EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP recommends downloading the larger size version of the tutorials to your desktop to fully appreciate this virtual demonstration of HOLLYWOOD STRINGS instruments and features. The tutorials only include instruments from the collection, they do not include music demos. Once EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP have enough music demos to fully demonstrate the collection, they will be posted separately.
From ACADEMY AWARD, C.A.S. (Cinema Audio Society), BAFTA, and EMMY award-winning sound engineer SHAWN MURPHY, who has recorded and mixed the scores for more than 300 feature films including Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: A Musical Journey, Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park The Lost World, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Titanic, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Bourne Ultimatum, Minority Report, Saving Private Ryan, Munich, The Passion Of The Christ, X-Men: The Last Stand, Memoirs of a Geisha and Ice Age; and multiple award-winning EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP virtual (software) instrument producers DOUG ROGERS and NICK PHOENIX; and composer and orchestrator THOMAS BERGERSEN, HOLLYWOOD STRINGS offers unprecedented control over sound and performance, and is a must have compositional tool for serious composers.
EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP announces the debut of its latest release, HOLLYWOOD STRINGS virtual (software) instrument — a collection of 44.1khz 24-bit string instruments with unprecedented control over sound and performance, all supplied on a hard drive (*see conditions below) for ease of installation.
Recording for HOLLYWOOD STRINGS took place at the famous EASTWEST STUDIO 1, the same studio where many Hollywood soundtracks and television themes were recorded with a live orchestra. Heading this project were co-producers DOUG ROGERS, NICK PHOENIX and THOMAS BERGERSEN and sound engineer SHAWN MURPHY.
Joining Rogers and Phoenix as co-producer on HOLLYWOOD STRINGS is Thomas Bergersen, a highly respected composer and orchestrator, and Phoenix‘s partner in trailer music company Two Steps From Hell. His extensive experience in composing for orchestras and with virtual orchestras made him a perfect fit for the multi award-winning team of Rogers and Phoenix.
“Murphy was an obvious choice for this project; who better to obtain that quintessential Hollywood sound other than someone with his credits,” says Rogers. “HOLLYWOOD STRINGS looks to expand on the success we achieved with EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA by providing a perfect large scoring stage sound and a more intimate scoring stage sound with divisi capability.”
“The sound of these virtual strings are as good as it gets,” says Phoenix. “We have one of the top sound engineers in the business, a famous and beautiful sounding recording studio, the most incredible selection of microphones available, the best analog and digital recording equipment, and top Hollywood string players - how could we go wrong?”
“I've used many virtual orchestras over the last decade, including some I developed with other composers, and some I developed myself. With each new development, I got one step closer to my ideal compositional tool.” says Bergersen. “HOLLYWOOD STRINGS includes features that I consider necessary if you want to create realistic orchestral strings on your DAW.”
HOLLYWOOD STRINGS has many groundbreaking features not found in any other collection. Finger position is, for the first time, controllable by the user, so you can play as far up the strings as you want, and get a fuller more romantic Hollywood sound. Vibrato intensity and extensive dynamics are controllable by the user. Extensive multi-dynamic true legato has been sampled for all sections in three different categories: slurred, portamento, and bow change. This results in unsurpassed legato performance that has never been available. HOLLYWOOD STRINGS has five user-controllable mic positions, including main pickup (Decca tree), mid pickup, close pickup, surround pickup, and an alternate vintage circa 1945 RCA ribbon room pickup.
Recorded in the famous EASTWEST STUDIOS 1
Neve 8078 mixing console
Meitner ADC converters
5 user-mixable microphone positions (use as sound options):
Main - Decca tree (Neumann M50s) and Brauner VM1 KHE (Klaus Heyne Edition) outriggers
Mid - Neumann KMi, Neumann KM 254, Sony C37A, Neumann U-47
Convolution reverbs include new impulses from Quantum Leap Spaces. These include soundstages and halls from Southern California.
All sections except the Basses were sampled with wide extended ranges including almost 4 octaves for violins.
5 mic positions plus divisi spot mics
16 1st Violins (9/7 divisi mode)
14 2nd Violins (8/6 divisi mode)
10 Violas (6/4 divisi mode)
10 Cellos (6/4 divisi mode)
7 Basses (4/3 divisi mode)
Multiple finger positions for all sections including open strings
3 unique styles of legato interval sampling, including never-before-sampled bow change legato, slurred legato, and portamento sliding legato, sampled at 3, 3 and 2 dynamics respectively, all with speed control. That's 8 passes of legato intervals, all sampled in long format so each note has time to breath. Basses only have slurred legato.
