Virtual basses – any tricks to make them sound more natural?

[tobbenos]

I have tried using virtual basses, mostly from Xpand (both 1 and 2). The result is more often than I like, a sterile bass sound, not sounding very much natural. Or rather, the sound itself may be natural, but when playing a segment, it does not have the feel or flow of a real bass. Especially when going from one note to the other, a real bassist would behave differently from the virtual bass, with small slides and stuff like that (listen to The Killers - When We Where Young to hear what I mean).

The genres in question here are pop, rock, besides singer/songwriter. The best result I have had lately, was on a singer/songwriter using one of Xpand's double basses. However, the track did not require any advanced playing, and that may explain it.

Which tricks are you using to make basses sound more natural? Is it best to just buy a real bass? Until now, I have not done that because of economic reasons. You may come up with plug-in recommendations, but if I'm going to buy something, it will be a real bass. Playing a virtual bass isn't half the fun as playing a real one.

[ondruspat]

Besides the issue of grace notes (the slides and such you noted) I find that most synth basses sound unnatural because of the on/off triggering of the notes, when the new note triggers it cuts off the note before it. This can be alleviated by setting up two identical instrument tracks (same bass synth on each) and alternate the note of your bass line on each one. This lets the notes "bleed" into each other without the unnatural cut off.

Btw: this can also be used on bass drums (especially fast double bass lines) to make them sound a little more natural.

With all this being said I'll have to agree with you, playing a real bass is more fun. Bass guitar is my primary instrument.

[burningbusch]

The Scarbee Basses use advanced Kontakt scripting to achieve remarkably realistic playing. Check out the demos at http://scarbee.com/products/black_bass/.

It will be interesting to see if the new Trilian basses are as sophisticated.

Busch.

[BIG D]

Originally Posted by burningbusch

The Scarbee Basses use advanced Kontakt scripting to achieve remarkably realistic playing. Check out the demos at http://scarbee.com/products/black_bass/.

It will be interesting to see if the new Trilian basses are as sophisticated.

Busch.

Using SCARBEE here as well. Fantastic bass with so much scope and sensativity. Slides pops you name it. Very real and useable.

look here at new PRE BASS... http://www.native-instruments.com/#/...rbee-pre-bass/

Big D

[Keybeeetsss]

I wish Vienna made a bass VI... the portamento on Strings/horns is crazi & thatz where the naturalness comes in @... Pretty much what 'OndrugsPat' is explaining

Its all about how u play & approach it as u MUST think as a bassist or whatever VI ur using...

[ondruspat]

Keys, have you been peeking in my medicine cabinet? Your getting to know me too well!!

....hmm, what is that smell in my studio???... LOL!!!

[Keybeeetsss]

Originally Posted by ondruspat

Keys, have you been peeking in my medicine cabinet? Your getting to know me too well!!

....hmm, what is that smell in my studio???... LOL!!!

lol

[Murt]

If you have a real bass and are not a natural bass player like me, I track a verse, chorus, mid etc, select the best take, apply audiosuite gain if required, elastic audio if required and comp/repeat throughout the song as if it were midi - that way you get a great real bass take and you can supplement it with a VI bass/sansamp/amp sim etc.. as well.

[RussUK]

Getting A Good Bass Sound Video

[Keybeeetsss]

Russ U R the MAD MAN!!!! (mad spelled backwards)