ArchitectsBass
Artist Series · Ali Dean

The bass behind
Architects.
Ali Dean's Dingwall Super P.
Best on headphones or monitors
The Artist
Ali Dean played the samples.
The attention to detail involved in recreating the sound of my bass has been outstanding, and we're incredibly proud of the final product. I'm confident ArchitectsBass will become an excellent addition to your writing process.
We sampled Ali Dean playing his Dingwall Super P. The built-in Clean and Distortion tones were matched by ear to his sound with Architects.
Features
Control pick direction and fret position.
Choose articulations with keyswitches, set where notes play on the fretboard, and adjust variation with Humanize.
Tone Selector
Switch between DI, Clean, and Distortion tones. Each one fine-tuned by ear to represent Ali's sound over the years.
Fretboard
We sampled every fret on all four strings. The interface shows where the engine plays each MIDI note.
Articulation
Use keyswitches to switch among 18 articulations. The display shows the active articulation.
Alternate Picking
Tempo-synced alternate picking cycles through different recorded attacks to add variation to repeated notes.
DOOM
Collapse the round robin for maximum power and consistency. Less variation, more impact.
Humanize
Adds adjustable variation between notes so repeated parts sound less mechanical.
Position
Choose the fretboard position for each note, or let the engine choose automatically.
Mixer
Adjust levels and tone parameters. Open the mixer to dial in exactly the sound you want.
Settings
Configure keyswitches, tuning, bend range, and other instrument preferences.
Ali's clean and distorted tones.
Choose Clean or Distortion for the built-in Architects tones, or take the Super P DI through your own amps and plugins.
DI
Recorded direct.
DI
Ali Dean's signature bass, recorded direct through studio-grade hardware. Use the DI with your own amps, pedals, plugins, or outboard gear.
Clean
Natural resonance, smooth lows, clear top end.
Clean
A clean tone with the bass's full lows and clear top end. Use it for clean sections or arrangements where the bass needs definition without distortion.
Distortion
Grit that keeps up with dense guitars and hard drums.
Distortion
A high-gain tone for dense guitars and hard drums, based on Ali's sound on Architects' heavier tracks.
Sampled with fresh strings for a bright, consistent tone with no wear.
Engine
Real-time slides between your MIDI notes.
Choose the start note, end note, and slide speed. truSlides generates the transition in real time.
truBass Engine
Velocity layers, round robins, and string-aware playback change how each note responds.
truSlides
Slide between any two notes at any speed. truSlides generates each transition in real time instead of playing a fixed recording.
Intelligent picking
Tempo-synced alternate picking rotates through recorded samples so fast passages do not repeat the same attack.
Free Kontakt Player
Runs in the free Kontakt Player. You do not need to buy Kontakt.
truBass
Fretboard mapping, alternate picking, slides, and Humanize in one engine.
truBass maps recorded notes and articulations across a playable fretboard. Velocity layers, round robins, and position mapping vary playback between notes.
truSlides
Slide between any two notes at any speed. truSlides generates the transition in real time instead of playing a fixed recording.
Multi-sampled fretboard
Every fret position across the entire instrument has been individually sampled. Notes are performed where a real bassist would play them.
Intelligent picking
Tempo-synced alternate picking cycles through different recorded attacks to add variation to repeated notes.
Humanize
Humanize varies timing, dynamics, and tone. Increase it to reduce repetition, or turn it off for exact playback.
DOOM mode
DOOM mode limits playback to a smaller set of high-impact samples. Use it when every note needs the same attack.
Position and force string
Choose each note's fretboard position and lock notes to specific strings.
Compatibility
System Requirements
macOS
- Sampler
- Kontakt Player 6.7+
- OS
- macOS 10.14 – 13+
- CPU
- Intel i5+ / Apple Silicon
- RAM
- 4 GB (6 GB+ rec.)
- Graphics
- OpenGL 2.1+
- Formats
- VST3 · AU · AAX · Standalone
Windows
- Sampler
- Kontakt Player 6.7+
- OS
- Windows 10 or 11
- CPU
- Intel Core i5 or equivalent
- RAM
- 4 GB (6 GB+ rec.)
- Graphics
- OpenGL 2.1+ / Direct3D 11.1+
- Formats
- VST3 · AAX · Standalone
Requires a 64-bit system and internet for download and activation. Works offline after activation.
Support
Frequently asked questions
What happens after I purchase?
This is a digital product. After checkout, we email your serial number, usually immediately. Redeem it in a free Native Access account to download and install the instrument.
Do I need to buy Kontakt?
No. ArchitectsBass runs in the free Kontakt Player. You do not need to buy Kontakt.
How do I install this?
You can find our step-by-step installation guide here.
How many computers can I use this on?
One user, two machines. You may install on two devices (e.g. one laptop, one workstation), provided only one is in regular use. Simultaneous use on more than one device is not permitted.
How do I program slides?
Check out our in-depth guide for a full walkthrough.
Do I need iLok?
No. Licensing is handled through Native Access, which is completely free.
Is there a trial version?
Unfortunately, we're unable to offer a trial version at this time.
Can I use this as an amp on my own bass tracks?
No. This is a virtual instrument designed for use with MIDI. The built-in tones are specific to the sampled instrument and cannot be used to process your own audio.
How do I get help?
Contact our support team. Native Instruments develops Kontakt Player, so we cannot troubleshoot Kontakt itself.
Artist reviews
What producers say.
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I really love the clean tones on ArchitectsBass specifically — SubMission Audio never misses.
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ArchitectsBass is such a great option for modern musicians — the crisp tone and distortion presets sound amazing. I have to do little to no tweaking to find the perfect sound.
Customer reviews
What customers say.
I've had this plugin for a few weeks now and it's easily risen to be my favorite bass library that I own. All the articulations/sampling is super detailed and the interface is super easy to use. I would absolutely recommend this and any other SubmissionAudio plugin
Always depends on the sound you are going for but I bought Djinnbass 2 which was a bit more upfront for my project. I found Architectsbass on the Easter Sale and worked out really well in my mix.
a great alternative to the djinbass if your libary needs a tone variety in metal and prog styles. can recommend it.
I’m actually using Architects Bass plugin as I’m writing this…
I enjoy the simplicity of the plugin and ease of use. However I do wish that there was a little more flexibility to sculpt the tone.
Im not complaining just offering a suggestion.
For the money I think this is a great tool to have in any studio.
This plugin sounds decent enough. External processing is the way to go as IMO the built in “red channel” is just ok. Weird mid frequency seems to linger around no matter what I try which gets quite annoying. Probably would recommend a different library.
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