Virtual Studio Technology

2010-12-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

ORCHESTRAL BRASS CLASSIC is the re-issue of the most respected symphonic brass series on the sample market: SAM Horns, SAM Trombones, SAM Trumpets and SAM Solo Sessions. Known for its ambient, cinematic sound, PROJECTSAM ORCHESTRAL BRASS CLASSIC is the only brass library that no film, TV or game composer can afford to be without.
The symphonic brass instruments in ORCHESTRAL BRASS CLASSIC have been recorded in a beautiful concert hall and cover French Horn, Trombone, Trumpet section and solo French Horn, Tenor Trombone, Bass Trombone, B-flat Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet, C Tuba and Cimbasso.
The ORCHESTRAL BRASS CLASSIC re-issue of the renowned SAM brass libraries offers updated programming, custom features, Kontakt Player and a large price drop.

Instrument list

The following brass sections are included in Orchestral Brass Classic:
French Horn Section (4)
Trombone Section (3)
Bb Trumpet Section (3)

The following brass solo instruments are included in Orchestral Brass Classic:
Solo French Horn
Solo Trombone
Bonus Bass Trombone
Solo Bb Trumpet
Solo Piccolo Trumpet
Solo C Tuba
Cimbasso

Improvements & specs
For this re-release, the four individual ProjectSAM brass volumes were streamlined, modernized and merged into one Kontakt Player 2-based library, featuring repetition, simulated legato, octaver and on-screen keyswitch information. In addition, all sustains, including the solo brass, are now looped.

An overview:
    * All sustains looped, including solo brass
    * Programming streamlined over all brass instruments
    * Round robin alternation for all brass staccatos that offer multiple staccato versions
    * More efficient keyswitches with onscreen keyswitch information
    * Custom Kontakt Player skin and features, including simulated monophonic legato mode, random repetition mode (apart from round robin alternation), octaver, Kontakt reverb and other useful settings
    * 2 Mics (close & stage) for all brass instruments and articulations
    * 44.1 kHz 16 bit audio pool
    * Programming/mapping unlocked, audio pool locked (encoded)
    * Large price drop

Systemrequirements

NI Kontakt Player 3 is included in this product!
PC

Pentium or Athlon 1.4 GHz
Windows XP or Windows Vista
min. 2 Gb Ram

Mac

G4 1.4 GHz or Intel® Core™ Duo 1.66 GHz
OS 10.4.x
min. 2 Gb Ram

for all

300 MB free disc space for player installation
additional hard disc space according to the library size
DVD driv

PROJECTSAM SYMPHOBIA 2

2010-12-05T14:41:00.000-08:00

PROJECTSAM BRINGS YOU SYMPHOBIA 2, THE SEQUEL TO THE ACCLAIMED ORIGINAL SYMPHOBIA

SYMPHOBIA 2 is more of what you´ve been missing in your orchestral palette. New and exciting ORCHESTRAL ARTICULATIONS, massive amounts of fresh and inspiring SYMPHONIC EFFECTS, exclusive LEGATO ENSEMBLES with real legato transitions, DYSTOPIA III and a brand-new interface. SYMPHOBIA 2 is the new no-brainer library for any film, game or TV composer.
Symphobia 2 is a standalone library and so the perfect completion to Symphobia.

The adventure continues... with SYMPHOBIA 2.

KEY FEATURES

Real tutti recordings of symphonic ensembles
Extensive, multi-articulation patches
New and inspiring symphonic effects
Industry-first legato ensembles with real legato transitions
33 GB 44.1/24 library pool (uncompressed)
2 Mic sets switchable from interface
Brand-new custom interface
NI Kontakt Player 4 included with native 64-bit support
Kontakt background loading
Kontakt compressed sample storage (20 GB)

HIGHLIGHTS
NEW ARTICULATIONS
If you own the original SYMPHOBIA, SYMPHOBIA 2 will greatly expand your possibilities. To name a few, the SYMPHOBIA 2 string section adds minor and major DXF trills, different lengths of crescendo-decrescendo, new crescendos and new spiccatos. The full orchestra section has powerful new sustain and staccato articulations, and a beautiful Wide Octaves articulation with modwheel control. The separate horn section in the original SYMPHOBIA has been expanded with a blockbuster 8-player horn ensemble.
NEW EFFECTS
If you liked the effects in the original SYMPHOBIA, you are going to love the ones in SYMPHOBIA 2! Having covered the basis, we could explore the world of orchestral effects further and look for interesting new sounds and more specific techniques. There are now effects banks entirely dedicated to ponticello, flageolet or other playing techniques. You will also find beautiful looped textures that can be triggered in different keys. These phrases will instantly give your production a realism boost, but leave enough room to add your own personal touches.
LEGATO ENSEMBLES
An industry-first: real legato transitions for orchestrated sets of instruments. Various differently arranged ensembles were captured performing legato intervals, playing in unison or octaves, and were meticulously edited and scripted. A great example is the noble sounding Horns Violins Violas set, which offers real legato performance of French horns, violins and violas playing in unison. No layering was used whatsoever. The legatos, transitions and orchestrations you hear are all real.
Each of the sets has been recorded in a specific range and dynamic, dictated by the orchestration and the musical context of the orchestration. Apart from the LEGATO ENSEMBLES we also included a number of legato solo instruments. [Hear a demo now]
DYSTOPIA VOLUME 3
Our popular DYSTOPIA section is back and is better than ever! Explore the dark side of SAM with processed hits, spheres, scapes and risers, based on the recordings of SYMPHOBIA 2 and some of our other libraries. Also be sure to check out the SYMPHOBIAN DRUMS. [Dystopia screenshot]
BRAND-NEW INTERFACE
SYMPHOBIA 2 is powered by Kontakt 4.1 and comes with a brand-new interface. In the centre are the instrument and articulation displays. The left half of the interface contains all the switchable options such as Master EQ, release trails and microphone mode. The right half of the interface has all the controllable options such as instant ADSR, reverb and DSP effects.
SWITCHABLE MIC MODE
Like the original SYMPHOBIA, SYMPHOBIA 2 was recorded in a beautiful concert hall environment and has been edited and programmed in two microphone sets: close and stage. Each program now contains both microphone sets and has a convenient switch button to choose which mic set you wish to use. Both mic sets have been carefully mixed to instantly fall into place in your mix. When switching mics, the samples for the unused mic will be purged from RAM.
OUR BEST MULTIS EVER
The LEGATO ENSEMBLES opened up exciting new possibilities for creating MULTIS. We created MULTIS that allow you to play two, even three legato instruments simultaneously as well as various combinations of polyphonic articulations and a legato instrument.
With names such as "Make It So" and "When All Hope Is Lost" it´s easy to find the MULTI that best matches your project or scene.

