What are some recommended bass amp sims for a mellow R&B tone?
I don't think I need anything fancy... totally happy with free amp sims for guitar (AXP Flextron and Shattered Glass Audio Ace) and in the hardware world I'd use an old Acoustic Image Clarus head for portability. But I'm not opposed to spending money if it'll get me a better sound.
Specifically, any opinions on the Brainworx B15N? That looks especially tempting for the old-school sound, for when I want to really try to nail the sound of some old Motown or Memphis record that was sampled in 90s hip-hop.
Bass amp sims for R&B
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2141 posts since 20 Sep, 2013 from Poland
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- Boss Lovin' DR
- 12621 posts since 15 Mar, 2002 from the grimness of yorkshire
Bit of sponge under the strings (honestly, it works to get that dead, muted sound), turn the treble on the bass down loads. James Jamerson did use an Ampeg B15 live, but on a lot of the records it's DI.
https://happymag.tv/the-ampeg-b-15-the- ... own-sound/
https://happymag.tv/the-ampeg-b-15-the- ... own-sound/
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2141 posts since 20 Sep, 2013 from Poland
Thanks. DI signal, EQ and compression is probably all it takes a lot of time, heh. Muting helps.
In hip-hop stuff when I want a less perfectly clean sound than DI I've generally been using the Ignite Amps SHB-1 and some random Ampeg 8x10 IRs, which sounds good as long as I keep the gain low but, well, that's kind of a silly amp to use for this.
In hip-hop stuff when I want a less perfectly clean sound than DI I've generally been using the Ignite Amps SHB-1 and some random Ampeg 8x10 IRs, which sounds good as long as I keep the gain low but, well, that's kind of a silly amp to use for this.
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- Banned
- 63 posts since 14 Jan, 2022
Yes, the Brainworx Ampeg B-15N sounds quite authentic to my ears. I bought it during one of their recent sales and have been using it with my newly bought bass guitar (I'm far from being a bass expert). It gives more of an Isley Brothers kind of live sound, but I seem to recall reading that Jamerson initially used it on the Motown studio as well.
Also: free Voxengo Tube Amp (Mode 2, bias between 9 and 12 o'clock, now set the LP frequency to suit your material and then drive it until you hit the sweetspot). I also like to put compressors with LA2A type of settings before the saturation stage to even everything out a bit. You could use the free Klanghelm DC1A (probably "Relaxed" and "Deep" activated will work best with bass to prevent overreaction of the compression circuit and to ensure smoothness).
Soft clippers can also work, especially if they have multiband capacity. I use LVC Clipped-MAX in that capacity and typically set it to only affect the frequency above the fundamental...
Also: free Voxengo Tube Amp (Mode 2, bias between 9 and 12 o'clock, now set the LP frequency to suit your material and then drive it until you hit the sweetspot). I also like to put compressors with LA2A type of settings before the saturation stage to even everything out a bit. You could use the free Klanghelm DC1A (probably "Relaxed" and "Deep" activated will work best with bass to prevent overreaction of the compression circuit and to ensure smoothness).
Soft clippers can also work, especially if they have multiband capacity. I use LVC Clipped-MAX in that capacity and typically set it to only affect the frequency above the fundamental...
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2141 posts since 20 Sep, 2013 from Poland
Ah, the Voxengo Boogex, I remember seeing that recommended on Talkbass. Good idea to grab that, and wait for a sale on the Brainworx Portaflex.
Another amp that came up on TB is the Kuassa Cerberus. Seems like overkill, and I'd only use one of the channels, but any opinions on that one for more mellow R&B sounds?
Another amp that came up on TB is the Kuassa Cerberus. Seems like overkill, and I'd only use one of the channels, but any opinions on that one for more mellow R&B sounds?
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2141 posts since 20 Sep, 2013 from Poland
Update: tried the Cerberus, the built-in compressor is nice and the FET channel does warm and fat nicely, but it didn't really sound any better than the simpler free stuff. It is hard to compete with free... Voxengo Boogex and Tube Amp are both nice and useful, though, definitely keeping those around.
Also went looking for some more cabinet IRs. Shift Line has an Ampeg B15 reissue IR and a Sunn 200 2x15 in their bass IR pack, both of which are very nice for the big fat sound either with the Voxengo amps or the SHB-1.
Also went looking for some more cabinet IRs. Shift Line has an Ampeg B15 reissue IR and a Sunn 200 2x15 in their bass IR pack, both of which are very nice for the big fat sound either with the Voxengo amps or the SHB-1.
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- KVRAF
- 5957 posts since 16 Aug, 2017 from UK
Is materialism devouring your musical output? 
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- Boss Lovin' DR
- 12621 posts since 15 Mar, 2002 from the grimness of yorkshire
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2141 posts since 20 Sep, 2013 from Poland
Thanks! Very good reference for the "sampled in 90s hip-hop" amount of treble cutoff and dirt.
(And, in quite a tangent, reminds me of Ceephus and Reesie on In Living Color, singing that to a man in an electric chair...)
(And, in quite a tangent, reminds me of Ceephus and Reesie on In Living Color, singing that to a man in an electric chair...)
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Danilo Villanova Danilo Villanova https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=418331
- KVRian
- 987 posts since 30 Apr, 2018
damn he's good!donkey tugger wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 5:03 pm Some good reference material;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQKUXUmG6ss
