Brass
Caspian by Performance Samples Review
2025
Caspian by Performance Samples Review
There are orchestral brass libraries on the market that cater to fine detail and articulation choices, and then there are the libraries that serve as no-fuss drafting tools with simplicity in mind. Today we’ll be looking at a no-fuss brass library that has a unique traditional sound – Caspian by Performance Samples.
Performance Samples is a somewhat under-the-radar sample provider that offers highly conceptualized (yet no frills) orchestral libraries for composers who need playability above all but still with a genuine concert hall orchestra sound. Caspian brass is offered with a horn section, a trombone section and a trumpet section – the bare necessities for effective brass scoring.
Installation
The library is easily downloaded via Connect and auto-installed to your folder of choice, and being a full Kontakt library, there’s no registration needed.
Sound
Caspian brass sounds authentic, to put it simply. There are three mic positions – close, decca and wide – so you can dial in how much of the hall you want. The recordings sound very “classical”, sporting a clear silky tone without the bloat that is often heard with brass recorded in smaller scoring venues. There’s plenty of time for the instruments to breathe, so you get a wonderfully natural sound that feels alive and full of movement. The horns have a great dynamic range and strong staccatos, the trombones have plenty of bite with control, and the trumpets are perfect for fanfare style melodies. It’s all exactly what you’d expect to hear from brass recorded in a concert hall, which is all anyone could ask for. But the simplicity and beauty of its sound isn’t just skin deep.
The real investment this library offers in its totally fiddle-free design. When I said no frills earlier I meant it – the patches are as basic as it gets. In fact, there are only three patches – one for the horns, trombones and trumpets – and all a composer needs to do is load and play while the clever scripting and sculpting does the rest.
So far Performance Samples is in the lead when it comes to absolute minimal user input for an orchestral library due to this basic functionality-first approach. If you’re looking for smart GUIs and attractive controls, you’ve come to the wrong place. These patches were designed to be played without any key-switching, tweaking or deliberation.
Long notes are held and swelled using the mod wheel as usual – and when you need a staccato, just tap the key and the short samples will be activated (these samples were edited from actually performed repetitions) which gives you an attack and release allowing you to convincingly and easily perform staccatos and marcatos naturally rather than having to think about it. If you like playing your samples more than you like step by step composing, this library will take its place immediately in your collection and stay there as your “go-to” for most applications.
User interface & Usability
Of course, there’s no legato or expressive phrases here, but that’s not what this is about. Every option supplied with a library takes up time and deliberation on the composer’s part, and the eventual dream of many sample collectors is to have a library that thinks and feels and plays with the composer, without any roadblocks. That dream may be a long way in the distance, but this library is a taste of what that future could be.
Rating: Four out of five stars
It’s not possible for me to give a full five stars to a library that doesn’t pull out all the bells and whistles in spectacular fashion (it is a tool more than a toy after all) – but if I could award stars for functionality, expert editing and forward thinking, Caspian would earn all five easily.
Potential buyers might argue with themselves about the kind-of-high price – but rest assured Caspian will pay for itself if you decide to get your copy. This is a library you simply have to own because it represents where sampling is headed, it sounds magnificent, and your tracks will only benefit from such a useful scoring utility.
Hidden Path Audio’s BATTALION is a new brass instrument for Kontakt that allows you to create epic orchestral scores and futuristic sound designs easily. This powerful tool utilizes Hidden Path Audio’s Orchestral Devices engine, which gives you access to traditional orchestral scoring and hybrid brass sound design.
With 135 unique sound sources, you can easily create any music or soundscape you desire. So, if you want to add some serious power and punch to your next project, don’t miss out on BATTALION!
Orchestral Devices: BATTALION
BATTALION is a new kind of cinematic brass library that utilizes Hidden Path Audio’s brand-new Orchestral Devices engine. This allows for traditional orchestral scoring and hybrid brass sound design, all in one genuinely inspiring package!
The sound of BATTALION is simply massive. With its many different articulations and sound-shaping possibilities, it is perfect for any situation where you need brass that packs a punch. Whether you are looking to add some extra weight to your orchestral arrangements or you want to create something wholly new and unique, BATTALION is the perfect tool for the job.
