Best Horns For Kontakt (Funk, Pop, Jazz) . . Which One?

I'm pretty much dead set on buying Vir2's MOJO V.I. which is the best I've "heard" next to Sonnivox Broadway Big Band (which incidentally ISN'T available for Kontakt). I've listened to First Call Horns (by Best Service), and wasn't impressed, as I also wasn't with Phantom Horns.

Only thing is Vir2 KEEPS PUSHING BACK their release date. Get's kind of annoying (I'm sure they're making sure things are tight before release).

What are some of your other soultions?


Vir2's Mojo Virtual Instrument

 

Mojo is waiting for the upcoming release of Kontakt because it depends on Kontakt 3.5's features. It should be out shortly.

I have worked with Mojo in beta and it is excellent.

 

The demos do sound excellent indeed. I was THIS close to purchasing Chris Hein Horns Vol. 2.

We all have no idea when Kontakt 3.5. is coming out, so I won't hold my breath for MOJO. I will wait patiently though. Seems like it will be worth every penny.

 

Any other suggestions?

 

I think the Mojo horns do look really interesting.

Meanwhile, I bought the Chris Hein Horns and am extremely happy. I even did a demo that Chris liked and put on his site.

Check it out here. http://www.chrishein.net/
In the player, go to Horns Vol 2/ latin/ Fuego e Heilo

It's a Latin thing, but the horns work great for jazz/big band just as well.

I also really like Sample Modeling's The Trumpet and Mr. T Sax.

 

I'm very hesitant on buying the Chris Hein brass. The Vir2 Mojo package seems like a more comprehensive buy, since all of the articulations can be assigned to key releases, different velocities and the fact that up to 10 of the same instrument can be assigned to one patch (I wonder if its the same sample or actual different Trumpet samples e.g. mapped across the stereo spectrum).

The Chris Hein package is cheaper, but comes with fewer instruments than MOJO offers. Still though, if MOJO takes too long, I'll go with the Chris Hein sections. First Vir2 said it would be out last year (early 2008), and every month that passes by, they push the release date by another month.

Why wait until Kontakt 3.5's release (Hopefully soon). The Chris Hein brass sounds abit TV/Las-Vegasy to me, while MOJO demos make me feel like I'm listening to Doc Severenson's Tonight Show Band, or Earth Wind and Fire's brass section!

Alas however, I'm getting REAL impatient!

 

Check out the Garritan Jazz & Big Band horns. They work in Kontakt and they sound great for a good price!

 

I've read unfavorable reviews on the Garritan's Jazz & Big Band Horns. I used to work with the Roland SRX10 Brass Card for horn parts and figured that if I truly went all software, that the sound quality of any purchases would have to exponentially surpass what I am currently using.

Thanks for the suggestion though. I wasn't at all impressed by the GJBBH demos.

 

Garritan J&BB is totally screwed up because of their insistence on that unnatural use of the mod wheel which violates General MIDI standards that have been in place for 30 years. Work with it for awhile and you'll see what a pain it is. Fortunately, if you have Kontakt you can edit the J&BB instruments and get rid of that screwball mod wheel junk with a few keystrokes.

 

Hate GJ&BB

I've heard their demos and they sound like 90s era ROMPLERS to me. I LIKED the Chris Hein demos, but the brass instruments sound WAYY too clean; almost like Doc Severeson/Carson era Hollywood style horns. That is somewhat acceptable, but MOJO seems to have more variety and the instruments have a rough bite to them.

 

Hey epu,

I am not sure what your timeframe is, or how long you are prepared to wait for mojo, but I wanted to comment on CHH.

I own some parts of CHH and they are really great.

They can get plenty dirty and gritty if you want or need them to.
It's just something that the demos don't really focus on.

I know you have your heart set on mojo, but I would suggest that in the mean time you could purchase one of the smaller DL instruments from CHH.

That way this can help you decide if it is what you want or not. And you wont really be out of pocket if you don't like it (although I think you probably might)

Another option you have is trysound.com.
It will let you try it out online over the internet via remote connection.
I have never done this myself so I am not sure how well it works, but have read a number of comments from people who have said that it is very useful.

Hope this helps,

Ben H

 

I will give TrySound a try (no pun intended).

I'm hoping the Vir2 releases Mojo this month as they said. Mojo has a LOT more options than CHH. Up to 10 instruments per instrument makes for more variety and interesting sectional combinations. Thanks for your input Horwood.