Vst Bass Guitar Plugins
These days, all you need is a killer VST plugin along with some impulses to achieve stellar results. In some cases, you don’t even need impulses. If that wasn’t awesome enough, you can even get some great sounding VSTs for free. That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this guide – free guitar VST plugins that sound ultra-realistic. This VST plugin is a fun one: With 128 presets to try and a ton of settings, you can shape your bass tone to your liking. The bass offers eight different styles (finger, generic, muted, pick, slap, sub, wah, pop) that differ greatly in tone. Bundle of free bass vst plugins for download, bass synths bundle are supplied in one zip file. Virtual Guitar & Bass Software VST, AU, AAX Plugins & Standalone Page 1 of 6 Recommended Best Match Newest Product (A-Z) Developer / Brand (A-Z) Updated Price (High-Low) Price (Low-High) Oldest Highest User Rating Most Popular Most Owned Most Wanted. Download Free Bass AU VST Plugins & VSTi Instruments Here is our colection of FREE software, VST plugins, VSTi instruments, audio utilities and DAWs. Should you know of anything that we have not listed here let us know.
- Vst Bass Guitar Plugin
- Free Vst Plugins Bass Guitar
- Bass Guitar Vst Plugins
- Vst Bass Guitar Plugins For Beginners
Without a doubt, a tight bassline is central to any good track. The bass adds soul, rhythm, and so much more, essentially creating the foundation of every song.
The plugin itself is super affordable and includes a couple of presets to try and experiment with. It’s a step down from MaxxBass, but if you’re looking to add the signature resonant tones and do post-production outside of the plugin, Renaissance Bass is an excellent option. This VST is extremely simple but still proves to be a valuable tool. Ample Bass P Lite II aim to bring the Fender Precision Bass sound to your studio. The Ample Bass VST plugin is an electric bass vst plugin great for some groovier and more rock-centric bass sounds.
However, it can be tricky to find the best plugins for bass with so many options out there..
Low-end frequencies are delicate enough already, so it’s important to arm yourselves with tools that respect their fragile nature and allow the bass to breathe through.
Let’s take a deeper look into some of the best options on the market.
Our Top Choices for Bass Enhancement and Mixing
Related post: Top Sub Bass Plugins
Bassroom By Mastering the Mix
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Bassroom lives up to its name-.The EQ plugin is designed to emulate the sound conditions of different rooms. The plugin places you in a 3D sound visualizer, separated by different frequencies. This unique approach to mixing is innovative in itself, and perhaps ideal for mastering the art of bass mixing. A bassline should be heard and enjoyed through all acoustic conditions, not just on professional studio monitors.
The plugin is broken down into 5 different EQ bands that go in between 0-320Hz. Each section can be toggled to have more or less energy, depending on what virtual space you select your sound to be edited in.
Bassroom features live bypass automation, and its EQ and Q filters are designed to highlight the best tones of bass sounds. The plugin also offers 60 different presets, each catered to a specific genre of music. This feature allows the user to not only craft desired sound, but learn more about bass mixing among multiple disciplines. The VST also allows you to import a reference track, which a producer can then match their EQs to.
Vst Bass Guitar Plugin
Bassroom is very affordable, intuitive and acts as a valuable learning tool as a valuable added bonus. Check it out.
MBassador by MeldaProduction
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While the best practice is to re-record weak track parts, sometimes that luxury is not available. MBassador by MeldaProduction proses a unique solution for those of us in this all-too-familiar predicament. The plugin is able to generate sub bass and generally more hearty bass tones from preexisting audio.
Audio input placed into the VST is automatically divided into 4 different bands which can be toggled on/off to preference. The plugin uses low-pass filters to determine the best frequencies to highlight and reference from, usually at a Hz rate a bit below where the kick drum rests. From there, a mimicked Bass and 2 different Sub Bass patterns can be enabled to boost the low end. These sounds are plugin generated and supported by MBassador’s embedded 3 processors.
To add girth, resonance, higher tones, and artifacts can also be added. As a reference, there is a built-in limiter on the interface which is extremely helpful, especially with low-end frequencies that our ears tend to distort. Within each artificial track, there are two modulation knobs: Saturation and Tone.
