Best Service – Chris Hein Orchestral Brass EXtended

Chris Hein Orchestral Brass EXtended: Unheard Perfection in Orchestral Brass Instruments

Chris Hein Orchestral Brass EXtended is a groundbreaking orchestral brass library designed to meet the highest standards of sound quality, expression, and versatility. Developed by producer Chris Hein, who brings over thirty years of sampling experience, this library offers unparalleled customization, realism, and dynamic performance capabilities. The EXtended version elevates the original library to new heights with advanced Kontakt scripting, resulting in the most realistic and expressive brass sounds ever captured.

Comprehensive Instrument Overview

The original Chris Hein Orchestral Brass featured nine instruments. In the EXtended version, that number grows to twelve, with three additional instruments, six ensemble patches, and two unique effects articulations. The library now boasts over 43,000 samples and 20 GB of additional content, making it more than twice the size of its predecessor.

Brass Instrument Collection:

• Trumpets (3 variants)
• Trombones (3 variants)
• French Horns (3 variants)
• F-Tuba
• Sousaphone
• Euphonium

Each instrument is recorded with exceptional detail, utilizing over 8,000 individual samples, 14 articulations, and up to eight dynamic layers, ensuring the highest level of expression.

Low Brass Innovations

The addition of the F-Tuba, Sousaphone, and Euphonium in the EXtended version significantly enhances the brass section. These instruments offer up to 24 articulations per instrument, including:

• 5 different sustain articulations
• 6 unique short articulations
• 5 special articulations
• Short repetitions in 16th and 8th notes with adjustable speed
• Hundreds of one-shot effects and dynamic variations

With 16 dynamic layers for normal shorts, the library captures a wide range of playing styles, from clean to aggressive sounds, offering unrivaled realism.

Epic Brass Ensembles

To capture the grandeur of Hollywood brass sounds, Chris Hein introduced six ensemble instrument patches:

1. Trumpet Ensemble (large)
2. Trombone Ensemble (large)
3. Horns Ensemble (large)
4. Low Brass Ensemble
5. Full Brass Ensemble
6. Full Brass Ensemble (without Trumpets)

These ensembles, carefully crafted using individual solo instruments, offer massive, cinematic brass tones and are perfect for large orchestral arrangements. The low brass ensemble is a standout, with extended articulations such as ensemble repetitions, 12 different note heads, and a wide variety of ensemble effects.

Notable Features

• Note-Head Variations: Chris Hein’s signature note-head variations increase from 6 to 12, offering more expressive and nuanced performances.
• Simulated Mute Controls: The library features five realistic mutes (Bucket, Cup, Harmon, Straight, and Stop) modeled for true authenticity without the need for multi-sampling.
• True Legato: Seamless legato transitions ensure fluid note connections, while additional artificially inserted legatos expand your expressive range.
• Phase-Aligned Samples: Perfect dynamic transitions are achieved thanks to phase alignment, resulting in smooth, degradation-free performances across layers.
• Dynamic Modes: Four dynamic modes, including “Hot-Keys” and “Key-Vibrato,” enable effortless articulation changes to suit any musical style.
• Articulation-Presets: Pre-programmed articulation presets allow you to quickly experiment with different performance types.

User-Friendly Interface

The custom Kontakt Player interface offers intuitive control over sound character and articulation choices, providing an immersive playing experience. Key features include:

• Dynamic mode faders for real-time adjustments
• Advanced legato controls, including the new “offset” fader for unique portamento effects
• A “Note-Head Designer” for easy switching between different attack variations

This flexible and streamlined user-interface ensures a high level of control and makes it easy to achieve professional results without deep editing.

Sound Quality and Recording

Chris Hein Orchestral Brass EXtended features meticulously captured performances using high-quality equipment, such as Neumann microphones, and recorded in dry, close-miked settings to avoid crosstalk. This decision ensures the highest level of detail, while the musicians’ headphone monitoring created perfectly balanced ensembles. The result is an orchestral brass collection that offers unmatched sonic quality, ideal for both cinematic and classical compositions.

System Requirements

Mac:

• macOS 10.14 or higher
• 64-bit
• Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 (native)
• RAM: 4GB (6GB recommended)

Windows:

• Windows 10 or higher
• 64-bit
• Intel Core i5 or similar CPU
• RAM: 4GB (6GB recommended)

Supported Interfaces:

• Mac (64-bit): Stand-alone, VST, VST3, AU, AAX
• Windows (64-bit): Stand-alone, VST, VST3, AAX