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All Reviews by Jafo


By Jafo
On 2nd October 2005
Version: 1.0

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GSi MrTramp

I should begin by dispelling a myth or two: it takes more than a Wurly to sound like Supertramp! A plain Wurly sounds quite a bit different; they used a ton of effects and amps to get "that" sound. Mr. Tramp sounds like a plain Wurly, not like "Goodbye Stranger." But trust me, this is a Good Thing! You can still get that glorious, if processed, sound; I recommend beginning with the Simulanalog and Classic suites for some real vintage quality. Amplitube and Trash also rock serious ass.

Anyway, Mr. Tramp sounds and responds like the real thing. I didn't believe it either when I first played with the public beta, but a trip down to my local Banjo Depot (Err, Guitar Center), which had a well-used but well-maintained Wurly (a 203e, IIRC) that matched this emulation. It's a mellow, thin, hollow, reedy kind of sound that really responds to sensitive treatment. It's a friendly, good-natured sound that just works -- but you can dirty it up and sharpen the edges, give it some amphetamine-fueled aggro with the right amp sims.

I've never had any problems with it whatsoever. It says what it does and does what it says, with no surprises (other than how good it is!). I wish it had a more flexible tremolo, but it exactly matches the real thing. Anyway, Guido is almost unreasonably responsive to suggestions and genuinely cares about his creations -- and it shows.

If you have any interest in a vintage sound, do yourself a favor and download this.
 
    

By Jafo
On 2nd October 2005
Version: 1.0

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4Front Technologies 4Front Bass Module

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
 
Last edited : 2nd October 2005     
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