User Manual

ARTURIA – BRASS 2 – USER’S MANUAL
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spaces. You might do this with the melody for example. If you do put the different
portions together at the same time, it can be specifically for a passage that requires a
particular impact. Also, consider that many rock and pop songs use keyboards, organs,
and synth pads to fill in chords during certain passages. A horn line can work with these
instruments, or can replace them. Just be careful that “human” phrasing is used, as a
synth pad can be held much longer than a note from a brass instrument, and careful
attention to phrasing is required if a synth effect is to be avoided. There are countless
examples of bands that use horn lines effectively. Of course, the band Chicago stands out
as a Classic Rock group that used the horn line as their center-piece, and of course Bruce
Springsteen's work with the E-Street Band. But there are also many, many current rock
groups and artists that use brass effectively in their work: Morphine, Cake, No Doubt,
Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Sublime, and Beck are all fine examples, with many others that
you will hear on the radio or see on television nearly every day.
1.2 Reggae
Brass sounds in this genre are well established – even fundamental, and we can usually
distinguish the different instruments in the arrangement. The phrasing has the role of
accompaniment to the melody, but is also found very often in refrains guiding the
melodic line. Horns can also serve as a rhythmic complement from a harmonic base.
Reggae is a style that permits a large amount of creativity and liberty for the usage of
BRASS 2. It is, therefore, natural that you can begin to integrate the riffs and different
parts of brass very early in the creation of a piece. Begin by determining what different
roles it is going to play throughout the arrangement, and then by selecting or creating
the riffs and phrases so that each instrument is discernable in the mix. However, in the
relatively open arrangements of Reggae music, horn lines do not need to have a very
high sound volume to be correctly mixed and heard. Of course, the most important part
of the reggae horn line is how it interacts with the “riddim”. Just about any reggae song
with a horn line will provide a general sense of the genre, but some obvious discography
choices would be anything from either of the Marley brothers or Burning Spear.
1.3 Dance/Funk
Brass instruments are very important in this style. It brings the bright, festive, energetic,
and rhythmic touch that these styles demand. The spread of dynamics are important and
play an integral part of an effective arrangement. Therefore, the level of expression in
your instruments, particularly the attack, will require a great deal of focus. Elaborate
harmonic portions with two trumpets, one saxophone and trombone, for example.
Sometimes, two trumpets are enough to create parts at octaves, fifths or even thirds…
Experiment several ways to harmonize. It takes a bit of time, but in general the results
should contain harmonic richness that will get the audience moving. Sometimes effects
such as a “fall”, “swell”, or “up” techniques are sufficient to launch the piece into a
creative intro. Some well-placed short “hits” also enrich the piece in a simple, yet
efficient way. Again, there are many good examples for these genres, but as a start,
consider the amazing horn lines from James Brown or Tower of Power, and for classic
dance tracks there's no better example than Earth, Wind and Fire.
1.4 Jazz
No other style of music explored the different playing palettes as much as jazz. For this
reason, it is a bit difficult to describe a certain way to use any horn in jazz because it is
so varied and uses a bit of everything. We can describe, however, several very general
configurations. Large sections, called “Big Band” sections, are found in many
configurations. Arrangements of this type of formation are fairly complex, more so on the