Torley sings like a girl….and that’s just getting started, as he demos the rather amazing East West Quantum Leap (EWQL) Symphonic Choirs + Voices of Passion.

Here’s a demo that looks at Symphonic Choirs’ WorldBuilder:

Click here to view the embedded video.

via Torley

This is an in-depth look at East West Symphonic Choir – an app that lets you create convincing choral virtual vocals.

About East West Symphonic Choir

Imagine typing words into your computer, in any language, and hearing a world class Symphonic Choir sing those words in any key(s) you play “live” on your keyboard controller! Well imagine no more, that’s exactly what this revolutionary “award-winning” virtual instrument does. In addition, this is the first 24-bit Choir virtual instrument to include three simultaneous stereo mic setups (close, stage and hall), so users can mix any combination of mic positions to control ambience. The Choirs were recorded in the same concert hall, by the same team as the EastWest/Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra and blend perfectly with EWQLSO.

To achieve the feel of a live concert hall performance, each instrument and section was recorded with three mic positions: close, stage (conductor‘s position) and hall. By selecting different mic positions, users can mix these sounds together to create any kind of natural ambience their project requires. This eliminates the need for artificial reverb.

The Symphonic Choirs Expansion (Voices of the Apocalypse content) was recorded separately, at 24-bit resolution with a single mic position.

WordBuilder is the word building software for both MAC and PC that enables Symphonic Choirs and Symphonic Choirs Expansion users to type in words for the Choirs to sing. This revolutionary software also includes a pop-down menu that includes popular pre-built phrases that you can load instantly. This is a real time saver for those on a tight deadline. The phrases have been optimized for each Choir. The phrases menu is customizable so you can add your own phrases to WordBuilder for quick and easy access. This is the most powerful vocals solution available.

videos via Stagehandspace

NAMM Show Update: EASTWEST introduced PLAY 2.0, which adds professional editing capabilities.

The editor featured in PLAY 2.0 is the same software that the company uses to program its PLAY-powered virtual instrument collections.

“When we originally designed PLAY, it was intended to offer a powerful but easy-to-use interface for users to playback the included sounds,” says EASTWEST Founder and Producer Doug Rogers. “Now with PLAY 2.0, musicians who like to customize our virtual instruments will have the same software tools we use when we create the virtual instruments.”

I was able to check SILK out at NAMM, and it’s an awesome-sounding sound library that’s likely to see a lot of work on soundtracks.

The instruments featured in SILK are multi-sampled and feature extensive articulations, interval sampling (where appropriate), round robin (alternate samples) and phrases to give the feeling of smooth effortless performance.

SILK also allows users to adapt the instruments using dozens of useful micro tunings in the key of their choice.

Here’s a demo from NAMM of Silk in action:

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Intended as an extension of Quantum Leap RA, Quantum Leap SILK looks to give users access to rare instruments from across Asia played masterfully by renowned artists,” says Quantum Leap Producer Nick Phoenix. “Extensive scripting is employed in SILK along with our PLAY 64-bit (with 32-bit capability) sample engine, offering composers a lot of control over the end result.”

Instruments Featured:

• CHINA: erhu, zhonghu, gaohu, pipa, guzheng, yangqin, sheng, suona low, suona high, dizi low, dizi hi, xiao and bawu.
• PERSIA: electric cello, kemenche, nay, duduk, tar, qanun and 30 piece string section.
• INDIA : dilruba, sarod, tanpura and bansuri.

Description: Created by German sound wizard, Oliver Schmitt, Club Revolution Vol. 1 is a sample collection covering a wide spectrum of dance genres including Trance, Techno, Hardstyle, Electro and Progressive styles.

The collection features over 2,700 sounds and packed with over 1,000 club-oriented drums, basses, breakbeats, synth sounds, cutted vocals, electro sounds, drums and chords. Club Revolution Vol. 1 also boasts a massive effects section with over 360 to choose from and 575  kick-free-loops. To further make this collection user-friendly, all samples have been clearly categorized into folders for easy access.

Loops are provided with bpm information (140 bpm) and tonal sounds are assigned to their root keys.