The plugin itself is very user-friendly and fairly simple to use. It’s made bare on purpose- It doesn’t take long for you to achieve the low-end boost you’re looking for. Unfortunately, you cannot alter the pitch of a signal within this plugin.
As for the price point, it is affordable and pretty comparable to other plugins of its stature. Overall, this plugin is great for giving your mixes an extra shine, especially if they’re lacking a comprehensive bass during the recording process.
Submarine by Waves Audio
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Have you ever played a track on a larger sound-system or subwoofer and found that the bass just doesn’t cut it? Waves has created a plugin that promises crystal-clear clarity and sub tones up to two octaves below your desired low-end sound. If you’re looking to give a track a little more girth, even to just boost it for an event where you know the low-end levels will stand out, this plugin is a life saver.
Submarine is based around two central sub generators. It features a frequency visualizer and EQ, so you can pinpoint exactly what frequency will be used to generate monstrous sub frequencies. There is also a frequency range timeline, where you can adjust either end should you want to boost a particular range instead of one specific frequency.
Waves markets this product towards users looking to play their sounds on large sound settings/clubs, so it’s important that this plugin is used with a grain of salt. Although undeniably powerful, it may not be your go-to on every track, as it is most suited for club/dance electronic music.
A huge benefit of Waves Submarine is that it uses a form of granular synthesis in preprocessing to ensure that the artificially produced frequencies are at perfect pitch and reconstructed in a way that coincides with the original signal.
Overall, the plugin very much worth the price if you’re looking to create, fat club sounds.
Sasquatch Kick Machine by Boz Digital Labs
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This plugin is pretty straightforward, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. The Sasquatch Kick Machine takes any kick sample into its interface and gives it the extra low-end power it needs. The simplicity of the VST allows it to be useful across the board in any genre of music.
Once loaded into the interface, the kick drum can be modulated with 3 different toggle options: 1) Click- The punchy part of the kick 2) Oomph- The heavier frequencies within the kick used for building a strong low end 3) Drive- The overall level of the signal. These 3 toggles are very sensitive and effective, so getting that large sound isn’t difficult.
The VST bases all changes around the signal alone- It has no internal samples. Although this could be seen as a drawback, it also means less CPU usage.
The Kick Machine is overall pretty affordable and is a great tool to get you the strong, noticeable kicks you desire. After all, a good low end is not just about sub bass.
Bark of Dog by Boz Digital Labs
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Not all great tools have to be expensive. Bark of Dog offers a remarkably simple and effective plugin for boosting your bass at the very affordable price of FREE! Created by an independent producer, this plugin allows you to shortcut the EQing process hassle-free.
Bark of Dog is essentially just a high pass filter catered towards boosting bass sounds in the mix. The creator himself states that the VST produces an effect that “can be created with any stock” EQ, however, this does not diminish the value of the interface.
The plugin is broken down into three different modes- Classic, Passive, and Combo. Classic Mode resembles the original, single-processor version of this plugin. It is the default mode of the VST and allows you to adjust the incoming signal by amplitude and frequency, focusing on the resonant bass tones. Passive mode is modeled after the “push-pull” bass technique. Here, undesired frequencies are removed according to the curve of the EQ, and the cut-off frequencies are boosted. Combo is essentially a combo of the two- Boosting all of the resonant signal tones with the Passive mode and cleaning up the signal with the “push-pull” method.
All in all, this plugin works great for its intended purpose and since its free, you’ve got nothing to lose!
LoAir by Waves
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This subharmonic generator by Waves can be used for more than just bass. Commonly, LoAir is used to add a punch to kicks, other percussion instruments, and deep cinematic soundscapes. With any easily understood user-interface, this plugin can help you get the deeper tones you need in a jiffy.
LoAir is passed around an incoming signal and a couple of processing knobs. There are no built-in sounds, so all tones generated are stemming directly from the original signal, which makes this post-processing sound more natural. It should be noted, however, that the generated tones may require additional basic polishing outside of the plugin- i.e EQ, general effects, high-pass filter, etc.
