# Best Solo French Horn



## jon wayne (May 6, 2017)

I've got a lot of bundled brass and don't want to by a whole library. What is the best solo F Horn that can be bought separately?


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## Parsifal666 (May 6, 2017)

Separately. Hmmm, I'd definitely go Chris Hein, especially if you like to really tailor your instrument to taste. However, my second choice is the East West Hollywood Brass version.


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## thousandfold (May 6, 2017)

+ Chris Hein, and the descant horn from Cinesamples.


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## JeffvR (May 6, 2017)

Samplemodeling French Horn


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## airflamesred (May 6, 2017)

JeffvR said:


> Samplemodeling French Horn


+1


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## kurtvanzo (May 6, 2017)

The most controllable and arguably best sounding solo horn is probably Sample modeling
http://www.samplemodeling.com/en/products_horntuba.php

One of the least expensive is Aria's (now on sale for 60% off).
http://www.ariasounds.com/french_horn_kontakt_vst.html

Or there is this Alpine freebie (other instruments as well):
http://alpineproject.wixsite.com/main/solo-french-horn


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## Ashermusic (May 6, 2017)

I have the Sample Modeling French horn and it is very payable but less brassy than I think a French horn should be, but nice ffor mellow passages.

But overall, I still like the Hollywood Brass French horn.


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## WindcryMusic (May 6, 2017)

For middle to higher pitched horn parts, the CineBrass Descant Horn is gorgeous.


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## markleake (May 6, 2017)

I have HW Brass, Spitfire Brass and Bravura Scoring Brass (sorry, no separate libraries). Out of these three, I think the solo horn in HW Brass is most versatile and my favorite in tone.

Spitfire is good with legatos and exposed, is full and mellow sounding, but lacks the top brassy dynamics, and the tone sometimes gets swallowed in the room sound and needs to be EQed.

HW is good with legatos and exposed, has more dynamic range, has a clearer sound, but can't get as warm at the lower dynamics.

Bravura's legato I don't like so much (too rough and pronounced), and the tone is a bit thin for my taste.


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## Daniel James (May 7, 2017)

I love the solo horns from Orchestral Tools Berlin Brass!

-DJ


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## willbedford (May 7, 2017)

I am biased, but the Cinesamples Descant Horn is my go-to.


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## thousandfold (May 7, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> I love the solo horns from Orchestral Tools Berlin Brass!
> 
> -DJ



Odd.. I was expecting it to be 10x the price of Cinesamples' Descant Horn since it's OT afterall. Any chance to know how they stand up too eachother?


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## galactic orange (May 7, 2017)

willbedford said:


> I am biased, but the Cinesamples Descant Horn is my go-to.



Speaking of CineBrass, is the solo horn in PRO (along with the other instruments) going to get the updated legato scripting that Descant Horn and the 12-Horn patch got? Descant Horn sounds amazing, but I don't have it yet.


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## jon wayne (May 7, 2017)

Thanks for all the input. I agree that HW probably sounds the most fluid and realistic..I wish the warm tone could be fuller without getting so blatty. Its been awhile since I played with a good FH player, but I think they can keep their hand in the bell and still get some volume, while staying "warm".


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## Parsifal666 (May 7, 2017)

Ashermusic said:


> I have the Sample Modeling French horn and it is very payable but less brassy than I think a French horn should be, but nice ffor mellow passages.
> 
> But overall, I still like the Hollywood Brass French horn.



I just love it, and of course I'm a certified fanboy over the 6 horn ensemble...couple that with the Hollywood Low Brass and you might just conjure the Dick in my picture!

Uh, wait, that didn't come out right........


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## Paul T McGraw (May 7, 2017)

The VSL Vienna Horn can be purchased separately for $120.00 for the full version which includes all the articulations you could ever need. They also offer their "Triple Horn" with an amazing range for $110.00 

Here is the Yoda theme first using the OT Berlin Brass horn then the same theme using the VSL Vienna Horn. Both are in the Teledex studio. You can clearly hear why I prefer the VSL horn.

https://app.box.com/s/bhhes0ydu6ccanvvnnzcpttivop5bk6x


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## Parsifal666 (May 7, 2017)

Paul T McGraw said:


> The VSL Vienna Horn can be purchased separately for $120.00 for the full version which includes all the articulations you could ever need. They also offer their "Triple Horn" with an amazing range for $110.00
> 
> Here is the Yoda theme first using the OT Berlin Brass horn then the same theme using the VSL Vienna Horn. Both are in the Teledex studio. You can clearly hear why I prefer the VSL horn.
> 
> https://app.box.com/s/bhhes0ydu6ccanvvnnzcpttivop5bk6x



Berlin Brass is pretty darn impressive stuff.