Available for both PC and MAC users, Club Revolution Vol. 1 includes EXS24 and Kontakt 2/3 files as bonus material, which simplifies loading into the common (software) samplers. Every bass/acid/synth sample has been mapped to an instrument and can instantly be played over the keyboard.

Club Revolution Vol. 1 retails for $119.00.

EastWest’s new Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra features the company’s new “Play” sample engine. 

Play Features:

• 64-bit* with 32-bit compatibility for PC (*see system specifications).
• Full memory access with MAC (requires 64-bit MAC).
• The software is now Mac Intel compatible.
• An intuitive custom interface.
• Intelligent performance section including portamento, repetition, legato
• Features round robin reset.
• Offers improved articulation window and controls.
• On-screen Mic position mixing with Platinum and Platinum Plus versions.
• Switchable 24-bit/16-bit depth with Platinum Plus version.
• State-of-the-art convolution reverb with pre-delay.
• Convolution reverb includes the hall the orchestra was recorded in.
• An intelligent release trail engine that follows note-on samples volume at all times.
• Improved sound quality with high-resolution audio engine.
• Hi-fidelity one pole filter for natural cross-fades.
• Stereo image editing is now possible using channel sourcing.
• Original and corresponding Pro XP expansions combined into one version.
• The instruments featured in the PLAY Editions are newly-programmed for PLAY from the original recordings.

The new version also has several time saving features. For instance, users can recall custom key-switches instantly. The size of these key-switches are unlimited.

PLAY-Powered Quantum Leap Platinum Plus carries an MSRP of $1,295, Platinum $1,195, Gold $695 and Silver $295.

Special upgrade pricing is available to registered users of the previous Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra versions on the company’s website, until June 30, 2008.

The company is providing a 2-minute downloadable movie for you to score using Eastwest or Eastwest/Quantum Leap instruments. The winer will receive all PLAY products released before April 30, 2008. For each PLAY product the winner already has, they can substitute another EW produced product of equal of lesser value (based on the list price).

The Prizes

• Quantum Leap Pianos – The most detailed collection of the world’s finest grand pianos, recorded in one of the ‘temples of sound’, EASTWEST Studios (more RIAA certified platinum and gold records awarded than any other recording studios) with 3 mic positions for each piano.
• Quantum Leap SD2 – The Next Generation – The sequel to Stormdrum, SD2 is a stunning collection of exceptional acoustic percussion instruments. The exclusive selection of drums and percussions exceeds all other existing libraries.
• Quantum Leap Goliath – GOLIATH includes the entire 32 Gigabytes of content from Future Music magazine’s VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT OF THE YEAR – COLOSSUS, plus an additional 8 Gigabytes of new content from the latest collections.
• Fab Four – A virtual instrument inspired by the sounds of the Beatles, using the same kind of instruments and recording equipment the Beatles used to create their music.
• Quantum Leap Gypsy – A collection of detailed virtual instruments capable of playing completely realistic performances. This product is mostly intended for film, tv and game composers.
• Quantum Leap Ministry Of Rock – A HUGE 20 gigabyte collection of Rock Drums, Basses and Guitars recorded in the famous EASTWEST Studio 2.
• Quantum Leap Voices of Passion – A virtual instrument of Female Vocalists from Wales, Syria, India, Bulgaria and America. Ethereal, Passionate, Flowing, Mysterious, Wailing and Whispering vocals for Film, TV and Game composers as well as Songwriters, New Age Artists and Zen Horticulturists.

We’ve already mentioned tons of great new gear that we saw at NAMM in the last couple of weeks, but, following in the footsteps of last year’s modular analog synthgasm, here are our picks for 2008’s most synthgasmic gear:

Future Retro XS Semi-modular Analog Synthesizer

We saw the XS in a sort of beta state last year, but this year the Future Retro XS is ready to play.

The XS is a semi-modular synth, with internally normalized routing. Plug it into a MIDI controller and it’s ready to play. Put in a patch cord, though, and you can do some mad science.

Designer Jered Flickinger (interview link) says the XS is designed to be used as either a rackmount or desktop instrument, and its compact size makes it an ideal modular synth for musicians on the go.