Systemrequirements

NI Kontakt Player 4 included in this product!
PC

Windows XP (SP2 )/ Vista/ Win7 (32/64 Bit),
Pentium or Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, min. 2 GB RAM

Mac

OSX 10.5 / 10.6
Intel (!!!) Core Duo 1.66 GHz, min. 2 GB RAM

for all

1GB free disc space for player installation
additional hard disc space according to the library size
internet connection for product activation required (on any computer)
DVD drive

Sample Logic Synergy

2010-12-05T14:38:00.000-08:00

Sample Logic is proud to present its latest groundbreaking virtual instrument, Synergy. Weighing in at over 18 Gigabytes, this epic collection of 1200+ instruments, tempo-synced loops, and multis delivers the next generation of diverse sounds in an intuitive user interface. Powered by Native Instruments Kontakt Player engine, Synergy utilizes extended sample synthesis and effectual techniques to provide you interactive, ready-to-play instruments. With Synergy´s flexible sound sculpting interface, control is in your hands. Simply put, all instruments can be modified, redesigned, and customized to your preference. This makes Synergy perfect for any performance and production environment.
Ambience     (295 patches)
Bass        (54 patches)
Drums        (55 patches)
Impacts      (269 patches)
Melody       (173 patches)
Pads        (57 patches)
Rhythms      (270 patches)
Multis       (40 instrument Combos)
Synergy will become a permanent addition to your compositional palette. We have gone to great lengths to capture the purist perception of sound from all over the world. This library is jam-packed with: serene spiritual textures, deep rooted basses, Pop & Hip Hop flavored beats, haunting environments, lush emotional pads, mind-blowing explosions, multi-sampled ethnic and tribal instruments, gated angelic voices, electronic arpeggiated synths, bone-chilling sequenced impacts, melodic bells and whistles, adventurous flutes, action and world rhythms, funky leads, gigantic pianos, and mallets from the tropics, just to name a few...
How Is It Useful?
Bringing together the past, present, and future, Synergy not only delivers fundamental loops, soundscapes, and textures, but also transcends the modern virtual instrument, providing timeless ingredients for any performance and music production. Organized in Sample Logic´s tried and true fashion, Synergy will inspire producers, DJs, Electronic musicians, Film/TV and Game composers alike.
It is the quintessential tool for:
- modern compositions and sound design
- interactive live performance
- staying inspired
- meeting deadlines
- finding that sound you have always been craving
Sample Logic´s award-winning team dedicated their heart and soul to bring you the virtual instrument standard of the future. With Synergy, everything truly
comes together!

*Crossgrade from A.I.R. or The Elements
Please enter your Serial number of A.I.R. or The Elements in the Message Field when ordering a crossgrade.

Systemrequirements

NI Kontakt Player 2 is included in this product!
Minimum:

Windows XP/ Vista, Pentium 4/ Athlon, Single 2,8 GHz, Dual Core CPU above 1.6 GHz per core
Mac OSX 10.4 or above, G5 1 GHz or Intel Core Duo1,66, 1 GB Ram

Optimal:

Windows XP/ Vista, Pentium 4/ Athlon, Quad Core CPU above 1.8 GHz per core
Mac OSX 10.4 or above, any Intel Mac G5, 2GB Ram

Product activation:
An internet connection on any computer is required to authorize / activate the product.

Music Tech Magazine 12/2008

There’s no shortage of multi-gigabyte sample-based instruments on the market today, and for the most part they tend to cover a specific area of music, be it synthesizers, beats, orchestral sounds or similar. Sample Logic’s latest offering is rather more broad in its approach, featuring more than 1,200 instruments spanning beats, sound effects, textures, basses and multi-layered patches, Weighing in at a not inconsiderable 18GB, Synergy is powered by the NI Kontakt player, which comes in all major plug-in formats. There’s also a standalone version.

Up and running
Installation is slow – this isn’t Sample Logic’s fault, but a problem we have encountered before with the Native Instruments installer. Clearly aware of this, the manual warns you that although the installer may appear to have frozen, it is actually copying large files. The content files from the remaining DVDs have to be dragged manually to the hard drive. We understand that NI is reassessing this system and it really does need revising, if only to make it display an accurate progress bar.

Once the files are copied, the NI Service Centre application authorises the library online. Kontakt Player 2’s interface is actually pretty handy, packing lots of features into a well-designed window. Sound generation is based on samples, but it uses advanced sample synthesis and effects as well as looping to greatly expand the scope and flexibility of the samples.

Sounding off
The first category of instrument is ambience, further sub-divided into categories such as distorted, motionscapes and so on, although, in truth, they are all on a broadly similar theme. There’s an abundance of deep, menacing, spaced-out textures, too, perfects for film or game scoring. Some are ominous and brooding, tailing off slowly in a haze of murky half-light, others evolve, pulsing with mystery and shimmering haze. If that sounds overly poetic, it’s simply because the sounds are very evocative of moods and ideal for creating tension, mystery, intrigue and other atmospheres.

As with the other instruments, each of the patches has its own control panel, divided into two sections. The main part controls parameters such as MIDI channel and audio output, patch selection, solo, mute, pan and volume as well as tuning. The second part comprises sound-shaping controls, simply laid-out and clearly labelled. There’s a stereo widener, filter, phase, reverb, delay and pulser, plus a programmable arpeggiator section. The control panel makes it quick and easy to modify a sound or its effects settings and is simple enough that even beginners should get to grips with it fairly quickly.

The next section is Bass, replete with a fine selection of sounds from arpeggiated loops to crunchy synths. Mostly electronic, there’s plenty here for anyone making any kind of dance music.

Next up is drums, and alongside some electro kits you’ll find some rather interesting collections of hits comprising a mixture of cinematic and punchy electronic percussion and drum noises – again, ideal for film or game scoring. The Deep Ensemble collection is particularly thunderous, evoking images of horror, thriller or disaster movies. You’ll also find World percussions sets, which, far from being an afterthought as is sometimes the case, are actually very good.

The Impacts instrument section comes next: a large collection of themed hits and one-sot sounds ranging from peaceful to terrifying. Pick any of these at random and there’s a good chance that it will sit very happily in any motion picture soundtrack.

Melody maker
The Melody section has a good selection of slightly leftfield takes on traditional instruments, synths, loops and organs, containing patches that will be as appropriate to those making music tracks as soundtracks. There’s a liberal dose of delay on some of the patches that may not be to everyone’s taste, although it can be turned down or off for any patch.

The Pads section is also good, mostly avoiding the cheesy or generic sounds that you sometimes encounter and instead providing some really usable, warm textures. Finally, the Rhythm section has a large number of involving and interesting beats, mixing the electronic and acoustic in a very cinematic way. Thanks to the Kontakt Player, the sounds all follow the master tempo. There’s a bit too much delay applied by default, although again, you can turn it off.

Any instrument can be layered in Kontakt Player and there are a selection of multis provided with Synergy. As you might expect these are big, rich and complex-sounding, and you can edit any of the constituent patches by opening their control panel. Despite some multis using a great many samples, loading times are respectable and CPU strain seems very reasonable.

Coming together
Synergy is touted as a compositional and sound-design tool – and that’s a fair description. There is much here for those making regular music tracks, but a quick wade through the many presets revels an instrument clearly focused on textures, soundscapes, atmospheres, beats and all things filmic. Crucially, thanks to its simple design, sample-based synthesis, sound-shaping controls and effects, Synergy offers a great deal of flexibility when modifying or working with patches, so you can generally tailor sounds to suit your needs. This isn’t a traditional, orchestral kind of instrument, it’s much more modern and synth-heavy, but it’s also excellent and could be all you need to create a very professional score.