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## Paul T McGraw (May 7, 2017)

Parsifal666 said:


> Berlin Brass is pretty darn impressive stuff.



Yes Berlin Brass has a very attractive tone. The above Yoda theme was using 4 mic positions. The BB horn tone is perhaps a tad better than VSL but the BB legato just does not sound realistic. I also own Cinebrass and Cinebrass pro, but they are not quite as good, though certainly more than good enough in a mix. Over all I prefer the VSL. My next purchase will be the Chris Hein Brass, just to compare and for the fun of it.


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## Parsifal666 (May 7, 2017)

Paul T McGraw said:


> Yes Berlin Brass has a very attractive tone. The above Yoda theme was using 4 mic positions. The BB horn tone is perhaps a tad better than VSL but the BB legato just does not sound realistic. I also own Cinebrass and Cinebrass pro, but they are not quite as good, though certainly more than good enough in a mix. Over all I prefer the VSL. My next purchase will be the Chris Hein Brass, just to compare and for the fun of it.


 
Well, I can testify that the Hein orchestral brass library is truly a joy. It also gives me an extra chance to wield my engineering skills. The Hein is just a knockout for solo brass imo. Not entirely sold on their ensembles, but give me more time to get used to using them...I'm too quick to just haul out my beloved EWHB when the composition requires ensembles.


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## ctsai89 (May 7, 2017)

Chris Hein solo horns could sound like a saxophone in the wrong hands. The Chris Hein trumpets is definitely its best forte in Chris Hein.

I would stay away from Spitfire for solo brass instruments especially if you needed them to be soaringly loud (but not many does that with solo horn anyways). But they do staccato/marcatos fine.

Cinebrass pro solo horns are nice.


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## Parsifal666 (May 7, 2017)

ctsai89 said:


> Chris Hein solo horns could sound like a saxophone in the wrong hands. The Chris Hein trumpets is definitely its best forte in Chris Hein.



Oh I love all of them. I'll make two solo trombone tracks, then layer them with Albion or HWB. It's terrific skill-sharpening to make the Hein fit using fx, etc. Once you have it, the sound is really distinctive and eminently useful.


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## Parsifal666 (May 7, 2017)

Still DYING for a Hein Tuba collection, c'mon @Chris Hein lol! At least a library with a tuba, bass tuba, WAGNER TUUUUUBAAA! My Walhall' surely cometh!

Or sumpin'...


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## gjelul (May 7, 2017)

Sample Modeling?


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## ctsai89 (May 7, 2017)

Parsifal666 said:


> Still DYING for a Hein Tuba collection, c'mon @Chris Hein lol! At least a library with a tuba, bass tuba, WAGNER TUUUUUBAAA! My Walhall' surely cometh!
> 
> Or sumpin'...



lol!! yes please


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## trumpoz (May 7, 2017)

Im a big fan of the VSL triple horn for solo work. Chris Hein and EW are good for more ensemble style work.


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## thousandfold (May 8, 2017)

This forum is making me wanna buy Chris Hein.. I keep seeing it popping it up again and again! And each time I check it out I really like what they do


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## Lotias (Nov 14, 2017)

ka00 said:


> A few people recommended Sample Modeling in this thread. I’m tempted, but is a breath controller necessary to get a realistic sound out of it?
> 
> Thanks


No, but it makes your workflow much faster, because SampleModelling needs careful attention paid to dynamic expression & vibrato to really make it breathe. You can get buy programming the MIDI CC yourself, but it will take longer and you'd have to know exactly how you want to shape your phrase instead of performing it on a breath controller.


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## Ihnoc (Nov 14, 2017)

Paul T McGraw said:


> The VSL Vienna Horn can be purchased separately for $120.00 for the full version which includes all the articulations you could ever need. They also offer their "Triple Horn" with an amazing range for $110.00
> 
> Here is the Yoda theme first using the OT Berlin Brass horn then the same theme using the VSL Vienna Horn. Both are in the Teledex studio. You can clearly hear why I prefer the VSL horn.
> 
> https://app.box.com/s/bhhes0ydu6ccanvvnnzcpttivop5bk6x



Thanks Paul, this is a really valuable comparison for me. I own the VSL SE version of this and the Triple, but I've been wanting to push towards Berlin for my brass to focus on 3 and 4 part writing. Was this achieved with MIRx Teldex? Could you elaborate on what you did to achieve this tone with the VSL Vienna Horn?


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## Hanu_H (Nov 14, 2017)

Ashermusic said:


> I have the Sample Modeling French horn and it is very payable but less brassy than I think a French horn should be, but nice ffor mellow passages.
> 
> But overall, I still like the Hollywood Brass French horn.


