A Cult-classic Bass Synth: Reborn
Whether you’re a dedicated follower of the ’80s and ’90s house, techno, and industrial music styles or only manage to catch them in passing, one element — above most others — unites them across genres: the snarling, searing bass lines. These vaunted bass-synths are becoming exceedingly rare, especially in optimal condition, and you’d better believe the prices reflect as much. Thankfully, Arturia’s appointed their aural academics to painstakingly emulate the iconic instrument in exacting detail for everyone to enjoy: Acid V. Like its spiritual predecessor, Acid V’s dual-waveform design masks an impressive amount of nuance to crafting a wide variety of basses without deviating from its hallmark, analog-style edge, much to the delight of Sweetwater’s synth scholars. Armed with a 64-step sequencer, arpeggiator, multimode function generators, a slew of effects and distortion algorithms, and more than 500 presets across sequences and bass patches, we’re only scratching the surface of what Acid V has to offer.
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Analog-style architecture for unmatched bite
Through painstaking replication via cutting-edge technology, Arturia captured the vaunted character of the original’s analog-driven, subtractive grit. Even more impressive, the company endowed Acid V with a suite of enhanced features to elevate the bass-crafting experience without alienating the elements that defined its status as a bona fide classic. Like the original, Acid V starts with two oscillator waveform choices: triangle and square. Arturia takes it further with two octaves of range for the sub-oscillator’s sine, triangle, and square waveform options alongside the dedicated vibrato module. Armed with more than 150 carefully concocted patch presets, Acid V is ready to rip from the moment you’ve opened it.
Tone-crafting on the razor’s edge
Squelchy, chirping basses defined the original’s indelible low-end sonics, endlessly utilized through a myriad of techno, acid, and house tracks. All of its sound-shaping opportunities were meticulously captured and ported into Acid V’s architecture, including the signature resonant lowpass filter, as well as accent and modulation controls. Still, Arturia wasn’t content to stop there. A dedicated distortion module features 14 algorithms, running the gauntlet from overdriven and valve-style crunch to bitcrushing or germanium circuitry. Synthesists at Sweetwater know the folks at Arturia did their homework by the inclusion of the Advanced Panel — a subtle nod to the modding community around its predecessor. This feature lets you tweak analog parameters beneath the surface, like the clipping circuit, pitch-tracking, pulse-width, and more.
Step into sequence with a menagerie of modulation
While the original’s envelope features gave way to plenty of recognizable synth-y screams, Acid V features three multimode function generators, giving you an immensely detailed array of highly customizable modulation shapes and pathways. An advanced, polymetric 64-step sequencer and arpeggiator has been augmented with deep scale-based controls alongside transmutation capabilities to reimagine your approach to rhythm and more. If this weren’t enough versatility in sound design, Acid V is loaded with 17 effects, with four FX slots available to be used simultaneously, and with exceptional control, ranging from tape echoes and reverbs to parametric EQs, bitcrushers, and more.
Arturia Acid V Virtual Bass Synthesizer Features:
- Painstakingly crafted to emulate the iconic analog bass synth of the ’80s and ’90s for instant studio use, elevated to explore unmapped sonic vistas
- 2-waveform oscillator architecture is bolstered by a 2-octave sub-oscillator range to expand tonal range for bass crafting
- Dedicated vibrato module lets you incorporate edge and unease without impacting modulation and pitch controls
- Multimode distortion module features 14 flavors of searing crunch to instantly scorch bass lines without external manipulation
- More than 150 studio-ready patch presets were meticulously designed to inspire as soon as you fire up Acid V
- Tone-crafting options include the iconic resonant lowpass filter, as well as enhanced global controls for brightness, timbre, time, and movement
- Cutting-edge, multimodal 64-step sequencer, and arpeggiator allow for vast rhythmic exploration, including over 350 sequence presets, flexible scales, transmutation, and more
- Advanced Panel lets you manipulate the analog-style circuitry to mimic the modifications made to Acid V’s hardware predecessor and increase sonic versatility
- 3 multimode function generators provide immense opportunities for modulation to virtually any destination
- 17 FX options include EQs, reverbs, delays, and more, with four FX slots simultaneously available to refine your tones
