THE MOST DETAILED STRING LIBRARY YET
The long-awaited sequel to Hollywood Strings has finally arrived. But this time, we made a hard pivot: Instead of going bigger, we recorded a tight 21-piece chamber strings ensemble in EastWest Studio 2 for our most nuanced string library yet — smaller room, same production team, no less cinematic. You’ll find all the essential articulations, including legato, detache, pizzicato, staccato, spiccato, marcato, col legno, and even rare textural styles like flautando, each with up to four dynamics, ensuring an unparalleled level of expressiveness and realism. From the delicate intimacy of pianissimo to the commanding authority of fortissimo, and everything in between, articulations are captured with exacting detail by an extensive array of microphones, giving you unprecedented control over the performance and sound of the strings.
EMOTIONAL INTIMATE RAW
We close-mic’d every instrument closer than we ever have before, capturing the grit, depth, and air of every note in the finest detail possible. You can independently control 3 separate close mic positions (including mics attached directly to the instruments), plus main, mid-field, and surround mics. There’s no limit to the depth you can create — Hollywood Strings 2 is even Atmos-ready, so you can create Atmos mixes in DAWs that support Atmos. Epic arrangements are great, but there’s more to strings than scale alone… and while its predecessor is indeed epic, Hollywood Strings 2 goes even further, molding itself to any task.
NEW STRINGS, NEW ROOM & A RICH HISTORY
Hollywood Strings 2 was recorded in EastWest’s own Studio 2, just like the themes to The Beverly Hillbillies, Hawaii Five-O, and the soundtracks to Encanto and A Star is Born. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Weezer, and Metallica also selected Studio 2 for its tight and punchy sound! It’s only fitting that these strings suit cinematic metal or heavy rock as well as they would an epic film cue. If you’ve had your fill of massive ensembles and need focus and precision, you won’t find a more intimate string library anywhere else. Even if you already have them all.
THE ORIGINAL CAST RETURNS
The original Hollywood Strings featured the collaboration of award-winning producers Doug Rogers & Nick Phoenix and engineer Shawn Murphy. Together, they created the most advanced string library of all time… and now, all 3 returned to do it again. Their goal was simple: Capture the same cinematic quality as the original, but with more granular control than any string library to date. The result is clear, clean, and dry, with a character that effortlessly lends itself to any genre.
Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix have produced multiple award-winning sample libraries and virtual instruments together for over three decades – more than any other sounds production team in the industry – including NAMM TEC Award winners Hollywood Choirs, Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition, and Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra.
Academy Award and BAFTA winner Shawn Murphy is one of the most prolific sound engineers and mixers in the history of cinema. Some of his credits include the Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, and Hunger Games franchises, Jurassic Park and the Lost World, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Psycho (1998), Mission: Impossible, Apollo 13, and Titanic.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Hollywood Strings 2 boasts an extensive library of 148 meticulously crafted instruments, offering an unparalleled range of sonic possibilities, including the best ever recorded playable trills and runs. With over 160 gigabytes of extensively sampled sounds, every note resonates with unparalleled authenticity, capturing the essence of each instrument with breathtaking detail. And powered with our state of the art OPUS engine, you can instantly download just the individual instruments you need for instant access or download them all, it’s your choice.
Lyrical legato, crisp, laser-focused spiccato, articulate detache — everything you could want from 1st violins, captured in pristine detail. A common issue with violin libraries is that they refuse to come to the front of the mix, no matter how you treat them with EQ. Not so with Hollywood Strings 2; you can mix for the sound you want, without wrangling other string libraries to fit inside a box they weren’t made for.
All the flexibility and rawness of the 1st violins, but in a smaller support ensemble ideal for doubling and harmonizing. The main, mid, and surround mics provide as much or as little depth as you need, or you can mute them for an in-your-face yet cinematic sound. With every articulation, style, and control mapping for maximum flexibility — spacious, bone-dry, or anything in between.
Rich, resonant, and full. The Hollywood Strings 2 violas excel at delivering an earthy, dry, brilliant tone that pierces through any mix — but it just as easily melds into the background during soft, lyrical passages. Tight pizzicato, gritty spiccato, and tons of other articulations are at your disposal. Play through the various staccato options and you’ll find a mix of clean and staccato slur articulations for maximum realism and character.
Sonorous in the bottom octave and brilliant in its top range, this cello section delivers a full spectrum of timbres and articulations. All, of course, with the same ultra-close miking and 6 adjustable mic positions. Many patches contain expressive vibrato controlled via the mod wheel; combined with deep slurs and portamento, you can capture any performance you need, in any style. The same grandeur as the original Hollywood Strings, but with infinitely more flexibility.
3 BASSES
Your double basses never need to sit in the background again. We captured every detail of their rich harmonics with fantastic balance, lending intense raw power to the bottom octave of any string arrangement. They’re equally adept with hefty staccato and lyrical melodies in their higher range, with every articulation captured in pristine detail and next to zero bleed or ambience in the close mics.
Close mics don’t mean sacrificing power. We stacked all 21 players in octaves for a rich, bright tone perfect for filling the entire frequency range. Of course, all instruments have 3 Mood options: Classic, Soft, and Epic.
If you’ve ever wanted strings that jump out of the mix, cutting through any arrangement as if they were right in front of you… Hollywood Strings 2 is your ticket. No matter the task, its 6 mic positions, broad articulation set, and control over dynamics allow it to slip into any scoring task without difficulty. Shape the sound how you want — with depth, emotion, and raw power all at your disposal. Inside you’ll discover the same care and grandeur behind the original Hollywood Strings; only this time, you have all the control.
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