in the kind of file u prefer, choosing the quality, for example, u dont need to wait more time to export a wav so u can export it directly on mp3 at 192 kbs, to dont give to the people the best quality in case they can DL ur track using softwares... with ableton u must export on wav and use another software to make it on mp3, so so so long and useless for a "supposted" professional software... another big missing in other softwares is that, when u finish a track and u must make the mixdown or mastering, u must analyze the track to check things as volume peaks, channel notes, DC OFFSET, and other things u cant miss to make a proper mix and master, with ableton u must export the track as i said before, and use another software to check this things, but with cubase u can just right click the interested track and click on statistics, so in few seconds u can know all what u have to know about ur track ;-)
never forget that cubase is the FATHER of all softwares, everything comes from steinberg and from cubase, since ever!!!
Last edited by rosco75 : December 15th, 2012 at 05:36 AM.
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Old December 20th, 2012, 07:35 PM #22 (permalink)
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This one is not exactly free but its what i use - Ampeg SVX http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/ampegsvx/ . I really like the sounds that I can get from it.
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Old December 20th, 2012, 08:51 PM #23 (permalink)
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You generally don't want the bass and guitars getting married. Go for a casual encounter type of relationship. You'll find the bass is a free spirit and likes to mingle with other elements, like the kick.
Check out my band! Demos coming soon. Caged Spectrum - Progressive Metal from Portsmouth, UK
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Old December 20th, 2012, 09:18 PM #24 (permalink)
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This thread is a year old haha, but there is now a Mac version of LeCab, so if you combine that with the free version of PodFarm (I think there's a free limited version with 2 bass amp heads) and throw a bass IR in it could sound pretty good.
