Orchestral Tools announce Benjamin Wallfisch Strings Collections

Published 18/12/23

Company's most detailed string libraries to date

Benjamin Wallfisch Strings and Stringscapes by Benjamin Wallfisch see Orchestral Tools collaborate with the BAFTA, Emmy and Grammy-nominated composer of scores such as ‘Blade Runner 2049’ (with Hans Zimmer), ‘IT’ Parts 1 and 2, ‘The Flash’, ‘Shazam!’ and many more, with the aim of developing the ultimate string library for modern composers. The latest offerings promise to redefine contemporary sampled strings and set a new standard for expression and realism.

Capturing a full string section the Teldex Scoring Stage in Berlin — the same venue used for Orchestral Tools’ hugely successful Berlin Series and Metropolis Ark collections — the two new libraries are said to represent the most detailed and realistic string collection the company have ever produced. Benjamin Wallfisch Strings captures unusually long note lengths in order to avoid looping and deliver a consistent and natural sound, and also offers true divisi for every section, along with a choice of upbow or downbow strokes and five dynamic layers across all of the core articulations. All of the long notes also benefit from legato patch options.

Hundreds of hours of recording were required to reach the level of detail presented in the final product, and the company say that it has resulted in an expressive and dynamic instrument that creates a feeling of playing real strings, not a sampled instrument. There’s plenty of adjustment at the mix stage, too, thanks to a collection of mic positions that include additional ambient options designed to be used when mixing in immersive formats such as Dolby Atmos.

“For the longest time, I’ve wanted a tool that captures the magic of what it’s like to stand in front of a string orchestra — and puts that at your fingertips in a digital instrument. Hendrik and his Orchestral Tools team were open to this crazy idea of really trying to capture as much of the detail of a live recording as possible, and we’re giving people so much control over things that haven’t really been attempted before. With this library, I want people to feel like they’re sitting in front of musicians the whole time.” - Benjamin Wallfisch

Stringscapes by Benjamin Wallfisch then explores the more experimental side of contemporary string composition, using the full string section to create a number of complex textures and effects. There are 79 patches divided into two distinct categories, one containing a collection of evolving acoustic performances, and the other offering a range of processed sounds inspired by Benjamin’s fondness for blending electronic and orchestral elements together.

Compatibility

Benjamin Wallfisch Strings runs in the latest version of Orchestral Tools’ SINE Player, which is supported on PCs running Windows 10, and Macs running macOS 10.13 or higher. VST, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available, along with a standalone application. The library requires 501GB of disk space.