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IK Multimedia launches Modo Bass 2 plugin- the best way to get authentic electric and upright bass sounds in your DAW.

IK Multimedia’s original Modo Bass instrument plugin did bring electric bass sounds to your DAW using physical modelling rather than samples. The original was release five years ago, and now we have the version 2.

New fretless models and thousands of grooves join the low-end party

Modo Bass 2 features eight new bass models – including new fretless and upright options – a brand-new patterns section with thousands of grooves, and advanced performance controls. There is also a free version to get you started.

Version 2 has a total of 22 basses, with the eight new models joining the 14 from version 1. The fretless models look interesting; one inspired by Jaco Pastorius’s customised jazz bass, and another that takes its lead from Pino Palladino’s StingRay. And you have the option to turn any of the 18 supplied electric basses into a fretless model, and the fretless models into fretted ones, if you want.

Other features include double basses – Rockabilly is suitable for old-school slapping styles while Upright Studio promises a classic jazz sound. These are modelled in their own studio space with a selection of moveable mics and a piezo signal that can be blended in. You can run the result through Modo Bass’s stompbox and amp emulations, and there is a pair of stereo room mics to enable you to mix in the ambient room sound.

The thousands of new patterns can be filtered by genre, song section, length, time signature and more. These were all performed by top players, so should sound authentic.

In the Playstyle section, you have even more control over how your basses are played. We are promised an ultra-realistic pluck technique and advanced algorithms for pick and slap articulations.

MODO BASS 2 – The first physically modeled electric bass goes next level is compatible with PC and Mac and running in VST/AU/AAX formats. The full version, which includes all 22 basses, cost $350/€350, while the SE, which includes four basses, will cost $150/€150.

The free version, Modo Bass 2 CS, comes with just the ‘60s P-Bass, but like the SE version can be expanded with additional basses. These cost $70/€70 each

If you already own Modo Bass 1 you can currently upgrade to version 2 for $150/€150, while anyone who purchases Modo Bass 2 will immediately get version 1.

In Behringer’s latest revelation, the company says that the free DAW that it promised in 2020 will come with a selection of free VST synth plugins, and it looks like some of these will be based on Behringer’s hardware synth clones. Perhaps, the company knows how to redirect our attention;

Software versions of the Pro-16, UB-Xa and Wave synths appear to be in development

However, it is worth noting that not all of the plugins will be free – Behringer will charge “a small amount” for some of them – but the screenshots posted indicate that the company is working on software versions of its Pro-16, UB-Xa and Wave synths clones – based on the Prophet-5, OB-Xa and PPG Wave.

We are assured that these will “seamlessly integrate” with the hardware versions, indicating that patch sharing and MIDI control should be possible

The plugins are being developed by “some of the world’s best VST developers,” who are working with the Danish TC Electronic team (like Behringer, TC now falls under the Music Tribe ownership umbrella). Other developers are being invited to join the project, as well.

Of course, it remains to be seen when you will actually be able to get your hands on any of this software; it’s been more than two years since Behringer first announced it was working on a free DAW, after all, and we have yet to see anything of it.

Good News; at least it can’t blame the chip shortage for the delay this time…

Moog Music has released Mid-Century Moog, a new collection of presets for their Model 15 virtual instrument that they describe as “Sounds of the future, inspired by classic modular synth albums of the past.”

The new presets are available now within the Model 15 app as the “Mid-Century Moog” expansion pack.

You can preview them below: