Brooklyn based trombonist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Ott is an in demand studio musician having recorded with the likes of Jacob Collier, Michael McDonald, Kurt Elling, The Jonas Brothers, Lake Street Dive, Allen Stone, and many others. If you're looking for horns for your next track or album, no matter the style, look no further!
Hi, my name is Chris Ott and I am a freelance musician in NYC. Over the past ten years I've been recording horns for musicians from all over the world completing hundreds of sessions in my home studio for film scores, commercials, and artists in all genres of music. Specialties include pop, indie, jazz, big band, swing, Latin, funk, cinematic, commercial, and classical. In addition to tenor trombone I also play bass trombone, baritone, flugabone, slide trumpet/soprano trombone, trumpet (non-lead), tuba, conch shell horns, theremin, and I also beatbox.
As an arranger I've been honing my skills over the past 20 years and have written countless arrangements for horn sections, brass bands, big bands, marching bands, and pop cover bands. I also have an extensive network of horn players in NYC and can put together a killer horn section for any type of project including soprano/alto/tenor/bari sax, flute, clarinet, trumpet, sousaphone, etc.
Much of my composition work can be heard via the band Huntertones, an original jazz/funk instrumental project I co-founded in 2014. Huntertones has 5 full length albums and have performed in over 25 countries. My compositions have been featured on NPR's morning edition and have also garnered awards from ASCAP.
I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.
10 Reviews - 3 Repeat Clients
Endorse Chris Ott
check_circleVerifiedLiterally the best. Great player, parts, and person.
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He makes some killer stuff. Would be more than happy to work with him again.
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it's always a great pleasure to collaborate with Chris Ott. He is a very great professional.
check_circleVerifiedChris is very professional, a pleasure to work with, and the end result was exactly what I hoped for!
check_circleVerifiedChris has an impeccable ear when it comes to an arrangement of any style. He is extremely versatile and able to understand exactly what you need on any project.
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Chris were the right men for me. He did a GREAT job for me. I hope to work again with him in the future. Régis
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Wow! Working with Chris was such a pleasure. He's an incredible trombone player with a great tone and on top of that, he showed an astounding ability to adapt to the very specific sound I was after. I had high expectations and he just surpassed them by far. I couldn't be happier with the tracks he sent me and thanks to him, the song got a whole lot better. It would be an honor to work with him again. Did I mention that he's a great guy and super communicative, too? Thanks Chris!
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Chris is an exceptionally talented player as well as composer! He absolutely delivered on what I wanted, while also remaining extremely communicative throughout the whole process!
check_circleVerified (Client)Chris was an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish! He’s a fanatic communicator and made the process incredibly smooth. Undeniably a true professional
Unprofessional. Did not complete our project. Would not use again.
Interview with Chris Ott
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I work a lot with Ziv Shalev in NYC, he is a very well versed and talented guitarist!
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a home studio setup, suitable to record single instruments. RME Babyface interface, Logic X, and a Coles 4038 and Shure SM7 as my main mics.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Most commonly, I create and record horn parts for my clients. I can either write parts or play something existing from sheet music (non transposed bass or treble clef) or from a simple guide track. Parts can be for trombone, solo or stacked with other layers of low brass instruments from my studio. I can also contract a full horn section of trumpet, tenor/alto/bari sax, trombone. They would record parts from their home studios.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love being creative on a daily basis and exploring new sounds and styles. There is nothing more exciting than hearing a creative project come together, I really enjoy working with other artists and creating something new and fresh!
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I studied Music Education and Jazz Studies at Ohio State, and Jazz Performance at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music for grad school. After school I moved to Brooklyn, NY with some fellow bandmates. Since moving to NYC five years ago I've had the opportunity to tour the world and work with some of the top musicians in the industry. I've spent a lot of time in the recording studio and have been developing my skills recording at home in recent years...learning that you don't have to be in an expensive studio to get high quality sounds.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I work on all types of music from pop, rock, to classic R&B and soul. Whether its high energy funk or a chill ballad, I really enjoy adapting horn parts to the personality of the song.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: My approach to writing horn parts is to find the sweet spot that will serve the song the most. I want the horns to have a memorable and effective roll in the song, but not overstep or interfere with the focal point. Some songs have a lot of room for flashy horn writing while others might only need a few simple passages to get the point across. When I'm presented with a song I listen to it many times to figure out what it needs and how the horns can enhance the track. I take pride in my ability to add something melodic and catchy that will take your song to the next level!
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: After a client sends me a song I'll write the horn parts and make a midi demo of them. Once it's approved I'll record trombone parts in my home studio, and bounce off tracks for my other horn players to record to. Once they are all completed I'll clean up and edit the parts, do some light mixing and bounce the stems back to the client to slide into their mix.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm very inspired by Jerry Hey, Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Prince, Stevie Wonder, as well as Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Jacob Collier, Louis Cole, Snarky Puppy, Vulfpeck, and many others!
- TromboneAverage price - $100 per song
- HornAverage price - $200 per song
- Pop-Rock ArrangerAverage price - $300 per song
- Full instrumental productionAverage price - $500 per song
- TrumpetAverage price - $100 per song
- TubaAverage price - $100 per song
Each project will be completed within 3-5 days, unless otherwise agreed upon. Generally 1-3 revisions if writing is involved. Additional costs if other players are hired to participate.
- Coles 4038
- Shure SM7
- RME Babyface
