EastWest have announced the launch of Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra, a brand new orchestral sample library series geared towards creators of fantasy music, film, TV and game soundtracks. Produced by Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, the collection features a selection of unique world instrument ensembles blended with modern octave-doubled orchestral sections.
The first release in the series, Hollywood Fantasy Strings, features five of the most iconic instruments from the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras, providing users with hurdy gurdies, mountain dulcimers, viola da gambas, lutes and Hardanger fiddles, all of which have been combined with recordings of modern orchestral musicians.
Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra's GUI.The viola da gamba ensemble takes on the role of the celli, whilst the usual violin sections are replaced with an ensemble of Hardanger fiddles, a Norwegian traditional instrument with doubled strings that is often said to sound like two violinists playing at once.
Lutes and dulcimers have been recorded in trios that can be spread across the stereo image, whilst a pair of hurdy gurdies allow users to add a distinctly folk-like sound to their productions and scores. In terms of more modern orchestral instruments, the library features a string section comprising eight violins, six violas, six celli and four basses.
Every instrument has been programmed with three moods: Classic, Soft and Epic, providing a diverse range of sounds to suit a variety of production sounds. Individual control over the level and panning of four separate microphone positions is available, with the library providing a choice of Close, Mid, Main and Surround options.
EastWest say that the library boasts the same flexibility as their Hollywood Strings package, with a diverse range of articulations including true legatos captured in the same studio, and Opus player offering all of the same microphone placement options. This debut release in the new series is set to be augmented by brass, woodwind, percussion and voices releases over the coming months.
Check out EastWest’s official walkthrough video to see and hear Hollywood Fantasy Strings in action.
Compatibility
Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra runs in EastWest’s Opus software, which is supported on PCs running Windows 10, and Macs running macOS 10.13 or later. VST2, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available.
Pricing & Availability
Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra is available now. It is free to all ComposerCloud subscribers, and is also available to purchase separately. It is currently (27 March 2023) being offered for an introductory price of $399, reduced from its full cost of $499.
