Toontrack’s EZbass is a bass instrument plug-in with two basses, vintage and modern. It has features for adding bass quickly: it automatically makes a fitting bassline from drum or keyboard MIDI (MIDI: performance data that says which note was played and how hard), converts recorded audio into MIDI, and offers “Tap2Find”, which finds a close phrase from a rhythm you tap.
A bass instrument plug-in lets you play the sound of a bass on a computer. Even if you cannot play bass, you can put a bass line in your songs.
In this article we compare EZbass with 10 bass instrument plug-ins and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.
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Score 4.3 / 5 (average of the 10 products compared: 3.6)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Ease of making basslines
- Automatic from MIDI or audio
- Range of tones
- 2 basses
- Playing detail
- Fingers, pick, slap
- Price (store, date)
- $179 [Official, checked Oct 26]
Image: from the Toontrack official website (product image)
Summary
Among the 10 bass instrument plug-ins, EZbass is rank S. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and S is the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 4.3.
Strengths
- Ease of making basslines (5 points): you can quickly get a phrase that suits the song.
- Playing detail (4 points): you can change how it is played in detail for a realistic sound.
Who it suits: people who cannot play bass but want to quickly add a bassline that fits a song.
Main features of EZbass
Two basses: vintage and modern
A bass instrument plug-in is software that plays recordings of a bass from MIDI, so you can program basslines. EZbass includes two basses of different character, vintage and modern. The modern bass was recorded with fingers, pick and slap, and you can also change how the pickups are switched and mixed.
Making a bassline that fits the song
Give it drum or keyboard MIDI and it can make a bassline that fits. There is also Tap2Find, which searches for a close phrase from a rhythm you tap, so even if you do not know bass well, it is easy to find a line that fits the song.
Audio Tracker turns recordings into MIDI
Audio Tracker is a feature that converts recorded bass, guitar or rhythm performances into MIDI. The manufacturer explains that it uses the same technology as Superior Drummer 3. You can replace a rough phrase you played, like humming, with a performance by the bass instrument.
Video: “EZbass – Introduction” (official Toontrack YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube
Where it is useful
- Making a bassline that fits from drum MIDI
- Turning a rough guitar riff you played into MIDI and playing it with the bass
- Programming a funk bass with slap technique
Rating by criterion
Ease of making basslines: 5 / 5
We look at whether you can quickly get a bass phrase that suits the song.
It can automatically make a fitting bassline from the MIDI of drums or keyboards. It also has conversion of recorded audio to MIDI and Tap2Find, which searches from a rhythm you tap.
Range of tones: 3 / 5
We look at the kinds and number of basses included.
It includes two basses: vintage and modern.
Playing detail: 4 / 5
We look at whether you can change playing details such as fingerstyle, pick and slides.
The modern bass was recorded with fingers, pick and slap. You can also change the playing technique in the Grid Editor.
How we score (Bass instrument plug-ins)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of making basslines | Whether you can quickly get a phrase that suits the song | Can automatically make a fitting bassline from the MIDI or audio of a song | Hundreds of playing patterns you can use as they are | Has playing patterns (number not stated) | No patterns mentioned | — |
| Range of tones | Kinds and number of basses included | 20 or more (including upright bass and others) | Several kinds, such as acoustic, electric and synth | 2 to 3 | 1 | — |
| Playing detail | Whether you can change playing techniques and details of the performance | Besides techniques, you can change the strings and where the string is plucked | Several techniques, such as fingers, pick and slap | Techniques such as legato are included (few kinds stated) | Not mentioned | — |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: quickly adding a realistic bass to your own songs and cover-song backing tracks. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Ease of making basslines" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. How realistic the sound is has not been compared by ear, so it is not scored. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent.
EZbass screens and images
Image: from the Toontrack official website (product image)
EZbass system requirements and getting started
| Operating system | Windows 10 or later (64-bit) / Mac (macOS 10.13 or later) |
|---|---|
| Plug-in formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit) |
| Standalone | Yes |
| Trial | 10-day trial available (all features) |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.
Compared with other bass instrument plug-ins
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Ease of making basslines | Range of tones | Playing detail | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ToontrackEZbass | S 4.3 | Automatic from MIDI or audio | 2 basses | Fingers, pick, slap | $179 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaMODO BASS 2 | A 4.0 | Pattern feature | 22 basses | Techniques + strings and position | $29.99 (sale; regular $199.99) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsPrime Bass | A 3.5 | 355 patterns | 1 bass | Fingers, pick, slap and more | $99 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| SpectrasonicsTrilian | B 3.3 | Arpeggiator | Acoustic, electric, synth | Legato, glide | $299 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Ample SoundAmple Bass P | A 3.5 | Hundreds of riffs | 1 bass | 13 techniques | $119 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Ample SoundAmple Bass J | A 3.5 | Hundreds of riffs | 1 bass | 13 techniques | $119 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Ample SoundAmple Bass Upright | A 3.5 | Hundreds of riffs | 1 bass | 13 techniques | $149 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsIcon Bass | A 3.5 | 208 patterns | 1 bass | Fingers, pick, slap and more | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsJam Bass | A 3.5 | 283 patterns | 1 bass | Fingers, pick, slap and more | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsSession Bassist Upright | A 3.5 | 224 patterns | 1 bass | Open, muted, bowed and more | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
Features checked on each manufacturer's official website on September 25, 2026. Check the store page behind the buy button for the price.
Read next
- MODO BASS 2: features and rating (rank A)
- Prime Bass: features and rating (rank A)
- Trilian: features and rating (rank B)
- Ample Bass P: features and rating (rank A)
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