A meticulously sampled acoustic upright bass for EZbass, capturing the instrument’s timeless, earthy tone with diverse microphone blends, presets, and tailored MIDI for plucked, fretless-style playing across jazz, pop, and acoustic genres.
Purpose and Character
The Upright EBX is a sound expansion for Toontrack’s EZbass, dedicated to reproducing the unmistakable tone of an acoustic upright bass. Known by many names, this instrument carries a dark, resonant, and earthy timbre that has defined music for centuries. The expansion aims to deliver that classic voice for modern compositions, focusing on a plucked attack that cuts through a mix.
Built around a handpicked Corsini Elite bass crafted by Romanian luthier Calin Wultur, the recording emphasizes projection and clarity in the lower frequencies. The choice of a flatback design supports a modern, acoustic approach rather than a classical one. The result is an instrument that brings the physical presence and timeless character of a full-size upright bass into a digital workflow.
Sound and Articulation
The bass was sampled using pizzicato (plucked) technique only, matching its intended use in jazz, rock, pop, and acoustic settings. To capture a wide tonal range, the recording used both an onboard piezo pickup and five high-end microphones placed in different positions. This blend offers flexibility from a direct, punchy sound to a more ambient, roomy texture.
Recording took place in a relatively small room to minimize ambient saturation and maintain transparency, preserving the instrument’s natural low end and body. The careful microphone positioning ensures an organic and vivid sound. Users can choose between different mic combinations to shape the tone, from intimate and warm to more present and defined, depending on the musical context.
Presets and MIDI
The expansion includes a broad collection of presets designed to cover various genres and microphone blends. These presets incorporate effects like compression, reverb, and EQ, alongside the natural tonal flavors of the different mics. Whether for a mellow jazz trio, Americana, bluegrass, folk, indie, pop, or rock, there is a preset to suit the mood.
A custom MIDI library, performed by noted bassist Laurence Cottle, provides fundamental basslines tailored to the upright bass’s fretless expression. The lines range from laid-back to more elaborate, giving users a starting point to shape using EZbass’s editing tools. This integration allows for quick sketching of authentic upright bass parts in any DAW.
Workflow and Integration
As an expansion for EZbass, the Upright EBX integrates seamlessly into the existing EZbass workflow. Users can load the instrument and MIDI within the EZbass interface, taking advantage of its onboard tools such as note editing, humanization, and further sound shaping. The presets serve as quick starting points, while the MIDI provides a foundation for melodic ideas.
The realistic sampled performance and the ability to blend microphones directly in the interface streamline the creation of upright bass tracks. This is ideal for composers and producers seeking an authentic acoustic bass sound without the need for a physical instrument. The included content is designed to inspire and facilitate both writing and final production.
Key features
- Meticulously captured acoustic upright bass
- Recorded with piezo pickup and five microphone configurations
- Broad selection of presets covering various genres and blends
- Custom MIDI library for upright and fretless playing styles
- Designed for plucked (pizzicato) playing technique
Best for
Composers and producers using EZbass who need an authentic, plucked upright bass for jazz, acoustic rock, pop, bluegrass, folk, or Americana productions. The expansion provides a versatile, organic tone with flexible mic blends and genre-specific presets, ideal for adding a timeless, earthy low end to a track.