Verdict: An excellent collection of instruments, especially for scoring. Futuristic, atmospheric and rich-sounding – and at a reasonable price.

Rating: 9/10 Review: Synergy Music Tech Magazine, December 2008 There’s no shortage of multi-gigabyte sample-based instruments on the market today, and for the most part they tend to cover a specific area of music, be it synthesizers, beats, orchestral sounds or similar. Sample Logic’s latest offering is rather more broad in its approach, featuring more than 1,200 instruments spanning beats, sound effects, textures, basses and multi-layered patches, Weighing in at a not inconsiderable 18GB, Synergy is powered by the NI Kontakt player, which comes in all major plug-in formats. There’s also a standalone version.

Up and running
Installation is slow – this isn’t Sample Logic’s fault, but a problem we have encountered before with the Native Instruments installer. Clearly aware of this, the manual warns you that although the installer may appear to have frozen, it is actually copying large files. The content files from the remaining DVDs have to be dragged manually to the hard drive. We understand that NI is reassessing this system and it really does need revising, if only to make it display an accurate progress bar.

Once the files are copied, the NI Service Centre application authorises the library online. Kontakt Player 2’s interface is actually pretty handy, packing lots of features into a well-designed window. Sound generation is based on samples, but it uses advanced sample synthesis and effects as well as looping to greatly expand the scope and flexibility of the samples.

Sounding off
The first category of instrument is ambience, further sub-divided into categories such as distorted, motionscapes and so on, although, in truth, they are all on a broadly similar theme. There’s an abundance of deep, menacing, spaced-out textures, too, perfects for film or game scoring. Some are ominous and brooding, tailing off slowly in a haze of murky half-light, others evolve, pulsing with mystery and shimmering haze. If that sounds overly poetic, it’s simply because the sounds are very evocative of moods and ideal for creating tension, mystery, intrigue and other atmospheres.

As with the other instruments, each of the patches has its own control panel, divided into two sections. The main part controls parameters such as MIDI channel and audio output, patch selection, solo, mute, pan and volume as well as tuning. The second part comprises sound-shaping controls, simply laid-out and clearly labelled. There’s a stereo widener, filter, phase, reverb, delay and pulser, plus a programmable arpeggiator section. The control panel makes it quick and easy to modify a sound or its effects settings and is simple enough that even beginners should get to grips with it fairly quickly.

The next section is Bass, replete with a fine selection of sounds from arpeggiated loops to crunchy synths. Mostly electronic, there’s plenty here for anyone making any kind of dance music.

Next up is drums, and alongside some electro kits you’ll find some rather interesting collections of hits comprising a mixture of cinematic and punchy electronic percussion and drum noises – again, ideal for film or game scoring. The Deep Ensemble collection is particularly thunderous, evoking images of horror, thriller or disaster movies. You’ll also find World percussions sets, which, far from being an afterthought as is sometimes the case, are actually very good.

The Impacts instrument section comes next: a large collection of themed hits and one-sot sounds ranging from peaceful to terrifying. Pick any of these at random and there’s a good chance that it will sit very happily in any motion picture soundtrack.

Melody maker
The Melody section has a good selection of slightly leftfield takes on traditional instruments, synths, loops and organs, containing patches that will be as appropriate to those making music tracks as soundtracks. There’s a liberal dose of delay on some of the patches that may not be to everyone’s taste, although it can be turned down or off for any patch.

The Pads section is also good, mostly avoiding the cheesy or generic sounds that you sometimes encounter and instead providing some really usable, warm textures. Finally, the Rhythm section has a large number of involving and interesting beats, mixing the electronic and acoustic in a very cinematic way. Thanks to the Kontakt Player, the sounds all follow the master tempo. There’s a bit too much delay applied by default, although again, you can turn it off.

Any instrument can be layered in Kontakt Player and there are a selection of multis provided with Synergy. As you might expect these are big, rich and complex-sounding, and you can edit any of the constituent patches by opening their control panel. Despite some multis using a great many samples, loading times are respectable and CPU strain seems very reasonable.

Coming together
Synergy is touted as a compositional and sound-design tool – and that’s a fair description. There is much here for those making regular music tracks, but a quick wade through the many presets revels an instrument clearly focused on textures, soundscapes, atmospheres, beats and all things filmic. Crucially, thanks to its simple design, sample-based synthesis, sound-shaping controls and effects, Synergy offers a great deal of flexibility when modifying or working with patches, so you can generally tailor sounds to suit your needs. This isn’t a traditional, orchestral kind of instrument, it’s much more modern and synth-heavy, but it’s also excellent and could be all you need to create a very professional score.

Verdict: An excellent collection of instruments, especially for scoring. Futuristic, atmospheric and rich-sounding – and at a reasonable price.

Rating: 9/10

Keyboard 12/2008

Synergy offers high bang for buck, but even if it cost hundreds more, it would still be a go-to collection for any serious working composer.
The instruments are divided into eight categories: Ambience (295 patches), Bass, Drums (54 patches), Impacts (269 patches), Melody (173 patches), Pads (57 patches), Rhythms (270 patches), and Multis (40 patches). Sonically, every loop, effect, texture and multisample is expertly produced, and it’s no understatement to say Synergy perfectly captures the “vibe” of modern electronic-styled film and TV music. You’d only need to add a well-stocked orchestral library to the mix, and all your bases would be covered. There’s no shortage of impacts and ambient beds that conjure aural images of tension, fear, mystery, and suspense. In other words, exactly what you’d want underneath your fingertips when time is ticking down and you have to deliver a batch of cues. The sound design that went into this material is impressive, and in many cases I found myself asking, “How’d they make that sound?” Yes, the inspiration factor is off the charts.

Many of the ambience and evolving mood patches are based on single, long-looped samples mapped across a range of keys. As a result, when you play in the lower registers, sounds often become darker and more sinister. This is a cool by-product of keymapping a single sample, but you’ll find that in many cases it limits the useable range; go outside it, and the patches either sound mushy and indistinct at extreme low registers or chimpmunk-like in the high ones.

A wealth of multisampled pads ranges from what Blade Runner might sound like if made today to angelic and otherworldly hybrids of choirs, synths, and acoustic instruments. It’s all very tasteful and “now” sounding, and provides an emotionally lighter side to Synergy’s otherwise intense character.

The rhythm and drum categories are chock full of filtered, delayed, pulsing, and otherwise tweazed-out loops that run the gamut from high-octane action sequences to mysterious criminal investigations. A good complement of “ethnic” percussion and hi-hat patterns is included, along with a small selection of over-the-top “StormDrum-like” hits. This is perhaps Synergy’s only weak spot, so if you need taiko on steroids, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Synergy exploits Kontakt’s scripting features to give all the instruments on-screen controls for adding effects, tweaking envelopes and filters, and engaging the arpeggiator. Similarly, Kontakt’s beat-syncing features have been applied to all the rhythmic and tonal loops for instant tempo matching in whatever host sequencer you choose. Across the board, the thoughtful programming provides a high level of musical interaction with the samples. This is exactly the kind of functionality that makes a library more than just a bunch of sounds, but a true instrument.
Review: Synergy Keyboard Magazine 12/2008 Synergy offers high bang for buck, but even if it cost hundreds more, it would still be a go-to collection for any serious working composer.
The instruments are divided into eight categories: Ambience (295 patches), Bass, Drums (54 patches), Impacts (269 patches), Melody (173 patches), Pads (57 patches), Rhythms (270 patches), and Multis (40 patches). Sonically, every loop, effect, texture and multisample is expertly produced, and it’s no understatement to say Synergy perfectly captures the “vibe” of modern electronic-styled film and TV music. You’d only need to add a well-stocked orchestral library to the mix, and all your bases would be covered. There’s no shortage of impacts and ambient beds that conjure aural images of tension, fear, mystery, and suspense. In other words, exactly what you’d want underneath your fingertips when time is ticking down and you have to deliver a batch of cues. The sound design that went into this material is impressive, and in many cases I found myself asking, “How’d they make that sound?” Yes, the inspiration factor is off the charts.

