Hi Angela,
The dub sounds I’m using are with the Line 6 DL4 (the new version) and just playing the keyboard (piano or e. paino) into it then messing with the knobs to get freakiness. No sounds downloaded from the Nord site.
The issue with synth horns is a long frustrating one. Bands switched to using them mainly for financial reasons back in the 80’s, cheaper to have a keyboard player do them. But the sounds are AWFUL, even with the most modern keyboards and plug ins. Why? Because what makes a real horn section sound great is 1) the merging of all the timbres of each instrument (trumpet, trombone and tenor sax usually). With synth horns you’re stuck with the same timbre (and a weak sounding digital, or even analog one). 2) it’s very hard to get all the nice dynamics, scoops, fall offs, etc. with synth horns. Yes, some new synths have crescendos and the ability to do fall-offs and some other horn specific expressions, but they don’t sound all that great and if you’re keeping a chop going with one hand you can’t engage some of these things because some of them take using the mod wheel or some other knob on the keyboard. I don’t know of any keyboard or plug in that is trying to resolve al these issues….for us reggae keyboards. But if you find something, let me know!