The three main controls on this VST are “Range”, “LoAir”, and “LO”. The range sets the cutoff of the lowpass filter. LoAir toggles the level of the generated tones. Lo adjusts the level of the filtered signal. Having these parameters separate creates a unique balance that stands out in the mix. The plugin also comes with a handy “align” button, which helps compress these signals together, making the output more cohesive.
Although relatively simple, LoAir is pretty inexpensive and creates the subby tones our ears love efficiently.
MaxxBass by Waves
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MaxxBass’ distinct way of processing makes it stand out among other plugins, making it widely considered one of the best plugins for bass out there. Instead of boosting the low-end signals or using a version of a high-pass filter, the VST works to artificially produce resonant overtones in your mix, making the low-end sound more full. This versatility centered around creating a fuller sound that can be applied to genres across the board.
Since this plugin is only adding resonant tones, it has the added bonus of not mudding up the frequency spectrum. MaxxBass analyzes the incoming signal and produces a couple of key tones. Your ears fill intuitive fill in the gaps between the original signal and the artificial frequencies, making the sound appear more full.
The interface is very simple, it is comprised of a visualizer, volume/level faders, and an internal limiter to prevent clipping. Although the plugin is pretty limited in function, its distinct way of addressing a weak low-end and affordability make it worth a try at the very least. It’s a step up from its counterpart Renaissance Bass also by Waves, as you have more control in terms of ratio, response, and EQing within the plugin.
Moreover, MaxxBass has a frequency visualizer of the original signal versus the processed signal so it’s easy to see where your new artificial frequencies are resting in the mix. Visual features like this one can make or break a plugin, especially when dealing with the low-end of a song- Our ears are better at distinguishing higher frequencies, so a visual aid ensures that we are producing the precise, in-tune sound our ears crave.
Renaissance Bass by Waves
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Renaissance Bass is excellent at creating the punchy, dense bass sounds that are essential to EDM and dance music, and for this reason many engineers consider this the best plugin for bass. The plugin itself is super affordable and includes a couple of presets to try and experiment with. It’s a step down from MaxxBass, but if you’re looking to add the signature resonant tones and do post-production outside of the plugin, Renaissance Bass is an excellent option.
This VST is extremely simple but still proves to be a valuable tool. The interface contains an input signal toggle, a fader for changing amplitude, and an output fader with a visualizer to prevent clipping when adjusting levels. Similarly to other plugins, Renaissance Bass simply adds desired and pivotal harmonics to the low end of a mix to produce a chunkier sound. You can dial in your cut-off frequency pretty quickly, which can help speed up your workflow.
The plugin takes up a very low amount of CPU, making it very versatile across platforms. It can also be applied to kicks to give them a more punchy attack.
If you’re looking for something to beef up your bass quickly without much hassle, this plugin definitely works in a pinch.
Bass XL by Denise
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There’s no doubt that this plugin is beautifully designed. The user interface itself is warm and welcoming, making it inviting to use. Outside of aesthetics, Bass XL works great for experienced producers who know what precise frequencies they want to boost within a mix. It’s affordability and power makes it a winning combination.
The VST works by boosting a frequency selected by the user. It’s catered towards bass and kick sounds, but due to this central feature, it can certainly be used on electric guitars, percussion, or other instruments. Bass XL allows you to hear the volume of the adjusted signal and processed signal independently and also offers the feature of compressing the signals together within the plugin, instead of just the processed one. Moreover, the plugin gives tone and position toggles, which aid in the mixing process.
You can save time and get closer to a fully finished bass sound within the plugin, streamlining your workflow. Not to mention, the plugin is extremely affordable. It might be difficult for beginners to know which frequencies should/need to be boosted, but for an intermediate/experienced producer, Bass XL is a great tool.
MixBass by PSP Audioware
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This plugin is unfortunately not available on its own and is instead within a plugin pack, “MixPack2”. However, for those considering purchasing a plugin bundle anyways, definitely take PSP bundles into consideration. MixBass is very powerful and super successful at producing at convincing analog bass sounds that are few and far between.
