MODO BASS: Get ready for a new level of realism (1.5 update available now)

[Compyfox]

Personally I'm not too happy of already seeing a v1.5 version, with the recent update. There is so much more room for more. And I fear that we'll see v2 by Spring 2018. With another 150USD upgrade price.


What about auto-keyswitches?
Like Keyswitch Ranges? Low velocity triggers mutes, medium triggers normal notes, high triggers "let ring"?


The slide function is also something I find a bit unintuitive. I can have slide at 0%, and still hear every fret being "scraped over", no smooth dives. It's as if the brain is like "Okay... I have high action, but I still press the string downs like a blacksmith to create slides".


The Pickup Selection is a bit wonky as well. I'm pretty sure half of the "possible extended pickup setups" for certain basses are completely off once you engage these. Why not implement a system that shows the theoretical 24th and 30th fret? So that we can see where to place the pickup center points better? I can think of one simple button on the UI, showing you vertical lines with the most important PU position fitting to the scale of the neck (not starting at the bride position maybe, but at the fret board nut) - see these various interesting pictures and pages

Also, if you selected one PU, and then switch the body, the positions are taken over - they are not "reset" for the new bass/neck scale. I even had instances last night, where I switched the body (same scale though!) and the position was then offset (bridge unaffected, neck didn't stay at the setup position)


Regarding Electronics: what about coil splitting? What about a hotkey to activate/deactivate the Piezo at will (for better AB)? What about phase inverting a PU? (which is important, if we talk PU placement again)


Speaking of clicking and clicking... why must I jump between so many pages? I just setup a certain Pickup, but I want to A/B between bases. I have to click the Body tab, then back to Electronics. And why I can't I also setup the "slide noise" on the Control Panel (now that it was completely overhauled)?


Another feature I'd like to see, is "force tapping".

Which brings me to one instruments that would work GREAT in MODO Bass' physical modeling engine: the Chapman Stick. Though opening all basses up to 12 strings (SG12 and Grand-Strick) is kind of insane (opening up all of them to 6 string is already brutal!). A "Standard-Stick" or "Stick-Bass" would be a start though. 36" scale, 8 strings (bass) or 10 strings (standard). Though only make it possible for this "guitar" to use the 8-string range

[electro]

What about auto-keyswitches?
Like Keyswitch Ranges? Low velocity triggers mutes, medium triggers normal notes, high triggers "let ring"?

Agreed, the entire page should have been fully customizable. No idea why it wasn't done.

Personally I'm not too happy of already seeing a v1.5 version, with the recent update. There is so much more room for more. And I fear that we'll see v2 by Spring 2018. With another 150USD upgrade price.

Not a $150 pricetag, but a v2 with a new plugin ID would be necessary for any sound engine or core design changes that break backwards compatibility with 1.x.

[Compyfox]

What about auto-keyswitches?
Like Keyswitch Ranges? Low velocity triggers mutes, medium triggers normal notes, high triggers "let ring"?

Agreed, the entire page should have been fully customizable. No idea why it wasn't done.

This idea actually comes form other guitar brains. Here it's completely normal to have velocity trigger zones.

Of course, going full "Musiclab" would be drastically overkill. But at least let us setup these three "triggers" (though I see that then there is a velocity curve handling needed) - the rest of the keyswitches are easy to pull off already.



And I'm still for a Chapman Stick - at bar minimum, Tapping Mode (HoPo keyswitch isn't the same - needs adjacent notes)

[Jax Pok]

Seems the Ik shop is bugged only the cross grade versions are available to buy. Anyway I'll keep comparing it to Trilian see if it's worth the upgrade.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Seems the Ik shop is bugged only the cross grade versions are available to buy. Anyway I'll keep comparing it to Trilian see if it's worth the upgrade.

That is not a bug. MODO BASS is its own product, and v1.5 is a free update so there's nothing to upgrade from. You can crossgrade to save a lot from any previously purchased product of a value of $/€99.99 or more.

