HOLLYWOOD FANTASY BRASS

The most famous brass instruments in history

Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra is an orchestra with all the instruments you need to create fantasy soundtracks for film, TV and games. Developed by sound industry heavyweights Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra features distinctive alien instrument ensembles that have been featured in some of the most iconic video games and movies in history. 

These ensembles are paired with contemporary octave orchestral sections that complement Hollywood Orchestra perfectly, all with full stereo imaging miking and all the features of EastWest's groundbreaking opus player. When you're writing the next great fantasy epic or medieval story, adding a few solo historical instruments isn't enough; They need to bridge the gap between symphonic and world instruments. East West built a complete orchestra that brings all the period instruments you need to the stage, because each instrument must earn its place in the mix to create a massive, dramatic sound. Put simply, it's unlike anything you've ever heard.

Hollywood Fantasy Brass puts the grandeur of some of history’s most iconic brass instruments at your fingertips, complete with a broad articulation set and true legato for maximum realism and authenticity. Everything you’ve come to expect from our Hollywood series is here: multiple mic positions, custom effect chains, lush ambiences... but this time, with a collection of brass instruments used in some of the most famous fantasy scores in history. If you’ve tried to recreate the feel of your favorite scores countless times but something is still missing, the fix could be as simple as using the right instruments for the job. And as you’re about to hear, Hollywood Fantasy Brass will help get the job done every time.

In the stead of trumpets, you’ll find flugelhorns; rather than French horns, Wagner tubas and alpenhorns take their place. The result is a majesty that modern day orchestras can’t quite replicate, but with the power and conviction demanded by current movies and games. Each of these core instruments is recorded in ensembles of 3, giving you a far more cinematic quality than solo instruments can achieve alone. As with Hollywood Fantasy Strings, the entire brass collection was recorded in the same soundstage as our acclaimed Hollywood Orchestra, providing a cohesive sound between all the elements together. Whether you need bold fanfares for distant kingdoms; sonorous melodies for heroes, villains, and magical creatures alike; or a rich, mellow tone to evoke the mystique of castles or scrolling landscapes — Hollywood Fantasy Brass has you covered.

Every instrument in Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra is programmed with 3 moods, on a scale from most authentic to most cinematic: Classic, Soft, and Epic. You can rotate through these different qualities to suit your needs (the choice will typically be a no-brainer) and fill in the exact fantasy orchestra sound you hear in your head. You have individual control over the level and pan of four separate mic positions: Close, Mid, Main, and Surround, giving you full control over the dimension of the sound.

Contents

3 WAGNER TUBAS

You can hear the Wagner tuba in the scores to Star Wars IV: A New Hope, the Lord of the Rings films, Jurassic Park, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, World of Warcraft and several other expansive scores that have helped define the modern fantasy sound across movies and video games. Imagine a cross between a French horn and a trombone and you’ll get pretty close, but this ensemble has something a little extra that effortlessly evokes fantastic and unexplored worlds.

3 FLUGELHORNS

This flugelhorn ensemble is an easy choice when you need majestic, mellow brass to carry a theme, especially for fanfares and “royal” settings. The soundtracks of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the original Final Fantasy VII, and L.A. Noire all make use of this instrument’s regal and haunting quality, and you’ll find it’s an easy way to accomplish the same in your own scores. Try substituting this for a trumpet ensemble and you’ll plainly see the fantastical character that these flugelhorns add to your scores!

3 ALPENHORNS

In addition to its role in German and Swiss folk music, this elongated horn was traditionally used primarily as a tool for communication and as an integral part of ceremonies and festivals. Its sound is uniquely mellow and hollow, owing to its wooden construction and straight rather than wound piping — it makes for a great mellow horn melody, especially in conjunction with the flugelhorns in this collection. Think of this as a group of extra-long hunting horns ready to lead the charge

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