MODO BASS 2

The first physically modeled electric bass goes next level

MODO BASS 2 is the expanded edition of IK’s industry-first physically modeled bass virtual instrument, adding 8 new basses, including new fretless and upright options, a new patterns section with tons of new grooves, advanced performance controls and more ways to enter the MODO BASS world.

As producers, we all know how important it is to have a great-sounding bassline. On-call 24/7, MODO BASS 2.0 offers the realism and sound of a sought-after instrument being played by a master musician, but with the convenience of a plug-in virtual instrument.

Highlights

Groundbreaking real-time modal synthesis technology
Up to 22 basses including new double basses and fretless models
Advanced performance algorithms for incredible realism
Adjust every element of any bass: strings, neck, body, electronics, even go fretless*
Control the entire act of playing bass – play style, hand position
New patterns section with grooves indistinguishable from the real thing
New Custom Shop and SE versions let you add new basses any time

Real Time Sound Synthesis

MODO BASS is still the first and only technology of its kind that models the entire process of playing bass. Unlike traditional sample-based virtual instruments, MODO BASS uses modal synthesis technology to breathe life into your bass tracks.

MODO BASS recreates each string’s response to the action of the “player" on certain areas of the string surface, and the interaction of the string with the fretboard, body and pickups of the bass instrument. Then using IK’s analog modeling expertise, the amp and effects of an electric bass rig is added to the sound chain.

All of this gives MODO BASS the ability to create sound in real time providing you the ever-changing, hyper-realistic bass sound you need. And since it doesn’t use samples, you’ll have more hard-drive space for your music.

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22 models for a limitless variety of bass sounds

MODO BASS 2.0 includes the 14 original iconic basses plus 8 exciting new ones to cover any style of music. You’ll find 6 new eclectic models, including 2 legendary fretless basses plus 2 double-bass instruments. And with the power of MODO you can turn any standard bass into a fretless* model for even more sonic options.

Fretless Jazz NEW

Inspired by the Fender® Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass®

Fretless Bass Man NEW

Inspired by the Pino Palladino Fretless Music Man® StingRay

Studio Upright NEW

Inspired by a Jazz style Upright Bass

Rockabilly NEW

Inspired by a Rockabilly style Upright Bass

Horn Bass NEW

Inspired by the Danelectro® Longhorn Bass

Punk Bass NEW

Inspired by the Fender® Mark Hoppus Jazz Bass®

Fusion J-Bass NEW

Inspired by the Fender® Marcus Miller Jazz Bass®

Aluminum NEW

Inspired by the Noah Paraffina Bass

Imperial Bass

Inspired by a Fodera® Imperial Custom 6-string Bass

Metal Bass

Inspired by a Dingwall® Combustion 5-string Bass.

60’s P-Bass

Inspired by a ‘60s Fender® Precision Bass

70’s P-Bass

Inspired by a ’70s Fender® Precision Bass

70’s J-Bass

Inspired by a ‘70s Fender® Jazz Bass®

Modern J-Bass

Inspired by a Fender® Jazz Bass®

Devil Bass

Inspired by a Gibson EB-0 Bass

Bass Man 5

Inspired by a Music Man® StingRay 5-string Bass

Rick n’ Bass

Inspired by a Rickenbacker® 4003 Bass

Studio Bass

Inspired by a Yamaha® TRB 5P Bass

Violin Bass

Inspired by a Höfner® Violin Bass

Thunder Bass

Inspired by a Gibson® Thunderbird Bass

Japan Bass

Inspired by an Ibanez® Soundgear (SR) Bass

Flame Bass

Inspired by a Warwick® Streamer Bass

Expand your grooves

The new PATTERNS section offers smart filters to browse by genre, song section, length, time signature and more. You can instantly audition any pattern to quickly find what you need, whether it’s the backbone of a full song or just a handy solo lick to lead into your next song section. All patterns were performed by pro bass players with a groove and feel in MODO BASS that are indistinguishable from the real thing.