This plugin is best used in dance and electronic music but can be applied to a number of genres with its versatility of controls. MixBass is packed with controls subcategorized by control, compression, character, punch, and output. The user interface resembles a rack mount hardware piece and is just as complex. That coupled with its lack of embedded visualizers makes it a tool geared towards experienced professionals, or those looking to commit a lot of time to learn the ins-and-outs of a pack.
This plugin is certainly powerful. Its central feature is a chain of audio effects designed to pull out the high frequencies within a low-end and carve out the top-end in conjunction to produce a meaty, clean bass sound.
Considering the other intricate tools within the pack, MixBass is very affordable but may require a bit more of a learning curve to access the plugins’ full potential.
Bass Mixing and Enhancement Tips
Regardless of what VST you go with, there are a couple of general tips and tricks you should use to get an effective low-end mix. Here a couple of things to keep in mind during your creation process.
Know what frequencies you’re looking for. Typically, bass and kick sounds rest in between 20-300 Hz. Visual aids in plugins can make this process easier.
Cut out unnecessary noise in the mix. Most of these plugins employ a high pass filter for good reason- Taking out frequencies in the delicate low range when they aren’t needed is essential for a clean track.
Figure out what should be highlighted. Often in the low-end, sounds are competing aggressively with one another to stand out. Decide preemptively what sound you want to draw attention to whether that’s the bass, kick, or an 808. This will help you determine what you should compress other elements to.
Add Harmonics. Adding barely noticeable frequencies that quickly beef up the low-end is simple with plugins like MaxxBass, Renaissance Bass, LoAir, etc.
Pan/Widen the sound. In order to avoid overlap, experiment with widening and/or panning low-end instruments. BassXL utilizes this technology to create a cleaner mix.
Use a reference track to emulate the desired sound. This is a standard practice throughout the music industry, and certain plugins such as Bassroom allow you to do this within the plugin.
Arrange low-end sounds appropriately. Create space in the mix so low-end sounds do not overlap too often. It’s very easy to create a muddy mix with even just one or two many low-frequency based instruments.
All in all, the low-end is a very delicate yet extremely important part of the mix. Bass mixing VSTs assist in creating the vital foundation of a song. There’s certainly something out there for everyone, and certainly the best plugin for bass will be what you want to accomplish. Try out one of these great options on your next mix, and you’ll definitely give your mixes that adding “punch” it still needs, without actually compromising the whole production.
To learn more bass mixing tips, check out our related articles:
Do you need to add a killer bass track to your new song but don’t have a bass guitar?
Free distortion vst protools. Or maybe you do play bass but don’t want to go through the headache of recording your own guitar?
These are just a few examples of where bass guitar software can come in handy. With high quality bass sounds at your fingertips, you can easily transform any song from mediocre into a sonic masterpiece.
The problem is that there are so many bass plugins out there and most sound very digital or are aimed more at electronic music. Replicating a real bass guitar is a tricky thing but luckily there are some great solutions.
Let’s take a look at my favorite options out there and help you find the best bass guitar VST plugins.
Short on time? IK Multimedia's MODO Bass is my number 1 choice for best bass guitar VST for its amazingly natural sound and tweaking options.
Best Bass Guitar VST Plugins
IK Multimedia MODO Bass
After being in development for 8 years in collaboration with one of Europe’s oldest universities, MODO Bass is at the very top of the list when it comes to a virtual instrument for electric bass.
Virtual instruments are usually sample-based which means that when you trigger the sound it will play the sample. The problem with this is that the sounds tend to lack that “human” touch, and they can start to sound artificial.
IK Multimedia alleviates this problem all together by creating a brand new technology that models the entire process of playing a bass and the sound that comes out. MODO Bass utilizes modal synthesis technology to model each string as a nonlinear resonator.
Once you select from one of the 14 different bass guitar models, you start by selecting your play style. With finger style you can select which fingers you play with and how much force each will use. Select slap style and every stroke will sound different - just like a real bassist.
If you select pick style you can even select the thickness of the pick and whether you will use downpicking or alternate strokes. You can even apply muting to the strings and have complete control over every aspect of it.
In addition to all this you can specify where on the strings you play. Just like on a real bass, playing near the bridge provides a more pronounced upper frequency tone, and playing closer to the neck results in a more round tone.
Next up you will select your strings.
