Modern productions require a huge, rumbling, weighty bottom end that makes people want to get up and dance.
You can get your bass from a variety of sources. You could get a session player to record in your studio. You could use preset arpeggio patterns in your synth VSTs. You could even attempt to record your bass sounds. But dialing in the right tone can still prove a much lengthier process.
If you’re looking for mix-ready bass sounds you can drag and drop into your mixes, you’ll love this guide. Because here we’ll be looking at the best free bass sample packs and loops.
SampleRadar: 195 free bass boutique samples by MusicRadar
The SampleRadar: 195 free bass boutique samples pack features a variety of organic and electronic basslines and loops you can load up in your DAW or sampler.
With five folders (each labeled based on the type and tempo of sound included) worth of WAV files, this selection will give you access to the tools you need to cater to all kinds of musical styles – from rock and pop to electronic and more.
MusicRadar supplies the samples in convenient WAV format in a downloadable ZIP file. Redistributing them for your profit is a no-no, and that goes for all SampleRadar entries that follow. Other than that, you’re free to use them as you please.
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 392 free bass guitar samples by MusicRadar
Next up is the SampleRadar: 392 free bass guitar samples library – a sizable and weighty chunk of goodies you can use to enhance the bass frequencies of your projects.
While there are many ways to produce bass sounds, one of the most iconic and impossible to replace is that of the bass guitar, and this pack focuses exclusively on bass guitar samples.
MusicRadar has slotted the included 24-bit WAV files into three folders for ease of use. Inside the pack, there are basslines at a variety of tempos, and you’ll find useful oddities like bass arpeggios and bass chords too.
You will find both electric and acoustic bass guitar samples loaded into this ZIP.
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 263 free bassline samples by MusicRadar
In this case, “bassline” refers to the genre emerging out of speed garage, not a line played on a bass. This is what happens when you search for “bass sample packs.” You get all kinds of results, like future bass, bassline, or techno bass. But we’ll get to that.
The bassline genre has effectively played second fiddle to dubstep, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its place in the musical kingdom. Thus, this pack.
The 263 free bassline samples collection is divided into three folders – bass loops, beats, and drum hits. If nothing else, the bass loops should prove worthwhile, right? As for the beat loops, they’ve also been provided as REX files.
Either way, all the samples come as WAV files you can use to add polish to your productions out of the box.
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 252 free bendy bassline samples by MusicRadar
Here’s another MusicRadar sample pack catering to the bassline genre (rather than a bass riff). This collection primarily features hefty basslines with added variety and movement.
The SampleRadar: 252 free bendy bassline samples pack comes in two folders, where the files have been sorted by tempo.
As per usual, everything has been provided as WAV files for drag-and-drop ease of use.
Having listened to a few samples, I can tell you they are positively bendy and colossal besides!
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 97 free digital bass samples by MusicRadar
Producers rave endlessly about analog synths but sometimes forget that the list of best digital hardware synths includes the Juno-X, Wave 2, and Prophet X, among others.
Plus, digital synthesis shines when it comes to bass, with steady outputs, hard attacks, harmonic structures that cut through a mix, and more. If you’ve never experimented with digital basslines before, well, here’s your chance!
In creating this selection, MusicRadar took advantage of Arturia digital synth emulations (Synclavier, CMI V, Prophet VS, DX7 V, and CZ V). The result is 72 bassline loops and 12 multi-samples.
This may not sound like a very big kit, but it comes with hits and tempo-labeled loops in seven folders. Along with your standard WAV files, SFZ files have also been supplied.
Overall, this is a cool kit. Check it out for yourself!
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 193 free extreme bass samples by MusicRadar
The bass is sometimes an afterthought in a band or even in a recording situation, but a good producer knows killer basslines can make all the difference for their projects.
This kit comes with a variety of sounds, from the most cliché of bass tones, all the way over to heavily processed tones.
When you download this ZIP, you get 193 24-bit WAV files divided into two folders – Live bass Biz and Low-end FX. These labels should be relatively self-explanatory.
Mix and match the included sounds and create layers with them for the best results.
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 272 free guitar and bass samples by MusicRadar
The SampleRadar: 272 free guitar and bass samples library is just as it sounds – a simple collection featuring various guitar and bass guitar samples.
The guitar was captured using a tube compressor. Many are clean, some were further colored using Native Instrument’s Guitar Rig or a Morley wah.