MODO BASS for everyone

MODO BASS is available in 3 configurations, including a free version.

MODO BASS 2 CS

1 model: ‘60s P-Bass.
No fretless capability. Reduced number of patterns. No pattern import.

FREE

MODO MAX

Includes MODO BASS 2 and
MODO DRUM 1.5

BUY NOW

Compare Versions

	MODO BASS 2 CS	MODO BASS 2 Special Edition	MODO BASS 2	MODO BASS 1
Price	PRICE	$/€149.99	PRICE	$/€199.99
Price	DOWNLOAD FREE	FREE WITH SELECT HARDWARE	BUY NOW
Features	Reduced number of patterns. No fretless capability. No pattern import.	Full	Full	n.a.
Bass models	Included Bass models
Fretless Jazz (NEW)	-	-	✓	-
Fretless Bass Man (NEW)	-	-	✓	-
Studio Upright (NEW)	-	-	✓	-
Rockabilly (NEW)	-	-	✓	-
Horn Bass (NEW)	-	-	✓	-
Punk Bass (NEW)	-	✓	✓	-
Fusion J-Bass (NEW)	-	-	✓	-
Aluminum (NEW)	-	-	✓	-
Imperial Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Metal Bass	-	-	✓	✓
‘60s P-Bass	✓	✓	✓	✓
‘70s P-Bass	-	✓	✓	✓
‘70s J-Bass	-	✓	✓	✓
Modern J-Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Devil Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Bass Man 5	-	-	✓	✓
Rick n’ Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Studio Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Violin Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Thunder Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Japan Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Flame Bass	-	-	✓	✓
Total number of Bass models	1	4	22	14

Fingerboard Type — Fretless freedom

Want to give your bass track a lift? Try going fretless. MODO BASS 2 adds the ability to make any bass in your collection a fretless* model. It’s an impressive feature you won’t find anywhere else, instantly adding a distinctive vibe to your bass sound without the intonation challenges players face on a fretless. Explore the tonal possibilities of this game-changing new control.

Play Style — Choose your approach

With the Play Style options, you can choose and modify the way you approach and play the instrument. You can also adjust “where” you play on the strings. See more details HERE.

Finger — is one of the most common ways to bring out inspiring bass tones

Slap — is the act of “slapping” and “pulling” the bass strings with the thumb and fingers

Pick — offers settings for pick thickness and picking style, downstroke or alternating

Mute — can be applied to any playing style, another premier in software instruments

Strings and Setup — No tech required

Different strings provide different sounds and tonal qualities. In MODO BASS, you can customize your string choice and choose the type of setup used on the bass.

Change the actual number of strings on all models (4, 5 or 6)
Use the “Drop” function to extend the range of any model
Select the gauge of the string set to vary timbre and sustain
Alter the age of the strings to impact the relative “brightness” of the tone

Choose the type of the strings (round wound, flat wound, etc.)
Change the bass’ scale length and the action to alter sustain and fret noise

Electronics — A tone-tweaker’s dream

This section lets you experiment in real time with different bass pickup types and adjust the position and frequency response of each.

Choose from 32 pickup models, each with its own characteristics
Freely move the pickups around for limitless sonic variety
Create combinations nearly impossible to accomplish in reality
Switch from Passive to Active electronics with a parametric EQ
Blend in an under-bridge piezo pickup signal for added dimension

The Studio — Double-bass standard

Because full upright basses are different, MODO BASS 2 has a dedicated space for finding your perfect double-bass sound.

Choose from a selection of movable mics to capture your sound
Blend in a piezo signal for added dimension and focus
Run your signal through MODO’s stomps and amps from AmpliTube
Mix in the perfect ambient sound positioning a pair of stereo room mics

Amp / FX — The best of AmpliTube

MODO BASS gives you full control over the signal path with 7 bass effect stompbox effects and two classic bass amplifiers.