First the number of strings and the tuning, and then what gauge they are, the age of the strings, scale length, action, and much more.
They really have thought of everything here and every attribute contributes to the final sound in an organic and realistic way.
The electronics section is where you will select the best pickup from the 24 different models and configure the wiring of the bass. You can experiment with up to 2 pickups on each bass, their position, and frequency response parameters.
Switch the electronics from passive to active and you’ll get access to a whole new EQ parameter so you can fine tune your tone.
They didn’t stop just there though.
You’ll have complete control over the signal chain and get to add in any of the 7 stomp box effects including Octaver, Distortion, Chorus, Compressor, Delay, Envelope Filter and Graphic EQ.
Using IK’s advanced non-linear modeling technology, the pedalboard not only provides ultra accurate modeling of the desired effect, but also models the interactions of the effects pedal with the others giving you a realism not found in any other software package.
Lastly, choose your amp and you’ll of course get access to all of the functions you’ll need like EQ, gain structure, and tons of other fine-tuning options.
Overall, MODO Bass is an outstanding plugin and probably the best out there for what it does. The sounds and subtle nuances are so realistic you’ll be convinced that you recorded a real bass.
If you can't record your own bass and if you are looking for a virtually modeled bass guitar that sounds very realistic with control over pretty much every aspect imaginable, this definitely gets my vote for best bass guitar VST.
Spectrasonics Trilian
Having first appeared in 2010, Trilian is still one of the most well known and highly regarded bass VST’s available.
It comes with a massive 34 GB library filled with electronic, acoustic guitars, synthesized, and experimental bass sounds.
Selecting your bass is easy - just go to the browser and sort by category, type, model, or technique. On the main page you’ll find the most useful settings for the bass like compressor settings, EQ, and mix settings.
Free Vst Plugins Bass Guitar
If you crave more control you can go into a deeper edit menu to control modulation, soundsource, filter, envelope, LFO’s, and you can even add a 2nd layer to create a more complex sound if needed.
On the FX page you get access to over 30 original effects like gates, phasers, compressors, delays, and reverbs. Each one is in rack form so you can easily adjust all the settings with the knobs in the interface.
The arpeggiator is the last section where you get 32 total steps, and you’ll have access to a variety of modes, triggers, and clock signatures. You can also drag MIDI files into the program to have them played back using whichever instrument you want.
Where Trilian really shines is with its acoustic and synth bass sounds. It’s one of the very few plugins on the market that allows you to play a very realistic sounding double bass, and it’s certainly the best.
Although the program has aged quite a bit, the sounds have definitely stood the test of time and continue to shine.
Native Instruments - Scarbee Bass
Scarbee Bass is a virtual instrument that is powered by Kontakt, a VST plugin.
Kontakt 5 Player is free and luckily the Scarbee Bass plugins can be used by it, although you will have to purchase each individual bass guitar model you want for between $69 and $99.
These models include the Rickenbacker Bass, Jay-Bass, Pre-Bass, Pre-Bass Amped, MM-Bass, and MM-Bass amped.
Although it’s not necessary, you can upgrade to the full version of Kontakt which will allow you to arrange, edit, loop, slice, and time-stretch samples using seven playback modes. Plus, it will give you access to 84 different effects and 43 GB of high-quality samples to use in your mix.
Thomas Hansen Skarbye is a sampling expert who has developed a large majority of the instrument packages available over Native Instruments.
Let’s take the Scarbee Jay-Bass package for example which is an authentic rendition of the legendary Fender Jazz Bass.
It recreates all the sonic intricacies of the Jazz Bass in both slapped and fingered playing styles, delivering a huge variety of tones suitable for almost every genre. All four strings of the original instrument have been sampled in nine different velocities, resulting in over 4,000 individual studio-grade samples.
The sounds were recorded through a DI to retain the distinctive original character of the instrument, using round-wound strings for a bright and punchy sound.
There are also profiles for various genres, including EQ and effects controls, which allow musicians and producers the ability to further customize the sound and behavior of Jay-Bass to fit the musical context.
There’s a unique scripting feature inside of Kontakt that allows for many subtle nuances to come through. Things like harmonics, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and fret noises are automatically triggered and add a distinctly human element to the playing.
