In the last couple of years, Strezov Sampling have taken to tackling the world of aleatoric orchestral brass effects, in collaboration with US composer Casey Edwards (who also designed their modern sound design library Oracle, which we previously reviewed here). Over the course of three sample libraries, a well realised custom control engine, and a number of updates, their efforts come together in the Aleatoric Modular Series Brass Bundle. Each library represents a particular brass section in the orchestra, namely the Trumpets, the French Horns, and the Low Brass, and each can be bought separately, so you’ll never have to buy something you don’t need.
Extrapoloated from the Strezov Sampling website, here’s the developers’ own description of their product:
“The first user-guided aleatoric orchestral sample library, designed by Casey Edwards and produced by Strezov Sampling. Three of the best trumpet players in Bulgaria, along with six of the best French Horn players, two tenor trombones, two bass trombones, and one tuba, recorded in the Sofia Session Orchestra Hall.
- Lip Bends, Flutter Bends, Jitters, Trills, Flurries, Cluster Deviations, and tempo-synced Rips/Rises/and Falls
- EVERYTHING recorded normale and muted
- Guide your dynamics and variation via mod wheel or any CC of your choice
- FOUR dynamics (pp, mp, f, fff) on most patches
- FOUR mic positions (close, decca, outriggers, balcony) + mixed mic (lite) patches
- Recorded in a warm, dry hall – punchy room ER with very little tail
- 96kHz for maximum quality and greater processing ability
- Perfect for scoring trailers, games and film (especially horror and tension writing)
The entire Aleatoric Modular Series Brass Bundle is designed for the full version of Kontakt 4 (or higher), and its three libraries colletively come in at 35.5 GB when installed. The bundle is priced at USD 279, while each library may be separately bought for USD 110 each, all purchased and downloaded directly from the Strezov Sampling website.
Watch Meena Shamaly’s 4-part detailed review below:
Part 1 – AMS Interface & General Functionality
Part 2 – AMS Trumpets
Part 3 – AMS French Horns
Part 4 – AMS Low Brass
Aleatoric Modular Series Brass
Installation – 90%
Patches – 90%
Interface – 96%
Sound – 100%
Value – 94%
94%
94/100
What Casey Edwards and Strezov Sampling have created here with the Aleatoric Modular Brass series is nothing short of a playground for the composer in need of non-traditional orchestral effects. The amount of user control afforded means that these effects will bend to your will, not the other way around. Along with the divinely captured sound and the sonic flexibility, AMS is truly a leap forward in the world of orchestral sampling.