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  3. a brass section

  • a brass section

    N
    N
    Hi,
    I'm looking to get a good brass section setup, including saxes, to use with GS3. It will be used for jazz and pop purposes. Would VSL pro with the "Saxophones I" be a wise buy? How does the VSL brass measure up for jazz/pop purposes? Is there any other library's or software one should check out?
    I'm using QL Brass right now, and it's alright, but lacking in sound quality and articulations.
    All the best,
    Nick.
  • C
    C
    This might be a wiser buy - although NOT in giga format

    http://www.garritan.com/jazz.html

    But if you can afford VSL without selling the wife, house and kid then VSL is always a smart buy. Its a fantastic lib - But maybe not the best for Jazz.... For instance the muted brass so far are very limited
  • N
    N
    Hi,
    thanks for the input. I've previously listened to their demos and the saxes sounded especially cheesy in my ears. The brass sounded good, and the programming looked good too (giga style with key zones). I don't know what it is that is so hard to get right with sampled saxophones, but there sure is something. Or maybe it hasn't been explored that much yet. A weird resonance seems to be the most common problem to me. Too much vibrato is also very sad on otherwise nice patches.
    Nick.
  • C
    C
    Right... I'mnot trying tp disuade you from getting VSL... I'ts my go to library, and I have just about all orchestral libraries out there. Its just alot of money, expecting to be able to do great jazz stuff. The saxes are quite good, especialy the legato tenor sax. The soprano legato sax has been widly critizised, but sounds good...
  • R
    R
    Thus far I have not come across anything that does saxophones well. It is just so much to ask of a sampled instrument to cover all of the ground that a real live player can cover - old-style big band, modern big-band, be-bop, fusion and funk, pop/rock, classical. I always use real saxes when something is going to be heavily on show. i recently did an adaptation of Glenn Miller's String of Pearls using VSL for the bulk of my brass, including the mutes which REALLY sounded real in the arrangement. Real life saxes not only sounded better than sampled, but it tricked a couple of pro-musicians in to thinking that I had used real brass too. I use several brass sounds including some from my old Esi-32 which I resampled and made more expressive.

    As someone working very closely with sax players, the VSL saxes are not for me. There would be too few "stock" sounds for what I need. The brass does sound classical, esp solo brass, but in sections and con sordini, you can get away with a lot for jazz, big-band and show-style stuff. I do not reach for VSL when doing pop or exposed brass writing.

    Not to take it away from VSL - still the most awesome library out.
  • R
    R
    last edited
    last edited

    @Christian Marcussen said:

    But if you can afford VSL without selling the wife, house and kid then VSL is always a smart buy. Its a fantastic lib - But maybe not the best for Jazz.... For instance the muted brass so far are very limited


    Having 6 kids, I would suggest starting at the end of this 'sell-off' list and work you way backwards until the necessary funds are raised. [:D]

    Rob
  • DietzD
    VSL Team
    DietzD
    [+o(]
    /Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library
  • D
    D
    VSL is great for Jazz! Best trombones on the planet! I've done lots and lots of Jazz. Trumpets and French Horns also great! Use stacatto, perf-leg (perf-leg solo tenor trombone is almost undetectable as a sample - incredible) and modwheel layered instruments. Better than anything out there.

    VSL Saxophones I don't know about. I use Quantum Leap saxes which are not up to par with VSL brass.

    Dave Connor
  • N
    N
    Hehe, well I got no kids to sell (luckily for them).
    I would primarily use it for composing but if you can get away with it or parts of it on demos or even a final production that would be great. Mostly it will be section work, and no solos.
    Does anyone have any tracks with that could listen to? That would be really great.
    N.
  • D
    D
    VSL will more than do the job for composing. If you have good live players that should be fine but you could always sweeten the tracks with VSL.

    DC