You can control the brassyness of the SM Brass with a CC.

-Hannes


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## robgb (Nov 14, 2017)

ka00 said:


> A few people recommended Sample Modeling in this thread. I’m tempted, but is a breath controller necessary to get a realistic sound out of it?
> 
> Thanks


You can use any CC controller you assign to a Sample Modeling instrument.


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## Gzu (Nov 14, 2017)

Hanu_H said:


> You can control the brassyness of the SM Brass with a CC.
> 
> -Hannes



Which CC are you talking to give more brassyness to Sample modeling French Horn ?


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## Lee Blaske (Nov 14, 2017)

There are a lot of excellent french horn samples out there. The VSL and Orchestral Tools instruments are fantastic.

In the right context, though, the SampleModeling french horn is pretty amazing. You can really do some nice legato, and the instrument reacts to the phrase you're playing the way a french horn reacts (IMO). To me, it does so in a way that I can't replicate with samples (even though there are qualities in some of the sampled instruments that I really like, too). Here's a piece with the SampleModeling french horn (actually, my first little tests, immediately after I bought it)...

https://www.reverbnation.com/leeblaske/song/19860127-pardon-my-french-horn


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## Johnny (Nov 14, 2017)

For slow flowing passages? It's an oldie, but I still really like the tone "and" legato scripting of Project Sam's Symphobia 2 Solo French horn. (Not the most rounded scripting to today's standards, but still was way ahead of it's time!) Check out 8Dio Century Brass Solo too? Some good horn sounds going on in there ;p


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## JohnBMears (Nov 14, 2017)

If a single dynamic layer will do, I still think the solo horn from CineBrass Core (not Pro) is absolutely amazing. The sonic footprint, clarity, tone, presence and legato transitions jump straight off the emotional cues from Back To The Future.


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## LHall (Nov 15, 2017)

Sample Modeling and a TEC breath controller. Absolutely worth getting the breath controller although you can work without it.


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## Hanu_H (Nov 15, 2017)

Gzu said:


> Which CC are you talking to give more brassyness to Sample modeling French Horn ?



CC21: growl intensity. High frequency flutter may be added by directly acting on this controller, to produce a “growly” or “dirty” sound. Default = 0. CC23: frullato intensity. Flutter-tongue-like effect may be added by directly acting on this controller. Default = 0. CC30: buzz intensity (French Horn only). High frequency flutter may be added by directly acting on this controller, to produce a more aggressive, “buzzy", dirty sound. Default = 0.

These controls can be used to get more brassyness in the sound.

-Hannes


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## AR (Nov 15, 2017)

I have the OT Brass and the Spitfire old horn library with 4 mic positions! in my template. Depending on what color I want, I choose one. Those two sounding best to my ears. Got rid of Cinesamples since it has too much of a Hollywood sound. And everyone knows Europeans are better brass players than Americans ) Maaaaan, I wish someone would sample the Berlin Symphoniker


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## Gzu (Nov 15, 2017)

Hanu_H said:


> CC21: growl intensity. High frequency flutter may be added by directly acting on this controller, to produce a “growly” or “dirty” sound. Default = 0. CC23: frullato intensity. Flutter-tongue-like effect may be added by directly acting on this controller. Default = 0. CC30: buzz intensity (French Horn only). High frequency flutter may be added by directly acting on this controller, to produce a more aggressive, “buzzy", dirty sound. Default = 0.
> 
> These controls can be used to get more brassyness in the sound.
> 
> -Hannes



I always wonder about flutter tongue, buzz and growl.

I remember in trying to achieve the typical FH tone, playing with those controls, but without success.
I think I will try again.

Thank you so much for your reply !


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## Paul T McGraw (Nov 16, 2017)

Ihnoc said:


> Thanks Paul, this is a really valuable comparison for me. I own the VSL SE version of this and the Triple, but I've been wanting to push towards Berlin for my brass to focus on 3 and 4 part writing. Was this achieved with MIRx Teldex? Could you elaborate on what you did to achieve this tone with the VSL Vienna Horn?



Yes, this was MIRx Teldex. Using MIR Pro with two mic positions the VSL instruments sound even better.


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## TimCox (Nov 16, 2017)

I'm a little biased because BB is all I use now but I love the horns on there. It's even better being able to choose between 4 different horns for my soloist (and I don't have to worry about hurting the first chairs feelings)


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## Casiquire (Nov 17, 2017)

Another vote for SampleModeling!


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## ag75 (Nov 17, 2017)

For French horn, without a doubt, sample modeling (with TEControl breath controller)


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