FRETLESS IS MORE
The fretless bass, the presets and the MIDI you need for flawless composition across the genres.
At a glance, one wouldn’t think that removing the seemingly insignificant metal rods that separate the notes on a bass’ fretboard would open up a completely new harmonic panorama and transform it into an almost altogether new instrument. But it does, indeed. The sublime and soaring violin-like character, the near-weightless glissando, the rich, full and hearty sustain and the incredibly unique overall expressiveness are all qualities that make it utterly impossible to mistake it for a traditional bass. A subtle vibrato or just the strike of a single note gives it away.
The Fretless EBX comes with a handpicked instrument, sampled in extreme detail to capture all of these unique characteristics. In addition to the sounds, it also includes a broad selection of presets as well as a custom content of MIDI tailored for fretless playing styles.
Immortalized by players like Sting, Les Claypool, Bernard Odum, Pino Palladino, Gary Willis and, of course, Jaco Pastorius, the fretless has truly become a mythical creature in the world of basses – revered for its tone but feared for its profound complexity to handle. Regardless of what style you’re looking to write, welcome to a bass that encompasses the entire dynamic and tonal range needed to cut through on both ends of the extremes. This is a bass that lets you paint with sound – outside the lines. Literally.
FEATURE SPOTLIGHT
- A meticulously captured fretless, top-shelf bass
- Includes a collection of presets covering a broad range of tones – from dark and mellow to bright and articulate
- For use in any style where the bass has a prominent role
- Includes a custom MIDI library tailored for the instrument and fretless playing styles
THE INSTRUMENT
Welcome to a bass for the ages.
When looking for an optimal fretless bass to sample for an expansion like this, the Toontrack sound design team had an extensive list of boxes it needed to tick. Extreme craftsmanship and attention to detail was one, a pure and transparent tone was another and an even and balanced sustain was a third. In the end, the list whittled down to one obvious choice, the brainchild of fretless master player Gary Willis: an Ibanez GWB 1005.*
“This bass is truly a marvel of craftsmanship. It sounds as natural, raw and organic as it looks. Just at the strike of a note, it’s obvious that it’s a fretless – which is exactly what we were looking for,” comments Magnus Melkersson, EZbass lead R&D technician.
