Bass Engine 1 by DopeSONIX hip hop bass plugin interface

Bass Engine 1: Hip Hop Bass Plugin by DopeSONIX

Rated 4.4/5 on Plugin Boutique (757 ratings)

Bass Engine 1 is a hip hop bass virtual instrument by DopeSONIX, available as a VST2 and AU plugin for Windows and macOS. It includes 300 pre-EQ'd bass patches, including twenty 808s, and 50 MIDI basslines.

VST2AUWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Bass Engine 1 focuses on hip hop bass sounds. DopeSONIX built its patch library around three decades of hip hop production, grouping the presets by era. The developer says the first set recalls 1990s sampler-based basslines, the second covers smoother 2000s hardware-style bass, and the third focuses on synth, sub-bass and 808 sounds. The plugin also includes Mono, Poly and Legato modes, built-in ADSR and filter controls, and a light CPU footprint for laptops and lower-spec machines.

Best for

Hip hop bass lines
808 sub bass
Boom bap sampling-style basses
Trap low end
Sample-style jazzy basses
Laptop beat production

Developer: DopeSONIX
Category: Virtual Instruments
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

300 pre-EQ'd hip hop bass instruments in three eras
Twenty 808 patches included in the library
50 hip hop MIDI basslines across styles and keys
Built-in pitch, pan, glide and volume controls
Mono, Poly and Legato playing modes
Built-in ADSR envelope controls
Built-in high- and low-pass filters
Low CPU usage suited to laptops and lower-spec computers
Fast patch loading for quick browsing
Programmable by hand or via MIDI/USB controllers

03In depth

Hip Hop Bass Sounds Across Three Eras

The 300 patches are organized into three groups of 100. The developer describes the first group as a nod to 1990s sampling, with crackly upright basses, deep Moog-style tones and abstract jazzy bass sounds. The second group covers 2000s hardware-style bass, including deep dirty basses, solid subs and clean vinyl-style cuts. The final group concentrates on 808s, Moog Prodigy-style subs, warm MS-20-style vibes and heavy low-end basses.

All patches are pre-EQ'd, so they are ready to drop into a mix. The library also includes twenty 808 patches, which makes it useful if you need a range of kick-style sub sounds rather than a single 808 sample.

Playing, Programming and Controller Workflow

Bass Engine 1 offers built-in pitch, pan, glide and volume controls, along with ADSR and high- and low-pass filters for shaping each patch. You can switch between Mono, Poly and Legato modes depending on whether you are playing single-note lines or chords.

The plugin includes 50 MIDI basslines in a range of styles and keys, which you can use as starting points. You can program your own lines manually or play them from a MIDI or USB controller, keyboard or MPD. Patches load quickly, so you can audition many sounds in a session.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	DopeSONIX
Type	Plugin
Category	Virtual Instruments
Formats	VST2, AU
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does Bass Engine 1 support?

Bass Engine 1 is available in VST2 and AU formats. It is a 64-bit plugin, and the developer lists both Windows and macOS as supported operating systems.

What do I need to use Bass Engine 1?

You need a VST or Audio Units compatible DAW host. On macOS the listed requirements are 2 GB of RAM and about 125 MB of disk space; on Windows it is 1 GB of RAM and about 139 MB of disk space.

How many 808 sounds are included?

The library includes twenty fat 808 patches among its 300 pre-EQ'd hip hop bass instruments.

Can I use a MIDI controller with Bass Engine 1?

Yes. You can program basslines manually or play them from a MIDI or USB controller or keyboard. The developer lists support for controllers from brands including Native Instruments Maschine, Novation, Arturia and Akai.