Arturia Analog Factory Experience Hybrid Synthesizer

Based on Analog Factory 2.0, a software instrument offering 3500 classic synthesizer sounds, Arturia’s Analog Factory Experience includes a 32-key MIDI keyboard that’s designed to make virtual analog synth-tweaking a no-brainer.

Spectrasonics Omnisphere Virtual Instrument

Spectrasonics previewed their new flagship virtual instrument Omnisphere, and kicked off what looks like it will be a massive hype campaign for a synth that’s not due until September.

While it is the most vaporous of the synths that made the list, it looks like it will definitely be synthgasmic.

Omnisphere combines a wide variety of hybrid realtime synthesis techniques, an epic library of ‘Psychoacoustic’ sounds, and some innovative features. The new instrument is the first to be based on Spectrasonics’ STEAM Engine, the company’s newly developed core technology.

And it sounds pretty wicked.

Roger Linn & Dave Smith’s LinnDrum II

Speaking of vaporous, Dave Smith was showing the LinnDrum II.

Last year, he was showing the Boomchik, a new drum machine that we called NAMM’s sexiest vaporware.

Well, the new drum machine is still a bit vaporous, the Boomchik is now the LinnDrum II, and Smith had a full scale model of it on hand.

And while it may be vaporware now, Smith has delivered some of the most exciting analog synths ever designed over the last few years, and we’ve got no doubt that when he and Roger Linn are done with it, the LinnDrum will be one of the coolest drum machines ever created.

Two models are planned: the all-digital LinnDrum II and the LinnDrum II Analog, which adds a 4-voice analog synth and 27 dual-function voicing knobs.

Prophet 8 Monster Synth

The most drool-worthy new synth at the show was probably Dave Smith’s Prophet ‘08 – an eight-voice synthesizer with a 100% analog signal path.

While the Prophet ’08’s overall sonic character will be familiar to anyone who knows Dave’s work from the ’70s and ’80s, its got massively improved modulation possibilities, starting with 4 LFO’s per voice.

MicroKorg Bizarro Edition

Nothing too innovative here, but the reversed-color keyboard is a funky throwback to old synths.

The Limited Edition microKORG is a portable synthesizer offering modeling synthesis, vocoding, real-time control, onboard effects and external audio processing.

Quantum Leap Forbidden Planet

EASTWEST previewed Quantum Leap Forbidden Planet, a virtual sample-based synth collection focusing on edgy sound design and controls that let you easily combine, morph, process and modulate the sounds.

Yeah – it’s another big sound library – but it’s got over 1000 presets and offers parallel programs using the unprocessed analog waves and all of the digital filters, modulators and FX.

If you like abstronica – this could be up your alley.

Livewire Modular Synthesizer

Nothing can beat a large format modular synth, but they were hard to find at this year’s NAMM show. In fact, most of the modular synth action seems to be happening in the smaller formats.

One of the most interesting new modular synths is Mike Brown’s Livewire line of Eurorack synth modules. I had a chance to talk with Mike in depth about his modules, and he’s doing some really interesting things.

He’s got some great new modules in the works, including an amazingly non-boring VCO. You can’t build a complete Livewire synth at this point – Mike is more interested in creating new modules designs that no one has ever though of before than in making a Livewire envelope generator.

Roland FR-2 Series V-Accordions

Finally – something out of left field.

While the most interesting gear seemed to come out of smaller manufacturers, Roland introduced the slightly out there FR-2 series V-Accordion.

The virtual accordion offers physical behavior modeling technology, providing the tone and characteristics of the world’s best accordions, plus MIDI so you can lay on so funky-ass bass while you play Lady of Spain.

For variety, the upright bass is played with three different sets of strings:

• steel-strings for the classic jazz sound;
• nylon-strings for a high-fidelity sound
• gut-strings for the old-school swing sound of the 40’s

The collection supplies users with 112 MIDI-controllable features including the groundbreaking repetition-hotkeys, fall-control, keys-vibrato, bridge/center playing, pickup micro-blending, expression-samples, pinch-harmonics, automatic-mode, slide-mode, chord-mode and more. To incorporate more sound variations to the natural, basic bass instruments, Chris Hein Bass also includes an IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX Uno bass-amp plug-in.

The collection retails for $449.95 and is available in the following formats: PC: VST 2.0, RTAS, and stand-alone; Mac: AU, VST 2.0, RTAS, and stand-alone.

