Ultra Brass — Technical Specifications

• Name: Ultra Brass — Performed Staccatos
• Instruments: Solo Trombone, Trombones (Ensemble), Bass Trombone, Tuba
• Publisher: Cinematic Composing
• Format: CC-Sampler Plugin (VST3, AU, CLAP, Standalone)
• Platform: macOS & Windows
• Kontakt: Not required — CC-Sampler is an independent plugin engine

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The Instrument

Ultra Brass is a performed low brass staccato library featuring solo trombone, trombones (ensemble), bass trombone, and tuba. It runs on CC-Sampler — a custom plugin that installs directly in your DAW without requiring Kontakt or any other sample player.

Samples were recorded as continuous musical performances, not isolated single hits. Each sample preserves the natural transition between notes, resulting in fluid, connected phrasing even in fast staccato passages. All samples are aligned to their rhythmic peak for immediate quantization accuracy.

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Sampling Specifications

Each note includes 250 milliseconds of performance information before the rhythmic peak — the natural approach and transition captured during recording sessions. The Sample Start control lets you access anywhere from the full natural attack (-250ms) to the instant rhythmic peak (0ms).

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Microphone Channels

4 independent mic channels with individual volume and on/off controls:

Mic channels and Mix presets (Realistic/Hybrid) are mutually exclusive. Activating a mix preset deactivates all mic channels, and vice versa. Default state: Realistic mix.

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Mix Presets

Two ready-to-use mix presets for different production contexts:

• Realistic: Natural, balanced orchestral sound. Suitable for scoring, orchestral mockups, and acoustic-focused productions.
• Hybrid: Modern, processed sound with added saturation and presence. Designed to cut through dense cinematic and trailer arrangements.

Individual mic channels (Bite Solo, Bite Ensemble, Body Solo, Body Ensemble) are available for composers who want full mixing control.

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Editions

Ultra Brass is available in two editions:

Feature	Option A	Option B
Full instrument (Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba)	✓	✓
2,772 samples — 6 mic/mix channels	✓	✓
3 dynamic layers — 6 round robins	✓	✓
Dynamic Layer Control	✓	✓
Velocity Curve Editor (3 modes)	✓	✓
Realistic & Hybrid mix presets	✓	✓
Sample Start control (-250ms to 0ms)	✓	✓
Tightness / WSOLA time-stretching	✓	✓
Envelope shaping (Attack + Release)	✓	✓
True stereo convolution reverb	✓	✓
MIDI Learn (CC mapping)	✓	✓
Factory & user presets	✓	✓
Transpose & range expansion	✓	✓
Rhythmic Patterns Engine (step sequencer)	—	✓
80 professionally composed factory patterns	—	✓
Chord detection & octave doubling	—	✓
8 favorite slots with keyswitch MIDI Learn	—	✓
Pattern editor (create, save, load)	—	✓

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Dynamic Layer Control

Brass instruments change timbre dramatically across dynamics — a soft trombone and a loud trombone are nearly different instruments in character. The 3 dynamic layers in Ultra Brass capture this full range: piano (soft), mezzo forte (medium), and forte (loud). Each layer differs in both volume and timbral content.

Dynamic Layer Control provides per-layer shaping of the entire velocity response:

• Velocity Curve Editor: Interactive graph with three modes — Linear, Shelf, and Fixed. Drag to reshape velocity response: make soft velocities more responsive or compress the loud end.
• Zone Boundaries: Draggable split points control where each dynamic layer activates. Adjust where Dyn1→Dyn2 and Dyn2→Dyn3 transitions occur across the velocity range.
• Per-Layer Volume: Independent volume offset for each dynamic layer (-12 to +6 dB). Reduce the forte layer for controlled writing, boost the piano layer for more presence.
• Crossfade Width: Controls the overlap zone between adjacent dynamic layers (0–100%). Wider crossfade produces smoother transitions. Zero produces hard layer switching.

