# Free bass amp VST



## JejeLaFrite (Jul 22, 2015)

Hi There,

I record my bass in D.I, and I'm looking for a decent free bass amp VST.
I found the following up to now:

- SHB1 (Ignite amp)
- 3rd bass (Fretted synth)
- TSE Bod (not really an amp, but definitely gives some body)

Those listed above are ok, but none really does the trick for me. Do you have any other free plug in mind that I would have missed ?

Cheers,


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## Oklep (Jul 22, 2015)

Try this preamp
http://rekkerd.org/ronald-passion-updates-bass-preamp/

For me, it does the trick. But it can be unstable, at least it crashes in my Sonar X3 while in reaper it works like a charm.


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## JejeLaFrite (Jul 22, 2015)

Aye, didn't mentioned that one, but tried it also yesterday and it makes my Cubase crash instantly


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## Lokasenna (Jul 22, 2015)

It can be hard to get a good in-the-mix tone from an amp sim by itself. For metal, the best approach is usually to split your bass into two or three tracks:

1. Compress and low-pass the living hell out of it. Like, roll off everything above 300 or 500 and hit the compressor (or a couple of compressors) until the level stays pretty much constant. This gives you that solid low end.

2. Compress this one a bit, but not as much as the first. High-pass up to 500ish, low-pass around 3k or so, and throw something on that gives it a little bit of overdrivey crunch. The EQ might take some fiddling, but this track will give you some pick attack and "clank".

3. High-pass up to 500 again, and this time low-pass down to 2 or even 1k. Put something with a fair amount of distortion, like a guitar amp, or even a cranked overdrive running into SHB, and use your EQ to find a few spots where this tone can poke through the guitars. This track is what most guys would call "grind", and can do a lot to help your bass fit in with the guitars in the mix.

Bus all three tracks to a "master" bass track, adjust the levels of each until it sounds like a decent bass guitar, give it a bit more compression and some final EQ to shape the overall tone, and you should at least have something that works with the rest of your mix.

Oh, and look into the Systematic Mixing Guide. It's cheap, and ridiculously useful.


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## TedEH (Jul 22, 2015)

I get pretty decent result by just using a decent DI, using a process like what's mentioned above, and skipping the amp sims altogether. IMO bass doesn't need to sound like it's coming from an amp unless you're using tons of distortion or something.

Just a thought, what about using a guitar amp sim instead? Split the track in two, compress the snot out of the low end and leave it clean, then run the high end through a guitar amp.


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## JejeLaFrite (Jul 22, 2015)

Thanks guys !


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## QuantumCybin (Jul 22, 2015)

+1 on the Systematic Mixing Guide. It goes super in depth to all aspects of a recording, bass included. I personally use the three track method mentioned above.


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## atoragon (Jul 23, 2015)

try here! 

Atoragon's Guitar Nerding Blog: THE BEST FREE VST BASS AMPS (a guide with free Vst plugins inside)


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## JejeLaFrite (Jul 23, 2015)

Hi atoragon,

The plugin I mentioned earlier have been found through your blog !
However, some plug are not available anymore (amplitube free).
Cheers,


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## Dex Dexter (Sep 7, 2018)

Oklep said:


> Try this preamp
> ( link removed, updated bass preamp from ronaldpassion)
> 
> For me, it does the trick. But it can be unstable, at least it crashes in my Sonar X3 while in reaper it works like a charm.


Hi Oklep,

I tried that preamp, but the old v1 version, which doesn't like it if you touch some knobs - it mutes then and you have to remove it and insert it again in order to get it working again (I'm using Reaper too). But I think it sounds really good. Unfortunately I can't find any working download link for the updated version. Maybe you could help me out?
Cheers,
Dex


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## newamerikangospel (Sep 7, 2018)

For free? Ignite emmisary sounds great. I personnaly like to do a bass amp/cab sound, a pushed clean guitar amp with a lot of high end for a second track.


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## Dex Dexter (Sep 8, 2018)

newamerikangospel said:


> For free? Ignite emmisary sounds great.


Thanks for the suggestion, I might try it, but I think it will take me a lot of experimenting for finding a suitable bass cab IR.

What I really like about Ronaldpassion's plugin is, that it sounds very good without much tweaking. It instantly gave that growl to a DI'd Jazzbass track. Unfortunately there seems to be no working download link for the updated version.


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