Bass Rider by Waves bass leveling audio plugin interface

Bass Rider: Automatic Bass Level Control Plugin by Waves

Bass Rider is a Waves plugin that automatically controls bass gain to hold a steady target level across a track, rather than using dynamics processing to do so.

VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

Download Now

Opens the store in a new tab

01Overview

Bass Rider is an effects plugin from Waves in the compressor subcategory, built for the common problem of uneven bass levels. Low frequencies are hard to hear and reproduce consistently, and heavy compression or manual level automation both come with trade-offs. Bass Rider instead adjusts the bass's gain automatically to maintain a target level, aiming to keep the bass steady while leaving its attack, tone and sustain intact.

Best for

Mixing bass lines
Live bass leveling
Evening out uneven bass parts
Studio bass tracking cleanup

Developer: Waves
Category: Compressors
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Automatically controls bass gain to hold a steady target level
Preserves attack, tone, sustain and dynamic feel of the bass
No dynamics processing, so sound quality stays intact
Real-time operation with no added latency
Retains punch that compression often squashes
Writes an automation track you can fine-tune afterward
Compensates for bass performances with uneven touch
Available for Windows and macOS

03In depth

How Bass Rider Keeps Bass Levels Steady

Waves describes Bass Rider as a way to control bass gain automatically, so the bass holds a consistent target level throughout a track. Because the plugin does not use dynamics processing, the developer says the sound quality stays intact.

The plugin runs in real time with no added latency, which makes it usable during live performance as well as in the studio. It also writes an automation track that you can edit afterward if you want to adjust the result by hand.

Bass Mixing Without Losing Punch

Heavy compression is a common way to tame bass, but Waves notes that it can alter the attack, tone and sustain of the instrument and squash the punch of the part. Bass Rider is designed to keep the bass's attack, tone, sustain and dynamic feel while still delivering consistent levels.

This makes it a fit for bass lines where the performance has uneven touch, since the plugin compensates for inconsistent playing without flattening the feel of the part.

04Specs