It’s pretty massive – bringing together seven of the company’s most popular virtual instrument collections:

EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP Symphonic Orchestra Gold Complete
: (Gold Edition and Gold Pro Expansion (Gold PRO XP): recorded in a 125 million dollar concert hall by EaGrammy winning classical recording engineer Prof. Keith O. Johnson, this virtual instrument eclipses all others with the highest level of fidelity and realism. Beyond the orchestra’s phenomenal recording quality is its ability to breathe life into the virtual world, creating a real space and filling it with sound.

EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP Symphonic Choirs;
imagine typing words into your computer, in any language, and hearing a world class Symphonic Choir sing those words in any key(s) you play “live” on your keyboard controller! Well imagine no more, that’s exactly what this revolutionary “award-winning” virtual instrument does. In addition, this is the first 24-bit Choir virtual instrument to include three simultaneous stereo mic setups (close, stage and hall), so users can mix any combination of mic positions to control ambience.

QUANTUM LEAP Colossus:
a massive 32 Gigabyte (not Megabyte) virtual instrument, that includes 160 high quality instruments, and covers all of the basic musical genres, the way a keyboard workstation attempts to, except COLOSSUS offers much higher quality instruments and dynamics than any keyboard available today.

QUANTUM LEAP Ra:
one of the largest and most detailed collections of ethnic instruments from six areas of the world: Africa, Americas and Australia; Europe, Far East, Middle East and the Turkish Empire; and India. Every instrument and ensemble was sampled extensively so that the character of each instrument is preserved.

QUANTUM LEAP Stormdrum:
a massive 6 Gigabyte collection of loops and multi-samples from three world-class percussionists. The content is classic film score stuff: big fat booming drums, smaller ethnic hand percussion, enough metallic hits to make a steelworker feel at home, and a range of acoustic kits.

EASTWEST Percussive Adventures 2:
the sequel to the multi-award winning Percussive Adventures. Designed for film, TV, game and music composers, Percussive Adventures 2 goes further than PA1 with lengthy and evolving rhythmic terrains. All edited into loop segments, alternate mixes and completely isolated layers.

EASTWEST/PMI Bosendorfer 290:
this pristine piano library has finally captured all of the beauty of this piano. Up to 16 velocity layers, true release samples, true repedalling and two different microphone positions (close and ambient) for ultimate ambience control.

“With the Complete Composers Collection, you can use the included Native Instrument’s Kompakt player, or import the collections into Kontakt, while being able to experience the superior sonic quality of EASTWEST products,” says EASTWEST Founder and Producer Doug Rogers. “Whether you’re a composing novice or veteran, our Complete Composers Collection is the most affordable way to round out your sound collection.”

The EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP Complete Composers Collection retails for $1,195.

Designed for composers and songwriters, Quantum Leap Goliath is a complete collection of quality instruments and sounds, spanning various genres and musical styles).

Quantum Leap Goliath encompasses the entire Colossus collection plus 8 Gigabytes of new content. With Goliath, users have more than 180 high-quality instruments and more than 600 patches including drums and percussion, guitars, basses, acoustic and electric pianos, keyboards and mallets, pop brass, orchestral instruments, choirs and vocals, ethnic instruments, new age ensembles, morphing atmospheres, synth basses, synth leads, and synth pads. As part of the additional content, Goliath features the full collections of sounds from the EW/PMI Bosendorfer 290 Piano collection.

“Goliath was created to provide users with a comprehensive composing toolkit along with the added power and speed of the PLAY sample engine,” says Quantum Leap Producer Nick Phoenix. “Goliath expands upon Colossus’ reputation while incorporating the future of computer music creation by providing access to 64-bit support, enabling users to utilize all of the system RAM they have installed, and to load many more instruments than was previously possible.”

Goliath comes equipped with EASTWEST’s PLAY sample engine as a standard feature.

In addition to purchasing the entire Goliath collection, current Colossus owners have the option to purchase an upgrade (customers will need to submit Colossus serial number at the time of purchase in order to receive the upgrade). This gives current users the access to the new content of Goliath along with the added power of PLAY at a discounted rate.