[Krakatau]

And I'm still for a Chapman Stick - at bar minimum, Tapping Mode (HoPo keyswitch isn't the same - needs adjacent notes)

I strongly agree with a Chapman Stick on the whishlist but I assume though, that it would slightly models, even as guitar models

For now I might be waiting for fretless basses (fender precision, etc...) but obviously, by removing the frets it’ll change the game deeply, supposing the handling of glissando techniques for instance,... even as bass models !

[oboemaroni]

I'm pretty disappointed with Modo tbh, I bought it to do Carol Kaye/Joe Osborn-esque 60s pick bass (e.g. ) and it doesn't seem to be capable of it. The mute totally kills the sustain on high notes, and the sound (esp the attack) of the pick playing style when DI'd is quite synthetic. The other basses do sound good and when amped it can sound very convincing but for what I need it's not up to the sound I can get with samples (Scarbee Rickenbacker palm mute is the best I've found though not perfect). Shame as the playability and consistency of modelled instruments obviously beats samples. Maybe I need to dust off my J-bass and go back to the real thing instead...

[Jax Pok]

Seems the Ik shop is bugged only the cross grade versions are available to buy. Anyway I'll keep comparing it to Trilian see if it's worth the upgrade.

That is not a bug. MODO BASS is its own product, and v1.5 is a free update so there's nothing to upgrade from. You can crossgrade to save a lot from any previously purchased product of a value of $/€99.99 or more.

Ah so it's giving me the crossgrade only because I already own load of Ik stuff, I thought I would have to hand over an ik product to get that also found a load of jam points. £100 for this Ik are smoking a lot of crack really liking it

Thanks Peter

[Iva]

I predict for modo version 2.0 unified modo instruments (piano, bass and drums) player ala sample tank with custom shop integration for models. Upgrade price 150 eur, new models in custom shop for 80-100 eur each. I think ver 1.5 is just a test product. That’s the way ik usually does its business

[Armadillo]

Just had a quick go on the demo. Sounds superb.

I couldn't quite get legato slide (portamento) to work and the manual is rather sparse.
It appears to be CC65 but that had no effect. I suspect it might be because it jumps to another string when going for example 7 semi tones up, but I don't see a way to just use the same string. Am I missing something obvious here?
I get the fact pitch bend does a normal slide but I want a more automatic process like when you use portamento on a monophonic synth.

[axb312]

If I could have one wish for future updates (or version two) though, it would be the addition of an acoustic and an upright bass. That'd be awesome!

Nope. That should be a completely different product with bowed and plucked options as well as virtual mic placement. Let MODO Bass remain what it is, a virtual E-bass with direct pickup output for AMPs. It doesn't need synth or acoustic sounds.

Nope. Every bass imaginable should be in the MODO Bass module. Sure it's the first physically modeled electric bass module. Doesn't mean it cannot or should not cover all bass requirements like Trillian does.

[Jax Pok]

After a few hours with it , still early days but I think I only need to keep Trilan installed for the stand up bass and the Chapman stick. It's like a u-He version of a load of bass guitars.

RESIZABLE GUI!

[axb312]

I predict for modo version 2.0 unified modo instruments (piano, bass and drums) player ala sample tank with custom shop integration for models. Upgrade price 150 eur, new models in custom shop for 80-100 eur each. I think ver 1.5 is just a test product. That’s the way ik usually does its business

This comment and a mention of a 150 USD upgrade are giving me nightmares.

C'mon guys, I just bought this during BF. Perhaps I should've read up some more on how IK Multimedia does business but I bought this believing all updates to the MODO bass would be free for life, the way most companies who want to retain and grow their customer base are doing it nowadays.

Perhaps this is derailing the thread a bit but I would really like to know what the general consensus on how IK treats it's customers and updates is....

[axb312]

After a few hours with it , still early days but I think I only need to keep Trilan installed for the stand up bass and the Chapman stick. It's like a u-He version of a load of bass guitars.

As I kinda stated earlier, MODO still needs (IMO):
1. An upright bass
2. A chapman stick
3. A fretless bass

[DarkStar]

Perhaps this is derailing the thread a bit but I would really like to know what the general consensus on how IK treats it's customers and updates is....

That sure will derail it. And not really benefit anyone.