Hollywood Strings 2 & Forbidden Planet Bundle

EastWest Sounds' combined offering addresses a persistent challenge in modern composition: delivering orchestral authenticity alongside electronic flexibility within a single, cohesive workflow. Hollywood Strings 2 captures a 21-piece string ensemble recorded at EastWest Studio 2 using close-miking techniques that prioritize immediacy and emotional presence over the distant grandeur typical of orchestral libraries. The 148 instruments span conventional articulations alongside contemporary playing techniques suited to pop, rock, and hip hop production, with the ensemble's precision particularly evident in fast articulation passages and sustained textures. The 160+ gigabytes of sampling support both intimate chamber arrangements and full orchestrations without requiring layering.

Forbidden Planet functions as a complementary electronic counterpart, offering over 600 morphing synthesizers across functional categories including arpeggiators, pads, leads, and effects. The instrument's engine - built on the OPUS platform - provides extensive modulation routing and post-processing controls that allow seamless blending between acoustic and synthetic timbres, critical for contemporary soundtrack work.

The bundle proves particularly valuable for composers working across hybrid genres where orchestral elements require equal footing with electronic textures. Rather than maintaining separate libraries, producers gain integrated access to both acoustic precision and synth-based sound design from a single vendor ecosystem. Hollywood Strings 2's NAMM TEC Award nomination reflects industry recognition of its technical achievement, while Forbidden Planet's architecture supports the deep customization expected by producers demanding sonic specificity. Together, these tools streamline workflows for composers, game audio designers, and producers working in contemporary commercial music.