Modern XY Pad
If you want to add some extra oomph to your emails, you need BATTALION! With Hidden Path Audio’s cutting-edge brass sounds, you’ll be sure to impress anyone who receives your messages. And with our easy MIDI implementation, it’s easy to control the four different sound sources in real-time. Whether you’re looking for melodic patterns or truly unique FX, BATTALION has you covered.
BATTALION is the perfect tool for anyone looking to add some extra oomph to their tracks. With a modern XY pad, quad multi-lane sequencers, extensive FX and sound shaping capabilities, and a wealth of included sound sources, it’s easy to get the cutting-edge brass sounds you need. The XY pad interface makes it simple to blend up to four sources in real-time, and with easy MIDI implementation for your controllers or pad control devices, you can always get the perfect sound. Hidden Path Audio’s built-in sequencers allow for easily accessible melodic patterns or go wholly aleatoric and set the sequencer to ‘random playback’ for some genuinely unique FX not capable in most sample libraries.
135 Exceptional Sound Sources and 250 Presets
If you want to add some extra oomph to your compositions, look no further than BATTALION. With 135 unique sound sources, you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect way to beef up your brass section. And with three different mix options for all of the orchestral content, you can get things sounding just the way you want them. The 250 included presets are a great starting point for any cinematic composition. So don’t wait any longer – add some BATTALION to your tracks today!
The best thing about having a (Virtual Instrument) trumpet is that you can get involved in many different musical performances. Before enjoying the benefits of being a trumpet player, you must choose the right trumpet. With so many types of trumpets available on the market, it can be challenging to know where to start.
If you’re looking for some high-quality sound sources, you’ve come to the right place. Trumpet Solo and Trumpet Ensemble offer a wide range of trumpet recordings, from single notes to full ensemble performances. Check out French Horn Solo and French Horn Ensemble for a more mellow sound. And if you’re looking for something unique, don’t miss Low Brass Ensemble – a truly one-of-a-kind sound source category.
Trombone Solo and Trombone Ensemble provide an extensive collection of trombone recordings, ranging from solo performances to total ensemble pieces. And Hybrid Sound Design offers a unique blend of analog synths and organic sounds guaranteed to add interest and intrigue to your tracks. So whatever your sound source needs, we’ve got you covered.
Create Epic Orchestral Scores
Orchestral music has been the foundation of film scoring for generations, and with BATTALION, it’s easier than ever to create truly epic orchestral scores. With its massive sound and extensive articulation, BATTALION is perfect for any movie or TV show soundtrack.
Trumpet, trombone, French horn, and tuba players are in high demand for orchestras. If you’re looking to add some brass to your orchestral scores, BATTALION is the perfect tool for the job. With its massive sound and extensive articulation, BATTALION is ideal for any movie or TV show soundtrack. And with Hidden Path Audio’s easy MIDI implementation, it’s easy to control the sound sources from your controllers or DAW in real-time.
If you’re a fan of Miles Davis, then you’ll definitely want to check out the Mute Trumpet. Part of the Elastik Instrument Series, it captures the intimate and jazz-flavored sound most often associated with Davis. The performances throughout are masterful and all the details have been beautifully captured.
The sound of the instrument is open and airy. The playing style is delicate, fragile, and soulful but also includes plenty of dynamics if you need your melodies to reach a powerful or vivid highlight.
When it’s time to get back to work on your latest composition, you know just what you need – the smooth, mellow sound of a intimate mute trumpet. This type of trumpet is perfect for adding a touch of sophistication to any piece, whether it’s a ballad or an up-tempo number.
The intimate mute trumpet has a rich, full sound that is sure to please any audience. And when you’re ready to really wow them, add a few flourishes and trills. The intimate mute trumpet is the perfect way to add a touch of class to your next composition.
Beautifully Personal And Soulful Sound
There’s something about the muted trumpet sound that just makes your heart feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe it’s the delicate, intimate style of playing, or maybe it’s the way that the instrument can be used to create soulful and jazzy melodies – but whatever it is, we just can’t get enough of it! In this sample library, we’ve captured the magic of the muted trumpet and provided you with a massive collection of solo phrases to help you add that jazz-flavored sound to your music.
Whether you’re looking for some new solo phrases to add to your repertoire or just want to get that classic Miles Davis sound, the Mute Trumpet is definitely worth checking out. Mute Trumpet has got you covered whether you need a mellow melody line or a powerful climax!
