Mojo/Horn Section

[deankripp]

...hey studio cats

... I'm thinking about getting Mojo/horn Section... anyone have any experience with it? Does it sound as good as the demos?

any insight to this product would be helpful


thanks


dean k

[mazz]

Dean,

Vir2 sent me a copy a couple of years ago. Out of the box I was frankly underwhelmed, particularly compared to the quality of the Samplemodeling instruments. Now granted, any of these things take some practice to make sound good, but it seems that the Samplemodeling instruments are just more "playable".

Mojo does sound pretty good as a section and that's kind of how it's designed to be used, I think. The instruments by themselves didn't impress me, again, Samplemodeling has it over Mojo in spades.

The caveat with all of this is that you have to buy the Samplemodeling instruments individually, with the exception of the Alto and Bari saxes, which come as a set. But you do get several variations on those instruments when you buy one. But it will end up costing more to put together a full Samplemodeling section.

I think with Mojo, be prepared to put in some time in the shed before you get good stuff out of it. Since I have the Samplemodeling stuff, I never open it, but for section stuff it would probably be good if you don't feature it too prominently. For solo instruments, I'd bypass Mojo and go straight to Samplemodeling.

HTH,

Mazz, your resident sample maniac with too many samples.............

[deankripp]

Thanks Mazzaratti

...just listened to the Sample Modeling horns on their various demos - wow! ... and it is my understanding that they can be used (without kontakt) as a stand alone vst (PC) type plugin... is this correct?

I'm going to be hiring and recording a real big band for a couple projects this year (and next year) but I want to see how close I can get to that big band swingin' sound with some current horn samples (and work out my arrangements with some good sample sounds)

Absolutely sold on the Sample Modeling sounds and flexibility - especially for soloed horns... might have to get all the Sample Modeling horns AND the Mojo --- and try a few combinations...

thanks for the feedback


deano k

[mazz]

Dean,

I believe they are developing their own plugin, but several of the instruments need Kontakt. I believe they'll run in the player but I'm not sure.

I think for mockups a combo of samplemodeling and mojo would be great.

[matto]

I agree with John,

The Mojo instruments are just not expressive and playable...it's basically a keyswitch assembly line, and the sound quality between different articulations is not particularly well matched, making it difficult to put together convincing lines.

Some of the instruments will sound okay in a doubling capacity, but the issue there is that they take up a LOT of RAM...last time I used Mojo (quite some time ago, so this may have been fixed in an update) it was also impossible to just load in individual articulations (some of which sound very good as "add-on's"), so e.g. loading just falls to use in conjunction with something else was not possible, compounding the RAM issue.

Samplemodeling instruments sound far better, are far more playable and take up less RAM to boot...not to mention that unlike Mojo the SM Trumpet and Trombone have the versatility to also work in an orchestral context, making them that much more valuable.

Btw you can "bundle" the SM stuff, everything except the new Soprano Sax can be purchsed as a bundle for Euro 449.00, so it's competitive in price.

Like John I haven't loaded Mojo in a long time...after you expereince the joy of playing virtual brass and saxes that feel like real instruments, it's hard to go back to the "keyswitch cut and paste" routine. Particularly if the results are far less convincing...

No brainer for me...

M

[cardell]

I'm going to be hiring and recording a real big band for a couple projects this year (and next year) but I want to see how close I can get to that big band swingin' sound with some current horn samples (and work out my arrangements with some good sample sounds)

Wow, looking forward to hearing that!!!

Stuart

[matto]

...just listened to the Sample Modeling horns on their various demos - wow! ... and it is my understanding that they can be used (without kontakt) as a stand alone vst (PC) type plugin... is this correct?

All but the Soprano Sax run in Kontakt, but they come with the free player so you don't need the full version of Kontakt. The Soprano runs on the SWAM engine which SM developed, but again that player is included with the product.

[matto]

I'm going to be hiring and recording a real big band for a couple projects this year (and next year) but I want to see how close I can get to that big band swingin' sound with some current horn samples (and work out my arrangements with some good sample sounds)

About the only thing SM won't do is the stratosphere lead tpt screaming sound...I think their trumpet only goes up to about F above hi C. For the really high stuff you might consider Warp IV Screaming Trumpet which uses Wayne Bergeron. Not nearly as user friendly as SM, much more of a keyswitch cut and paste deal, but the high stuff is probably the best available...the pro version is realy expensive, but the original version might be all you need if you just use it as an add on...

[deankripp]

....great info for helping me to decide guys

muchos thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





dean

[deankripp]

...got and installed the Sample Modeling Trumpet today.... did a test piano solo-trumpret track SaaaaWeeeeet Schwing.... Thanks for the "heads up" on this. Gonna get the Tenor Sax as well. Already got great "Bones" so no urgent need to go for the T-bone or alto/sop saxes yet...

Still may get the Mojo/Horn section just for "section stabs." ...we'll see how it all mixes out - once I learn how to use the stuff




deano k