The next stage of the definitive orchestral collection
● Abbey Road Orchestra 2nd Violins, Violas and Basses deliver unrivalled expression, realism, and playability across the complete Symphonic String section
● Unparalleled legato detail with Dynamic Legato Interval Triggering
● The entire strings section available in one plug-in
● Unrivalled access to the world’s most iconic recording studio
● Each instrument in the release will be available in two tiers, Core and Professional Release: June 20th, 2024, 5pm BST
Spitfire Audio, the world-renowned producer of sample libraries, is excited to unveil Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings, the next step of their current collaboration with Abbey Road Studios.
This latest release includes the launch of:
– Abbey Road Orchestra 2nd Violins (Core and Pro)
– Abbey Road Orchestra Violas (Core and Pro)
– Abbey Road Orchestra Basses (Core and Pro)
– Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings (Core and Pro)
Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings combines all of the range’s string instruments into one plug-in: 1st Violins, 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellos and Basses. It gives users access to a 60-piece string section consisting of the world’s premier musicians, all performing in the iconic Studio One at Abbey Road.
The new bundle, as well as each of the five individual instruments, are available in both Core and Professional tiers. Users have the option to purchase each of these virtual instruments individually or as a complete package of five instruments, even if users already own one instrument.
All instruments in this range will be available in two tiers: Core and Professional. The Core version will consist of 82 articulations, including two multi-functional Legato patches, Long Flautando, Tremolo, Harmonics, Trills, Staccatissimo, Spiccato, Staccato, Marcato, Pizzicato and Col Legno.
The Professional tier includes all articulations featured in Core, along with additional articulations such as all extended legato techniques like Portamento and Detache in “Extended” legato patches, as well as separate legato techniques for keyswitching.
The Professional tier also consists of 16 signals (including two hand- crafted mixes by GRAMMY Award-winner Simon Rhodes).
The Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings release continues Spitfire Audio’s journey in placing the true sound of cinema under composers’ fingertips. Spitfire Audio is the first sampling company to have been granted unrestricted access to this iconic space; the apex of orchestral production.
CUTTING EDGE LEGATO TECHNOLOGY
All five instruments in Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic String include Spitfire Audio’s most detailed and advanced legatos yet, developed using new methods, new charts, new performance directions, new programming techniques and development tools established in R&D sessions captured at Abbey Road.
Both tiers of the range share a new additional layer of legato intervals triggered by playing speed and velocity. This layer vastly improves playability and responsiveness of more mid to up-tempo lines.
UNRIVALLED ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Spitfire Audio has collaborated with the Abbey Road team – including GRAMMY Award- winner Simon Rhodes and London’s top orchestral musicians – to capture the most detailed and responsive virtual string library ever created.
The release will include meticulously recorded violas, basses and second violins. Music makers will have the choice of putting together their own collection of the new libraries piece by piece or acquiring the entire string section (including the recently released 1st Violins and Cellos) as a bundle.
As ever, the level of detail employed by Spitfire Audio for this collection has been second to none. The release was produced employing over 950,000 raw samples, performed during 285 hours of recording across 95 sessions and thousands of hours of inspired editing.
ABBEY ROAD RANGE
The highly anticipated Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings will sit alongside the rest of Spitfire Audio’s Abbey Road range as the next phase of this definitive orchestral library.
Composers and producers already have access to libraries such as Abbey Road Orchestra 1st Violins and Abbey Road Orchestra Cellos. The arrival of these three new stringed instruments will see the completion of this virtual string collection, taking this meticulously crafted series to a whole new level.
Renowned for its high level of detail, the Abbey Road Orchestra series invites users to sample the most internationally acclaimed orchestral musicians performing in the legendary Studio One at Abbey Road Studios. The series already includes a set of meticulously curated percussion libraries, including High Percussion, Low Percussion, and Metal Percussion, performed by world-renowned percussionist Joby Burgess.
