by Native Instruments

Best sounds packs to jazz up your music

Most musicians would agree to the statement that jazz is kind of the supreme discipline in music. Heavily rooted in blues it carries a vast and not to be underestimated cultural, political and emotional aspect that is always mirrored in the music in one way or another. Over the time period of the last 100 years jazz has developed countless styles and subgenres ranging from early New Orleans jazz, ragtime and dixie, over big band, bebop, modal or free and fusion jazz, to just name a few.

Due to the rising popularity of sample based music like hip hop, drum and bass, trip hop, and house music in the late 80s and 90s jazz has had a revival that still prolongs to this day, at times creating whole new genres like broken beat and nu-jazz where it’s impossible to distinguish between electronic music or jazz. It is both.

To help you finding the right tone in your own jazz productions Native Instruments compiled this list of jazzy sample packs that can be found on Sounds.com.

 

Rhythm and loops

Drums and unconventional rhythmical syncopations are an integral part of jazz music and can be crucial to the process of finding the right melody or chord progression in a rhythmical way. If you are missing a rhythm section for your jazz production or just want to give the creative juices a little extra push, Jazz Sessions will fill your needs. Delivering loops, various rhythm patterns, drum rolls, and brush grooves it covers ground on all ends of the jazz spectrum. “From ultra-fast bebop in the vein of Max Roach to 6/8 Afro Cuban beats influenced by Art Blakey and Elvin Jones” the 101 drum loops have a tempo range of 118 up to 300 beats per minute.

Check out Jazz Sessions Vol 1 here.

Everything Rhodes

Marc de Clive-Lowe may be one of the the most versatile and prolific producers and musicians around. Drawing back from decades of experience in the music industry, deeply rooted into Jazz and Funk, de Clive-Lowe combines exceptional musical skills with innovative productions and in depth keyboard expertise. It’s only a logical consequence to create his own sample packs and make them available through his own company MASHIBEATS Sample Packs.

Check out MASHIBEATS here.

Raw licks

There would be no jazz without the blues. This sample pack by Loop Lounge aims to combine the classic sound of jazz and blues guitars infused with a little funk for modern productions.

The sample pack contains more than 300 sounds, including one-shot chord samples, licks, fills, chord loops and musical variations in different keys. All of the sounds were recorded using tube amps and classic guitars such as the the iconic Les Paul or Fender’s Stratocaster to give it the authentic vintage blues sound.

Check Out Jazz & Blues Guitar here.

Psych jazz

If you are struggling with writer’s block The Bunker Sessions Vol 1 might just be the way to deal with it. Seven-string guitarist Charlie Hunter and jazz drummer Eric Harland provide a sample pack that includes full song sessions split into each of their sections, instrument tracks and complete session tracks, leaving a selection of 200 sounds (bass, guitar, solo parts, and drums) to choose from. These laidback grooves and relaxed guitar licks were recorded with a charmingly authentic vintage sound that could be best compared to Houston-based trio Khruangbin or King Gizzard & The Lizzard Wizzard’s smoother and jazzier passages, making this sample pack a versatile addition to your production palette pleasing not only the jazz purists.

Get The Bunker Sessions Vol 1 here.

Sa, guitars, and blues

Although not exclusively used for jazz, the saxophone is probably one of those instruments that instantly gets associated with jazz music having John Coltrane and Charlie Parker as two of the most famous purveyors at the forefront.

The Zoot Sims and Joe Pass album ‘Blues For Two’ shows that guitars and saxophones are a match made in heaven. Providing the best of both these worlds is the Smooth Sax and Guitar Vol 1 sample pack, supplying sounds for the smoother and more relaxed side of jazz, at times even a bit pop.

Check out Smooth Sax & Guitar Vol I here.

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