Paying homage to the vintage string synthesisers of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, EastWest has announced String Machine, a virtual instrument produced by Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, String Machine that includes samples from the ARP Solina String Ensemble, Oberheim OBX, Roland Jupiter 6 and Roland RS-505 Paraphonic Strings, along with strings, brass, woodwinds and vocals to offer ‘vintage vibes for pop, rock or hip-hop masterpieces’.
String Machine’s user interface reflects the design of vintage string synthesisers, from the chunky instrument switches adorned along the front panel, to the glide of envelope sliders, and the click of pushbuttons. Known for ensemble chorus effects, the one in String Machine features three modes, each with distinct characteristics. With effect emulations modelled on the ARP Solina and Roland VP-330 keyboards, along with a Modern mode, the Ensemble Chorus promises vintage warmth and thickness, as well as modern transparency and dimension.
The hybrid design of electronic and acoustic instruments makes String Machine at home in a variety of musical genres, electronic or otherwise, but it is especially suited to retro nostalgia, like chillwave and pop, and pieces that need a large ensemble string pad.
String Machine has four colour-coded instrument sections, including string machines and pads (red), string sections (green), solo woodwinds and brass (teal), and choirs and solo vocals (orange). Each section features a number of instruments and alternatives, giving options to combine them into a wide range of timbres, with the ease of mixing the individual sections together to create multi-layered pads. It comes with 17 presets programmed by Nick Phoenix that demonstrate its possibilities.