Many of the ambience and evolving mood patches are based on single, long-looped samples mapped across a range of keys. As a result, when you play in the lower registers, sounds often become darker and more sinister. This is a cool by-product of keymapping a single sample, but you’ll find that in many cases it limits the useable range; go outside it, and the patches either sound mushy and indistinct at extreme low registers or chimpmunk-like in the high ones.

A wealth of multisampled pads ranges from what Blade Runner might sound like if made today to angelic and otherworldly hybrids of choirs, synths, and acoustic instruments. It’s all very tasteful and “now” sounding, and provides an emotionally lighter side to Synergy’s otherwise intense character.

The rhythm and drum categories are chock full of filtered, delayed, pulsing, and otherwise tweazed-out loops that run the gamut from high-octane action sequences to mysterious criminal investigations. A good complement of “ethnic” percussion and hi-hat patterns is included, along with a small selection of over-the-top “StormDrum-like” hits. This is perhaps Synergy’s only weak spot, so if you need taiko on steroids, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Synergy exploits Kontakt’s scripting features to give all the instruments on-screen controls for adding effects, tweaking envelopes and filters, and engaging the arpeggiator. Similarly, Kontakt’s beat-syncing features have been applied to all the rhythmic and tonal loops for instant tempo matching in whatever host sequencer you choose. Across the board, the thoughtful programming provides a high level of musical interaction with the samples. This is exactly the kind of functionality that makes a library more than just a bunch of sounds, but a true instrument.

Sample Logic Cinematic Guitars

2010-12-05T14:34:00.000-08:00

What is CINEMATIC GUITARS?
Sample Logic´s award-winning team presents a powerful collection of morphed guitar instruments harnessed in a remarkably adaptable “core effects sequencer” engine powered by the Native Instruments Kontakt Player.
Derived entirely from true electric and acoustic guitar recordings by guitar guru Steve Ouimette (known for his work on the Guitar Hero franchise) this library is not a traditional guitar sample library, rather, it is an extensive collection of atmospheres, instrumentals, and percussives unlike any ever heard before. Taking it one step further, Cinematic Guitars gives users the power to create and manipulate custom instruments using the first ever "core effects sequencer" designed by Sample Logic and built into the Kontakt engine.
This library is all encompassing, exploring infinite timbres and emotions through its unprecedented collection of over 1000 instruments and multis, starting with bizarre, dark, euphoric, spiritual, electronic sounds and going far beyond.
CINEMATIC GUITARS is geared for film, TV, game, and electronic composers.
Creating CINEMATIC GUITARS
Sample Logic teamed up with renowned guitarist Steve Ouimette to record a wide spectrum of guitars including steel, nylon, electric guitars and a variety of other rare stringed instruments. We dug deep into Steve´s imagination and vast collection of guitar effect boxes and amp gear to capture some of the most unique and original sounds possible. Everything from bowing, scratching, and mutilation, to gentile somber gestures and effects. From there, Sample Logic manipulated and molded these superior sounds into a master suite of jaw-dropping instruments and multis using various morphing techniques and the real-time Cinematic Guitars "core effects sequencer". Rest assured, no guitars were burned during the creation of this product!
What’s under the hood?
• Over 1,000 instruments and multis recorded and processed at 48k/24 bit, delivered at 44.1k/24-bit
• 9 GB sample library (uncompressed)
• 5.8 GB via Kontakt´s lossless sample storage compression
• NI Kontakt Player 4 with native 64-bit support
Instruments
• Atmosphere/ambient soundscapes and stinger construction kits
• Morphed guitars, synths, and pads
• Melodic and percussive tempo-synced loops
• Melodic and percussive arpeggiated/gated instruments
• Percussive impacts, big hit ensembles, and kits
• Swipes, scrapes, and reverse transitional effects
Multis
• Performance-ready multis (playable interactive preset templates made from multiple instruments)
• Over 100 score-ready multis
Additional multis included in Cinematic Guitars were created by award-winning composers:
• Bill Brown (CSI NY, Wolfenstein [VG], Rainbow Six [VG], Ghost Recon [VG])
• Jesper Kyd (Assassins Creed I & II [VG], Unreal Tournament [VG], Splinter Cell [VG])
• Trevor Morris (The Tutors, The Hills Have Eyes II, Pirates Of The Caribbean II, Stealth, The Island)
• Dean Ogden (Hit List, The Way Home, Surrogates, The Sensei)
• Atli Örvarsson (Vantage Point, Babylon AD, The Fourth Kind)
• Chad Seiter (Fringe Season 1, LucasArts´ Fracture, LOST: Via Domus, UP [VG])
• Steve Tavaglione – Performer & Sound Designer (CSI: Las Vegas & New York, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Revolutionary Road)
CINEMATIC GUITARS’ scripted sound-sculpting interface inspires creativity, giving users unprecedented control achieved through Native Instruments´ Kontakt Player. With 13 unique windows of more than 60 onscreen effects and performance parameters (each with it’s own "core effects sequencer"), morphing the instruments and automating effects has never been easier. Each effect can be controlled by its own tempo-synced "core effect sequencer" simultaneously and in real time.
CINEMATIC GUITARS "blurs the line between music & sound design." ™

Systemrequirements

Windows XP (SP2 )/ Vista/ Win7 (32/64 Bit),
Pentium or Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, min. 2 GB RAM

Mac

OSX 10.5 / 10.6
Intel (!!!) Core Duo 1.66 GHz, min. 2 GB RAM

for all

1GB free disc space for player installation
additional hard disc space according to the library size
internet connection for product activation required (on any computer)
DVD drive

Native Instruments Kontakt 4

2010-12-05T14:31:00.001-08:00

KONTAKT 4 contains a rich and diverse sound library. Seven stunning Instrument Collections are included: Choir, Orchestral, World, Vintage, Band, Synth and Urban Beats – containing 43 GB of professional quality samples and over 1,000 instruments. Each and every sound is instantly accessible via the attribute-based browser. Every instrument in KONTAKT 4 features extended Performance Views with controls that group together all the important parameters for a super-fast and efficient workflow.
KONTAKT 4 offers endless possibilities to really get inside your samples. You can easily edit, loop, slice and time-stretch your sounds and pitch shift them in real time or tempo-sync them with the powerful Wave Editor. Draw your own custom envelopes directly into the sample waveform to easily and precisely modulate any parameter, or use step sequencers and flex envelopes to tweak your samples. Refine your sound even further with any of the 19 versatile studio-quality effects such as the convolution effect for super-realistic reverbs, or use the powerful surround sound features for cinematic productions.

