• Ewql Strings

Recently I have purchased some of the EastWest bundles and one of them is the “Hollywood Strings Gold Edition”, one of the best VST strings libraries of the latest years.

The Gold Edition version, for those of you unfamiliar, is the reduced version of the Diamond one: less mic positions; 16 bit samples instead of 24 bit; a little bit of background noise etc… But at the same time it is much lighter and ideal for those who do not have a very powerful computer in order to produce orchestral recordings.

Since I have been using Hollywood Strings I have always tried reproducing some famous tracks, so I have focused my attention on one of the most challenging tracks to be reproduced with virtual instruments. I am referring to “Adagio For Strings” by Samuel Barber (1936), a really expressive and dynamically-rich music.

Hollywood Strings Silver Edition is 16-bit, with one mic position (mid-tree, no divisi), and includes an essential set of articulations and instruments with slur legato. Upgrade to Hollywood Strings Gold and Diamond Edition when you need more options. Hollywood Strings Silver Edition is available for download only. Multiple articulations and five mixable mic positions. Recorded in EastWest’s famous Studio 1 (the birthplace of major Hollywood soundtracks and TV themes) by Grammy and Academy Award-winning scoring engineer Shawn Murphy, the 24-bit samples of EastWest Hollywood Strings Diamond Edition are pristine and gloriously detailed, and the collection gives you unprecedented control over the.

The original track lasts 10min, but I have realized a brief version since it is an experiment.

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 ONE, 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. Check out my Blog for more http://www.giordanomas.

The first thing I got to say is that using HS for this music style is definitely unsuitable! Because:

1. Too many instruments to be handled: 16 violins; 14 sec. violins; 10 violas; 10 cellos; 7 upright basses.
2. This library is supposed to emulate the modern Hollywood orchestras’ sound we are used to hearing at movie theaters, which is a completely different timbre compared to the one of the ’30 compositions…

Probably this challenge would be more meaningful and interesting using the library “Adagio” by 8Dio, but since HS is really versatile it could work well too for this type of orchestration in my opinion.

No EQ/Compressors have been used in this recording and all sound samples are from HS by EastWest.
I have used “Altiverb” as a reverb and a short FX chain for mastering.

Let me know on my Youtube if you like it! Looking forward to reading your comments.

Awards

Computer Music, 4,5 stars

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

The boxed/shipping version will be delivered on an external USB 3.0 hard drive for fast and easy 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.

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.

HOLLYWOOD STRINGS offers unprecedented control over sound and performance, and is a must have compositional tool for serious composers.

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:
• 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)

Content: 310GB

Auszug:

Fazit

Eastwest hat mal wieder bewiesen, was alles möglich ist. Hier handelt es sich ganz klar um ein Luxusprodukt der besonderen Art. Jeder Komponist/Arrangeur bekommt hier Artikulationen und detaillierte Möglichkeiten an die Hand, die andere Produkte nicht anbieten und auch nicht anbieten wollen, da sie andere Konzepte verfolgen. Somit wird auch klar, dass sich das Produkt an professionelle Komponisten/Arrangeure wendet, die für sich zusätzlich den Traum erfüllen wollen, auch über den typischen Hollywoodstreicher-Klang hinaus für sich privat ein Produkt zu besitzen, welches sich klanglich für mich persönlich am dichtesten an die Realität des Streicherklanges heran kommt. Für 1425 Euro erhält man 'nur' ein Streichorchester, kein komplettes Orchester und bewegt sich damit im teueren Anschaffungsbereich. Beim Erstellen von Scores hat man dafür aber die Qual der Wahl, ob man es nun ein bisschen weicher klingen lassen möchte oder lieber morgen noch einmal reinhört und sich doch für die etwas frischer klingende Artikulation entscheidet. Eine 16 Bit Version für den halben Preis von 599 Euro ist schon angekündigt für Rechnersysteme, die nicht so große technischen Anforderungen erfüllen können.

Plus
•exzellenter Klang
•komplexe Powerful System Patches
•übersichtliche GUI
•Artikulationsvielfalt
•hervorragende Skripte

Minus
•sehr hoher CPU Anspruch
•hohe Anschaffungskosten
•lange Ladezeiten
•kleinere Bugs in der Play-Engine

Computer Music, 4,5 stars

This library includes the latest 'PLAY' Sample Player!

Minimum requirements Mac
* Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.1GHz or higher
* 4GB RAM
* Mac OS X 10.7
* 7200 RPM or faster (non energy saving) hard drive for sample streaming

Recommended system Mac
* Mac Pro Quad-Core Intel Xeon 2.66GHz or higher
* 8GB RAM or more
* SSD (Solid State Drive) for sample streaming

Minimum requirements PC
* Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Dual Core 2.1GHz or higher
* 4GB RAM
* mindestens Windows 7
* Sound card with ASIO drivers
* 7200 RPM or faster (non energy saving) hard drive for sample streaming

Recommended system PC
* 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

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

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.

This product requires an activation!
You can either 'soft' activate on your computer without addditional hardware or transfer the license to an iLok USB dongle which has to be purchased separately. The iLok dongle can be used to run the protected software on different computers. Your licenses can be easily manged using the iLok Licence Manager. To protect your investment against theft or loss we recommend the iLok Zero Downtime protection with TLC.

An internet connection on any computer and a free user-accout at www.ilok.com is required to authorize the product.

Ewql Strings

Please check with the software manufacturer which iLok version is required at least if you want to use a hardware iLok!