The full version of Quantum Leap Goliath carries an MSRP of $495.00 and the upgrade an MSRP of $149.00.

Description: 

More than half a million dollars’ worth of pianos are included in this collection, all meticulously recorded by EastWest/Quantum Leap producers Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix. These include a $225,000 Bechstein D-280 Concert Grand. Other pianos featured in the library include a Steinway D Concert Grand; a Bosendorfer 290 Concert Grand; and a Yamaha C7.

The Quantum Leap Pianos library is packed with 270 GB of content at 24-bit/44.1k resolution. Users can install one, two, three or all four pianos on their computer’s hard drive. The collection also offers added flexibility, providing users with three microphone positions per piano as well as ten to 16 velocities per note (and again in soft pedal, sustain pedal, and soft sustain). In addition, every piano offers 16 distinct staccato velocities.

For a true repetition sound, repetition samples are taken from 180 BPM performances and the software detects true repetitions. Pedal resonance was recorded for every note at multiple velocities, as well as with the soft pedal down. Proprietary resonance was captured on the Bosendorfer. True multi-velocity soft pedal samples with and without sustain pedal are also included, as well as release samples with software envelope follower.

The Quantum Leap Pianos library was recorded at EastWest Studios with three user-controllable microphone positions for each piano. Every sample was recorded in a proper piano environment with vintage Neumann microphones, a vintage Neve 8078 console, and Meitner analog-to-digital converters.

Quantum Leap Pianos is shipping now and carries a MSRP of $495.

Here’s the scoop on these new libraries:

Hardstyle Samples Vol. 2

Hardstyle Samples Vol. 2, sequel to the popular Blutonium Hardstyle Sample CD, will add punch to users’ hardstyle, hardtrance, hardcore or jumpstyle tracks. The collection features unique sounding synths in multi-sampled format, as well as more than 500 vocals in three different styles. Hardstyle Samples Vol. 2 contains a variety of bass drums cataloged into six unique genres: hardstyle, hardcore, gated bass drums, fx kick, jumpstyle and old school. For easy navigation and selection, the more than 140 new drum loops are sorted into hihats, tribal, break beat, clap, snare and ride. The DVD’s explosions, sweep effects and a variety of additional experimental sounds, will finish off any production. To enhance rhythmic tracks, the Hardstyle Samples Vol. 2 DVD includes special stab hit attack sounds. It also provides users with the entire Blutonium Hardstyle Samples Vol.1 sounds. Samples on the collection are available in the following formats: DVD WAV, Acid, Rex2 and Refill.

Blazin’ RnB & HipHop Collection Vol. 2

Inspired by some of the top R&B and HipHop producers like Timberland, Just Blaze, Swizz Beatz and Scott Storch, Blazin’ RnB & HipHop Collection Vol. 2 offers users 30 new construction kits—all with today’s HipHop and R&B flavor. This sound library contains over six Gigabytes of the hottest urban samples including the bestselling RnB & HipHop Collection Vol. 1’s sounds, 30 hot construction kits as well as new hiphop drums, fresh snares and claps; amazing keys, FX sounds, groovy guitars, DJ-scratches and various percussion sounds (”The Sound Of Modern Hip Hop & RNB!” produced by Nightryderz for Audio Bomb). Blazin’ RnB & HipHop is available in DVD WAV, Acid, Rex2, HALion, NN-XT and Soundfont construction kit formats.

Synthation Producer’s Collection

Synthation Producer’s Collection provides innovative sounds for any club music production. The collection features more than 300 unheard-of state-of-the-art drum loops, all precisely pitched to the same tempo, inspiring new drum and percussion samples; and sophisticated sound FX. Synthation Producer’s Collection also includes a reference CD for producers of trance, techtrance and harder electronic styles. It also offers pre-mapped kits for Native Instruments BATTERY 3 and BATTERY 2 and for Logic’s internal EXS24 sampler.

The library features the main drums of the Brazilian Samba Baterias (samba percussion ensembles), which perform every summer at the Rio Carnival. For this project, 10 professional Brazilian percussionists, who perform annually at the carnival, were recorded at a state-of-the-art studio with close-mics, stereo overheads and distant stereo room mics to capture the true essence of these exhilarating performances. The 10 drummers were recorded playing every rhythm in unison, creating the power and force of a large carnival band when multiple loops are combined.