Sytemrequirements

Windows XP (SP2 )/ Vista (32/64 Bit),
Pentium or Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, 2 GB RAM

Mac

OSX 10.5 / 10.6
Intel (!!!) Core Duo 1.66 GHz, 2 GB RAM

for all

1GB free disc space for player installation
additional hard disc space according to the library size
internet connection for product activation required (on any computer)
DVD drive

Native Instruments Alicia´s Keys

2010-12-05T14:29:00.000-08:00

ALICIA´S KEYS was sampled from her own playing, recorded in the artist´s own studio under the supervision of her trusted engineer, Ann Mincieli.
The instrument samples come from Alicia Keys´ very own Yamaha™ C3 Neo grand piano. This unique and highly-sought after instrument was built to celebrate Yamaha´s 100th anniversary in 2002 and represents the very top of the Conservatory Collection line. The exquisite and unique sound of the C3 Neo were painstakingly captured by Thomas Skarbye, Kontakt script wizard Nils Liberg, and Grammy-award winning engineer Ann Mincieli - making this exclusive instrument available to everyone. Using vintage microphones and preamps and through detailed analysis of Alicia´s playing, the team succeeded in capturing the warm, soulful and inspiring sound of the C3 Neo all the way down to the finest nuances.
Alicia herself says:
"I feel confident that we came up with the best virtual piano you´ve ever heard and I am excited to introduce it to you! Ann, Thomas and Nils are a brilliant team!"

Systemrequirements

Windows XP (SP2 )/ Vista/ Win7 (32/64 Bit),
Pentium or Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, min. 2 GB RAM

Mac

OSX 10.5 / 10.6
Intel (!!!) Core Duo 1.66 GHz, min. 2 GB RAM

for all

1GB free disc space for player installation
additional hard disc space according to the library size
internet connection for product activation required (on any computer)
DVD drive

Native Instruments Komplete 7 Elements

2010-12-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

With KOMPLETE 7 ELEMENTS Native Instruments offers a low priced entry for all musicians that cannot afford the big KOMPLETE collection: You will get player versions of Reaktor 5, Kontakt 4, Guitar Rig 4 and Kore 2 bundled with a 12 GB sound and effect collection (more than 2.000 sounds) plus a 50,- € voucher for download packs on the NI web site. The following titles are included in KOMPLETE 7 ELEMENTS:

Reaktor Elements Selection
Kontakt Elements Selection
Abbey Road 60s Vintage Kit
Guitar Rig Essentials
Best of Massive
Best of Absynth

A complete production suite including amazing instruments and sounds from the awarded Komplete series:

Kontakt 4 instruments: VSL Orchestra, Abbey Road Drums, Urban Beats, Modern and Vintage Electronics, plus a selection of World and Band instruments:
9 extraordinary REAKTOR instruments with 1200 Sounds and REAKTOR SPARK
8 Classic Amps and 24 Effects from Guitar Rig 4
400 from the best MASSIVE and ABSYNTH sounds
Over 12 GB sample library with 2000 Sounds
supports all major operating systems and DAW´s
50,- € Native Instruments download voucher

Sytemrequirements

Kontakt 4 / Komplete 7

PC

Windows XP (SP2 )/ Vista (32/64 Bit),
Pentium or Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, 2 GB RAM

Mac

OSX 10.5 / 10.6
Intel (!!!) Core Duo 1.66 GHz, 2 GB RAM

for all

1GB free disc space for player installation
additional hard disc space according to the library size
internet connection for product activation required (on any computer)
DVD drive

2010-12-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

Quantum Leap Gypsy
Gypsy, which is primarily aimed at film, TV and game composers, captures an intimate European sound with an unprecedented detail that will simply amaze listeners. The nylon string guitar, violin and trombone can play in both gypsy and classical styles. In the classical realm, these three instruments are unparalleled in the sampling world in terms of playability, diversity and sound quality.
“All of the guitars were sampled with up and down strokes, many velocities and picking styles, various picking angles, release trails, chords and effects,” states Quantum Leap Gypsy producer Nick Phoenix. “Gypsy’s guitars, played by top Los Angeles session guitarist David Kole, simply have to be heard to be believed.”

The violin and trombone feature many articulations, repetitions and even true legato intervals. The trombone in QUANTUM LEAP GYPSY was recorded in EASTWEST Studio 1 (formerly United-Western Studios), referred to by many engineers as “the best brass room on the planet.”

The accordions feature multiple setups, all with air flow in and out samples as well as expressive samples, chords and left-hand bass. True to its name, Gypsy also features a gypsy percussion program and extensive flamenco dancers’ foot stomps, as well as traditional castanets.

Key features of QUANTUM LEAP GYPSY include:

Violin (true legato intervals) in classical and gypsy style
Classical Guitar
Flamenco Guitar
Django Style Guitar
Spanish Steel String Guitar
Campana Accordion
Silvestri Accordion
Excelsior Accordion
Trombone (true legato intervals) in classical and gypsy style
Flamenco Dancer
Gypsy percussion
Superior reverb impulses

Systemrequirements

This library includes "PLAY" as a Sample-Player already
Minimum Requirements for Mac
* G5 1.6GHz, 2GB RAM, Mac OS 10.4 or newer
Recommended Mac System
* Mac Pro Quad-Core Xeon 2.5GHz, 4GB RAM
Minimum Requirements for PC
* Pentium 4 3.0GHz, 2GB RAM, Windows XP SP2 or Vista, sound card with ASIO drivers
Recommended PC System
* Intel or AMD Quad Core 2.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 64-bit OS and host
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.
Additionally an internet connection on any computer and a free user-accout at www.ilok.com is required to authorize the product.

Reviews

multiple

This flamenco library has four accordions (one of them a bandoleon), three guitars, percussion, cimbalo, flamenco percussion and two flamenco dancers, trombone, and a wonderfully over-the-top gypsy violin. That violin is probably the most high-profile instrument in this library, with its big, rich sound. The Master program brings up a large variety of keyswitched articulations (24 if anyone?s counting), plus there?s a legato auto-sensing program; turn up the mod
wheel, and instead of playing connected notes in one bow, you?ll bring in some serious portmento, the kind that?s absolutely essential for a hammed-up gypsy violin part. This instrument is a lot of fun if you cheese it up, but it works well for other kinds of music as well. It might be miked a little close-up for classical, but you can move it back by adding some reverb. And the close-up sound is just right for a gypsy violin, plus the default EW Fat Hall sounds really
good on it. The trombone is another highlight, and it?s also quite versatile. Its Master program has eight different articulations, and its legato program has real recorded slides between notes. One of the keyswitches brings in blatty tones (?farty? in the manual), which lets it work well in all kinds of contexts. The accordians are all really good and full of character, with air in and out samples, and lots of other goodies. They can sound remarkably real. Gypsy?s
flamenco guitar has a lot of characteristic strums and noises recorded and assigned to keyswitches?taps, tremolo, etc. For the most part they want to be overdubbed and turned down, because they?re at the same level as the notes. The Django guitar has several chord types assigned to keyswitches, and it makes it easy to create surprisingly Django-like parts. Then there?s a Spanish steel guitar, the percussion and flamenco dances, a cimbalom?and finally what for me personally is the hit of all four libraries: the classical guitar. That instrument is absolutely lovely, and the programming is excellent. Between the velocity layers, auto-round robin samples, release samples, and above all the overall
sound, it?s a real joy to play. I personally would find Gypsy worth the price just for that instrument, but it has a lot of other great stuff too. - VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT MAGAZINE

