Prosonus The Orchestral Collection

Sample CD Buyer's Guide

Published in SOS January 2000
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Reviews : Sample/Sound/Song Library

STRINGS

SS: sus (f & p), marc, piz, snpz, trem, gl, random piz.

Vns: sus (f, p & mut), marc, piz, harm, col, chromatic ascending runs.

Vas: sus (f, p & mut), piz, snpz.

Vcs: sus (f, p & mut), piz, snpz, col.

Dbs: sus (f & p), piz.

Vn (M): sus, piz.

Va (M): sus, piz.

Vc (M): sus, piz.

Db (M): sus, piz.

BRASS

BrS (ie. Tbns/Tpts): sus.

BrS (Tbns/Tpts/Tub) (3 oct): sus (f & p), stc (f & p), sw, up & down rips, cluster chords.

Tpt (M): sus (f, mf & p), stc, sw, mut (2 types, f & p).

Ptp (M): sus (f & p), stc, trll <2>.

Flg (M): sus (f, mf & p), sw.

Tbn (M): sus (f & p), sw, mut <2>, mut sw, 'wah' mute.

Btbn (M): sus (f, mf & p).

Fhn (M): sus (f, mf & p), stp, sw, mut.

Tba (M): sus (f & p), stc, slp, gls, 'elephant' up & down rips.

WOODWIND (ALL M)

Pic: sus.

Flt: sus, stc (f & p).

Aflt: sus.

Ob: sus (f & p).

Ob'd: sus.

Bob: sus.

Ehn: sus (f & p).

Cla: sus (f & p).

Bcla: sus (f & p).

Bsn: sus (f & p).

Cbsn: sus (f & p).

PERCUSSION -- TUNED (ALL M)

Crot, Glk, Mba, Xyl, Tmp, Tub.

PERCUSSION -- UNPITCHED (ALL M)

BD, Btr, BwC, Cast, Chg, CrC, Gng, Mtr, Ratch, Slb, SD, SSt, Tamb, Tbl.

HARP

Single notes, gls: major, diminished & whole-tone.

Comments: A useful selection from Prosonus' large orchestral archive, which omits nothing of note.

Standouts: A lovely, lyrical stereo harp for those melting Celtic moments. 'Brass Orchestra' sensibly combines trumpets and trombones in one eminently playable keyboard patch, which I would cheerfully take on stage. Though these recordings are quite old, the marcato and pizzicato strings still take a lot of beating.

Quibbles: The three-octave unison of the 'Large Brass Ensemble' sounds quite impressive one note at a time, but swiftly turns into something resembling a church organ when played chordally!

Contact: Time & Space

Akai/Kurzweil CD-ROMs £199.