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Chapter 1 Amps and pedals 27
Bass Amp Designer
Bass Amp Designer overview
Bass Amp Designer emulates the sound of three famous bass guitar ampliers and the speaker
cabinets used with them. Each precongured model combines an amp and cabinet that
recreates a well-known bass guitar amplier sound. The amp and cabinet can be combined
with integrated compression and EQ units to alter the tone. You can process signals directly,
reproducing the sound of your bass played through these amplication systems. Virtual
microphones are used to pick up the signal of the emulated amplier and cabinet. You can
choose from, and position, three dierent microphone types.
When recording, many bass players use a direct connection to a mixing board or other recording
equipment, often using a passive (non powered) or active (powered) D.I. box (Direct Injection
box). The use of a pre-amp with passive or active EQ and a hardware compressor instead of, or in
addition to, a D.I. box is extremely popular too. Bass Amp Designer emulates a professional-level
American D.I. box.
Bass Amp Designer has a two channel design—one for the pre-amp and one for the D.I. box.
This enables you to exibly change the signal ow for the following playing and recording
congurations: pre-amp with passive or active EQ, compressor, a straight power amp, just the
sound of the cabinets and microphones, D.I. box alone, bass amp alone, or both in parallel. See
Amplier signal ow and Pre-amp signal ow.
Model parameters
Microphone parameters
Amp parameters Effects parameters Amp parameters Output slider
The Bass Amp Designer interface is divided into four main parameter sections.
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Model parameters: The Model pop-up menu at the left of the black bar at the bottom is used
to choose a precongured model, consisting of an amplier, a cabinet, and a microphone type.
The other menus in the black bar enable you to independently choose the type of amplier,
cabinet, and microphone. See Build a custom Bass Amp Designer combo on page 29.
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Amp parameters: Located at each end of the knobs section, these parameters are used to set
an amp’s input gain, presence, and output level. See Bass Amp Designer amplier controls on
page 33.
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Eects parameters: Located in the center of the knobs section, these parameters control the
integrated EQ and compressor eects. A further graphic or parametric EQ is shown above
the compressor controls when the EQ button is turned on. See Bass Amp Designer eects
overview on page 34.
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Microphone parameters: Located at the right of the interface, these parameters set the type
and position of the microphone that captures the amplier and cabinet sound. See Bass Amp
Designer microphone parameters on page 37.