THE MOST ICONIC RECORDING STUDIO IN THE WORLD
Studio One has hosted some of the most pivotal, orchestral moments in cinematic and musical history. From John Williams’ score for Return of the Jedi to the genre melding and mould breaking Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
No other sampling company has been invited to Studio One for these purposes. Whilst the previously released Film Scoring Selections scratched the surface of what is possible, Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings offers the highest possible quality sounds for professional composers and industry leaders.
Spitfire Audio’s Co-Founder, Paul Thomson said
“We’re so fortunate to have been granted yet further access to this beautiful sounding space to capture this next collection of instruments. This series is the culmination of over 20 years of sampling experience and innovation. We’ve kept music makers in mind in creating something which prioritises creativity and ease of use, without sacrificing performance and nuance. We’re dedicated to sharing an incredible selection of curated instruments, delivered with the highest precision and immense detail, to take the standard of orchestral sampling to new heights. This is a long-term project and we are very excited to share more with composers over the coming years”.
Sally Davies, Managing Director of Abbey Road said,
“Through the Orchestra series, Spitfire Audio has managed to capture the magic of Studio One in unprecedented detail. They understand exactly what makes the studio the home for classical, film and game music production. As ever, the team has handled the process with due care and, more importantly, due passion”.
Mirek Stiles, Head of Audio Products at Abbey Road said,
“This has been a labour of love and it’s immensely satisfying to share the entire string section with music creators around the world. The sonic and musical pallets presented here are utterly engrossing and truly beautiful.
With the foundations of the percussion and strings laid down, both Spitfire and Abbey Road are excited to continue expanding on this remarkable presentation of the legendary Studio One sound in its full glory”.
KEY FEATURES (AS INCLUDED IN THE 1ST VIOLIN LIBRARY AS WELL AS MOST STRING LIBRARIES)
26 Techniques:
- Legato Techniques:
- Performance Legato (Extended) (Pro) – A hugely detailed and highly playable legato patch which reacts in realtime to playing speed. This extended Pro version includes additional legato styles (portamento and detaché) plus marcato and soft entries for single notes – our most advanced legato ever
- Lyrical Legato (Extended) (Pro) – A relaxed legato patch for slower moving melody lines. This extended Pro version includes additional legato styles (portamento and detaché) plus marcato and soft entries for single notes
- Performance Legato (Core + Pro) – A hugely detailed and highly playable legato patch which reacts in realtime to playing speed
- Lyrical Legato (Core + Pro) – A relaxed legato patch for slower moving melody lines
- Legato Runs (Pro) – A very agile legato patch specifically for very fast passages and flourishes up to a minor 3rd (Legato intervals greater than a minor 3rd will not sound)
- Legato Detache (Pro) – A legato-style patch in which all the connecting notes have broad but separated bow strokes, ideal for strong and impactful statements
- Legato Portamento (Pro) – A legato patch in which all the intervals are performed in a ‘portamento’ style with an intentional slide between notes
- Legato Slurred (Pro) – A legato patch with slurred intervals performed with a ‘moderate tempo’ feel for sweeping melody lines
- Legato Allegro (Pro) – A legato patch with slurred intervals performed with a sprightly ‘uptempo’ feel, ideal for quicker or arpeggiated ostinato material
- Long Techniques:
- Long (Extended) (Pro) – A polyphonic sustained longs patch – this extended Pro version features additional soft and marcato styles for note entries triggered by key velocity
- Long (Core + Pro) – A polyphonic sustained longs patch for pads and chordal writing
- Flautando (Core + Pro) – A sustained note performed with a fast bow speed playing close to the fingerboard (sul tasto) creating a delicate and airy flute-like sound
- Tremolo (Core + Pro) – A technique performed with rapid continuous bowing, creating delicate flurrying textures at lower dynamics with increasing intensity at louder volumes
- Harmonics (Core + Pro) – Sustained notes produced from the overtones of the string (artificial harmonics) sounding higher than the fundamental to create glassy, suspenseful textures
- Trills (Major & Minor 2nds & 3rds) (Core + Pro) on all instruments apart from basses – Rapid alternating between two notes
- Tremolo (Measured – 150 & 180 BPM) (Core + Pro) – Tremolo performed with a specified number of repeated notes which may be sync’d to the host DAW’s tempo
- Short Techniques:
- Staccatissimo (Core + Pro) – An extremely short note length performed by quickly bouncing the bow on the string – an agile technique for very fast, articulate material
- Spiccato (Core + Pro) – A very short and crisp note length performed by bouncing the bow on the string creating a sprightly ‘all-purpose’ short articulation