Transitions between layers use equal-power crossfading (cosine/sine gains). At the crossfade midpoint, each layer sits at -3 dB with total power at 0 dB — no volume dips or bumps. All settings can be saved as presets.

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Performance Controls

• Sample Start (-250ms to 0ms): Each sample contains 250ms of natural performance information before the rhythmic peak — the transition between notes as captured during recording. At 0ms you hear the instant rhythmic attack. At -250ms you hear the full natural approach. Two modes: Live snaps to 0ms for latency-free real-time recording. DAW recalls a saved position for playback with the full natural attack.
• Sample Start Offset (-60ms to +60ms): Fine-tune the sample start position in 1ms increments. Allows precise alignment when composing in a DAW.
• Tightness (0.1x – 10.0x): Pitch-independent time-stretching via WSOLA (Window-Synchronized Overlap-Add). Compresses or stretches the sample duration without affecting pitch. At default (1.0x) the engine is bypassed entirely with zero CPU overhead.
• Attack (0 – 4000ms): Shapes the onset of each note. Default: 2ms.
• Release (0 – 4000ms): Controls the fade after key release. Default: 2100ms.

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Convolution Reverb

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Rhythmic Patterns Engine (Option B)

A built-in step sequencer that generates rhythmic brass patterns in real time. Hold the sustain pedal, play a chord, and the engine outputs a complete rhythmic pattern with correct dynamics and natural note transitions.

• Activation: Sustain pedal (CC64) arms the sequencer. Notes played while the pedal is held trigger the active pattern. Latch mode available for toggle operation.
• Start Modes: Immediate (on the note), Next Beat (quantized to the next quarter note), or Next Bar (quantized to the next bar boundary).
• Chord Detection: Real-time chord identification via lookup table (26 chord templates, handles all inversions). Single notes, intervals, and full chords are all recognized.
• Octave Doubling: Accented steps trigger additional notes 1–2 octaves below the chord root for cinematic low-end weight. Velocity offset adjustable (-10 to +20).
• Humanize (0–100%): Applies timing jitter (±5% of step duration) and velocity variation (±10 around target) for natural feel.
• Keyswitch Switching: Assign patterns to MIDI notes via MIDI Learn. Switch patterns mid-performance without stopping playback.
• Pattern Editor: Full visual step editor — draw velocities, toggle accents, adjust gate ratios. Create, save, and load custom patterns.
• Sample Start Override: Sequencer notes automatically use the full -250ms sample start (natural attack with performance transition) regardless of the Sample Start knob position.

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Additional Features

• MIDI Learn: Right-click any control to assign a MIDI CC. Supports continuous (linear 0–127) and toggle (on/off) mapping. Auto-detects mapping type. CC64 reserved for sequencer. Visual feedback during learn mode.
• Presets: 4 factory presets (Default, Natural Ensemble, Tight Rhythmic, Cinematic Wide) plus unlimited user presets. Full plugin state saved per preset. Modified state detection.
• Transpose & Range Expansion: Transpose from -24 to +24 semitones to extend the playable range beyond the sampled notes. Adjustable low and high boundaries define the active range. The built-in keyboard color-codes keys: sampled notes appear bright, transposed (extended) notes appear in a distinct color so you always know which notes are native and which are pitch-shifted.
• Built-in Keyboard: Playable 5-octave MIDI keyboard (C1–C6) with velocity sensitivity, playable range indication, and keyswitch highlighting.

