EastWest CC Plus Sound Data Drive User Guide

EastWest CC Plus Sound Data Drive

Specifications

• Product: EastWest Libraries
• Software Engine: Opus
• Virtual Instrument Libraries
• Largest and most detailed collection of instruments

WELCOME TO EASTWEST LIBRARIES

EastWest is home to the largest, most detailed virtual instrument libraries on the planet, opening the gates to thousands upon thousands of professional- quality instruments. For more, visit the Soundsonline homepage, or click the link below to watch one of the many walkthroughs and tutorials on EastWest Sounds YouTube channel.

EASTWEST SOUNDS VIDEO: EASTWEST SOUNDS YOUTUBE CHANNEL

POWERED BY THE REVOLUTIONARY OPUS SOFTWARE

Our brand new Opus software engine replaces Play and has been years in development. “Many improvements were made to the Play software engine over the last decade but we suddenly had a unique opportunity,” says producer Doug Rogers, “we were able to bring Wolfgang Kundrus in as head of software development. He was the mastermind behind the creation of Cubase, Nuendo, and Studio One.”

EASTWEST SOUNDS VIDEO : OPUS SOFTWARE ENGINE WALKTHROUGH

Doug Rogers continues, saying “Then we were able to bring in Wolfgang Schneider, the creator of Kontakt. With these two titans of music software development now on our team, we decided it was time to develop a brand-new software engine from the ground up. The Opus software engine is the realization of this effort, and will be the launching pad for many exciting new products in the future.”
The Opus software engine is the realization of this effort. Not only is it faster, more powerful, more flexible, and better looking than Play, it comes with some incredible new features such as individual instrument downloads, customized key-switches, new effects for the mixer page, scalable retina GUI upgrades for legacy products, a powerful new script language, and many more features that allow you to completely customize the sound of each instrument. It’s one of the most exciting developments in the history of our company and will be the launching pad for many exciting new products in the future.

CONTINUE READING : For more detailed information about the powerful features included in the Opus software, the sample engine that powers EastWest virtual instruments, please see the Opus Software Manual.

• ON DEMAND DOWNLOADS means you no longer have to wait hours for large libraries to download. Now instruments can be downloaded individually at the speed of your internet connection. With Audio Previews, audition a sound, download it, and be playing in minutes!
• FAST AND EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE was a top priority as Opus was being developed from the ground up. With an emphasis on achieving the most efficient use of computer resources possible, it is the fastest sample engine on the market. Opus runs natively on Apple’s new M1 processors, and Intel-based Macs, and is compatible with the latest MacOS Monterey and Microsoft Windows 11 operating systems.
• HIGH RESOLUTION USER INTERFACES are now available for all EastWest products in Opus. The high resolution (retina) user interfaces are also scalable to any size, providing ultimate flexibility when used with high-resolution computer monitors.
• A POWERFUL SCRIPTING LANGUAGE is an essential part of overall instrument design. It is used to model instrument behavior, implement sonic features not possible to achieve otherwise, and define user interaction. Opus features a brand new, powerful script language called OpusScript developed by Wolfgang Schneider, the creator of Kontakt. It empowers sound designers to express their ideas, and deploy actual functionality and behavior beyond what the underlying software contains.
• CUSTOM KEYSWITCHES allows users to build their own keyswitch instruments, and the ability to create multi-articulation instruments with a variety of options to switch between articulations on the fly. Trigger Options include Keyswitches, Continuous Controllers (CCs), Velocity, Program Changes, and more.
• ADVANCED AUTOMATION options come pre-configured on a per-instrument basis, with custom settings tailored to that instrument or library’s unique features. Users are also free to configure their own automation settings by adding automation parameters and macro parameters, the latter of which controls multiple targets with a single macro. Existing MIDI Controller Mapping assignments can also be re-mapped to any freely available MIDI CC assignment you like.
• MULTI-INSTRUMENT SETUPS are easier than ever to manage thanks to a dedicated area of the user interface that handles these ‘Performances’. Use an array of controls and options that allow you to customize how multiple instrument interact with each other, including defining octaves, key ranges, trigger actions, and more.

OUR INNOVATIVE ORCHESTRATOR SCORING ENGINE
Create full-scale orchestral music with complex arrangements by playing a few simple chords with one hand and shaping expression with the other. Developed in collaboration with Sonuscore, Hollywood Orchestrator used all the instruments in Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition to create real-time arrangements based on your MIDI input with our innovative Scoring Engine.

