TAL Bassline 101 is a commercial software synthesizer developed and maintained by Patrick Kunz and the team at TAL Software. Available for the linux platform as a VST2 plugin in 64-bit architecture, this synth emulates the famous Roland SH-101 bassline synth from the 80's. The GUI color options include the reminscent red, blue and gray colors of the hardware version, as well as black, and an alternative GUI with virtual keyboard (both shown above) is also provided. This recent TAL synth carries a punch, and some extra features to boot. The trial version has an intermittent white noise signal present, and no preset-saving capabilities--both of which are removed upon purchase.
The TAL Bassline 101 is both monophonic and 6-note polyphonic. It utilizes a single, alias-free oscillator with the classic pulse and saw waveform types and the adjustable sub-oscillator. The filter type is a 24dB/octave low pass filter with zero feedback delay and self-oscillation capacity, able to provide both rich, warm tones and biting, buzzy timbres.
Taking a look at the GUI layout, faithful to the SH-101, the TAL Bassline 101's LFO section has four waveshapes (triangle, pulse, random and noise), an LFO speed control slider, and buttons for syncing to host, trigger for note-ons and inverse to invert the waveshape. The VCO section has a slider for depth of pitch modulation, four-octave range, pulsewidth amount and what will modulate it, whether the LFO, manual or the envelope.
The Source Mixer gives control of the waveforms and the noise signal. The version shown above (v. 3.1.9) also includes FM modulation of the filter frequency. The VCF section provides filter frequency and resonance control, as well as amount of effect of the envelope, LFO and key follow/tracking. The Volume Comp button will compensate volume when filter resonance is high.
The Amp section includes envelope and gate modes. The Gate+Trigger setting will retrigger the envelope, the Gate setting will only retrigger if there is no other note being played, and the LFO setting allows the LFO to trigger the envelope. The de-click button will lengthen the attack and release phases of the envelope.
The Master section, together with volume and octave transposition, includes an optional "linear" setting for the portamento. The Pitch/Mod section controls the amount of control coming from the pitchbend and modulation wheels. The Velocity section controls filter and amplitude velocity sensitivity.
The TAL Bassline 101 also provides a Sequencer and Arpeggiator section with a variety of related controls. Midi Learn capability is quick and intuitive: click the Midi Learn button, move the parameter of choice with the mouse and adjust the chosen midi controller at the same time. Then de-select the Midi Learn button.
There's a host of presets and a pdf manual all available for download at the Tal-Software website (link below)