The Rickenbacker Bass is one of my favorites, and it sounds incredible. It’s the first Scarbee bass to be played with a pick and it captures all the crisp and defined midrange of the iconic Rickenbacker 4003 guitar which has been captured on many top-selling rock albums.
A Kontakt effects chain then adds a Jump amplifier from Guitar Rig, a tape saturator, EQ, and compressor for an unrivaled tone.
If you know exactly what kind of electric bass you want in your mix and don’t need all the frills and hundreds of other options, Scarbee bass plugins will be the best bass guitar VST option for you.
Ilya Efimov Bass
Just like Scarbee Bass above, the Ilya Efimov bass plugins require Kontakt in order to be used, although you will need the full version to support these bass sounds.
The company was founded in 2010 by Ilya Efimov - a well known composer, songwriter, producer, and jazz pianist from Russia. While he continues to work on major motion picture films, Ilya is currently focused on sample library creation.
For around $100 for each instrument, you can purchase a Rock Bass, Modern Bass, Classic Bass, Fretless Bass, and Retro Bass.
If we take for example the Classic Bass, it is modeled after the Fender Precision Bass Guitar`72 release. They recorded 12 dynamic layers for each fret on each string with various playing techniques and articulations.
With fingered, slap, palm-mute and additional articulations, you can quickly edit your MIDI notes or play in real time while a sophisticated algorithm runs in the background to add in the subtle nuances in playing.
For the convenience of composer and arrangers, several Legato modes, Open String mode, Chord Detection mode and an X-note mode have been added.
The bass sounds here are very natural. The only downside is the required purchase of the full Kontakt software which can be a little expensive, but if you already have it then the Ilya Efimov bass plugins are well worth a look.
AmpleSound Ample Bass
Ample Bass is an AU, VST, AAX or RTAS host application that also comes with a stand-alone plugin.
Just like Scarbee and Ilya Efimov basses listed above, you will buy each individual bass instrument you want to use, and they run from between $119 and $169 each.
Some of the options available are Metal Ray5, Bass Upright II, Bass Acoustic II, Bass Yinyang II, Bass J II, Bass P II, along with some extension libraries for things like funk variations or picking style instead of the default fingerstyle.
I’m absolutely in love with all the bass sounds here, especially the upright, acoustic, and Yinyang basses.
Articulations are numerous here and include things like sustain, palm mute, natural harmonics, hammer-ons, pull-offs, legato slides, pops, slaps, taps, dead notes, and many others.
Bass Guitar Vst Plugins
The string roll editor shows all your fingering, articulation, expression, and playing noise. Here you can easily adjust things like velocity, vibrato, legato, and so on.
One nifty feature is the random riff generator which will create a brand new lick for you based on analyzing different musical scores. The results here are very convincing and don’t just sound like a random mashup of notes.
Using the tab player you can load in many formats of guitar and bass tabulature which will then be played back using your bass sound. It supports all the fingering, looping, chords, articulations and other markers in the loaded tablature.
All in all it’s a fantastic bass VST and you don’t need any other expensive software just to run it which is a huge plus.
Final Verdict - Best Bass Guitar VST
Vst Bass Guitar Plugins For Beginners
As you can see, each of these plugins brings their own special sauce to the table and they all have great sounds.
Which one is best for you though?
If you are looking for the newest, absolute best, most well-rounded bass guitar software with endless tweaking options, IK Multimedia MODO Bass is for you. It will produce the most natural and realistic sounding tones, and you’ll be able to dig deep into the guts of the guitar to fine tune it to your exact specifications.
If you want a huge time-tested library filled to the bring with great electric, acoustic, and synth bass sounds, Trilian is worth a look.
When you know exactly what kind of bass you want in your mix and don’t need tons of options for tweaking the sound, definitely check out Ilya Efimov, Scarbee, and Ample Bass. Take a listen through the bass sample sounds online and see if one speaks to you.
Ample Bass has a leg up on the others I think for the fact that it has acoustic bass, double bass, standalone software, and a tab player, but if you find a bass sound you like in the other packages you really can’t go wrong.
Good luck!