EastWest has recently come out with a handful of sample libraries using their new 64-bit Play engine. I was assigned Gypsy, a collection of Mid-Eastern and European instruments. From what I've experienced so far, it is a remarkable tool with extremely high production values, an attention to detail, and an even greater consideration to the end-user experience. In the box is two DVD?s. Yet on those two DVD?s are some exquisitely captured instruments, an intuitive interface and implementations, and a robust, powerful playback engine, aptly titled PLAY. So you get 11GBs of ethnic guitars, accordions, trombones, rare percussion, and just about the best sampled violin and violin performance
you?ll find anywhere. The 64-bit PLAY engine really brings these recordings to life by not simply reproducing the recording, but truly reproducing the performance. They do this by a very intuitive articulation implementation and appropriate parameters to tweak such as reverb types (several real world convolution based settings), ADSR of course, other filters and delays to create exactly the sound you are looking to capture. About the articulation implementation: Very nice. Initially, it?s hard to describe because?well, you?d expect it to be a lot more complicated to evoke the exact performance you want. Intuitive is definitely the word. I don?t want to overuse the term, but ?intuitive? to me is something that works the way you expect it to, and works well. Typically, playing any of these instruments at default settings is just amazing, you almost don?t want to mess with the settings too much because the presets are great. The PLAY engine really captures how you play and adapts it to that instrument. Guitars, for instance have a second sampled note when the same note is played again to differentiate between the first and second strum. This simple idea really opens up the world of MIDI-based guitar at least for me, and will save me a ton of editing time when playing in some guitar lines in the future. Also for bowed instruments we have superb legato detection. Running notes into each other, the engine detects and keeps the initial ?bow? of the first note and slides the other notes in if you so choose and can then change playing style with a simple key switched mapped to the keyboard. On the interface itself is a representation of all the articulations available to a particular instrument and what key that switch may be mapped. Double that with on-screen key switch highlighting, and it seems like you can never be lost, or want of
directions on what does what or why. In a word, intuitive! Really, when looking at the product, was there anywhere else to go? I listen to a ton of soundtracks and work as an audio engineer, so I can spot samples versus true performance regardless of recording techniques, usually. Save for a few instruments in certain key ranges, the performances here are impeccable. When you pair this up with the top-notch PLAY engine, you get an unbeatable duo. There is some true character represented in Gypsy, one that I think a lot of musicians will want to inject into their compositions. Even more than that, I?m always enthralled when something inspires me to create, which is what I believe this
library does beautifully. -MUSIC4GAMES Review: GYPSY This flamenco library has four accordions (one of them a bandoleon), three guitars, percussion, cimbalo, flamenco percussion and two flamenco dancers, trombone, and a wonderfully over-the-top gypsy violin. That violin is probably the most high-profile instrument in this library, with its big, rich sound. The Master program brings up a large variety of keyswitched articulations (24 if anyone?s counting), plus there?s a legato auto-sensing program; turn up the mod
wheel, and instead of playing connected notes in one bow, you?ll bring in some serious portmento, the kind that?s absolutely essential for a hammed-up gypsy violin part. This instrument is a lot of fun if you cheese it up, but it works well for other kinds of music as well. It might be miked a little close-up for classical, but you can move it back by adding some reverb. And the close-up sound is just right for a gypsy violin, plus the default EW Fat Hall sounds really
good on it. The trombone is another highlight, and it?s also quite versatile. Its Master program has eight different articulations, and its legato program has real recorded slides between notes. One of the keyswitches brings in blatty tones (?farty? in the manual), which lets it work well in all kinds of contexts. The accordians are all really good and full of character, with air in and out samples, and lots of other goodies. They can sound remarkably real. Gypsy?s
flamenco guitar has a lot of characteristic strums and noises recorded and assigned to keyswitches?taps, tremolo, etc. For the most part they want to be overdubbed and turned down, because they?re at the same level as the notes. The Django guitar has several chord types assigned to keyswitches, and it makes it easy to create surprisingly Django-like parts. Then there?s a Spanish steel guitar, the percussion and flamenco dances, a cimbalom?and finally what for me personally is the hit of all four libraries: the classical guitar. That instrument is absolutely lovely, and the programming is excellent. Between the velocity layers, auto-round robin samples, release samples, and above all the overall
sound, it?s a real joy to play. I personally would find Gypsy worth the price just for that instrument, but it has a lot of other great stuff too. - VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT MAGAZINE

EastWest has recently come out with a handful of sample libraries using their new 64-bit Play engine. I was assigned Gypsy, a collection of Mid-Eastern and European instruments. From what I've experienced so far, it is a remarkable tool with extremely high production values, an attention to detail, and an even greater consideration to the end-user experience. In the box is two DVD?s. Yet on those two DVD?s are some exquisitely captured instruments, an intuitive interface and implementations, and a robust, powerful playback engine, aptly titled PLAY. So you get 11GBs of ethnic guitars, accordions, trombones, rare percussion, and just about the best sampled violin and violin performance
you?ll find anywhere. The 64-bit PLAY engine really brings these recordings to life by not simply reproducing the recording, but truly reproducing the performance. They do this by a very intuitive articulation implementation and appropriate parameters to tweak such as reverb types (several real world convolution based settings), ADSR of course, other filters and delays to create exactly the sound you are looking to capture. About the articulation implementation: Very nice. Initially, it?s hard to describe because?well, you?d expect it to be a lot more complicated to evoke the exact performance you want. Intuitive is definitely the word. I don?t want to overuse the term, but ?intuitive? to me is something that works the way you expect it to, and works well. Typically, playing any of these instruments at default settings is just amazing, you almost don?t want to mess with the settings too much because the presets are great. The PLAY engine really captures how you play and adapts it to that instrument. Guitars, for instance have a second sampled note when the same note is played again to differentiate between the first and second strum. This simple idea really opens up the world of MIDI-based guitar at least for me, and will save me a ton of editing time when playing in some guitar lines in the future. Also for bowed instruments we have superb legato detection. Running notes into each other, the engine detects and keeps the initial ?bow? of the first note and slides the other notes in if you so choose and can then change playing style with a simple key switched mapped to the keyboard. On the interface itself is a representation of all the articulations available to a particular instrument and what key that switch may be mapped. Double that with on-screen key switch highlighting, and it seems like you can never be lost, or want of
directions on what does what or why. In a word, intuitive! Really, when looking at the product, was there anywhere else to go? I listen to a ton of soundtracks and work as an audio engineer, so I can spot samples versus true performance regardless of recording techniques, usually. Save for a few instruments in certain key ranges, the performances here are impeccable. When you pair this up with the top-notch PLAY engine, you get an unbeatable duo. There is some true character represented in Gypsy, one that I think a lot of musicians will want to inject into their compositions. Even more than that, I?m always enthralled when something inspires me to create, which is what I believe this
library does beautifully. - MUSIC4GAMES

East West Hollywood Strings Diamond

2010-12-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

General Overview
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:
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 Supplied on hard drive*
* Hard Drive Use:
The hard drive on which Hollywood Strings ships is a bare (internal) S-ATA drive. If you don´t want to install it to copy the data, we suggest purchasing a hard drive dock. 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 assumes no responsibility or risk if the drive is used for other purposes.
*Hard Drive Warranty:
The hard drive containing Hollywood Strings is covered by EastWest´s "Limited Replacement Only 30 Day Return Policy". If the hard drive develops a defect, it may be returned to Best Service 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 Best Servic. Beyond 30 days, the manufacturer´s warranty will apply and returns and service must be arranged with the drive manufacturer. Best Service will replace the data should a drive replacement become necessary.