Mute Trumpet
Mute Trumpet is a refreshing new take on the classic jazz sound. The intimate, jazzy solo phrases evoke the playing style of Miles Davis, while the massive collection of jazzy solo phrases provides plenty of dynamic range for your melodies.
The result is a sound that is both open and airy, yet soulful and powerful. Whether you’re looking for a delicate, fragile melody or a vivid, highlights-reached soundtrack, Mute Trumpet has you covered. So don’t be afraid to give this new jazz standard a try – your ears will thank you.
Beautifully Intimate
The library is a great resource for anyone looking for high-quality samples. With over 1.3 GB of samples, it has something for everyone. There are nearly 700 different loops and phrases, recorded in tempos ranging from 60 to 90 BPM.
These are organized into 41 folders, each based on a particular key/tempo combination and containing between 13 and 23 phrases and phrase variations. The library is also easy to use, with a simple interface that makes it easy to find the perfect sample for your project. Whether you’re looking for a specific loop or just browsing for inspiration, the library is a great place to start.
Soulful Sound
The Mute Trumpet recordings are a great way to add a touch of brass to your musical productions. The recordings include a touch of room ambiance, but no EQ or compression has been added. Simply dial in your own choice of reverb or delay and Mute Trumpet will add a beautiful sonic quality to your own productions, full of character. Individual phrases can easily be combined to create longer performances.
With Elastik’s excellent time-stretching and pitch-shifting capabilities, the phrases can also be mixed and matched between folders, or to suit the needs of an existing musical project. Whether you’re looking for a few sparse notes to add atmosphere or want to build a trumpet part from the ground up, Mute Trumpet is an essential tool for any producer.
Emotive Downtempo Expressions
The trumpet has long been a staple of jazz music, and the muted trumpet is no exception. With its slower tempos and jazzy influences, the muted trumpet is an ideal complement to our other “downtempo” titles such as Upright Bass 2, Downtempo Guitar or Tenor Saxophone. The muted sound of the trumpet allows for a more relaxed and mellow feeling, making it perfect for creating a laid-back atmosphere. The muted trumpet is a great option, whether you’re looking to add some extra flavor to your next jazz track or simply want to create a more relaxed vibe.
The trumpet is one of the most versatile instruments in the world, capable of producing a wide range of sounds. Among the most distinctive of these is the sound of the harmon mute trumpet. This type of trumpet uses a mute, or dampener, to change the way the air flows through the instrument.
As a result, it produces a softer, more intimate sound that is often associated with Jazz music. However, the sound of the harmon mute trumpet can also find a home within other genres, such as Soul, Funk, LoFi, and R&B.
This makes it an ideal choice for any music producer or media composer looking to add a touch of class and soulfulness to their work. So if you’re looking to add something special to your next project, consider reaching for a muted trumpet. You might just be surprised by what you can achieve.
Conclusion
The Mute Trumpet library provides high-quality samples of a muted trumpet, ideal for adding a jazzy touch to your productions. The recordings are full of character and include a touch of room ambiance. With Elastik’s time-stretching and pitch-shifting capabilities, the phrases can be easily mixed and matched to suit the needs of your project.
If you’re looking for a more relaxed and mellow sound, the muted trumpet is a great option. So don’t be afraid to give this new jazz standard a try – your ears will thank you.
If you’re looking for a beautifully mellow sound to add to your next score, look no further than the intimate mute trumpet. This unique instrument is well suited for lyrical and expressive passages and can add a touch of warmth to any composition.
While it shares many qualities with its cousin the standard trumpet, the intimate mute trumpet has a softer, more velvety tone that is perfect for creating an intimate atmosphere. Whether you’re writing a love song or a bittersweet ballad, the intimate mute trumpet will help you to express the emotions of your piece in the most beautiful way.
Abbey Road One: Thematic Trumpets for Film Scoring Selections
Spitfire Audio’s ABBEY ROAD ONE: THEMATIC TRUMPETS is continuing its ongoing ABBEY ROAD ONE: FILM SCORING SELECTIONS series of standalone orchestral libraries, this time capturing the distinctive sound of film in one of the world’s finest acoustic spaces.
ABBEY ROAD ONE: FILM SCORING SELECTIONS series – a definitive collection of orchestral sounds for modern media composers. This new range from Abbey Road offers an expansive palette of cinematic brass, strings and percussion, recorded in our iconic Studio One. Whether you’re looking to score an epic blockbuster or add a touch of class to your latest indie production, this range has something for everyone.
