Garritan Jazz & Big Band 3 — Free Download
A sampled jazz and big band instrument library for the ARIA Player, featuring brass, saxophones, and rhythm section instruments with articulations and an Ensemble Manager for building custom groups.
Purpose and Core Collection
Garritan Jazz & Big Band 3 is a sampled virtual instrument library designed to reproduce the sounds, ranges, and playing techniques of authentic jazz and big band ensembles. It integrates with the ARIA Player, a dedicated sample playback engine, to deliver a comprehensive set of instruments. The collection includes over sixty instruments, covering trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and a full rhythm section.
The saxophone set is notably extensive, with sixteen different saxophones, ranging from a sopranino up to a subcontrabass. Brass instruments come with various mutes and release effects, including kisses, falloffs, doits, and shakes. The rhythm section offers pianos, guitars, basses, and drum kits, with percussive techniques for piano and guitar.
Key Capabilities and Articulations
This library focuses on capturing the specific articulations and nuances required for jazz performance. The brass section includes practical effects such as falls, doits, and half-valve techniques, which are essential for expressive solos and ensemble work. These release effects help create a live, performance-like feel in your arrangements.
The saxophones include a variety of instruments, ensuring you can cover from high sopranino parts to deep subcontrabass lines. The rhythm section is designed to support a jazz feel, with drums and basses that provide a solid foundation. These features collectively allow you to produce realistic jazz phrasing and dynamics.
Workflow and Ensemble Building
The workflow centers on building your jazz ensemble from scratch, one instrument at a time. Using the included Ensemble Manager, you can choose from pre-configured instrumental combinations for quick setup, or manually assemble your own custom group. This flexibility lets you create anything from a simple solo or duo to a full big band.
The integration with the ARIA Player simplifies loading and managing multiple instruments. You can combine solo instruments, rhythm sections, and full brass sections to create balanced arrangements. This approach gives you control over the ensemble size and orchestration, tailored to your specific musical project.
Practical Applications and Limitations
This library is suitable for composers, arrangers, and producers working on jazz arrangements, big band charts, or film scores that require authentic jazz instrumentation. It can be used to create realistic swing, bebop, or contemporary jazz tracks. The pre-configured ensembles can speed up workflow, while custom setups allow for unique combinations.
As a sampled library, it relies on the ARIA Player for playback and does not include physical modeling. The emphasis is on captured performances and articulations rather than simulated acoustics. Users should expect to invest time in learning the articulation keyswitches and the Ensemble Manager to fully utilize the library’s capabilities.
Key features
- Over sixty instruments covering brass, saxophones, and rhythm section
- Sixteen saxophones from sopranino to subcontrabass
- Brass mutes and release effects: kisses, falloffs, doits, half valve, shakes
- Jazz rhythm section with percussive piano and guitar techniques
- Electric and acoustic bass, electric piano, and drum kits
- Ensemble Manager with pre-configured instrumental combinations
- Integrated ARIA Player for playback
Best for
Composers and arrangers creating jazz, big band, or swing music who need a comprehensive sampled instrument collection with authentic articulations and flexible ensemble building, from small combos to full big band setups.
