# Hollywood Pop Brass has been released.



## Ashermusic (Jun 20, 2019)

4 piece section, not soloists.


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## erica-grace (Jun 20, 2019)

Nice. 

This belongs in COMMERCIAL Announcements - Tier 2, no?


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## Ashermusic (Jun 20, 2019)

erica-grace said:


> Nice.
> 
> This belongs in COMMERCIAL Announcements - Tier 2, no?



Isn't that for developers and those who work for them?


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Jun 20, 2019)

A walkthrough demo would be interesting - especially in order to get an idea of what it really contains. I'm saying that also because I'm quite surprised by the steep pricing - 5x NIs Session Horns (non-pro) regular price, while apparently covering very similar ground.


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## Saxer (Jun 20, 2019)

The demos sound extremely 2000's midi-like.


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## Ashermusic (Jun 20, 2019)

Saxer said:


> The demos sound extremely 2000's midi-like.



Well any time several instruments are playing the same MIDI you get some of that. The advantage is that the players are glued together in a way solo virtual instruments are not, the disadvantage is the lack of variation.

But whatever, we hear what we hear, right?


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 20, 2019)

Whoever shot and edited that video did a fantastic job!

My question is what's a phrase and what's the library. But it sounds very good to me.



Saxer said:


> The demos sound extremely 2000's midi-like.



Saxer, you're a saxer. With few exceptions, any sampled instrument is going to sound like shit to a person who plays the real thing. And as Jay says, it's almost all unison. You could probably program in some slop - timing and pitch.


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## Saxer (Jun 20, 2019)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Saxer, you're a saxer. With few exceptions, any sampled instrument is going to sound like shit to a person who plays the real thing. And as Jay says, it's almost all unison. You could probably program in some slop - timing and pitch.


Przemyslaw Kopczyk made fantastic demos on Mojo. I believe the midi-ish feel in the EW demos isn't the fault of the library.


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## Ashermusic (Jun 20, 2019)

Saxer said:


> Przemyslaw Kopczyk made fantastic demos on Mojo. I believe the midi-ish feel in the EW demos isn't the fault of the library.



Well, then I look forward to hearing your demos with HPB


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## artomatic (Jun 20, 2019)

Yes, definitely needs a walkthrough after hearing the demos (was wishing for a funk demo).
At this point, I'm not totally sold on it. The intro price didn't help either. We'll see...


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## Ashermusic (Jun 20, 2019)

artomatic said:


> Yes, definitely needs a walkthrough after hearing the demos (was wishing for a funk demo).
> At this point, I'm not totally sold on it. The intro price didn't help either. We'll see...



This is where joining the Composer Cloud for a month helps. You can try it out and see if you like it.


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## Paul Cardon (Jun 20, 2019)

Here's a few samples of some flat patches, default mix, no processing, that might be useful! Really like the stac/sus combo patch for sketching out an idea. And those effects are gonna be REAL great for cartoon-style accents.

It's definitely a cheesy sound, but I think they nailed it. And while it's still definitely an EW legato, it's one of their best in a while.

Very worth downloading if you have the CC subscription and dig the style.

Stac Sus combo
[AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/hpb-stac-sus-patch-mp3.20764/][/AUDIOPLUS]

Legato Smooth Xfde:
[AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/hpb-smooth-legato-mp3.20762/][/AUDIOPLUS]

Effects (Rips, falls, growls, trills)
[AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/hpb-effects-mp3.20763/][/AUDIOPLUS]


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## Lee Blaske (Jun 20, 2019)

Paul Cardon said:


> Here's a few samples of some flat patches, default mix, no processing, that might be useful! Really like the stac/sus combo patch for sketching out an idea. And those effects are gonna be REAL great for cartoon-style accents.
> 
> It's definitely a cheesy sound, but I think they nailed it. And while it's still definitely an EW legato, it's one of their best in a while.
> 
> ...



The sounds are nice, solid and consistent; but especially listening to them like that, they really sound like samples.


