Hollywood Strings Gold

You asked for a version of Hollywood Strings that would work on your current computer, for a more affordable price, but still provide the articulations and power, which the critics agree, raised the bar for string samples: Introducing the GOLD Edition

GOLD Edition includes:

• All articulations and bowings, except bow-change legato
• Includes Mid-tree mic position only
• Divisi mic positions are not included
• 44.1kHz 16-bit samples (approx. 50GB)
• Supplied on dual-layer DVDs
   

General Overview (Diamond and Gold Edition)

EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP announces the debut of its latest release, HOLLYWOOD STRINGS virtual (software) instrument — a collection of string instruments with unprecedented control over sound and performance.

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.

Shawn Murphy, is an ACADEMY AWARD, C.A.S. (Cinema Audio Society), BAFTA, and EMMY award-winning sound engineer 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.

“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.

Recording

• 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
  - Close - AKG C12, Neumann U47, Neumann U67, Nordic Audio Labs NU-47
  - Surround - Neumann KM 83
  - Alternate Room - Vintage RCA44 Ribbon
• Convolution reverbs include new impulses from Quantum Leap Spaces. These include soundstages and halls from Southern California.

Articulations

• 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
  - Flautando for violins
  - Harmonics for violins
  - Marcato short, 3 dynamics, round-robin x4
  - Marcato long, 3 dynamics, round-robin x4
  - Measured tremolo, 4 dynamics
  - On-the-string staccato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x8
  - Pizzicato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x4
  - Repetitions, 3 dynamics
  - Ricochet, 3 dynamics, round-robin x2
  - Spiccato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x9
  - Staccatissmo, 4 dynamics, round-robin x16
  - Staccato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x9
  - 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

Instrumentation
All sections 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) 

Video Demos

	Introduction

More infos

Systemrequirements

This library includes "PLAY 2" as a Sample-Player already

Minimum Requirements for Mac

• OSX 10.5 or newer
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.1GHz or newer
• 2GB Ram
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

Recommended Mac System

• OSX 10.5 or newer
• Mac Pro Quad Core Intel Xeon 2.66GHz or newer
• 2GB Ram
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

Minimum Requirements for PC

• Windows XP SP2 or Vista, Sound Card with ASIO Driver
• Intel Core 2 Duo, or AMD Dual Core 2.1GHz or newer
• 2GB RAM
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

Recommended PC System

• 64-bit Windows/Host Sequencer
• Intel Core 2 Duo, or AMD Dual Core 2.1GHz or newer
• 2GB RAM
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

All Systems

• iLok required (not included), internet connection required for one-time product activation (a free soundsonline.com account is required for retrieving and managing iLok licenses)
• Hard disk space for libray content
• DVD Drive

INCLUDED FOR BOTH PC & MAC:

- 32-bit standalone and plug-in versions included.
- 64-bit PC VST (host must support 64-bit VST plugins) and standalone versions included.
- Check the following compatibility chart for availability of other 64-bit versions and updates.


 

SUPPORTED INTERFACES

- WIN: VST™, ASIO™, DirectSound™,RTAS
- MAC: VST™, Audio Units™, Core Audio™,RTAS

 

All included instruments, information and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Product activation:
This Instrument requires an iLok Key!
This USB protection device  is not included in the box of this collection, it is a separate item you have to buy additionally. So you’ll have to order at least one iLok Key with your first purchase. It will be put inside the shopping basket automatically but can be deleted if not required. If you already own another iLok  protection device you can use it for this instrument, too. Each iLok dongle can store up to 100 product licenses (iLok2 upto 500).
Additionally an internet connection on any computer and a free user-accout at www.ilok.com is required to authorize the product.