The Lowdown V2 by Modwheel Review
The Lowdown V2 by MODWHEEL is a sampled double bass instrument and includes several articulations and sound design elements: Arco, Pizz & Detuned plus Harmonics, Ambiences, Rhythms & Impacts and Single Notes, Rhythmic kits, ShapedNoises, and percussion incl. Mallets, Chopsticks etc
MODWHEEL is David Donaldson and Steve Roche (pictured above). Both have more than 30 years of experiences as musicians, composers, sound designers and recording engineers.
It all started when David Donaldson, Stephen Roche and Janet Roddick founded Plan 9 a musical collective back in 1996. Plan 9 has been a successful music & sound company and created the score for more than 20 feature films (Kobi, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, King Kong, Perfect Strangers, …), several tv series, numerous documentaries, programmes and short films (IMDb link) and won multiple soundtrack awards, including for Predicament and Perfect Strangers.
While working for Plan 9 they used several private libraries and tools. Through Modwheel David and Steve wanted to make some of the tools and libraries used by Plan 9 available to every composer.
The Lowdown V2 is an update to the first version released in September 2014. Customers how bought the first version of The Lowdown have received a free update. The Lowdown V2 library includes sounds made from a more than 100 years old vintage upright bass. With the first version of this library recorded back in 2014 Modwheel wanted to record a bass and some drones, however in the process of recording David and Steve recorded every imaginable sound which resulted in The Towdown and was updated 2017 to version 2.
Enhancements made in The Lowdown V2 compared to the first version
- Record new expressive bass patch with longer looped samples (the existing two expressive key groups as part of “Arco” play one or two bow lengths with natural end)
- Record new mallet, rhythmic, harmonic bowing and percussion patches.
- Create new patches and consolidated existing ones for clearer, easier use.
- Adjust MW dynamic crossover on Arco patch.
- Add key switching functionality to GUI.
- New rhythmic drum computer programming.
- Adjust velocity levels on drum programming as well as general patches.
- Add colouring to separate key groups.
- Delays are now in 32nd note graduations.
- Add information tab to patches.
- Filter cutoff assigned to mod wheel on rhythmic patches.
The Lowdown V2 comes with 100ish Kontakt Patches, includes more than 3000 samples and has a 3.4 GB footprint on your HD/SSD. The samples are compressed and equal to a 6.2 GB Core Library.
The Lowdown V2 library itself split into two parts. The first part of the instruments called “The BaSsics” provides you with a greatly recorded double bass which just sounds great and could make up for a great package even without the second part. With this standard bass and the included articulations, you are able to record emotional and full of life double bass.
- PIZZ BASS is a multi-sampled with 4 velocity layers, 3 round robins library including Sustain, Short, Semitone Slide, 5th Slides, and Harmonics
- PIZZ BASS SMOOTH is a softer version of PIZZ BASS
- ARCO BASS is a multi-sampled bowed bass with staccato and expressive articulations with 3 dynamic layers controlled by the mod wheel.
- ARCO EXPRESSIVE – A new recording with more expressive and longer arco performance.
With the second part which MODWHEEL calls “The Extended BaSs” you have access to ambiances, impacts, rhythmic, and shapednoise. Shapednoise has been created by Kirke Godfrey. Kirke is an Australian composer and sound designer. I spend hours playing with the included instruments here and you get quality sounds here that are beyond a double bass, MODWHEEL really nailed it.
Ambience
With the incorporated ambiances, you get evolving ambiances that can be used standalone, in a mix, in the back or front of your compositions and will provide great value.
Impacts and Single Notes
Through the impacts and single notes instruments you gain access to the glory of recorded bass played with mallets, brushes, slapping, chopsticks on every part possible.
Rhythmic
If I have to pick the rhythmic instruments are my favorite ones. MODWHEEL did record live performances and sequence the samples. This is offering you a drum sequencer and arpeggiator sounds. I just love it.
Shapednoise
Kirke Godfrey created 20 new patches which include ambiences, impacts, basics process articulations, and rhythmic patches.
Take a look at the full walkthrough below which MODWHEEL provided.
Rating: Five out of five stars
With MODWHEEL’s The Lowdown V2 you get your hands on a great double bass instrument and many sounds that are exceeding other available double basses. MODHEEL found an intuitive way when it comes to using the instruments by giving an easy to use interface. The library provides a great advantage by providing a double bass and sound design components generated from the bass. A perfect library for you as a composer and Dr. Guertzig. Dr. Milan Guertzig would be all over these sounds to aid his work. As for Dr Guertzig MODWHEEL had the idea to make his psychogenic voltaic accumulator into a phone app and try to get in touch directly but haven’t had any success yet. Everything MODWHEEL hears from it just sounds like Mystichord.
Areas of improvement: The naming of the patches could be improved to easier find what you need when you return to the library over a period of time.
I received a review copy with no ties attached when it comes to the outcome of the review.