Zero-G Carnival Drums provides users with the versatility of over 1,400 drum loops in four mic positions. In addition, the collection offers detailed multilayered hits of all drum sounds so that composers can create their own rhythms to augment the collection’s loops.

Within the diverse selection of samples and loops, there are 12 core rhythms featured, which are broken into two categories:

• Slower patterns with a laid back groove: Samba Reggae, Maxixe and Samba Rock – all typical of Salvador, and Bahia from north eastern Brazil.
• Faster rhythms typical of Rio de Janeiro: Axé, Samba Um, Dragões, Samba Dois, Samba Torcida Break Um, Samba Torcida Break Dois, Samba Tres, Samba Quatro and Samba Torcida Break Tres. (’Torcida’ refers to ‘audience participation,’ so the ‘Torcida Breaks’ are moments in the carnival when the rhythm breaks down and draws the audience to cheer and clap along.)

The collection is available in the following formats: Multiformat Version, REX2, NNXT (for REASON), NI Kontakt, HALion, EXS 24, Apple Loops, AIFF, ACID, and WAV. Zero-G Carnival Drums will retail for $159.95 and will be available through EASTWEST’s website.

Descriptions:

Ambiosis is a great resource for producers who need to apply texture, mood, and ambience across a wide variety of genres. Ambiosis was created by highly acclaimed electronic musician and samplist Ian Boddy and consists of a fantastic array of atmospherics and soundscapes The library is exceptionally useful for ambient, dance, film soundtrack and trance composers where the sounds can often provide the creative momentum for a new track or to add the finishing touches to an existing composition. It is available in Multiformat, Apple Loops, AIFF, ACID, and .WAV versions. Ambiosis retails for $59.95.

Trance Inducer is a collection of a broad range of club-oriented drum and percussion loops, intense instrument hits and loops, filter-friendly synth sounds and production effects. Equipped with diverse construction kits and drum loops, Trance Inducer is a veritable sonic arsenal that will keep productions at the cutting edge of dance music. Available versions include Multiformat Version, Stylus RMX Compatible, REX2, Apple Loops, AIFF, ACID and .WAV. Trance Inducer retails for $59.95.

Technomatik was created by top producer DJ Stakka and gives users the raw materials needed to make spectacular dance music with outstanding sonic balance and fidelity. Technomatik’s collection of techno and electro dance samples is electrifying. Each construction kit, beat, bass, percussion loop, drum kit, synth hit, lead, arpeggio, SFX and more is 100% original and royalty-free. Available versions of Technomatik are Multiformat Version, Stylus RMX Compatible, REX2, Apple Loops, AIFF, ACID and .WAV. Technomatik retails for $59.95.

Chilled Grooves is a collection which includes atmospheres, FX, basses, beats, construction kits, keys, drum kits, percussion loops and pads, all created with intense attention to fidelity and sonic imaging. No matter whether users are looking for a hiphop, dnb, downtempo, or triphop feel, Chilled Grooves offers hundreds of royalty-free samples that can be customized to ones own taste. Chilled Grooves is available in Multiformat Version, Stylus RMX Compatible, REX2, Apple Loops, AIFF, ACID and .WAV formats. Chilled Grooves retails for $59.95.

“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) in Hollywood California, 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.

Features:

• 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 Bandoneon
• Bandoneon
• Trombone (true legato intervals) in classical and gypsy style
• Flamenco Dancer
• Gypsy percussion
• Superior reverb impulses recorded by Prof. Keith O. Johnson and Nick Phoenix.

Quantum Leap Gypsy carries a MSRP of €295.00 (plus tax).

Packed with approximately 10GB of percussion, SD2 – The Next Generation draws from the secret collections of three world-class percussionists, offering some of the most amazing multi-sampled percussion imaginable.

SD2 – The Next Generation does not offer loops. Instead, the collection delivers MIDI performances created with Roland V-Drums and Zendrum percussion controllers. This allows the user to change anything, with absolutely no sound degradation. MIDI performances are pre-mixed, panned and produced for quick use.