Up- and down-bowed sustains, all at 4 finger positions, at least one full octave on each string:
5 dynamics at non-vibrato
5 dynamics at vibrato
3 dynamics at molto vibrato
Extensive runs
Playable runs
Spiccato runs for violins
Other articulations:
Bartók pizzicato
Col legno
Detaché up and down bows with finger positions and 4 dynamics
Slurred staccato for violins, 4 dynamics, round-robin x9
Sul ponticello tremolo for violas
Tremolo, 4 dynamics
Trills (major and minor), 3 dynamics
Sordino effect available for all patches
Release trails for everything
Custom Python scripting
310GB free hard drive space / iLok Security Key (not supplied)
MAC MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.1GHz or higher
4GB RAM
Mac OS X 10.5 or later
7200 RPM or faster (non energy saving) hard drive for sample streaming
MAC RECOMMENDED SYSTEM
Mac Pro Quad-Core Intel Xeon 2.66GHz or higher
8GB RAM or more
SSD (Solid State Drive) for sample streaming
(SSD adapters are available for Mac Pro at MAX Upgrades and other online resellers)
PC MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Dual Core 2.1GHz or higher
4GB RAM
Windows XP SP2, Vista, or Windows 7
Sound card with ASIO drivers
7200 RPM or faster (non energy saving) hard drive for sample streaming
PC RECOMMENDED SYSTEM
Intel Core 2 Quad or AMD Quad-Core 2.66GHz or higher
8GB RAM or more
64-bit Windows/Host Sequencer
Sound card with ASIO drivers
SSD (Solid State Drive) for sample streaming
IMPORTANT: Some of the largest patches (in the "Powerful System" folders) can take up to 1GB of RAM to load per mic position, and are intended for systems that meet the recommended specs. "Light" versions of these patches are included for slower systems.
EASTWEST PLAY Host/Sequencer Compatibility Matrix
Supported Host
Mac
OS X
(Intel)
Windows
XP
(32-bit)
Windows
XP
(64-bit)
Windows
7 / Vista
(32-bit)
Windows
7 / Vista
(64-bit)
Required Version
Standalone
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Ableton Live1
YES
YES
YES
6.07 or higher
Cubase/Nuendo
YES
YES
YES2
YES
YES2
4 or higher
FL Studio1
n/a
YES
YES
YES
YES
7 or higher
GarageBand
YES
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
'08 or higher
Logic
YES3
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
7.2 or higher
Performer
YES3
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
5.13 or later
Pro Tools5
YES
YES
n/a
YES
n/a
7.4 or higher
Sibelius
YES4
YES
YES
6.0 or higher
Sonar
n/a
YES
YES
YES
YES
6.2 or higher
1 Ableton Live and FL Studio do not support volume automation via polyphonic aftertouch, which is required by WordBuilder for Symphonic Choirs.
2 Cubase/Nuendo 4.1 or later are required as 64-bit hosts.
3 DAE (RTAS in Digital Performer and Logic) is not supported at this time.
5 Ethernet control surfaces are not officially supported (ex: C24)
All other hosts and versions are untested and unsupported at this time.
* The hard drive on which Hollywood Strings ships is a bare (internal) drive. If you don't want to install it to copy the data, we suggest purchasing a hard drive dock from retailers such as Amazon, Newegg, etc. The hard drive is supplied for installation purposes and as product media only. It is not intended for daily use (such as for storing the samples for streaming). EastWest/Soundsonline assumes no responsibility or risk if the drive is used for other purposes.
The hard drive is covered by our "Limited Replacement Only 30 Day Return Policy". If the hard drive develops a defect, it may be returned to Soundsonline within 30 days of shipment. Hollywood Strings may only be returned for a replacement of the hard drive. No refunds are available. "Return" constitutes receipt of the product by Soundsonline, and not the mere issuance of an RMA. Beyond 30 days, the manufacturer's warranty will apply and returns and service must be arranged with the drive manufacturer. EastWest/Soundsonline will replace the data should a drive replacement become necessary.
Copyright 1995-2009 East-West Samples and Sounds Online (A division of East West Communications, Inc.). All rights reserved.
We do not accept liability for incorrect spelling, errors (including prices), incorrect manufacturer's specifications, release dates, or changes, or grammatical inaccuracies in any product included in the East-West Samples website. Prices and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Note: East-West Samples is a dealer for East West Communications Inc.
PLAY version 1.2.0 (and above) includes a new Advanced Streaming Engine (ASE) developed by EASTWEST that offers huge performance gains over previous sampler streaming engines. In this video, Nick Phoenix shows how the PLAY ASE engine provides the power to run large arrangements and orchestrations, and you will see the voice count exceed 400 stereo voices.
Zennor Alexander, co-creator of the Fab Four demos, highlights some key instruments and techniques in Fab Four.Part 1 (MP4) —Part 2 (MP4) — Part 3 (MP4)
