Category Archives: Short thoughts

Weekly’s unorganized practical experiences (34)

Brass libraries.

This summer one after another new brass instruments libraries were either released or in preparation.

8DIO had a gallup on their FB page about their upcomming brass library.

Soundiron released with NI as a partner a massive library.  Until now Soundiron had nothing such big and complete exception made of Mars & Venus choir libraries. Ensembles and solos may be purchased individually or as a bundle. At this price I expect the library to be of high quality.  The first officials demo videos I watched and listened were not convicing at all. Now I got more info about the sounds and functionality so it stays interesting about the features (crescendis and articulations)

At the same time another maker released a brass instrument library, Impact Soundworks with Bravura. I did acquire it, they have a fair amount of buying options, either one instrument solo, ensemble, or different bundles. I’m quite happy with it but I also admit it is quite modest in term of dynamic expressiveness. Their orchestrator is buggy when trying to dig in more elaborated use. I like the loading of switchables articulations for nearly all the patches.  I can get good result when using Bravura as a base and blend with others (ProjectSAM, East-West, Cinesamples, Chris Hein or even Kontakt VSL SE)

There is no yet any library which fits all needs, even in a piece there may be phrases or chords which sounds better with different blends. That is one step more for us (mockup producers) in regard with orchestrator and conductor.  A brass section should be sufficient inside a real orchestra!

Weekly’s unorganized practical experiences

When experiencing patches included in instrument libraries we may give adjectives as following:

  1. barely usable
  2. usable
  3. inspiring

Some legatos patches in EW symphonic orchestra (by. ex cellos) are expressive and realistics. (EW SO is an oldy by now, but there are not such patches in EW Hollywood serie)

By contrast some patches are not so inspiring by themselves (playing solo) but will integrates in the mix and orchestration very easily (mainly 8DIO patches – thinking of strings and choir)