EastWest has expanded their new series Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra with the release of Hollywood Fantasy Winds featuring "an array of ethereal, majestic woodwind instruments that transcend the modern orchestra, complete with true legato and a wide variety of articulations to command the realism and power for a cinematic ensemble of winds". The entire collection is deeply rooted in Celtic musical literature and EastWest suggests it is perhaps the most unique and evocative section in Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra.
Hollywood Fantasy Winds features instruments that have no parallel in the modern orchestra but" fit right in with grandest settings, carrying a rich, haunting quality that conventional sample libraries can't touch":
- Four Irish Whistles (2 high, 2 low) are staples in Celtic folk music. The high flute is extremely flexible as a topline addition to the melodies you can create with other instruments in this collection. The low whistle provides the same mystical sound, but with a lower pitch range and a deeper, rounder and more mellow sound quality.
- Two Renaissance Flutes: This flute has a similar smooth, breathy tone to the concert flute, but its wooden construction provides a rounder and more mellow sound similar to that of an ancient recorder. Its smooth, breathy quality is simultaneously intimate and regal.
- Three Uilleann Pipes: This Celtic classic from the 1700s has been used in countless scores like Braveheart, Titanic, along with Square's classic game Xenogears. Its construction is similar to that of the bagpipes, but its quality is more lyrical rather than piercing, making these pipes the perfect choice for regal melodies that blend seamlessly with a full orchestra. Uilleann pipe sound libraries have been around for some time, but an ensemble was unheard of until now — layer this with strings or other winds, or let it shine on its own for rich melodic passages fitting for the soundtracks of any scale.
- Four Ocarinas: Nintendo's iconic game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time brought this haunting, hollow-tone but long forgotten instrument back into the public eye. Think of this as a more agile folk complement to the Renaissance flute used more often in court music; it's soft, flexible, and allows for beautiful trills and ornaments that add depth to anything you play. This ocarina ensemble is the perfect choice for soft, expressive passages when whistles and pipes cut through a little too sharply.
Produced by Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, EastWest says Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra includes everything you need to create fantasy film, television, and game soundtracks. It includes unique ensembles that bridge the gap between orchestral and world instruments - perfect for your next big fantasy epic or medieval tale. Recorded in the same soundstage as Hollywood Orchestra, many of the instruments of Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra have been recorded in small ensembles with full stereo imaging mic placement, surround sound options, and all the features of EastWest's Opus software.
Walk-through video: YouTube.com/watch?v=mNolr5rwa9g
Pricing & Availability
Hollywood Fantasy Winds is available for individual purchase for a special introductory price of $99, or you can get it as part of a Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra bundle, or with EastWest's ComposerCloud+ subscription service, which gives you access to this and all collections in their massive catalog.
For new subscribers, EastWest is now offering a 1 month ComposerCloud+ Free Trial at soundsonline.com/composercloud
The next installments of Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra will be Hollywood Fantasy Percussion (available July 27th for $99), Hollywood Fantasy Voices (available August 31st for $99), and the Hollywood Fantasy Orchestrator (partnered with Sonuscore, available October 5th for $99).
