Big Fish Audio | Sound On Sound John Walden | Brush Artistry Product Review
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Brush Artistry | Sound On Sound

Reviewer: John Walden | Rating: 4 out of 5 Back to Brush Artistry product details

This library consists entirely of drum loops played with brushes, but while it does contain some loops that would undoubtedly sound great alongside a double bass and your coolest jazz piano playing, there is plenty that is of wider appeal. The styles are divided into clearly titled folders which include Swing, Ballad Swing, Jazz Waltz, Bossa, Samba, Six-eight, Country, Backbeat and Groove Loops. Usefully, within each folder, the name of each loop also indicates the original tempo of the recording.

Each of the styles includes a number of different patterns, and also covers a range of tempos - from 50bpm to 240bpm across the set as a whole! For each pattern, a full kit loop is provided and, for most, this is complemented by an intro, fill, ending, and a 'snare-only' track. The latter is useful, as it allows the essence of the brush sound to be added to other patterns, or lets you build something from a set of drum kit samples. The library also contains one-shot files for both a Roots and Jazz Combo kit. As well as the usual collection of hi-hat, crash and ride cymbals, each of these includes a small number of 'soft', 'medium' and 'hard' hits, so you could build a full kit in a sampler with some velocity switching if required. There are also some brush 'swishes' and effects that can be used to add a little further colour.

The quality of the recording seems to be very good, and this is matched by some really tasteful playing. Brush playing is a subtle technique in itself, and this is reflected in some of the more complex loops. To hear this detail requires a mix that is not too overcrowded - allow the drums a little space and there is some lovely, lively playing to be heard. While the contents of the Swing folders would obviously work within a jazz piece, along with the Waltz, Bossa and Samba folders, they would also suit a Latin/Cuban mood (think Raul Malo or The Mavericks, for example). I particularly liked the small number of 'south of the border' loops - these combined well with some sultry nylon-string guitar. Things get a funky feel within the Backbeat and Groove Loops folders, and there is material here that would actually work with a range of contemporary dance or pop styles. Given the brushed snare, these also worked particularly well when put up against some acoustic guitar. The country loops are in the traditional 'big hat' country style, rather than the more modern crossover country pop (in other words, think George Strait rather than Tim McGraw), but they have a nice vibe throughout.

In use within Acid, there seemed to be good consistency across the various loops, which made it fairly easy to mix and match within a particular style when constructing a complete drum track. While this collection probably won't have the mass appeal of some drum loop sets, it does what it sets out to very well. If you work within these particular styles (and as long as you don't want to use the loops within a library/production music context, which is not permitted by the license) then Brush Artistry may just be a master stroke.

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