Includes Octaver, Distortion, Chorus, Compressor, Delay, Envelope Filter or Graphic EQ
All effects derived from world-class models in AmpliTube 5 Custom Shop
Use a classic all-tube amp and 1x15 cab or a solid-state model with a 4x10 cab
Each amp gives you full control over gain structure with EQ and graphic EQ
Route the bass signal from MODO BASS into AmpliTube 5 for even more options

Control — The Bass Players’ Script

MODO BASS also gives you MIDI control of critical parameters that you can automate in real time. Varying parameters while performing is one of the secrets for achieving utmost realism, and MODO BASS is the only virtual instrument that is truly able to make it possible.

Remap keyswitches to any MIDI control change for easier playability and programming
Control and adjust the application of vibrato, the playing style, mute and slide
Control the frequency of the vibrato and the amount of the bend, slide and detach noise
Switch on the fly between multiple modes of playstyle to create your sound signature
Use your DAW’s automation to control useful parameters such as the playing position

MODO BASS 1.5 is included in Total Studio 3.5 MAX

*Making standard basses fretless is not available in the CS version.
Choose SE or Full for this feature.

What’s New

MODO BASS 2 adds 8 new basses, a new patterns section with tons of new grooves, and a new, free entry into the MODO BASS world with the ability to purchase bass models à la carte. With 22 basses to choose from, it’s never been easier to customize MODO BASS to best suit your needs and budget.

Fretless freedom

Want to give your bass track a lift? Try going fretless. Included in the 6 new electric basses are 2 fretless models. There’s Fretless Jazz, inspired by the iconic Jaco Pastorius’s customized Fender Jazz Bass with its instantly recognizable tone and dynamics. And Fretless Bass Man, inspired by Pino Palladino’s famous Music Man StingRay, delivers that iconic sound to your studio. Plus MODO BASS 2 adds the ability to make any bass in your collection a fretless* model.

Double basses are here

MODO BASS 2 brings 2 double basses to the collection. Choose Rockabilly for old-school slapping styles or Studio Upright for that classic jazz sound. In their own studio, the double basses get a selection of movable mics to capture their sound with a piezo signal you can blend in for added focus and then run through MODO’s stomps and amps. And finally, a pair of stereo room mics lets you mix in the perfect ambient room sound.

Expand your grooves

Enhanced performance

The PLAYSTYLE section in MODO BASS 2 benefits from IK’s latest advances in playing style subtleties and control. With MODO’s ultra-realistic pluck technique comes advanced algorithms for pick and slap articulations that’ll breathe life into standard MIDI files and take your music to new heights.

Start your collection for free

MODO BASS CS is IK’s new FREE version and includes one of the world’s most popular basses, the ‘60s P-Bass. MODO BASS CS and SE make it easy to unlock new basses. With a single click on your choice of bass under the Model tab, you’ll be redirected to the IK website where you’ll find all the options to fill your cart and check out. From there, open the IK Product Manager to download and install your new bass directly in MODO BASS, ready to make music.

*Making standard basses fretless is not available in the CS version.
Choose SE or Full for this feature.

Customize your Bass

Since MODO BASS synthesizes sound in real time, you can modify your instrument and playing approach to get completely unique sounds. In fact, there are so many customization options available that there’s really no bass sound that you can’t get — the configuration and tone possibilities are virtually limitless. Once you’ve selected the bass you want to use, it’s time to get to work customizing your instrument to fit your music.

Play Style — Choose your approach

MODO BASS gives you the whole bass playing experience, starting with the way you play the instrument. The “Play Style” choice is your physically modeled playing hand. With the Play Style options, you can choose and modify the way you approach and play the instrument.

Finger — The Finger option selects the finger style of bass playing, one of the most common ways to bring out inspiring bass tones. With it, you can change which fingers you play with and how much force you use on the strings.

Slap — This mode recreates the act of “slapping” and “pulling” the bass strings with the thumb and fingers. Since there are no samples being triggered for each style, every stroke will sound slightly different, just like a real bass player.

