A Portable Groovebox Focused on Bass Power and Live Performance
The Sonicware LIVEN BASS&BEATS is a compact, battery-powered groovebox that combines a wavetable bass synthesizer with a PCM-based rhythm machine. Designed with electronic music producers and live performers in mind, it focuses on delivering powerful basslines, flexible drum programming, and hands-on control in a lightweight, affordable package.
With its emphasis on modern dance music, deep modulation capabilities, and performance-oriented features such as sidechain compression and assignable macro controls, the LIVEN BASS&BEATS positions itself as a highly focused tool for bass-and-rhythm-driven production and jamming.
Our Rating: ★ 8.6 / 10
The LIVEN BASS&BEATS earns its score for its powerful bass engine, performance-focused design, and exceptional portability. Minor limitations such as monophony and compact controls prevent a higher rating, but overall it delivers impressive depth and fun for its size and cost.
Design and Portability
The LIVEN BASS&BEATS is extremely portable, weighing 790 g (1.74 lb) and measuring just under 30 cm wide. It can be powered either by a 9V DC adapter or six AA batteries, and it includes a built-in speaker, making it well suited for mobile music-making, casual jams, and live performance without additional gear.
The front panel is dense but logically organized, with 15 physical knobs, dedicated mixer controls, and clear access to bass, rhythm, and performance sections. Overlay panels are included for bass and drum editing, helping users access deeper parameters without cluttering the main interface.
Bass Synth Engine (Wavetable)
At the core of the instrument is a monophonic wavetable bass synth engine built around:
- Two wavetable oscillators with 64 available wavetables
- A sub-oscillator with multiple waveforms (sine, triangle, saw, square, LOG, random)
- A noise generator with 16 noise types
This engine is designed to deliver thick, aggressive, and modern bass sounds. Wavetable modulation combined with a rich resonant multi-mode filter (low-pass, band-pass, high-pass) allows for growls, wobbles, and evolving textures.
Advanced shaping tools such as distortion, unison, dimension (stereo widening), machine gun effect, sweep, vibrato, and glide give the bass engine a wide expressive range. Users can also import their own wavetables, expanding the sonic palette beyond the factory content.
Rhythm Engine and Drum Library
The rhythm section is powered by a polyphonic PCM engine featuring:
- 350+ drum sounds
- 100+ SE/SFX sounds
The drum library is curated specifically for electronic music styles, with genre-focused kits including techno, house, hip-hop, dubstep, drum & bass, IDM, electro, and more. Sounds can be mixed and matched to create custom kits, and each rhythm track consists of 16 individual drum sounds, each of which can be muted or unmuted instantly for live arrangement changes.
Per-sound editing includes level, pan, pitch, attack/decay, reverb send, reverse playback, and EQ, offering more control than many compact grooveboxes in this price range.
Sequencer and Performance Workflow
The LIVEN BASS&BEATS features a 64-step sequencer with separate bass and rhythm tracks, keeping patterns organized and easy to manage. Users can store up to 128 patterns, chain them for longer arrangements, and program notes via:
- Real-time recording
- Step input
- Live step entry while the sequence is playing
The sequencer supports parameter locking, tied notes, tempo subdivisions down to 1/32, swing, and probability-based triggering. Performance-focused sequencer effects include Random, Stutter, and Dice, which introduce controlled variation and spontaneity during playback.
Modulation and Assign Controls
Modulation depth is a standout feature. Nearly all internal parameters can be modulated via:
- A flexible LFO with BPM sync, delay, and waveform options
- A configurable envelope generator with adjustable curves and pre-delay
- Two powerful ASSIGN knobs capable of controlling multiple parameters simultaneously
These ASSIGN knobs act like macro controls, allowing dramatic sound transformations with a single movement. They can also be parameter-locked in the sequencer for automated, evolving patterns.
Effects, Mixer, and Sidechain
The master effects section includes a wide range of processing tools such as reverb types, chorus, flanger, delay, bit crusher, distortion, filters, isolator, and tilt EQ. Reverb send amounts can be controlled independently for bass, drums, and external input.
A built-in sidechain compressor ducks the bass and line input in response to the rhythm track, a feature rarely found in hardware grooveboxes at this size and price. Dedicated mixer knobs allow fast balancing and dramatic level changes during performance.
Connectivity
Connectivity includes:
- MIDI In and Out (5-pin DIN)
- Sync In and Out (compatible with Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators)
- Stereo line input
- Stereo line output
- Headphone output
- Built-in speaker
This makes the LIVEN BASS&BEATS easy to integrate into both MIDI-based setups and portable sync-based rigs.
Advantages
- Powerful wavetable bass engine with deep sound design potential
- Large, genre-focused drum sound library
- 64-step sequencer with parameter locking and performance effects
- Built-in sidechain compression
- Assignable macro knobs for expressive control
- Battery-powered with built-in speaker for true portability
- Compact, lightweight, and affordable
- Strong focus on live performance and jamming
Limitations
- Monophonic bass engine limits harmonic playing
- Small 27-key keyboard may feel restrictive
- No onboard song mode beyond pattern chaining
- No individual audio outputs
- Interface can feel dense due to feature set
Verdict
The Sonicware LIVEN BASS&BEATS is a focused, performance-driven groovebox that excels at delivering modern basslines and electronic rhythms in a highly portable format. Its wavetable bass engine, deep modulation, and live-oriented sequencer features make it especially appealing to producers working in bass-heavy genres.
While it isn’t designed to replace a full production workstation or polyphonic synth, it succeeds brilliantly as a specialized groovebox for jamming, live performance, and fast idea generation. Considering its feature set, portability, and price, it stands out as one of the most compelling value options in Sonicware’s LIVEN series.