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## Paul Cardon (Jun 20, 2019)

Lee Blaske said:


> The sounds are nice, solid and consistent; but especially listening to them like that, they really sound like samples.



Now is that because it's got a classic smaller studio sound that was popular in 2000s sampling, or because they're totally samples?


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## mojamusic (Jun 20, 2019)

Sounds good to me!


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## Saxer (Jun 20, 2019)

The legatos sounds excellent!


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## pderbidge (Jun 20, 2019)

The only off putting thing to me was the room sound in the demos. Is that added reverb or mic settings of some sort? I was really impressed when the solo instruments came in . I thought they sounded really good.


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## Audio Birdi (Jun 20, 2019)

Curious as to what the separate Section 1 and Section 2 mics sound like individually with the above examples @Paul Cardon :D


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## erica-grace (Jun 20, 2019)

Ashermusic said:


> Isn't that for developers and those who work for them?



Well, you have a point there, but then what's the purpose of having two tiers, if anyone (non-developers and those who work for them) can post an announcement in ST for all to see? Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose, of having a tier that developers can post in without paying for space, that only members who are logged in can see?


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## Lee Blaske (Jun 20, 2019)

Paul Cardon said:


> Now is that because it's got a classic dry sound that was popular in 2000s sampling, or because they're totally samples?



It's not the reverb or lack thereof. It just doesn't sound the way real players sound the way real players phrase and blow. You really need modeled instruments to get closer to that.


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## SoNowWhat? (Jun 20, 2019)

erica-grace said:


> Well, you have a point there, but then what's the purpose of having two tiers, if anyone (non-developers and those who work for them) can post an announcement in ST for all to see? Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose, of having a tier that developers can post in without paying for space, that only members who are logged in can see?


We often have a thread covering a new library or release in ST where any critiques and comparisons with alternative dev products can be posted. That sort of discussion isn’t meant to happen in the commercial section threads.

Edit - are you saying this thread looks like an announcement of the release of a new product? Maybe the title could have been better worded but as it’s in ST that’s not how I understood it. @Ashermusic doesn’t work for EW anymore (Jay please correct me if I’m wrong) so I took this as a ST discussion thread covering the new release.


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## Ashermusic (Jun 20, 2019)

SoNowWhat? said:


> We often have a thread covering a new library or release in ST where any critiques and comparisons with alternative dev products can be posted. That sort of discussion isn’t meant to happen in the commercial section threads.
> 
> Edit - are you saying this thread is an announcement of the release of a new product? Maybe the title could have been better worded but as it’s in ST that’s not how I understood it. @Ashermusic doesn’t work for EW anymore (Jay please correct me if I’m wrong) so I took this as a ST discussion thread covering the new release.




Yes, I have not worked for EW as their Online Coordinator for over two years. When I did, I participated here as EW Lurker.


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## JacquesMathias (Jun 20, 2019)

Ashermusic said:


> 4 piece section, not soloists.


Thanks for posting. Downloading right now. Looking forward to playing with it, have you?
JM


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## Ashermusic (Jun 20, 2019)

JacquesMathias said:


> Thanks for posting. Downloading right now. Looking forward to playing with it, have you?
> JM



A bit. I will be reviewing it for AskAudio.


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## Paul Cardon (Jun 20, 2019)

Lee Blaske said:


> It's not the reverb or lack thereof. It just doesn't sound the way real players sound the way real players phrase and blow. You really need modeled instruments to get closer to that.



Oh well of course. I'd say it's properly good for samples, though.


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## Rtomproductions (Jun 20, 2019)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Whoever shot and edited that video did a fantastic job!
> 
> My question is what's a phrase and what's the library. But it sounds very good to me.



In the second demo, the choruses are primarily phrases with a couple programmed notes thrown in to glue them together. Everything else is a combination of various key switch patches. The very last lick is also just the legato patch.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 20, 2019)

erica-grace said:


> what's the purpose of having two tiers



Nothing to do with this. Jay's post is fine. This is a discussion about a new library.