Pick — Get major transient attack on the string with a pick. Here you can choose the physical thickness of the pick, plus the picking style, downstroke or alternating. Each strike of the plectrum produces a unique sound.

Mute — You can also apply “muting” techniques to any playing style, another premier in software instruments. The mute control lets you add just the right amount of damping of the strings producing the human-touch element of bass technique.

In addition to the style of playing, you can also adjust “where” you play on the strings. Playing closer to the bridge provides a more pronounced upper frequency tone, while playing closer to the neck accentuates more low and mid frequencies delivering a “rounder” tone. You can also select the type of sustain and ring of the individual notes.

Strings

Different strings provide different sounds and tonal qualities. In MODO BASS, you can customize your string choice and choose the type of setup used on the bass.

First, you can choose the actual number of strings on all models (4, 5 or 6) to determine the note scale range of the bass. In MODO BASS you can easily turn any 4-string model into a 5 or 6 string bass at a click of a mouse. In addition, with the “Drop” function, you can extend the range of any model even further. The DROP option tunes the lowest string one tone lower, bringing it from E to D (or from B to A in the case of a 5 or 6 string setup). Besides extending the range of the bass, this “loosens” the string giving it a particular behavior and tone. DROP tuning is typical in Hard Rock and Metal.

Then can choose the gauge of the string set which affects timbre and sustain, the age of the strings which changes the relative “brightness” of the tone, plus the physical construction of the strings (round wound, flat wound, etc.) which changes the type of “slide noise” introduced when moving up and down the neck. In addition to the string-specific parameters, you can change the bass’ physical scale length as well as the action, or physical distance between the strings and the fretboard. Changing the action changes the timbre and amount of the fret noise when playing — a lower action produces slightly more fret noise when played aggressively, just like on a real bass.

Electronics

The electronics section is where you customize the pickups and wiring of the bass. This section lets you experiment in real time with different types of bass pickups, the position of each one (each bass can have up to 2 pickups, even if the bass model originally comes with just one), and you can tweak the frequency response parameters of each. There’s even a piezo pickup control that lets you blend an under-bridge mounted piezo signal with your pickup signal.

Start with the stock pickup or pickups for each bass model and set the volume balance independently for each. Want a different pickup in the neck position? No problem. There are 32 individual pickup models to choose from, each with its own tonal characteristics and personality. You can also freely move the pickups around in the pickup area providing you with virtually limitless options. Experiment with different pickups, different pickup positions and different playing positions all at the same time. With MODO BASS, you can create combinations that would be virtually impossible to accomplish without a lot of solder and wiring adjustments!

Adjust the overall pickup output with the tone control, just like the tone control on the physical bass. You can switch the electronics from Passive to Active, and doing so gives you access to an additional parametric EQ that lets you fine-tune your tone for the perfect balance.

Amp / FX

With MODO BASS, you have full control over the signal path and get 7 bass effect stompbox effects and two classic bass amplifiers. Choose from an Octaver, Distortion, Chorus, Compressor, Delay, Envelope Filter or Graphic EQ. Each stomp box has been derived from the world-class models in AmpliTube Custom Shop. Each stomp effect gives you full control over the effect applied to the signal, parameter adjustment and overall output volume into the next effect. 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 in the chain on each other effect in the chain and gives you real-world performance and a realism simply not found in other software instruments.

Choose from a classic all-tube amplifier and 1x15 cab, or you can choose a powerhouse solid-state model with a 4x10 cab. Each amp gives you full control over gain structure, EQ (with mid-frequency adjustment on the tube amp), and additional fine-tuning options with a graphic EQ. There is also a global bypass feature that allows you to route the bass signal from MODO BASS into another amp effects modeling suite like AmpliTube Custom Shop, where there’s a whole new world of sonic options available for bass tone shaping and effects waiting for you.

