KVR Audio

Bardstown Audio · Post by **Bardstown Audio** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:35 am

Dan Dean, who happens to be one of the best bass musicians in the world in addition to being one of the very best sampled instrument sound developers in the world, graciously offered to fine-tune Bardstown Audio's newest release, "THE BASS," which is an acoustic upright bass with gut strings rather than steel strings. Dan also has perfect pitch as well.

As good as this sampled 24 bit 96k acoustic upright bass sounded when it was initially released a couple of weeks ago, it sounds even better now. I have re-done the demos on our web site in order to reflect this fine-tuning upgrade by Dan Dean. There is also updated information on "THE BASS" information page on our web site as well.

All customers who have purchased "THE BASS" have been sent new DVD's which reflect this upgrade.

Here are links to the demos, which also feature Bardstown Audio's Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Model 290 as well...

Enjoy!

http://www.bardstownaudio.com/mp3/bass01.mp3

http://www.bardstownaudio.com/mp3/tunisia.mp3

And here is our latest demo produced by Alan Russell...

http://www.bardstownaudio.com/mp3/bass02.mp3

For detailed information about "THE BASS," visit our web site at www.bardstownaudio.com

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

Bardstown Audio · Post by **Bardstown Audio** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:58 am

By popular request I re-did the Tunisia demo with the volume turned up on the release note off samples, which capture the sound of the finger coming off of the finger board, in order to provide some string and buzzing noise on THE BASS. This is a very quick and easy adjustment to make in any of the software samplers that this bass is programmed for, including Giga, HALion, Kontakt, Kompakt, and EXS24.

Here is the link...

http://www.bardstownaudio.com/mp3/tunisia02.mp3

Enjoy!

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:55 am

Lovely! I really dig the string bass in general, but your samples have really captured the "sneakiness" of a real string bass. Great job, and I'm going to be looking into these samples...

P.S. But your bass still doesn't beat this one. (Sorry, just joking around.

)

By the way, your instruments, which are top-notch, are very suprisingly inexpensive compared to the other commercial sounds. Very cool!

Bardstown Audio · Post by **Bardstown Audio** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:38 am

geoffkhan wrote:Lovely! I really dig the string bass in general, but your samples have really captured the "sneakiness" of a real string bass. Great job, and I'm going to be looking into these samples...

P.S. But your bass still doesn't beat this one. (Sorry, just joking around. )

By the way, your instruments, which are top-notch, are very suprisingly inexpensive compared to the other commercial sounds. Very cool!

Geoffkhan, thank you so much for your compliments which are very much appreciated.

All the best,

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

Bardstown Audio · Post by **Bardstown Audio** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:50 am

Here is a link to a new demo produced by Craig Sharmat, which features the Bardstown acoustic upright BASS and the Bardstown Classic Accordions. In this demo Craig is playing a D'Jango gypsy style guitar, which is absolutely beautiful.

This demo features the softer warmer sounding side of THE BASS, rather than the more aggressive sound that you can also get from this bass.

Enjoy!

http://www.bardstownaudio.com/mp3/parisian.mp3

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

steveholt · Post by **steveholt** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:12 pm

By popular request I re-did the Tunisia demo

That's the most understated version I ever heard! "A Quiet Afternoon in Tunisia".

Steve

Bardstown Audio · Post by **Bardstown Audio** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:32 pm

There are two Tunisia demos on our web site... one without string noise and the other with. Any additional noise than the demo that has the string release noise would be too excessive. You never hear true professional bass musicians playing with excessive string noise because they have their strings set high enough on the bridge in order to minimize this noise. You only hear excessive string noise from basses where the strings are set too low. With strings set too low on a bass you don't get the full fat resonance of the strings but you do get way too much string buzzing which becomes garbage and not at all pleasing to listen to.

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

steveholt · Post by **steveholt** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:41 pm

I was thinking more about the arrangement - very laid back.

Steve

Markleford · Post by **Markleford** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:06 pm

Bardstown Audio wrote:You never hear true professional bass musicians playing with excessive string noise [...]

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. "Professional" has so much less to do with it than the style desired: sometimes a really "dirty" bass fits the bill, with all the slaps, clicks, and clacks (and even missed pitches) entailed.

IMO, action on the bass should be set such that if you played soft to moderately, you get the full tone, but when the player digs in you should get some buzz on the attack when the node of the vibrating string is at its maximum (which will dissapate when obstructed by the fretboard).

As such (and not to deny your achievement), your bass doesn't even begin to interest me for my dirty jazz, hip-hop, and rockabilly efforts. I'd certainly hope that this not label me as "unprofessional" in your eyes.

- m

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:16 pm

Markleford wrote:
Bardstown Audio wrote:You never hear true professional bass musicians playing with excessive string noise [...]
We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. "Professional" has so much less to do with it than the style desired: sometimes a really "dirty" bass fits the bill, with all the slaps, clicks, and clacks (and even missed pitches) entailed.

IMO, action on the bass should be set such that if you played soft to moderately, you get the full tone, but when the player digs in you should get some buzz on the attack when the node of the vibrating string is at its maximum (which will dissapate when obstructed by the fretboard).
- m

Yeah, the buzzes and clicks are what makes it realistic and groovy. I have had the honor of listening and playing with some very good acoustic bassists, and I definitely wouldn't say they avoid those noises.

Bardstown Audio · Post by **Bardstown Audio** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 7:30 pm

Here is a new demo produced by Alan Russell, which features Bardstown Audio's THE BASS, Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Model 290, and the Classic Accordions. Other instruments featured in this demo are the Soprano Sax from the John Rekevics Saxophone collection, and one of Donnie Christian's jazz trumpets from the Berkley College collection, and also Donnie's bongos and shakers.

Here is the link...

http://www.bardstownaudio.com/mp3/bass03.mp3

Enjoy!

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 10:53 pm

I think overall the bass sound is great, but the programming isn't the best. What the bass is playing doesn't really sound like what a bass player would play (I'm a bass player, by the way, just so you know).

Bardstown Audio · Post by **Bardstown Audio** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 12:19 am

Hi Geoff, thanks for your comments and compliments on the sound of THE BASS.

In this day of sampled instrument programming, it is quite common to hear unorthodox playing on certain instruments considering the person doing the programming or playing on a midi keyboard is not totally familiar as to how different instruments are to be properly played in the way real musicians would do. Probably the most common unorthodox programmed instrument we frequently hear is the "three handed drummer."

All the best,

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

jdahlb · Post by **jdahlb** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 12:27 am

Bardstown Audio wrote:Probably the most common unorthodox programmed instrument we frequently hear is the "three handed drummer."

Amen to that!

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 5:14 am

Bardstown Audio wrote:Hi Geoff, thanks for your comments and compliments on the sound of THE BASS.

In this day of sampled instrument programming, it is quite common to hear unorthodox playing on certain instruments considering the person doing the programming or playing on a midi keyboard is not totally familiar as to how different instruments are to be properly played in the way real musicians would do. Probably the most common unorthodox programmed instrument we frequently hear is the "three handed drummer."

All the best,

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com

Yeah, realistic sequencing is something that's very difficult to do. For most people it just takes too long. For example, when I write a drumtrack, it takes me several hours -- just to make a groovy, realistic, "two-handed" track. So sequencing can take me a nightmarishly long time. Even that in track I posted earlier I'm not really happy with the bass sequencing.

But I will say that if you have good samples, such as the samples from your Bardstown Bass, it makes the realistic sequencing job a whole lot easier! So big thanks to sound designers such as yourself.

Bardstown Audio's Acoustic Upright "THE BASS" Upgr