For the bass, MusicRadar used a couple of Music Man Stingrays. The sounds were treated using compression limiting and EQ, and in some have been processed with a phaser, distortion, or an envelope filter.
The ZIP includes two folders – Guitar Loops and Bass Loops. The WAV files have been further divided into subfolders by tone / style or tempo.
This pack comes with a ton of fun goodies to mess around with.
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 167 free techno bass samples by MusicRadar
This pack will be right down your alley if you’re looking for heavy techno bass sounds, including arpeggiated basses and kick drums.
The first set of bass loops was created using soft synths, while the second set of loops was made using a Novation Bass Station mono synth. Both groups of loops were processed using a suitable effects chain.
The basses will work as tonal and percussive elements in your mix, and you can further process them using other effects to taste.
The pack also includes kicks, which were made using several soft synths – MiniMoog, DX7, SEM, CZ, and Arturia ARP2600. These impacts were treated with EQ, compression, and filtering.
All the tempo-labeled WAV files have been added to seven folders inside the downloadable ZIP.
Download: MusicRadar
SampleRadar: 120 free ultra-modern bass samples by MusicRadar
At this point, we’re not sure whether something coming out of 2019 can be considered “ultra-modern” anymore, but the SampleRadar: 120 free ultra-modern bass samples package nevertheless brings the goods.
The sounds were created using multi-octave oscillators and detune and were processed after the fact.
With contemporary bass sounds in tow, this library comes with six tempo-labeled folders. The samples, of course, are provided as WAV files.
Download: MusicRadar
Future Bass Starter Pack by Cymatics.fm
When it comes to electronic genres, you can always count on Cymatics to bring something of value to the table.
The Future Bass Starter Pack gives you instant access to 200 clean, professional future bass samples.
Cymatics took extra care in loading up this pack with sounds that are on par with the pros to unlock your boundless creativity.
This is a stupendous free offer, so do take advantage…
Download: Cymatics.fm
Bass City by Chad Beckwith & Tomislav Zlatic
If you’re on the hunt for free synthesized bass samples, you may have stumbled on one of the most extensive packs available.
Three hardware synthesizers (a Yamaha TX81Z, Korg EX-800, and Korg Poly-800) and 26 multi-sampled classic analog and FM patches were employed in creating this toolkit. The sounds were captured using a tube preamp.
If you create a track using this pack, 99sounds invites you to leave a comment on your SoundCloud link at the link found below.
Altogether, this entry supplies you with 399 24-bit WAV files along with SFZ and Kontakt 5 patches.
Download: 99sounds
FREE 808 Bass – 100 Key-Labeled 808 Bass Samples by Maker
The FREE 808 Bass – 100 Key-Labeled 808 Bass Samples collection speaks for itself. It comes with huge 808 basses for hip-hop, trap, and future bass productions, inspired by the likes of Post Malone, Travis Scott, J. Cole, and others.
Peeking inside the pack, you’ll find 100 samples in the keys of C, C#, D, D#, E, F, G, A, and B.
Download: Surge Sounds
Ace of Bass Vol. 2 (Synth Bass) by Apollo Sound
Ace of Bass Vol. 2 (Synth Bass) is an expansive sample pack with 750 samples, loops, Rex2 files, and MIDI files. These were created using hardware synths like the Yamaha Motif, Roland Juno, Korg Triton, Korg MicroKORG, Access Virus Rack, and more.
The included sounds are well-suited to hip-hop, trap, reggaeton, synthwave, breaks, house, and disco. Inside the pack, you will find samples ranging from 75 to 135 bpm.
With all the goodies included here, there’s simply no reason not to grab this freebie now.
Download: Apollo Sound
Free Future Bass Mega Pack by W. A. Production
W. A. Production’s Free Future Bass Mega Pack is the perfect selection for all your pop, future pop, EDM, trap, and future bass projects. It comes with an array of drum, bass, pad, lead, and pluck samples and loops, as well as MIDI loops and Xfer Records Serum presets.
The hugeness of the pack may have been slightly exaggerated by the developer, but it is true that comes with a ton of goodies for carving out a name for yourself in the “future” arena.
So, give this toolkit a go. You’ve got nothing to lose.
Download: W. A. Production
Final Thoughts
The above sample packs should keep you busy for a while to come. No matter what genre of music you might be producing, no matter what kind of bass sound you require, you can probably find what you’re looking for in these libraries (and if not, you must be after something super specialized!).
So, experiment plenty and let us know how it goes. No doubt you’ll come up with something superb!