With the world-famous Abbey Road Studios as a foundation, the ABBEY ROAD ONE collection builds upon its creative collaboration with world-renowned Abbey Road Studios, beginning with the trailblazing 90-piece symphonic orchestra and continuing through to this release.
This time, four players execute a variety of pre-orchestrated moves to provide everything necessary to construct big screen-ready themes, including easy-to-use legato techniques from the sound-specializing British music technology firm.
Abbey Road One: Thematic Trumpets
The THEMATIC TRUMPETS are a knockout. They put us in mind of John Williams, Alan Silvestri, and Jerry Goldsmith’s scores with that complete section trumpet sound – the singing and soaring melody sound – you’re so familiar with from the scores of John Williams, Alan Silvestri, and Jerry Goldsmith. This really delivers an
This unique trumpet collection, with a particular emphasis on lead lines and fanfare, has a commanding presence without being piercing or click.
Thematic in its name indicates a wealth of narrative structure options and the beautiful acoustics of the world-renowned recording studio that helped to propel it to legendary status.
These trumpets, which are meticulously produced with a multi-sensory approach that values beauty and artistry, exquisitely evoke pomp and ceremony while also delivering a wide range of lush dynamics — ideal for inspiring timeless themes and generating beautiful soundscapes with ease.
Furthermore, many of the world’s top orchestras will be performing on ABBEY ROAD ONE: THEMATIC TRUMPETS. This library’s harmonically rich collection can invigorate its listeners’ scores while offering a genuinely distinct character inspired by the singing lead lines of those legendary Hollywood A-listers listed by Paul Thomson.
The ABBEY ROAD ONE: THEMATIC TRUMPETS library has four first-call London players, the same individuals who appear on global blockbusters.
Simon Rhodes
Simon Rhodes, a GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer who has worked on Avatar, Hugo, and Harry Potter movies (among others), guided the engineers through a variety of pre-orchestrated methods to provide everything needed to create big screen-ready themes, including Spitfire Audio’s easy-to-use legato approaches.
This library has four players performing a variety of approaches, including Spitfire’s simple legato. Everything you need to write themes for the big screen is included.
Abbey Road Studios’ Studio One
Abbey Road Studios’ Studio One has been a foundation for creating world-class music for over 80 years. With a rich history of iconic recordings, it’s the perfect place to capture the sound of film.
The distinctive sound of cinema is at everyone’s fingertips with ABBEY ROAD ONE: THEMATIC TRUMPETS, allowing users to step into Studio One, the birthplace of most great composers’ dreams – Abbey Road Studios’ Studio One.
Studio One is one of the world’s most renowned recording studios, with an unrivaled legacy built on its scores. It has become one of the main recording spaces in the world, where many of history’s best films were composed and recorded. Studio One has recorded a number of musical duets made in heaven, including Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Avengers: Endgame. Studio One’s sound is wide and huge, with rich tonality and notorious reverb that make it the iconic sound of the film.
You’ve got that fantastic huge dynamic range all the way down at the bottom, but you’ve also got a full singing tone in the upper part of the dynamic range that is always powerful yet never shrill or aggressive; it’s just magnificent.
Conclusion
Yes, the Trumpets do sound life-like. They have a wide range of dynamics, and they are perfect for creating stirring themes. I highly recommend them for anyone looking to write film music.
We use a midi keyboard to compose and play trumpets. When compared to how they’d sound note to note on a real trumpet, the way the keys are depressed on the piano keyboard creates an intonation difference. Spitfire Audio prepares their ABBEY ROAD ONE: THEMATIC TRUMPETS to compensate it.
This unique trumpet collection, which includes 4 performers executing a variety of moves including Spitfire’s simple legato, with a concentration on lead lines and fanfare, has an imposing presence without being piercing or conventional. This powerful library has a wide range of thematic potential, from brave, emotive tropes to aggressive, hostile identifiers.
The ABBEY ROAD ONE: THEMATIC TRUMPETS library offers an impressive collection of trumpets that are perfect for creating memorable themes. The library was recorded in the world-renowned Abbey Road Studios, and it features first-call London players.
The trumpets are sonically rich and evoke a sense of pomp and ceremony, making them ideal for scoring. If you’re looking for a unique and distinct trumpet sound, this is the library for you. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Please feel free to share it with your friends.
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