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Performance Samples

PACIFIC – BRASS

The brass section from ‘PACIFIC – Classical Symphonic Orchestra

OVERVIEW

Pacific – Brass is a symphonic brass library featuring two horns, two tenor trombones, two bass trombones, two tubas, two trumpets, and a solo contrabass trombone. The library was created as an addendum to Pacific – Ensemble Strings and thus recorded in the same space as the rest of the Pacific orchestral project, allowing blending with the rest of the sections. If you have used the Caspian or Angry Brass Pro – Ensembles libraries, you could consider this a more recent take on those original concepts. The library is based around the familiar multi-length marcato-type matches, but taken much further with more speeds of performance-sampled releases which trigger based on playing speed (note length – from short to long). While multiple dynamics were recorded for everything, external modeling was used (built from the recordings) for the solo contrabass trombone to preserve phase better (similarly to some of the articulations on Pacific – Solo Strings). External modeling was also used in some cases on the other instruments as an adjunct to help smooth out dynamic crossfades by creating interim dynamics on certain instruments/articulations.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Instruments
    • Two Horns
    • Two Trumpets
    • Two Tenor Trombones
    • Two Bass Trombones
    • Two Tubas
    • Solo Contrabass Trombone
  • Articulations
    • Multi-length patches (up to 4 recorded dynamics), allowing playing from RR repetition-sourced tongued staccatos to shorter marcatos to sustains, based on note length
    • Flutter Sustains (up to 5 recorded dynamics) – not available on tubas
  • Recorded in an ambient hall with close and AB (main/far) mics
  • 48kHz / 24bit
  • NCW-compressed, ~8.75 GB total
  • Built for Kontakt 6.8.0 and above – full, retail version of Kontakt required
  • Download via Continuata

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All details and/or pricing subject to change, at any time, for any reason, in Performance Samples LLC’s sole discretion, in each instance. Qualification for loyalty pricing subject to verification by Performance Samples LLC, in each instance.

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Patch List

Pacific – Brass – 2 Horns – Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Horns – Flutter Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Trumpets – Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Trumpets – Flutter Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Tenor Trombones – Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Tenor Trombones – Flutter Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Bass Trombones – Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Bass Trombones – Flutter Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – 2 Tubas – Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – Solo Contrabass Trombone – Sustains.nki
Pacific – Brass – Solo Contrabass Trombone – Flutter Sustains.nki

Library Limitations

Here are some aspects of the library that might affect your purchasing decision. Putting together this list is always very subjective when I’m in the final stages of production, and just because something appears in library limitations here doesn’t mean it isn’t an “issue” in other PS libraries where I didn’t mention it in that library’s “limitations” area. But in general, I tried to think of various points about the library that may not work for potential customers. In no particular order:

Limited Articulations

No legato or mutes.

Musician Placement

The musicians were a bit too close to the main AB pair, which can lead to them sounding a bit upfront. The horns are better in this respect.

Looping

The loops in the lower registers and especially in the higher dynamics (and on the solo brass in particular) can be a bit rough. Sustaining for an extended period isn’t easy, so I use smaller bits and graft them together which can sometimes sound uneven, despite best efforts.

Horn Flutter Tonguing

For some reason, these are on the softer side compared to the other sections. Could be directionality playing a part as well.

Pre-Note Ambience

Even after refining, there’s a bit of pre-note ambience in the attacks. If you want to edit it further, try this. Go to Expert->Groups.. then select the atk groups and mark for editing by “setting edit flag.” Then fiddle with the attack curve as seen in the graphic. I suggest doing it separately for the two mic positions since you can usually treat them differently since the close is less ambient.

Note Overlap

If you overlap MIDI notes, you may get a release volume spike (particularly in Logic).

No second violins.

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All details and/or pricing subject to change, at any time, for any reason, in Performance Samples LLC’s sole discretion, in each instance. Qualification for loyalty pricing subject to verification by Performance Samples LLC, in each instance.

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Selected Video Highlights

More available on Performance Samples’ Youtube page

AVAILABLE FOR $349