EASTWEST SOUNDS VIDEO: HOLLYWOOD ORCHESTRATOR SCORING ENGINE

With over 500 presets the can be customized, you can instantly create music in the style of Hollywood’s greatest composers. Select from Ensemble presets to quickly create rich orchestral arrangements. With Ostinato presets, you can build rhythmic tension in different meters or create moving melodic lines by only changing a few notes. With Score, classic Hollywood orchestrations become an endless source of inspiration. Create your own User presets by modifying existing presets or build your own ensembles from scratch!
At the heart of Hollywood Orchestrator is our innovative Scoring Engine, which can produce results ranging from a basic string arrangement, to very complex orchestrations played by the full orchestra. It achieves this in a two-step process by first modifying the MIDI input with a Note Selection process, then sending those note selections to a powerful Step Sequencer where chords are played with the programmed rhythms. If you want to take things a step further, you can optionally activate our step sequencers. Each slot has one of them. They take whatever the note selection process outputs, and manipulates that. If you program a rhythmic pattern into the sequencers and play a C-Major chord, the sequencers will take the notes from the note selection and play the chord with that rhythm.
In the Mixer section, refine the final output of each instrument by adjusting the volume, pan, equalization, reverb preset, reverb send amounts, and other reverb controls like pre-delay, length, and filters.

HOW TO INSTALL EASTWEST LIBRARIES

To begin, download the EastWest Installation Center, through which you will be able to download the Software and libraries, and activate your License.

1. STEP 1: DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE INSTALLATION CENTER
   The Installation Center can be downloaded from the ‘Software & Product Updates’ section of the EastWest Support Center. After downloading and installing the package, the Installation Center will open automatically. It is installed here:

   • MacOS: MacHD/Applications/East West/ EW Installation Center
   • Windows: C:\Program Files\East West\ EW Installation Center
   • When the Installation Center opens, enter the East-West account name and password created during registration and allow a moment while it gathers data from your account.
     If the Installation Center is already installed, log in and download the latest version by clicking the ‘Download’ button on the update panel located near the top the Installation Center. The installer will launch automatically, allowing you to proceed through the prompts to update your software.
     

2. STEP 2: DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE OPUS SOFTWARE
   Click the ‘Download’ buttons in the Opus Software panel that appears near the top of the Installation Center. Once the download is complete, the installer will launch automatically. Proceed through the dialog prompts to install Opus, the virtual instrument software that powers EastWest Libraries.
   Once Opus is installed, it will automatically check for updates each time its opened. If an ‘Update Available’ prompt appears upon launching Opus, click the ‘Download’ button (shown below) to install it, then click ‘OK’ when the update is finished installing.
   

3. STEP 3: ACTIVATE THE EASTWEST PRODUCT LICENSE
   Click the “Activate” button near the top of the Installation Center to open the Activation Assistant window, which will lead you through the activation process. Click ‘Next’ to proceed past the Introduction tab, then select the Product’s license in the License tab and click ‘Next’.
   The Location window will give you the option to activate your license on your computer (called a machine-based license) or to a registered iLok security key. Make sure your iLok security key is plugged in if that’s your preferred option.
   iLOK USERS: If you have an iLok account but you have not connected it to your East-West account, an Activation Assistant will help link the two accounts. This only needs to be done once. Only iLok 2 and 3 keys are compatible (iLok 1 keys are not compatible).

4. STEP 4: COPY LIBRARIES FROM THE SUPPLIED DRIVE
   Now, make sure the EastWest Sound Data Hard Drive is plugged into your computer, and locate the ‘EastWest Libraries’ folder.

   • EastWest Libraries can be streamed from the Sound Data Hard Drive itself, or copied over to a new location. We recommend copying the content to a separate drive so that a backup copy of the sound data is available in case of a drive failure.
   • To copy libraries to a new location, create a folder at the desired location using the Finder (MacOS) or File Explorer (Windows), and call it ‘EastWest Libraries’. Next, copy the libraries from within the ‘EastWest Libraries’ folder of the Sound Data Hard Drive, to the new ‘EastWest Libraries’ folder at the new location. This will serve as the ‘Library Directory’ in the next step.
   • PLEASE NOTE: Umlauts (ä, ö, ü), diacritics (◌́ , ◌̀ , ◌̃, ̇◌, ̊◌, ̄◌ etc.) and any non-roman characters can result in the file path not being properly read. This can result in an error after the installation when the library is in use. Please remove these umlauts and diacritics from your file path!
   • WINDOWS USERS: If you are on Windows, we recommend putting that folder close to your drive name to avoid errors related to file path length being too long. For example, we recommend something like this: F:\EastWest Libraries.

5. STEP 5: SET THE LIBRARY DIRECTORY PATH

   • In the EW Installation Center, click the Main Menu and choose ‘Library Directories…’. If you left the libraries in the ‘EastWest Libraries folder on the drive (or copied the ’EastWest Libraries folder elsewhere) it may already be listed in your Library Directories menu.
   • If you do not see that path already listed, click the ‘Add’ button and navigate to the ‘EastWest Libraries’ folder location using the Finder (MacOS), or File Explorer (Windows), and choose it as the location that will serve as the ‘Library Directory’.
     
