4Front Bass is a small and versatile electric bass module.
The bass module is a morph between sample playback and a synthesizer. Original string excitation is sampled, and then sound is modeled.
4Front Bass Module is a FREE load & play VSTi software bass synthesizer that "generates a high quality bass sound".
With the proprietary 4Front hybrid synthesis technology, 4Front modules take generally smaller space than the sampled versions of the same quality, and the CPU usage is optimal.
It's simple, not much CPU usage. The sound is ... not that bad, but can't be useful in my opinion.
I use a lot the 4Front products to test my system, you can directly see if all is working.
This is a nice little gem which seems to find its way into just about all of my recordings (except when a Rhodes ir synth bass fit better, or when I record a live bass, of course). It has a nice, simple, basic sound which fits well into a mix and can be processed in many ways; I recommend the C3 multiband compressor. It works best as a supporting player, holding down the bottom end while other parts shine. Its expressivity is limited, but that can be offset by sensitive use of envelope followers, distortion, and the like. It also works reasonably well in the midrange as a rhythmic keyboard sort of sound.
Don't get me wrong; you won't want to fire your bass player. But you will probably find yourself using this in demos, home recordings, and maybe even the occasional professional piece. It sounds good, it's totally reliable, it uses very few resources, and it's free -- what's not to like?
Notes on my ratings --
User Interface: None to speak of, but none needed.
Sound: Great in a mix, so-so solo. Warm and a touch edgy.
Features: Works as a weird synth on top, if processed. But it's a one-trick pony.
Documentation: None needed!
Presets: None possible (which is kind of the whole problem...)
Customer Support: None needed!
Value for Money: Totally worth the download.
Stability: Excellent
