funky disco sound?

[madboymatt]

Hey guys, I'm looknig to get taht funky disco sound that is commonly heard from Jamiroquai and is prevelant in The Shapeshifters Lola's Theme. Its sort of taht Brassy strings sound. Hard to explain i guess. Its the very uplifting 70's/80's sound.

Just wondering if you guys know of any good vst's or instruments taht could help me.

Thanks very much!

matt

[soulkraka]

Its sort of taht Brassy strings sound.

rhetorical question?

[cyanogen]

I think the Jamiroquai strings (and a lot of disco strings) are just the same notes doubled an octave apart. Something like EWQL Silver Orchestra would probably work, even though it's technically a classical vst. There's also a sample set called Sounds of the '70s, but it's mostly loops.

[el davo]

What you hear are masterfully mixed brass and stringsections. Jamiroquai likely use session musicians for brass and strings. Lola's Theme I believe utilizes a cut up sample of Johnnie Taylor (unless they re-recorded it). Your best bet will be to sample discotracks and mash them up. If you want to try your hand on some programming, perhaps look at sample libraries like "Super Brass Section", "Kick Ass Brass", and any of the poppier string libraries (need some attack!). Once you nailed the phrase, get the production right.. eq+compress+delay. For bass, try a fretless or a mooglike sound.

[jens]

For bass, try a fretless or a mooglike sound.

the typical Jamiroquai bass (which is a very important part of their sound) is fretted. At least Stuart Zender never played fretless afaik.

[Sascha Franck]

As was said allready: You won't get away with most classical string libraries all that easily, simply because the attacks (and partially releases too) aren't fast enough.
As I only own Vitous Mini I can't say much about any other libraries - but it seems as if those disco strings are tough to get.
I think I heard a relatively nice house-ish demo for GPO though, but I don't remember exactly.

As far as brasses/horns go, it will help enormeously if you use different instruments for each voice rather than just some section patch.
Got no recommendation regarding a library though. Some Kick Ass Brass demos are defenitely sounding great, but I'm not sure how much of programming went into them. It's what I probably plan to purchase though (let's see what Kontakt 2 will offer and what Garritan will come up with first...).

[madboymatt]

excellent. thanks mates!

[el davo]

For bass, try a fretless or a mooglike sound.

the typical Jamiroquai bass (which is a very important part of their sound) is fretted. At least Stuart Zender never played fretless afaik.

my bad. Jens focused on jamiroquai, I zoned in on the "funky disco sound" also asked for.

A great option would be a live played & cut-up/looped bass if you're after a lively bassline. Fretted or fretless. otherwise, play around with any bass sound you come across and compress it, lo-pass it, distort it, duck it with a sidechain.. whatever, play around to find your own style. there are no rules!

With an initial warning that this paragraph might sound a bit patronizing, sorry, but the question referenced two quite different sounding references (although both DO feature brass and strings). Lola's theme (good crossover house) is heavily compressed, filtered and drenched in delay whilst Jamiroquai (if memory serves me right) typically use a more dry and up-close sound. To be able to do any style (your own style!) sound great, spend a lot of time training your ears by listening and comparing the soundstage of different tracks to each other, and to your own. Then figure out what arrangement differences or mixing techniques make that difference.

I haven't tried kick ass brass myself yet, but from what I heard from other producers it does require a LOT of programming to sound somewhat real. So does Super Brass Section. If you're set on doing your own, I'd take Sacha's advice to heart anyway, and practise programming these from scratch instead of using "some section patch".

For strings, I also remember hearing a demo of GPO featuring some pretty ok disco strings! (despite the rest of the production being a bit plasticky). I'm very keen myself to hear other suggestions for disco strings.

phew. edits: lot's of conflicting messages, spelling and wordiness.

[markbenson]

mmm interesting, when ive listened to lolas theme and their new track, back to basics i never notice any heavy delays as mentioned, you can hear the massive use of filters, alot of these disco tracks are sliced up loops from original disco vinyl
although the basslines are always nice sounding

i really want to get stick in to creating funky house tracks i have hundreds and hundreds of samples,just want to buy some useful vst's to utilise

think i need to get into a regular work pattern
to get some tracks done and finished

any one else making this type of music here ??
what do you find useful in creating your tracks ??

mark

[topaz]

try Smart Violins
http://www.soundsonline.com/sophtml/det ... sku=BS-319

[arguru]

House is all about sampling others and compression. =), indeed just take some 70's or 80's track, sample a few bars of them, apply massive filters/chorus/phasing them and put add some bassline. But compression, compression and a good pumping master compression is the key.

Some crappy example:

http://arguru.free.fr/fichiers/arguru_- ... eview).mp3

[Philly]

There's a rompler by Zero - G called 'Sounds of the Seventies' could be worth a shot!

[Stupid American Pig]

essential for "funky" sounds- the Phaser/Flanger/Chrous/Modulator plugin. Kjaerhus GMO-1 is one of the most realistic sounding modulator plugins I have heard..

[Sascha Franck]

SupaPhaser isn't a bad choice either.

[jason9]

TickyClaw + Mrray rhodes, pass it thru wahwah:)