Additionally, SD2 – The Next Generation offers 100 film score-oriented MIDI performances, each with dozens of variations, intros and endings ranging from bombastic to hypnotic. The SD2 software allows for millions of variations of each MIDI performance and enables users to change sequence tempo, enhance tone, add effects, alter dynamics, create unique rhythms, and mute or replace specific sounds.

All recordings were made with vintage Neumann microphones in the famous EASTWEST STUDIO 1, providing that unmistakable Hollywood soundstage vibe and a sound far beyond any other commercial percussion library. Superior reverb impulses are included, recorded by Prof. Keith O. Johnson and Nick Phoenix.

Key sounds featured in SD2 – The Next Generation include:

• Tibetan, Indian and Chinese bells and gongs
• bowed gongs and bowls
• Indonesian hand drums
• Anklung, Udu, and Chinese bowl drums
• 5-foot O Daiko

SD2 – The Next Generation also features typical drums like congas and bongos, finally recorded in a way that does the instruments justice.

A huge collection of original sound design percussion includes:

• Earthquake Ensemble
• Devil Chasers
• Whale Drum
• An 80-foot metal bridge
• Giant Log Drums
• Godzilla Toms
• Brushed Percussion
• The biggest floor tom on earth, specifically built for this project by Remo

Quantum Leap SD2 – The Next Generation carries a $495 MSRP.

Ministry of Rock was created with one goal in mind: to create a virtual instrument capable of producing sounds that can actually produce a hit record or film score without any live drum, bass or guitar overdubs. Articulations and programming were all reverse engineered from actual performances.

• Drum kits sampled for Ministry of Rock include Octaplus (nine toms), Ayotte, Ludwig and Gretsch, the latter the actual kit used to make Metallica’s “Black” album. Drum kits are also optimized for use with Roland V-Drums.
• Basses include Fender P-Bass Custom, Fender 5-string, Specter and Kubiki basses. All were recorded through an Ampeg SVT and an Ashdown rig.
• Guitars recorded for Ministry of Rock include Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul, Ibanez Universe 7 and various PRS guitars, all recorded through Marshall, Fender, Bogner, Vox and Budda amplifiers.

Special features of Ministry of Rock include:

• Legato bass and guitar samples
• Legato and staccato repetitions
• Truly playable rhythm guitars and leads, clean and distorted release samples
• Guitars and basses recorded in dual amp configurations
• Software allows the user to choose amplifier, or mix the sound from both amps
• Dynamic bass that can play everything from ballads to the most hardcore music imaginable
• Round robin bass drums, snares, toms and hats
• Performance drum hits extracted from live playing
• Approximately 18 gigabytes of rock drums, basses and guitars recorded in the world-famous EASTWEST Studio 2
• Superior reverb impulses recorded by Prof. Keith O. Johnson and Nick Phoenix

Ministry of Rock carries a $495 MSRP.

PLAY Advanced Sample Engine

At the heart of EASTWEST’s new virtual instruments is PLAY. The PLAY system is a professional, fully integrated solution for those with the most demanding production requirements. The PLAY sample engine software is included with all new EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP virtual instruments.

PLAY’s 64-bit support allows the user to load many more instruments and voices, limited only by the host system’s RAM. The advanced sample storage (using lossless compression) and streaming technology in PLAY’s high-quality resampling engine saves RAM, speeds up load times, reduces disk load, and saves hard drive space without reducing sample quality. Samples can be played back at 24-bit or 16-bit.