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## ChrisSiuMusic (Jun 20, 2019)

It certainly does sound awesome to me, although quite roomy for my taste.


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## erica-grace (Jun 20, 2019)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Nothing to do with this. Jay's post is fine. This is a discussion about a new library.



Understood.

So, then all of the 8Dio "xyz has been released" threads in the commercial tier2 sub started by regular forum members should be here, no?


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## AllanH (Jun 20, 2019)

EW really captured "the sound" with this release.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 20, 2019)

erica-grace said:


> Understood.



This is the Being Hit On The Head Lessons section. Arguments are down the hall.


.


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## dpasdernick (Jun 20, 2019)

Dammit... I need this.


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## erica-grace (Jun 20, 2019)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> This is the Being Hit On The Head Lessons section. Arguments are down the hall.



Pffft.


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## Ashermusic (Jun 21, 2019)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> This is the Being Hit On The Head Lessons section. Arguments are down the hall.
> 
> 
> .




LOL!


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## trumpoz (Jun 21, 2019)

Some of Pop brass sounds great. The legato is not great for Jerry Hey Horns style runs..... tried that unsuccessfully! The effects sound really good. 

Given I am on Composer Cloud I don't have to think about paying full price for it. I don't think I would have paid that much.


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## ProfoundSilence (Jun 21, 2019)

erica-grace said:


> Understood.
> 
> So, then all of the 8Dio "xyz has been released" threads in the commercial tier2 sub started by regular forum members should be here, no?


Jay still kinda shills a bit for EW, but he's been around long enough to get away with it. Although they might not be explicitly paying him these days - he's still a loud voice for them, no different than many other composers here who have their own preference. As much as I agree that Jay's spot on the pecking order shouldn't change where this thread should be - it's simply not a big deal to me, because I don't even have to read it if I don't want to. 

Paul, you seem to do a lot of cartoonish stuff, so it should fit right into your template!


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## Ashermusic (Jun 22, 2019)

ProfoundSilence said:


> Jay still kinda shills a bit for EW, but he's been around long enough to get away with it. Although they might not be explicitly paying him these days - he's still a loud voice for them, no different than many other composers here who have their own preference. As much as I agree that Jay's spot on the pecking order shouldn't change where this thread should be - it's simply not a big deal to me, because I don't even have to read it if I don't want to.
> 
> Paul, you seem to do a lot of cartoonish stuff, so it should fit right into your template!



To be clear, when I like an EW product, I say so. When I don't, because they paid me for years and still give me free stuff, I probably will say nothing.

But if I say I like it or review it positively. you can be sure that free or not, I like it. If I say nothing, you should be able to figure that I don't.

In this case, I have not yet spent enough time with it to form an opinion, but I will soon.

And btw, if you are paying attention, you will have noticed that is my posture also with other developers who make a lot of libraries I like.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jun 22, 2019)

Just spent 20min with it, and as much as I like the tone (and indeed, very nice legato), I'm quite disappointed not being able to play each instrument separately.


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## ProfoundSilence (Jun 22, 2019)

Ashermusic said:


> To be clear, when I like an EW product, I say so. When I don't, because they paid me for years and still give me free stuff, I probably will say nothing.
> 
> But if I say I like it or review it positively. you can be sure that free or not, I like it. If I say nothing, you should be able to figure that I don't.
> 
> ...


many of us have favorites, its not that odd. And I also know your review policy. I was just pointing out that a.) your affinity towards EW incase they didn't know and b.) your status on the forum allows you to bend the rules a little. as well as c.) who cares? still rather see this than another 14 spitfire threads, and if you're checking both subforums then there is no real difference in where you read it.


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## Ashermusic (Jun 22, 2019)

ProfoundSilence said:


> many of us have favorites, its not that odd. And I also know your review policy. I was just pointing out that a.) your affinity towards EW incase they didn't know and b.) your status on the forum allows you to bend the rules a little. as well as c.) who cares? still rather see this than another 14 spitfire threads, and if you're checking both subforums then there is no real difference in where you read it.



