Arturia Augmented Brass is a cutting-edge software instrument that blends meticulously sampled brass sounds with advanced synthesis engines. This innovative plugin aims to reimagine classical brass instruments for modern music production, offering a unique hybrid approach that combines the warmth and authenticity of acoustic brass with the flexibility and creative potential of synthesizers. The plugin features a dual-engine architecture, allowing users to seamlessly morph between sampled and synthesized layers to create rich, evolving textures and otherworldly brass tones. With its intuitive interface centered around a prominent Morph knob, Augmented Brass provides an accessible yet powerful platform for sound designers, composers, and producers to craft everything from traditional orchestral brass to futuristic, cinematic soundscapes. The instrument comes loaded with hundreds of presets spanning various genres and styles, from classical to experimental, making it a versatile tool for a wide range of musical applications.
Pros:
• Intuitive interface with streamlined controls for quick, expressive sound design
• Unique blend of high-quality sampled brass and advanced synthesis engines
• Extensive customization options with deep modulation capabilities
• Hundreds of diverse, production-ready presets
• Affordable price point compared to many competing brass libraries
Cons:
• Limited to 64-bit DAWs, potentially excluding users with older systems
At the heart of Augmented Brass is its dual-engine architecture, which combines sample-based and synthesized sound sources. This innovative approach allows users to create hybrid brass tones that seamlessly blend the realism of acoustic instruments with the limitless possibilities of synthesis. The plugin’s interface is centered around the Morph knob, a powerful control that enables smooth transitions between the sampled and synthesized layers, opening up a world of sonic exploration.
The sample library that forms the foundation of Augmented Brass is impressively comprehensive. It includes recordings of various brass instruments such as tuba, cimbasso, contrabass trombone, bass trombone, tenor trombones, trumpet, and horns. These samples cover 11 orchestral articulations and 16 chamber articulations, providing a wide palette of authentic brass sounds. Additionally, the library includes 15 processed brass sounds and 15 brass-esque sounds, expanding the sonic possibilities beyond traditional brass timbres.
Augmented Brass offers deep sound design capabilities through its advanced panel. Users can access and manipulate up to four sound sources simultaneously, with any combination of sampling and synthesis engines. This level of control allows for intricate layering and blending of sounds, enabling the creation of complex, evolving brass textures.
The plugin’s modulation system is equally impressive, featuring a variety of modulation sources including LFOs, envelopes, and step sequencers. These can be easily assigned to multiple parameters simultaneously, allowing for dynamic and expressive sound manipulation. The visual feedback provided by the interface, including color-coded animations for different modulation types, enhances the user experience and makes complex modulation setups more intuitive.
Augmented Brass also includes a 16-step arpeggiator, adding rhythmic possibilities to the instrument. This feature can be particularly useful for creating pulsating, evolving brass textures or driving, synth-like sequences. The arpeggiator can be synchronized to the host DAW’s tempo, ensuring seamless integration with other elements in a production.
The effects section of Augmented Brass is robust and versatile. It includes a wide range of high-quality effects that can be applied to further shape and enhance the sound. These effects can be modulated and automated, allowing for dynamic sound transformations over time.
One of the standout features of Augmented Brass is its macro system. Up to six macro controls can be customized, each capable of affecting multiple parameters simultaneously. This powerful feature allows users to create complex, multi-dimensional sound transformations with a single control, greatly enhancing the instrument’s playability and expressiveness.
When compared to other brass plugins and libraries, Augmented Brass stands out for its hybrid approach and focus on modern, cinematic sounds. Native Instruments’ Symphony Series Brass Collection offers a more traditional orchestral brass library with a focus on realism and classical applications. In contrast, Augmented Brass provides a broader sonic palette that extends beyond traditional brass sounds. Output Analog Brass & Winds takes a similar approach to Augmented Brass in blending sampled and synthesized sounds, but with a focus on vintage tones. Augmented Brass offers a more modern and diverse sound palette. Spitfire Audio’s Albion series includes brass sections as part of larger orchestral collections. While these offer high-quality sampled brass, they lack the synthesis and sound design capabilities of Augmented Brass. Sample Logic’s Fanfare, like Augmented Brass, focuses on cinematic brass sounds. However, Augmented Brass offers more extensive synthesis options and a more intuitive interface for sound manipulation. Heavyocity’s FORZO Modern Brass is another cinematic brass library that competes with Augmented Brass. While FORZO offers detailed articulations and powerful sound design tools, Augmented Brass provides a more accessible interface and a unique hybrid approach to sound creation.
This plugin is best for:
• Film and game composers seeking modern, cinematic brass sounds
• Electronic music producers looking to incorporate unique brass textures
• Sound designers in need of flexible, hybrid brass instruments
• Producers working in genres that blend orchestral and electronic elements
• Musicians exploring experimental and avant-garde brass sounds
Arturia Augmented Brass represents a significant step forward in the realm of virtual brass instruments. By combining high-quality sampled brass with powerful synthesis engines, it offers a unique and versatile tool for modern music production. The plugin’s intuitive interface, centered around the Morph knob, makes it accessible to beginners while still providing depth for experienced sound designers. Its extensive preset library covers a wide range of musical styles, from traditional orchestral brass to futuristic, cinematic textures. The deep modulation capabilities and customizable macro controls allow for complex, evolving sounds that can breathe life into any production. While it may not replace a traditional orchestral brass library for purely classical applications, Augmented Brass excels in creating hybrid, modern brass sounds that are particularly well-suited for film scoring, game audio, and electronic music production. Augmented Brass stands out as a powerful and innovative tool in the crowded field of virtual instruments, offering a fresh approach to brass sounds that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in software synthesis.