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System Requirements

macOS

• CPU: Apple Silicon (M1 or later, native) or Intel x86_64 — universal binary
• OS: macOS 11 Big Sur, 12 Monterey, 13 Ventura, 14 Sonoma, 15 Sequoia
• RAM: 8 GB minimum (16 GB recommended)
• Disk: 700 MB free space
• Screen: Minimum 1024×768 (1280×1024 or higher recommended)

Windows

• CPU: 64-bit Intel or AMD processor (x86_64)
• OS: Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11
• RAM: 8 GB minimum (16 GB recommended)
• Disk: 700 MB free space
• Screen: Minimum 1024×768 (1280×1024 or higher recommended)

Memory Usage

• Typical (one channel active): ~90 MB RAM
• All channels loaded: ~540 MB RAM
• Samples are loaded into RAM from the .cclib archive at library load time

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Supported Plugin Formats

• VST3 — macOS & Windows
• Audio Units (AU) — macOS only
• CLAP — macOS & Windows
• Standalone Application — macOS & Windows (no DAW required)

Note: AAX is not supported. Pro Tools is not compatible with this version.

Install Locations

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Supported Hosts

macOS

• Logic Pro 10.8, 11 (Audio Units)
• Cubase 13, 14 (VST3)
• Nuendo 13 (VST3)
• Ableton Live 12 (Audio Units / VST3)
• Studio One 6, 7 (VST3)
• REAPER 7 (VST3 / CLAP)
• FL Studio 21, 24 (VST3)
• Bitwig Studio 5 (VST3 / CLAP)
• Digital Performer 11 (Audio Units)
• Reason 12.7, 13 (VST3)
• MainStage 3 (Audio Units)
• GarageBand 10.4 (Audio Units)
• Maschine 2, 3 (VST3)
• Komplete Kontrol 3 (VST3)
• Luna 1.6, 1.8 (Audio Units)

Windows

• Cubase 13, 14 (VST3)
• Nuendo 13 (VST3)
• Ableton Live 12 (VST3)
• Studio One 6, 7 (VST3)
• REAPER 7 (VST3 / CLAP)
• FL Studio 21, 24 (VST3)
• Bitwig Studio 5 (VST3 / CLAP)
• Reason 12.7, 13 (VST3)
• Cakewalk Sonar (VST3)
• Maschine 2, 3 (VST3)
• Komplete Kontrol 3 (VST3)
• Luna 1.8 (VST3)

Note: Pro Tools is not supported (AAX format not available). CC-Sampler is compatible with any host that supports VST3, Audio Units, or CLAP instrument plugins.

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Audio Specifications

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What You Get

Option A — Ultra Brass

• CC-Sampler plugin (VST3, AU, CLAP, Standalone) for macOS & Windows
• 2,772 performed low brass staccato samples (Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba)
• 3 dynamic layers with 6 round robins and equal-power crossfading
• 6 microphone/mix channels with individual volume controls
• 2 mix presets (Realistic and Hybrid)
• Dynamic Layer Control (velocity curve, per-layer volume, crossfade width, zone boundaries)
• Sample Start control with Live and DAW modes
• Tightness control (WSOLA time-stretching)
• Attack & Release envelope shaping
• True stereo convolution reverb (2 presets, predelay, time control)
• MIDI Learn for all controls
• 4 factory presets + user preset system
• Transpose and range expansion

Option B — Ultra Brass + Rhythmic Patterns Engine

• Everything in Option A, plus:
• Built-in step sequencer (up to 32 steps, 6 subdivision modes)
• 80 professionally composed factory patterns (40 Brass High + 40 Brass Low)
• Real-time chord detection with intelligent octave doubling
• 8 favorite pattern slots with keyswitch MIDI Learn
• Humanize, Latch, 3 start modes (Immediate / Next Beat / Next Bar)
• Full pattern editor with save and load for custom patterns
• DAW tempo sync or internal clock (40–300 BPM)

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Planned Updates

• Round Robin Modes: Additional RR modes (shuffle, random) will be available in a future update.
• Multi-Output Routing: Individual channel routing to separate DAW mixer tracks is planned for a future version.

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Goal #1: Deliver a low brass staccato instrument with full control over dynamic response — giving the composer control over the timbral jumps that make brass libraries difficult to use.
Goal #2: Make composing rhythmic brass patterns as simple as hold pedal, play chord, done — with no manual MIDI programming required.