Hollywood Strings 2

Hollywood Strings 2 represents a deliberate recalibration of EastWest's string library philosophy. Rather than expanding the ensemble size of its predecessor, the company recorded a lean 21-piece group in their Studio 2, prioritizing granular control and intimacy over sheer scale. The result is 134 instruments spanning all essential articulations - legato, detache, pizzicato, staccato, spiccato, marcato, col legno, and textural techniques like flautando - each captured across up to four dynamic layers.

The technical approach emphasizes close-microphone placement, with the team positioning mics closer to individual instruments than ever before. This yields three independently controllable close-mic positions, including direct instrument attachments, complemented by main, mid-field, and surround channels. The architecture grants unusual transparency into each player's technique while maintaining cohesion across the ensemble. Atmos compatibility enables spatial mixing within compatible DAWs.

Sonically, Hollywood Strings 2 favors detail and nuance over bombast. The close-mic strategy captures instrumental texture, air, and articulation precision that rewards surgical editing and performance shaping. This makes it particularly suited to composers and engineers working on character-driven compositions, intimate scoring, and mixed-scale arrangements where string detail matters as much as orchestral mass.

The library occupies a distinct position among premium string tools. It sacrifices the epic breadth of full-size orchestral libraries for something more refined - a performer's instrument rather than an arrangement tool. Combined with the involvement of Doug Rogers, Nick Phoenix, and Shawn Murphy, the team has delivered a genuinely nuanced alternative to conventional string sampling approaches.