• Quantum Leap Gypsy is a collection of detailed virtual instruments capable of playing completely realistic performances. Primarily aimed at film, TV and game composers, Gypsy captures an intimate European sound with an unprecedented detail that will amaze listeners. $395
• Quantum Leap Ministry of Rock is a huge collection of rock drums, basses and guitars recorded in the world-famous EASTWEST Studio 2. A modern-day rock toolkit that covers a myriad of styles, Ministry of Rock provides a true all-in-one solution for rock productions and a sound quality superior to anything else available. Songwriters, film, TV and game composers, as well as all rock musicians, will love this outstanding library. $495
• Quantum Leap Pianos, the most detailed collection of the world’s finest grand pianos, offers more than one-half million dollars’ worth of pianos, all meticulously recorded. These include a $225,000 Bechstein D-280 Concert Grand—the same kind of piano engineer/producer Ken Scott used to record Elton John, David Bowie, and Supertramp—as well as a Steinway D Concert Grand, a Bösendorfer 290 Concert Grand, and a Yamaha C7 Grand. Scott engineered the Bechstein’s close-mic’d recordings to provide users with a cutting, dynamic pop/rock piano sound, in addition to the variety of other piano sounds included in the collection. $495
• Quantum Leap SD2 – The Next Generation is the sequel to Quantum Leap Stormdrum. The original Stormdrum was the most successful acoustic percussion library ever released. SD2 – The Next Generation, is a completely new and improved concept, eclipses the original and then some, and is destined to become the new standard for years to come. SD2 – The Next Generation offers some of the most amazing multi-sampled percussion imaginable. $495
• Quantum Leap Voices of Passion is a virtual instrument of female vocalists from Wales, Syria, India, Bulgaria and America. Songwriters and film, TV and game composers as well as New Age artists will be amazed at the ethereal, passionate, flowing, mysterious, wailing and whispering alto and soprano voices featured on Voices of Passion. The first virtual instrument or sample library created specifically for use in the film/TV/game genre, Voices of Passion is also the first created specifically for use in the ambient and New Age genres, and the first to feature true legato intervals. $495

All recordings for the six new virtual instrument collections were made in EASTWEST’s historic Hollywood, Calif. studios, formerly the revered United-Western Studios, awarded more RIAA Gold and Platinum records than any other studios, and a featured “Temple of Sound” in the book of the same name.

More than half a million dollars’ worth of pianos are included in this collection, all meticulously recorded. These include a $225,000 Bechstein D-280 Concert Grand, the same kind of piano engineer/producer Ken Scott used to record Elton John, David Bowie, and Supertramp. EASTWEST invited Scott to engineer the Bechstein’s close-mic’d recordings to provide users with a cutting, dynamic pop/rock piano sound, in addition to the variety of other piano sounds included in the collection.

Other pianos featured in the library include a Steinway D Concert Grand; a Bösendorfer 290 Concert Grand; and a Yamaha C7.

“Quantum Leap Pianos is an innovative collection featuring the finest pianos captured with state-of-the-art recording equipment in a world-class studio,” Producers Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix stated. “We personally own three of these pianos, and were able to match the sound of the Virtual Instruments to the sound of the actual pianos during production.”

The Quantum Leap Pianos library has 270 GB of content at 24-bit/44.1k resolution, the largest and most detailed piano collection ever created. Using lossless compression, the instruments, if all installed, use 140 GB of hard disk space. The sample management system offers 50% more efficiency compared to other piano collections.

Users can install one, two, three or all four pianos on their computer’s hard drive. Three microphone positions are included per piano for maximum flexibility. Ten to 16 velocities are offered per note (and again in soft pedal, sustain pedal, and soft sustain) and every piano offers 16 distinct staccato velocities.

Repetition samples are taken from 180 BPM performances for a true repetition sound and are not simply an alternate take. The software detects true repetitions. Pedal resonance was recorded for every note at multiple velocities, as well as with the soft pedal down. Proprietary resonance was captured on the Bösendorfer.

True multi-velocity soft pedal samples with and without sustain pedal are also included, as well as release samples with software envelope follower.

Articulations on each piano include:

• sustain
• sustain pedal
• soft pedal
• soft pedal with sustain pedal
• repetitions
• repetitions with sustain pedal
• staccato
• pedal resonance
• release trails

Additional features include:

• Stereo swap possible in software
• Mic position mixing in software
• Lid position simulation
• Articulation matrix for quick and straightforward loading—no more loading headaches
• Most powerful streaming engine available with highest polyphony counts
• Superior reverb impulses recorded by Prof. Keith O. Johnson and Nick Phoenix

The Quantum Leap Pianos library was recorded at EASTWEST Studios—formerly Cello Studios and site of the legendary United-Western Studios in Hollywood—with three user controllable microphone positions for each piano. Every sample was recorded in a proper piano environment with vintage Neumann microphones, a vintage Neve 8078 console, and Meitner analog-to-digital converters.

Quantum Leap Pianos carries a $495 MSRP.