A trumpet isn't just loud or soft. Session Horns Pro includes a robust articulation set:
After using this library on over 50 commercial tracks, here is how to make it sound like a real recording session.
The standout feature of Session Horns Pro is the Smart Voice Split. native instruments session horns pro
The raw sound of Session Horns Pro is exceptionally dry and close-miked. This is a deliberate design choice. Unlike some libraries that are drenched in the sound of a famous hall, Session Horns Pro gives you the direct, uncolored sound of a horn player three feet away.
The Good: This dryness makes the library incredibly versatile. With a short room reverb, it sounds like a 1960s soul band. With a long, lush hall reverb, it sounds like a film score. With distortion and compression, it can sound like a modern pop production. A trumpet isn't just loud or soft
The Less Good (to some ears): If you are looking for a "classical" or "distant" orchestral brass sound (think John Williams), this is not the library for you. The sound is undeniably pop, jazz, and funk. It lacks the massive, ethereal bloom of a concert hall.
The dynamic range is impressive. At low velocities, the horns breathe softly, almost subtonally. At high velocities (127), they rip with a powerful, brassy edge that can cut through a dense mix. The round-robins ensure that repeated staccato notes don’t sound identical. The raw sound of Session Horns Pro is
As of 2025, Native Instruments has shifted focus to their "Play Series" and iZotope integration, but Session Horns Pro remains a gold standard for a simple reason: It solves a musical problem, not a technical one.
It doesn't have the most samples (Chris Hein wins there). It doesn't have the most fluid expression (SWAM wins). But it has the Smart Voice Split, and for a producer sitting at a keyboard trying to write a chorus, that feature saves hours of tedious MIDI editing.