How do you get a Phatt horn sound from the XP-50? I've heard some pretty phatt horn sounds from off some midi files, but I can't seem to get anything similar. From analyzing one of the files it seems like several different horns (e.g. sax, trumpet, bone) etc are used, with a baritone in the bass. Are there other techniques to phatten the horns?

Did you hear "R&B Horns" If you don't have it I can email the patch to you. Are you looking for realistic horns or synth horns?

A couple things: add a very slight, and quiet, chorus effect. run them through the graphic eq and boost some low mids and some high highs. Make sure the tones are random pitched slightly to add realism; no horn plays every note exactly in tune every time.

Thanks for the input. Could you be a little more specific on your suggestions? e.g. how do you get "random tones"? What is a "slight and quiet chorus"? I think I can do the EQ piece but haven't done it before.

A device similar to chorusing is to layer the horn lines by doubling the part on another track and then offsetting that track by one or two ticks/clocks by using Edit -> Track Shift.

I often fatten horn parts by copying the original track onto a second track, changing the channel, offsetting the second track using Track Shift by 1 or 2 ticks/clocks (i.e., 1 or 2 ticks later than the original track), and assigning a *similar* but not identical horn patch to that part, a patch with a different horn *texture* (some of the patches in the XP have several variations).

Often a generic patch from the GM bank is perfect because those patches are generic enough not to take the blend out into outer space but different enough from the patches in the preset banks to add different timbre and texture.

The different texture/timbre and the slight offset considerably fattens up the part. I use this on strings as well; in fact, all the time. I call it "shadowing" a part.

You need to experiment with blends of different patches and offsets.

Good luck.

I am using an XP-80. So I don't know what all the 50 can do. But, each patch is made up of different tones. You can edit each tone of a patch. I suggested taking one or more of those tones within the patch and detuning them a little. The XP-80 also has a random function where it will change the pitch of a tone slightly or radicly, depending on how extreme you set it. On the XP80 I can get to it by pressing F2 button twice. For the XP50 I have no clue whatever how to get to it, but I would assume it does it.
Chorus is a type of effect; a doubling effect with a slight pitch fluctuation. You can also set a delay time on the chorus as well, which will give you similar, but not exactly, the same concept as Dnarkosis described

Which reminds me:

You could also use the 2-voice pitch shifter among the insert EFX (no. 22) to fatten up a patch. I've never tried it because I've just gotten so wedded to doubling/shadowing parts, but I really ought to and keep telling myself I will, since it would save memory in the song (not having to double the part).

This EFX seems to be implemented in a pretty streamlined, simple fashion essentially as a detuning device. It's worth a try.

Being someone who is obsessed with getting great acoustic sounds from his XP, I think I can give good advice.

1) DO NOT waste effects on trying to improve your horn sounds. Use effects to improve your mix or for more important things (such as a gated reverb for a snare or an AUTO-WAH for a guitar).

2) Do make use of the tones. Part of the reason why horn sounds (mainly Brass sections) sound a lot better on newer synths is because of programming.*

* On a lot of older synths, programmers typicaaly took brass section samples and used them as the basis for their brass patches. This is the worst way. Most of these guys never sampled these sections all the way up the board. This leads to thin high and lows.

On the newer synths, programmers would usually link trumpet, trombone, alto and tenor saxes (for example) to get their brass patches. Why? Isn't this what a brass section is composed of? This is what gives you more of that authentic sound. The XP?super JV never used this technique. Surprisingly however, the older JV synths did.

Check out the FAKE BRASS and BRASS COMBO patches on the older JV line (these could be downloaded of the net), these really kcik some serious ass.

Good Luck.

The Infamous Epu.