Using licks and phrases based on (stolen from . . . in a good way) performances by top studio players, Steinberg’s completely cool Virtual Bassist ($249.99) offers a variety of bass samples in genres ranging from rock to reggae to metal to hip-hop. The playable library includes a range of intros, fills, and variations that can be tweaked to taste using the MIDI Key Editor feature, and further shaped using Virtual Bassist’s amp, cabinet, effects, and microphone models. The program also offers GrooveMatch, a tool that molds Virtual Bassist bass lines to any existing drum groove.

Steinberg