Brass Hooks

Music Production Music Tech Discussion
1

hi guys

would like to compose a few nice brass section hooks to place in my tracks. any idea of any source material i could study? obviously bill conti’s done some cool funky brass hooks but anyone or anything else?

thanks!

2

any D.I.Y center should have a good stock of brass hooks…









sorry couldn’t resist :slight_smile:

3

For loops on a budget i’d recommend:



http://www.soundstosample.com/info/Sony/Vince_Andrews_Jazz_Solos_and_Sections/489



Loopmasters: Jazz World, Jazz Sessions, Afro Latin Producer etc.

http://www.loopmasters.com/jazz?page_liap=2



For more expensive options you have:



Big Fish Audio: First Call Horns and Mojo Horns etc.

Big Fish Audio | Royalty Free Loops, Samples and Virtual Instruments



and Chris Hein Horns

http://www.chrishein.net/CHH%20V1.5/chhv1_productsite.htm





If you have Ableton there is a fun Simpler technique you could try using to get instant riffs. I used this on a tech house track last week to great effect:


  1. Load the simpler with a long brass sample-preferably with two or more notes in it.
  2. Draw in a succession of 16th MIDI notes.
  3. Go into the clip envelope section, select the simpler’s sample start point from the drop-down menu and draw in varied automation onto the clip until you get a riff you like.
  4. Delete particular notes until you get a rhythm that fits your track.
  5. Play around with the envelope (eg. release setting) on the simpler and the MIDI note lengths to get a suitable flow.
  6. You can also experiment with pitch (either on the simpler or MIDI notes) to fit the key of your track and also you can add swing and groove to the notes.
  7. InstaHorn section!



    Here’s a video showing this technique to get minimal vocal effects - but it works on almost anything:



    Ableton Tutorial - Minimal Tech House - YouTube





    Hope this helps :slight_smile:
4


thanks squareoff, i dont want to use samples (from sample cds) so ill try out your tchnique when i get home.
what im really after is if anyone knows of any great funk albums featuring some cool brass i can be infulenced by or study?

re DIY shops… i did think about putting something like “no i dont mean picture hooks” in the title but thought… na no ones gonna say something like that… lol

5

[quote]jpgetty2win (15/04/2010)[hr]

thanks squareoff, i dont want to use samples (from sample cds) so ill try out your tchnique when i get home.

what im really after is if anyone knows of any great funk albums featuring some cool brass i can be infulenced by or study?



re DIY shops… i did think about putting something like “no i dont mean picture hooks” in the title but thought… na no ones gonna say something like that… lol[/quote]



lol as for influences probably not so much brass more funky hooks try anything by james brown for patterns

6

The simpler technique will make the source sample unrecognizable, especially if you chose a sample at a very different bpm to your own track.



Check out Afro beat for some heavy horn action. Anything by Fela Kuti.

Here are a couple of blogs to give you some ideas where to look. Obviously buy the albums if you’re interested (disclaimer).:smiley:



Afro:



http://www.pazovacafe.com/Muzika-i-Muzicka-Desavanja/World-Music_5.html





Rare Funk, Soul and Jazz:



http://daddyjeffmc.blogspot.com/2008/09/funky-soul-raregrooves-library.html

7

This site might help:



http://www.horntabs.net

8

excellent thanks for the help!

9

you can thank me later! :wink:



[url]http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Sound_samples[/url]



20 gigs of samples from the One Laptop Per Child thingy. Tons of orchestral samples in there.

10

good find howie