The Windows version of Hollywood Strings Diamond Edition from EastWest/Quantum Leap is a virtual instrument featuring a huge collection of expertly recorded string instruments, while for the user providing extensive control over the sound and performance. Recording for Hollywood Strings took place at EastWest Studio 1, the same studio where many Hollywood soundtracks and television themes have been recorded with live orchestras.
Heading this project were co-producers Doug Rogers, Nick Phoenix and Thomas Bergersen, along with sound engineer Shawn Murphy, who has recorded and mixed the scores for more than 300 feature films. The sounds of the virtual strings are the result of having a top sound engineer, great recording studio, a comprehensive selection of microphones, the best analog and digital recording equipment, and top Hollywood string players.
The library provides a perfect large scoring stage sound along with a more intimate scoring stage sound with divisi capability. 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, resulting in unsurpassed legato performance. The library has five user-controllable microphone 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 KM254, Sony C37A, Neumann U47
- Close - AKG C12, Neumann U47, Neumann U67, Nordic Audio Labs NU-47
- Surround - Neumann KM83
- Alternate Room - Vintage RCA44 Ribbon
- Convolution reverbs include new impulses from Quantum Leap Spaces. These include soundstages and halls from Southern California
- Multiple finger positions for all sections including open strings
- 3 unique styles of legato interval sampling, including 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 x 4
- Marcato long, 3 dynamics, round-robin x 4
- Measured tremolo, 4 dynamics
- On-the-string staccato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x 8
- Pizzicato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x 4
- Repetitions, 3 dynamics
- Ricochet, 3 dynamics, round-robin x 2
- Spiccato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x 9
- Staccatissmo, 4 dynamics, round-robin x 16
- Staccato, 4 dynamics, round-robin x 9
- Slurred staccato for violins, 4 dynamics, round-robin x 9
- 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
- 5 x microphone positions plus divisi spot microphones
- 16 x 1st Violins (9/7 divisi mode)
- 14 x 2nd Violins (8/6 divisi mode)
- 10 x Violas (6/4 divisi mode)
- 10 x Cellos (6/4 divisi mode)
- 7 x Basses (4/3 divisi mode)