- Staccato (Core + Pro) – A short note length performed with the bow starting on the string, sounding clearly detached with a slight accent
- Marcato (Core + Pro) – A technique performed with a strong accented front to the note – presented as a longer note length than ‘staccato’ with the option of Timed Release triggers
- Pizzicato (Core + Pro) – A short note produced by plucking the strings with the fingers. ‘Bartok pizzicato is recorded at the very highest dynamic
- Col Legno (Core + Pro) – A technique performed by tapping the string with the back of the bow or a pencil, producing a light and woody sound
16 MIC Signals:
- Mix 1 (Core + Pro) – A full-sounding room mix by Simon Rhodes, formed from Tree 1, Overheads, Outriggers 1, and a curated blend of spots
- Mix 2 (Pro) – A tighter mix by Simon Rhodes, formed from Tree 2, Mids and Outriggers 2 with a curated blend of spots
- Close (Pro) –Small diaphragm condenser mics placed on each desk and summed capturing a detailed and articulate close image
- Close Ribbons (Pro) – A combination of ribbon mics placed on each desk capturing a warm and rounded close image
- Pop Main (Pro) – A cardioid stereo valve mic placed above the section and panned centrally for a flexible image not restricted to the orchestral layout
- Pop Room (Pro) – Omnidirectional condenser mics placed either side of the section to add additional roominess and space to the Pop Main signal
- Tree 1 (Pro) – A decca tree formed of Abbey Road’s finest trio of classic valve omnidirectional microphones creating a lush and full sound
- Tree 2 (Pro) – A tighter, closer decca tree formed from mics with a more directional pattern, suited to faster, more detailed material
- Outriggers 1 (Pro) – Used in conjunction with either tree to obtain a wider image. This pair utilizes omnidirectional mics to reproduce the full width of Studio One
- Outriggers 2 (Pro) – Used together with either tree to obtain a wider image. This pair uses mics with a more directional pattern, pulling the edges of the room inwards
- Mids (Pro) – A pair of valve REDD mics placed between the conductor and the source which adds extra focus to the sound when combined with the Tree and Outriggers
- Ambients (Pro) – A pristine pair of small diaphragm omnidirectional microphones to the rear of the room for a natural ambience
- Vintage 1 (Pro) – A pair of original 1940s RM1B ribbon microphones placed in front of the conductor to create a vintage scoring stage sound
- Vintage 2 (Pro) – A pair of classic 44BX ribbon microphones placed by the conductor for an alternative vintage scoring stage sound
- Leader (Pro) – A single microphone placed on the section leader, used to add additional focus above the full section if required
- Spill (Pro) – A summation of spot mics placed around the other sections. These capture the natural ‘spill’ from the source across the orchestra for added realism
2nd Violins Core:
○ 14 instruments
○ 16 articulations
○ One Simon Rhodes mix
○ 3.9GB download size
2nd Violins Pro:
○ 14 instruments
○ 26 articulations
○ 16 mic signals (including two Simon Rhodes mixes) ○ Extended legato techniques
○ 87.15GB download size
Violas Core:
○ 12 instruments
○ 16 articulations
○ One Simon Rhodes mix
○ 3.83GB download size
Violas Pro:
○ 12 instruments
○ 26 articulations
○ 16 mic signals (including two Simon Rhodes mixes) ○ Extended legato techniques
○ 88.9GB download size
Basses Core:
○ 8 instruments
○ 16 articulations
○ One Simon Rhodes mix
○ 2.46GB download size
Basses Pro:
○ 8 instruments
○ 24 articulations
○ 16 mic signals (including two Simon Rhodes mixes) ○ Extended legato techniques
○ 53.62GB download size
Professional links:
- Symphonic Strings: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-symphonic-strings-professional
- 2nd Violins: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-2nd-violins-professional
- Violas: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-violas-professional
- Basses: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-basses-professional
CORE
- Symphonic Strings: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-symphonic-strings-core
- 2nd Violins: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-2nd-violins-core
- Violas: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-violas-core
- Basses: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-basses-core
Professional RRP:
Individual instruments (2nd violins, violas, basses): £299 / $349 / 349€ **
Symphonic Strings (1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, basses): £999 / $1,179 / 1,179€
Core RRP:
Individual instruments (2nd violins, violas, basses): £179 / $209 / 209€ **
Symphonic Strings (1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, basses): £699 / $699 / 699€
About Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is the most famous recording studio in the world, renowned for its creativity and technological excellence. It is a global icon that for the last 90 years has been the musical home to The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black, Yehudi Mehin, Jaqueline du Pre, Ella Fitzgerald, Fela Kuti, Kate Bush, Oasis and Radio head to Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, Amy Winehouse, Brockhampton and Adele.