So if you’re looking to bring your bass tracks to life, to truly put a performance into your next production, put MODO BASS to work for you. You’ll be amazed by the realism.

Control — The Bass Players’ Script

MODO BASS also gives you MIDI control of critical parameters that you can automate in real time. In the MIDI Control section, you can remap keyswitches or link controls to any MIDI control change for easier playability and programming. Control and adjust the application of Vibrato, the playing style, the application of Mute and slide while playing. You can also control the frequency of the vibrato and the amount of the bend, plus the amount of slide and detach noise.

Plus, keyswitching in MODO BASS allows you to switch on the fly between chord mode and note mode, the type of stroke used when playing, the fingers used for the phrasing, and the playing style, giving you complete control over the final sound signature.

Plus, using your DAW’s automation you can control other useful parameters such as the playing position. In fact, varying this parameter while performing is one of the secrets for achieving utmost realism, and MODO BASS is the only virtual instrument that is truly able to make it possible.

Choose your axe

MODO BASS offers 22 unique bass instruments to create exactly the right bass sound for your music. Under the MODEL tab you can browse through the different basses. MODO BASS 2.0 has expanded options with the addition of 2 fretless basses, 2 double basses and the freedom to make any bass a fretless*.

Fretless Jazz NEW

Inspired by the Fender® Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass®

Fretless Bass Man NEW

Inspired by the Pino Palladino Fretless Music Man® StingRay

Studio Upright NEW

Inspired by a Jazz style Upright Bass

Rockabilly NEW

Inspired by a Rockabilly style Upright Bass

Horn Bass NEW

Inspired by the Danelectro® Longhorn Bass

Punk Bass NEW

Inspired by the Fender® Mark Hoppus Jazz Bass®

Fusion J-Bass NEW

Inspired by the Fender® Marcus Miller Jazz Bass®

Aluminum NEW

Inspired by the Noah Paraffina Bass

Imperial Bass

Inspired by a Fodera® Imperial Custom 6-string Bass

Metal Bass

Inspired by a Dingwall® Combustion 5-string Bass.

60’s P-Bass

Inspired by a ‘60s Fender® Precision Bass

70’s P-Bass

Inspired by a ’70s Fender® Precision Bass

70’s J-Bass

Inspired by a ‘70s Fender® Jazz Bass®

Modern J-Bass

Inspired by a Fender® Jazz Bass®

Devil Bass

Inspired by a Gibson EB-0 Bass

Bass Man 5

Inspired by a Music Man® StingRay 5-string Bass

Rick n’ Bass

Inspired by a Rickenbacker® 4003 Bass

Studio Bass

Inspired by a Yamaha® TRB 5P Bass

Violin Bass

Inspired by a Höfner® Violin Bass

Thunder Bass

Inspired by a Gibson® Thunderbird Bass

Japan Bass

Inspired by an Ibanez® Soundgear (SR) Bass

Flame Bass

Inspired by a Warwick® Streamer Bass

Find your groove

MODO BASS is about more than just designing basses. The PATTERNS section makes it easy to find inspiration and kick-start your creativity with over 1,500 MIDI patterns in a vast range of styles.

These MIDI grooves are drawn from dozens of sessions with today’s top bass players and producers, created specifically for MODO BASS or drawn from the very best of our 25-year history of sample libraries and virtual instruments.

Use smart filters to browse by genre, song section, length, time signature and more. You can instantly audition any pattern to quickly find what you need, whether it’s the backbone of a full song or just a handy solo lick to lead into your next song section.

Once you have what you need, just drag and drop the pattern right into your DAW and it’s instantly ready to use, and safely in your session file. You can build an entire track – grooves, solos, transitions and all – in just seconds, so you can keep your focus where it belongs: on your music.

With MODO BASS, you can be sure you’ll have the inspiration you need, from start to finish.

*Making standard basses fretless is not available in the CS version.
Choose SE or Full for this feature.

*Legal detail