Function Loops comes with Psytrance Bass – Free Psy Bass Plugin

Psychedelic trance has a very specific kind of bass sound identified by distinct characteristics. This bass is usually built upon the square or sawtooth waveform and has sub and midrange layers. 

Psytance Bass gives you exactly that, so you get ready-to-be-used bass sounds without spending much time on the sound design aspect. The plugin has 40 different bass sounds with different flavors. Additionally, it also gives you comprehensive controls to customize the sounds as per your taste. Let’s discuss those different parameters. 

The ‘ENVELOPE’ section gives you control over your sound’s attack, release, decay, and sustain. Next, there’s a ‘FILTER’ section where you can add a low pass or high pass filter and set the frequency. 

The ‘MODULATION’ tab allows you to modulate the sound’s pitch, expression, or pan by a sine, triangle, saw, square, or exponent waveform. You can also set a source like modwheel, aftertouch, and velocity. Once you set the source and target of the modulation, you can also set the speed and gain of the modulation. 

You can also add distortion effects using the ‘DISTORTION’ section, wherein you get drive, gain, and mix controls and a cabinet on/off switch. For a subtler saturation effect, you can try the free Heatwave by Slate Digital, which has a warm, clear, and high-quality tone.  

Apart from using it as a bass instrument, you can also use it as a synth and a polyphonic instrument. The ‘MODE’ section gives you the option to set the voicing of the plugin as mono, poly, or legato, along with a glide knob for a smooth transition between notes.

Finally, the ‘GLOBAL’ section has global/output controls like pan and gain.

Now, let’s talk about how the plugin sounds. Function Loops has generously given 217 MB of free sounds, and 40 different bass presets that cover most of your psytrance needs. You get beefy and fat bass sounds, which are good in quality and resolution. I do not have any complaints with the plugin, as it gives what it promises. 

Tip: Use an arpeggiator on top of Psytrance bass to get that signature rhythmic movement of Psytrance basslines.  

Moreover, I would use this plugin in my psytrance productions and other genres like pop, hip-hop, Bollywood, R&B, and more electronic genres. A lot of K-pop songs also have some cool psytrance-inspired drops.

What I like about the plugin is that you get everything you need in one place. You get distortion and cabinet effects for more aggressiveness. There’s also the filter effect that you can use to add more excitement to your songs, especially during buildups and transitions. 

Moreover, everything, including the presets, is in one place, with no hidden functions or features. That makes up for a great interface and just simplifies your overall workflow. 

Psytrance Bass by Function Loops is available in AU, VS3, and VST plugin formats for Windows and Mac operating systems. 

Download Function Loops Psytrance Bass here