System requirements

This library includes "PLAY 2" as a sample player already
Minimum requirements Mac
* 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
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
* Windows XP SP2, Vista, or 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.

Vir2 BASiS

2010-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

Become master of the low end with BASiS, a breakthrough new virtual instrument from Vir2 Instruments. Featuring a comprehensively sampled collection of electric, upright, fretless, and synth basses, BASiS offers incredible attention to detail in the depth and breadth of the basses: 24-bit sampling, DI and amp blending control, multiple velocity layers, seamless humanizing, custom legato and vibrato tools, release layers, harmonics, hammer-ons, pulloffs, slides, slaps, rakes, falls, and more.
BASiS includes more than 7 gigabytes of the most diverse collection of basses available in the world of virtual instruments: classics like the Jazz Bass, P-Bass, Rickenbacker, and Musicman basses are presented alongside personality and genre tributes such as a classic Motown bass, a gospel bass, Jaco´s Fretless, and Macca´s Hofner. One upright bass and three slap basses are also included. In the synth bass category, more than a hundred patches are provided, ranging from thumping vintage synth basses to techno basses and esoteric fresh creations to spice up your tracks. Each instrument has been meticulously mastered and programmed for maximum musicality when placed in a mix.
All electric basses have been sampled from both the direct input (DI) and an amped perspective. A knob on the interface allows phase-aligned blending of the two, or the selection of one or the other. For the upright bass, the same knob allows mixing of the direct input and a phase-aligned tube mic output capture of the same sessions. Other onscreen controls allow pitch bend range adjustment, pick noise and fret noise controls, release layer controls, adjustable velocity curve, and instant and detailed control over EQ. A comprehensive selection of effects is included, including an octaver, compression, saturation, lo-fi, distortion, limiter, phaser, flanger, chorus, reverb, and delay.
Performance features include an innovative legato tool designed for true finger-smooth playing, and a customizable vibrato engine with control over vibrato types, speeds, and depths. Rather than opting for traditional LFO-based vibrato, BASiS uses a sophisticated character vibrato modeled after real bass players, completely controllable from the keyboard and onscreen interface. Randomized pick noises, release samples, and fret noises add to the realism of each instrument.
Combining all of these innovative features into one virtual instrument, the end result is a versatile, varied, and intuitively playable library of the finest low-end instruments in the world.
BASiS is powered by the popular Kontakt Player 2 engine, offering total integration into all major sequencers via its AudioUnit, VST, and RTAS plug-ins, as well as standalone operation. It also works perfectly within both Kontakt 2 and Kontakt 3.

--Electric Basses
Gospel
Jazz Bass Back Pickup
Jazz Bass Full Tone
Jazz Bass Picked
Macca´s Hofner
Motown
Musicman
Precision Bass
Rickenbacker
--Fretlesses and Upright
Fretless
Fretless Hollow Tone
Fretless Jaco
Upright Slap Basses
Jazz Bass Back Pickup Slap
Jazz Bass Full Tone Slap
Musicman Slap
--Synth Basses
Analog
AnaBass
Anonymous Punch
Clarity of Thought
Classico Robusto
Close It
Comedic Boingk
Earmarks
Flanged Feed
Groaning
In Yo Face
Landing Site
McChainSaw
Old Skool Key
Packs a Punch
Red Rover
Rev Up
Ruckin
Subterfuge
Super Saver
Tacet B
Buzzed
Argumentative
Buzzy Not Blue
Buzzy Sawyer
Doinky Dork
Don´t Use Teeth
Dormant
Earthy Major Pad
Engine Freeze
Foaming Teeth
Fright Night
Frostbite
Icy Cold
Quintessence
Razor Blade
Sniveling Snickering
Standard
Wise Guy
Distortions
Analog Warp
Beyond Debate
Ham Radio Bass
Kold Rumbl
Latent Anger
Monstra Trucka
Mosquito Tostada
Nonstop
Pit Stop
Razor
Road Rage
Roadie
Tree Swing
WarpWarm
Wiry Haired Dome
Narrow and Thin
Bitta Fuzz
Breathy Stars
Churchy
Duck Duck
Evasive Action
Faux Piano
Ghosting
In the Air
Job Perks
Lazy Beach
Nasal Buzz
Razor Sharp
Rich Dirty Square
Santa Barbara
Snake in Wait
Time Travel
Underwater Cloud
Undulate
Warpz2 Mode
Windy City
--More Synth Basses
Phat
Big Bloat
Classic Power
Clunk
Dictator
Frontrunner
Ground Round Sound
Mixed and Muxed
Muffled Fuzz
Ominous
On the DL
Oval Tines
Plastic Wrap
Rabid Anti
Solid Rock
Str8ish
Subtle Shift
Sunny Happy People
Sweet Sugar Wide
Talking Book
Unnoticed
Warp Factor 10
Witness Protection
Pure Waves
Pure Rectangle
Pure Saw and Square
Pure Saw and Tri
Pure Saw
Pure Sine and Saw
Pure Sine and Square
Pure Sine and Tri
Pure Sine
Pure Square and Saw
Pure Tri-Rect-Saw
Retro
Analog Dreamz
Brite Buzz
Chunky Requests
Eight Bit Wonder
Ekletrik
Faux Concerto
Half a Wurl Away
Heavy Video Game
Jocular
Ju Know
Levity
Men in Lack
Oinky
Opticlarity
Retro Life
Simple McSimpleton
Smoov Schweet
Snow Flurry
Stabattack
Stay Low
Sugar Momma
Sweeping Bat
Toy Junky
Video Game Mania
Warm Enveloping
Wizzard
Short
Double Shot
Electric Shock
Hushed Mute
Rougher Up
Stabba Jamma
Substrata
Talky Wah
Talky Wah Two
Toxxik
YouTube Video: Feature Overview
YouTube Video: A tour of the basses

Systemrequirements

NI Kontakt Player 2 is included in this product!
Minimum:

Windows XP/ Vista, Pentium 4/ Athlon, Single 2,8 GHz, Dual Core CPU above 1.6 GHz per core
Mac OSX 10.4 or above, G5 1 GHz or Intel Core Duo1,66, 1 GB Ram

Optimal:

Windows XP/ Vista, Pentium 4/ Athlon, Quad Core CPU above 1.8 GHz per core
Mac OSX 10.4 or above, any Intel Mac G5, 2GB Ram