Legendary and ground-breaking records have always been made within the walls of Abbey Road. The 1970s and ‘80s saw George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, Kate Bush’s Never for Ever, Fela Kuti’s Afrodisiac and Live! And more recent history has seen artists from Blur, Travis, Massive Attack,Nick Cave, The Spice Girls, Take That and Lady Gaga choose to record there.
For the last 40 years, Abbey Road has become one of the world’s premier destinations for film scoring, with projects including Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, many of the Star Wars and Harry Potter series, Black Panther, 1917, Avengers: Endgame and Oscar-winners such as Gravity and The Shape of Water. With the addition of a Dolby Atmos Premier accredited Mix Stage, built in 2017, Abbey Road is now the only facility in the UK to offer both scoring and film sound post-production.
About Simon Rhodes
Following a strong musical upbringing and after graduating with an honors Degree in Physics and Music, Simon joined the EMI Abbey Road Studios in 1987. He is now Senior Engineer and is well known throughout the record and film industries.
Simon has a long-standing association with various composers including the late James Horner whom he worked with for 18 years on over 40 projects including Avatar, the second highest grossing film of all time.
Simon has also had the pleasure of working with many of the world’s top film composers including John Williams, Thomas Newman, John Debney, James Newton Howard, Howard Shore, Alexandre Desplat, Alan Sylvestri, Trevor Jones, George Fenton, Roque Banos, Brian Tyler, AR Rahman & Elmer Bernstein.
In 2008, Simon was invited to record the famous Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in China. Simon has 4 GRAMMY® Awards and is a Cinema Audio Society winner.
About Spitfire Audio
Spitfire Audio is the leading creator of sounds and sample libraries for composers and music makers, uniting pioneering artists with pioneering sounds and music technology.
Partnering with outstanding affiliates including the world’s most exceptional composers and musicians, celebrated recording studios, Abbey Road and AIR Studios, and the renowned BBC Symphony Orchestra, has cemented Spitfire Audio’s global reputation as the premier music sound library company.
Spitfire Audio records and curates the best sounding virtual instruments, utilising in-house developed music technology and advanced software devices.
Collaborations with a diverse and eclectic set of award-winning composers and artists range from global icon Hans Zimmer, Iceland’s innovative artist composer Ólafur Arnalds, GRAMMY® Award winning choral composer Eric Whitacre, German/Turkish ethereal pop composer Alev Lenz, influential British producer Trevor Horn and Scotland’s ground-breaking percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie through to GRAMMY® Award winning artists including Queen’s Roger Taylor, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, to Nine Inch Nails keyboardist and film composer Charlie Clouser.
Composer and music makers around the globe use Spitfire Audio products in their compositions and productions, and through their phenomenal work, research suggests that a major percentage of composers use Spitfire Audio products in their journey to scoring films and projects, including those who have been nominated for and have won Oscar, Emmy, BAFTA, GRAMMY® or César Awards.