No, if it's against the rules, I would want to know. I don't intentionally bend rules here.


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## Dave Connor (Jun 22, 2019)

Quite an odd release from the capable people at EW. I wouldn’t think any professionals would be attracted to having their hands tied like that. Maybe it’s just the thing though for folks just starting out using brass. An instant arrangement sound and thrill out of the box.

Edit: I didn’t take the recorded phrases into consideration which once again would seem to be antithetical to personal music expression. Anyone can of course make music with any tool and so interesting things can be done I’m sure.


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## Paul Cardon (Jun 22, 2019)

ProfoundSilence said:


> Paul, you seem to do a lot of cartoonish stuff, so it should fit right into your template!



Haha, exactly! Definitely keeping this one around for those moments.


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## purple (Jun 22, 2019)

I mean, it seems like it's exactly what it needs to be and exactly what it says on the tin. It's meant to be a bunch of fairly common horn patterns you can throw into a pop track or a funky groove to give it some life. For that, and with it being part of CC, it seems to be pretty great! I'll wait until I get my hands on it myself before I shill to hard for it though.


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## trumpoz (Jun 22, 2019)

whitewasteland said:


> Just spent 20min with it, and as much as I like the tone (and indeed, very nice legato), I'm quite disappointed not being able to play each instrument separately.


You can drop each individual mic out in Play. There is however a bit of bleed in some instances.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jun 22, 2019)

trumpoz said:


> You can drop each individual mic out in Play. There is however a bit of bleed in some instances.



Yeah, between the bleed and the fact you have to get rid of the room mics... Not really a good solution, unfortunately :/


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## pderbidge (Jun 23, 2019)

whitewasteland said:


> Just spent 20min with it, and as much as I like the tone (and indeed, very nice legato), I'm quite disappointed not being able to play each instrument separately.


So no solo instruments? What was that I heard in their demo near the end with all of those solo performances on top of each other?


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jun 24, 2019)

pderbidge said:


> So no solo instruments? What was that I heard in their demo near the end with all of those solo performances on top of each other?



I don't know, but I was looking for it as well 

As @trumpoz said, to hear and play an instrument "alone", you have to isolate its close mic, and cut the two room mics. Even with that, there is of course some bleed (as everyone was playing together in the room - the trumpet being a trumpet, you hear it in every mic quite loud), and the tones become... well, like a close mic alone.

This looks like a very good library for big tutti lines, but I don't understand why they would release something with so much limitations, especially with libraries like Broadway Big Band and Glory Days already out there.


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## trumpoz (Jun 24, 2019)

This is nothing like BBB or Glory Days. It is very much aimed at pop brass - that tight section sound in Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, Jerry Hey Horns. BBB and Glory Days dont come near that - it is more of a one trick pony.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jun 24, 2019)

trumpoz said:


> This is nothing like BBB or Glory Days. It is very much aimed at pop brass - that tight section sound in Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, Jerry Hey Horns. BBB and Glory Days dont come near that - it is more of a one trick pony.



I'm a huge fan of MJ, Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Toto and all that kind of stuff. Agree with you about it being a one trick pony, but it's an expensive one - even if it will be often heavily discounted like most of EW products.


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## Ashermusic (Jun 24, 2019)

I will be reviewing this for AskAudio. 

Teaser:
Like I said in the other thread, if you buy the concept, you will buy the execution IMHO. EW believes that the _only_ way to capture that _specific_ type of sound well is with great players playing together simultaneously, _not_ with solos then combined.


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## Dave Connor (Jun 25, 2019)

Ashermusic said:


> I will be reviewing this for AskAudio.
> 
> Teaser:
> Like I said in the other thread, if you buy the concept, you will buy the execution IMHO. EW believes that the _only_ way to capture that _specific_ type of sound well is with great players playing together simultaneously, _not_ with solos then combined.