Vir2 MOJO: Horn Section

2010-12-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

The heart and soul, of funk, pop, jazz, and big band horn sections. Now at the tips of your fingers is the most versatile horn section in the world, MOJO: Horn Section, which offers the most flexible and innovative approach to pop, funk, jazz, and big band horns ever created in a virtual instrument. Inspired by legendary groups like Tower of Power and the big bands of decades past, MOJO is capable of emulating everything from a sultry sax solo to a screaming full big band playing at the top of their lungs.
Pushing the boundaries of sampling and scripting technology far beyond traditional sample libraries, MOJO offers a simple but feature-packed interface. No need to decide in advance which articulation you want to play. Simply load the instrument, turn the Ensemble knob to specify how many players you want playing that instrument (from a soloist to a dectet) and begin controlling the instrument from the keyboard. More than a dozen articulations are instantly loaded and intelligently handled via performance features and keyswitches. Behind the scenes, a humanizing function, smart release layers, and custom legato and vibrato tools assist the player in reproducing the ultimate dimensions in realism. Crescendos and swells sync instantly to host tempos and can be triggered in real time.
Included in the instrument collection are: soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, trumpet (open, muted, and piccolo), flugelhorn, trombone (open and muted), bass trombone, and clarinet. The articulation list varies for each instrument, but generally includes sustains, stabs, staccatos, trills, slurs, shakes, octave runs, rise to hits, falls (including four different lengths), doits, bends, stylistic riffs, special effects, and tempo-synced swells and crescendos. All samples are recorded in 24-bit stereo using the finest preamps in the world, including a vintage Neve 1073 and a LaChapell Audio 992EG, and mics by AKG, Neumann, and Coles.
MOJO is powered by the popular Kontakt engine, offering total integration into all major sequencers via its AudioUnit, VST, and RTAS plug-ins, as well as standalone operation.

More infos

YouTube Video: Tempo-syncing Swells
YouTube Video: The Players Knob

Systemrequirements

NI Kontakt Player 3 is included in this product!
PC

Pentium or Athlon 1.4 GHz
Windows XP or Windows Vista
min. 2 Gb Ram

Mac

G4 1.4 GHz or Intel® Core™ Duo 1.66 GHz
OS 10.4.x
min. 2 Gb Ram

for all

300 MB free disc space for player installation
additional hard disc space according to the library size
DVD drive

Vir2 Electri6ity

2010-12-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

Electri6ity is an epic electric guitar virtual instrument containing the most advanced, detailed, and versatile collection of electric guitars ever made in a virtual instrument. Electri6ity contains eight of the most famous and distinguished guitar tones from the history of the instrument: the Strat, Tele, P90, Les Paul, Rickenbacker, Danelectro Lipstick, ES335, and L4. More than 24,000 24-bit samples were taken of each guitar. Three pickup options (front, rear, and mixed) are available on every guitar. An impressive amount of samples allow you to play every articulation on every fret of every string for an absolutely authentic guitar sound. Downstrokes, upstrokes, seamless velocity layers, ghost notes, mutes, harmonics, hammer-ons, pulloffs, slides, releases, and FX...the sky is the limit with Electri6ity.
Electri6ity also utilizes the most advanced scripting to date, including the revolutionary Articulation Morphing Technology (A.M.T.) and Velocity Morphing Technology (V.M.T.), allowing for the seamless morphing from dead mute to sustain or from soft to loud. Advanced string and fretboard positioning is performed by artificial intelligence which adapts to your playing. Play fluid lines in real time using the legato engine, play chords using the chord detection engine which understands almost two thousand different chords, easily double-track, do unison bends, strum, pick, trill, tremolo pick, slide...all of this is built into the Electri6ity engine and full editing control is given over each of these parameters.
All samples in Electri6ity are recorded clean - a direct input from the guitar. Use Electri6ity´s built-in multieffects (phaser, flanger, chorus, reverb, and delay), Screamer module, and amp simulation (British, Classic, Clean, Jazz, Metal, Modern, and Rock) to make the sound come alive, or use your own guitar amps or simulators to multiply the possibilities.
Features:

Recordings of eight guitars:

Strat
Tele
P90
Les Paul
Rickenbacker
Danelectro Lipstick
ES335
L4

Three pickup positions:

Front
Rear
Front + Rear Blend

Recorded variations per sample:

Downstroke/upstroke
Picked/strummed
Seamless velocity layers
More than 24,000 recorded samples per guitar, recorded at 24-bit 44.1KHz fidelity

Playing modes:

Polyphonic
Monophonic
Legato (Sustain/Muted)
All modes can be combined with a Slide Mode for real-time slides from each fret to each other fret.

Articulation list:

Sustain Neck <> Bridge
Sustain <> 5th / Octave Pinch Harmonics
Dead Notes <> Muted <> Half-Muted
Ghost Notes Clean
Ghost Notes Dirty
Chucka-Chuckas
Harmonics
Hammer On (played after sustain note) / Hammer On (tapped)
Pull Off (played after sustain note) / Pull Off (tapped)
One and two frets Slides Up / Down
Slides (from and to every available fret)
FX Samples (Screams, Scratches, Whammy-FX, etc.)

Release types:

Finger Noise
Finger Noise Short
Mixed I
Mixed II
Hand Mute (fret can be selected)
Palm Mute
Slide Down Short
Slide Down Medium
Slide Down Long
Slide Down (1 fret, short)
Slide Up (1 fret, short)
Slide Noise Down
Slide Noise Up
Pick Noise

More infos

YouTube Video - A clean guitar demo by Przemyslaw Kopczyk
YouTube Video - Tutorial 1: Tour of the Guitars
YouTube Video - Tutorial 2: Performance and Fretboard View
YouTube Video - Tutorial 3: Settings Page and MIDI Automation
YouTube Video - Tutorial 4: Playing and Keyswitching
YouTube Video - Tutorial 5: Strumming and Triggers
YouTube Video - Tutorial 6: Amps and Effects

Systemrequirements

NI Kontakt Player 4 included in this product!
PC

Windows XP (SP2 )/ Vista/ Win7 (32/64 Bit),
Pentium or Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, min. 4 GB RAM

Mac

OSX 10.5 / 10.6
Intel (!!!) Core Duo 1.66 GHz, min. 4 GB RAM

for all

1GB free disc space for player installation
additional 28GBhard disc space according to the library size
internet connection for product activation required (on any computer)
DVD drive

Virtual Studio Technology (VST)

2010-12-05T13:03:00.000-08:00

Virtual Studio Technology (VST) is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use Digital Signal Processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software. Thousands of plugins exist, both commercial and freeware, and VST is supported by a large number of audio applications. The technology can be licensed from its creator

VST plugins

There are three types of VST plugin.

VST instruments generate audio. They are generally either virtual synthesizers or samplers. Some, such as Native Instruments' Pro-53, specifically recreate the look and sound of famous synthesizers from years past (in this case, the Prophet-5).

VST effects, such as reverb and phaser effects, process audio input. Other monitoring effects provide visual feedback of the input signal without processing the audio. Most hosts allow multiple effects to be chained.

VST MIDI effects process MIDI messages prior to routing the MIDI data to other VST instruments or hardware devices; for example, to transpose or create arpeggios.