Which really makes you wonder why they didn’t offer solo instruments which would make ensemble patches make far more sense. Pop brass may be the most wanting area in sampling. I think a quality library that allows for the arranger to work idiomatically would sell and sell. [Not telling you anything you don’t know up and down Jay.]


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## Orchestrata (Jun 26, 2019)

I'm really enjoying this one (got it with the Composers Cloud subscription). Not necessarily something I would have bought on its own - I'd opt for something more flexible - but it does what it sets out to do, and it's a lot of fun to play with. A pleasant surprise after feeling somewhat let down by EW over the last few years.


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## reddognoyz (Jun 27, 2019)

My 2 second review, after playing with it for 3 minutes:

This is a basic library, the sound is great, as is the playability, I can see using this for Jazzy" orchestral stuff, like The Incredibles, James Bond etc. 
It has a ton of riffs and effects and the usual EW playable patches, sus, legato, shorts, crossfade variations etc. 
It's an all-in-one brass section library but it looks like you can just turn on the individual mics so you could have a trumpet, bones, and sax section separately. 
I have several libraries that try to cover this territory( an all in one jazz horn section), none as successfully imho. 
I have the composer cloud and it's a total no brainer for me. I would probably buy it if I had a job coming up and I knew how good it played and sounded. 
Obviously if your looking for something to do big band arraignments I would look for something with individual instruments, but for a good quick tool to get the flavor of jazz horns in a score this is perfect for me. It may be great for pop stuff too...


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## Ashermusic (Aug 16, 2019)

Here's my review.








macProVideo.com


Recorded in a pristine space with pro players, this latest sampled instrument from EastWest aims to cover all your pop brass programming and arranging needs.




macprovideo.com


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## muk (Aug 16, 2019)

You somehow forgot to mention your former affiliation with EW...


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## Ashermusic (Aug 16, 2019)

muk said:


> You somehow forgot to mention your former affiliation with EW...



I was dismissed from that position several years ago so I think it's no longer relevant.


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## paulwr (Jan 4, 2020)

Finally got around to using this library. While single line stuff can sound very good, I'm supremely disappointed in it when trying to write divisi brass parts. So no doing Steely Dan type stuff or anything that would include delicate soft dynamics. I may get some good use out of it in the future, but a funk jazz piece I'm on right now it just won't cut it. It will be in the end performed by session brass players anyway, but I can't even use this library to demo the brass section, I'm having to rely on the latest NI Session Horns Pro. I may get some use from Hollywood Pop Brass for some single lines if I can get it too blend. So for me the bottom line is it's a really great sound for a very limited musical scope. If they came out with solo brass to accompany this, it could then be something broadly usable and even special.


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## Audio Birdi (Jan 5, 2020)

paulwr said:


> Finally got around to using this library. While single line stuff can sound very good, I'm supremely disappointed in it when trying to write divisi brass parts. So no doing Steely Dan type stuff or anything that would include delicate soft dynamics. I may get some good use out of it in the future, but a funk jazz piece I'm on right now it just won't cut it. It will be in the end performed by session brass players anyway, but I can't even use this library to demo the brass section, I'm having to rely on the latest NI Session Horns Pro. I may get some use from Hollywood Pop Brass for some single lines if I can get it too blend. So for me the bottom line is it's a really great sound for a very limited musical scope. If they came out with solo brass to accompany this, it could then be something broadly usable and even special.


This is what I'd thought too, having all players play at once gives the tight sound they wanted to achieve. But it should have been solo pop brass or section by section. The bleed that's heard in each individual microphone position won't allow for divisi as you've said. Which is a pain.


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## paulwr (Jan 6, 2020)

Audio Birdi said:


> This is what I'd thought too, having all players play at once gives the tight sound they wanted to achieve. But it should have been solo pop brass or section by section. The bleed that's heard in each individual microphone position won't allow for divisi as you've said. Which is a pain.


This library complemented with a more dynamic solo brass library at a similar sonic quality would be formidable. We have some great brass players here in Nashville now, just can't always budget for them.


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