     Finally, make this the default location by clicking the ‘Default’ checkbox at the bottom of the options window (it will show a ‘< – Default’ next to it).

6. STEP 6: UPDATE THE EASTWEST LIBRARY
   If an instrument and/or sample update becomes available for an EastWest Library, it will appear in the Installation Center with the downward arrow icon above the word ‘Update’. Simply click the ‘Update’ icon to download and install the latest update.
   
   For more information about all the options and features in the Installation Center, see the EW Installation Center Getting Started guide.

DRIVE SPACE AND PERFORMANCE

EastWest recommends copying the EastWest Libraries to a separate backup drive so that a copy of the sound data is available in the case of a drive failure. This recommendation applies regardless of whether you decide to use the supplied drive, or transfer the EastWest Libraries to a drive of your choosing.

ABOUT THE SUPPLIED DRIVE
EastWest Libraries are supplied on the drives listed in the bullet points below, but this is subject to change without notice.

PLEASE NOTE: Make sure to eject the drive before unplugging and removing it from the computer, otherwise you may lose data and/or damage the drive. If you shut down the computer using the built-in shutdown function, no data loss will occur.

• 3TB BUFFALO DRIVESTATION HDD is a USB 3.0 external drive. It includes the required power supply (US Type AC 100-240V, 50/60 Hz). Be sure to use the included power supply (and any UL-approved converter/adapter if outside the US).
• 1TB BUFFALO PORTABLE SSD is a USB 3.1 external drive. It is a USB-powered device, and thus it does not require (or include) a power supply.

ACHIEVING OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE

• In order to get the best performance from a drive, there are several factors to consider. First, there is the speed of the drive itself (which is determined by both the type of drive and the data connection port). Second, are the preferences set in Opus’ Audio Drive options that allow you to specify the type of drive you are using in order to optimize the performance.
• To obtain satisfactory performance with either of the supplied drives, a computer with a USB 3.0 (Type-A or Type-C) connection, or a faster connection, is required. Using a USB 2.0 connection is too slow to stream these ultra-detailed EastWest Libraries, and may result in poor performance that produces audio artifacts like pops, clicks, and dropouts.
• If your computer does not have a USB 3.0 connection, you can use a USB 2.0 connection with the supplied hard drive to copy the sound data to a better-performing drive, including an SSD (most recommended), or an HDD (that is non-energy-saving, running at least 7200 rpm).
• These higher-performing drives are best when installed internally to a PCIe connection inside your computer. Using these same higher-performing drives externally may improve performance, but will be limited by the bandwidth of the connection type. Continue reading the next section for more information.
• PLEASE NOTE: If the drive you’re using is connected through a USB hub, it must be a powered hub to achieve effective performance.

DRIVE TYPES AND CONNECTIONS

There are several factors that determine what kind of performance you can expect when streaming samples from a hard drive in real-time, including the type and speed of the drive itself, the speed of the connection type, and other options like using a RAID 0 configuration.

• SOLID STATE DRIVES (SSD) using NVMe gives you seek and retrieval times that are near instantaneous, allowing for smooth performance even when working with larger projects, with less memory and with lower latencies. To take full advantage of the speed, use with high bandwidth interface connections like PCIe (M.2), or externally via a USB 3.1 gen 2 or Thunderbolt 3 ports.
• SOLID STATE DRIVES (SSD) using a SATA also gives fast seek and retrieval times, and allow for smooth performance with larger projects. While much faster than traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDD), next-generation SSDs using NVMe are many times faster. Regardless, to take most advantage of their speed, install them internally to a SATA III connection, or externally via a USB 3.1 gen 1 or Thunderbolt 2 port, or higher.
• HARD DISK DRIVES (HDD) are mechanical hard drives running at 7200 rpm (non-energy saving) are the minimum drive specification. They are slow, and need considerable memory for optimal performance. It’s best to install these drives internally to a SATA III connection, or externally via eSATA or USB 3.0. Slower connection types like USB 2.0 or Firewire 400 / 800 will offer much less performance, and may not be fast enough for instruments with high voice counts.

OPTIONS FOR POWER USERS
For power users who wish to achieve the highest performance configuration should consider a RAID 0 setup. This drive configuration combines 2 drives into a single volume, allowing for increased speeds. There are many resources available online that provide instructions, or you can consult a computer specialist.
Power users may also opt to spread EastWest Libraries across multiple drives, especially when using larger libraries like the Hollywood Orchestra series. This avoids bottlenecks with intensive projects that are streaming thousands of voices simultaneously.

SETTING DRIVE PREFERENCES

Once your drive configuration has been set up, make sure that each drive used in the configuration has the appropriate settings applied in Opus to achieve optimal performance.
Optimizing these settings will change how much of each instrument is loaded into memory (RAM), versus how much of it is streamed from a drive in real time. Faster drives require less memory, as more data can be streamed directly from the drive in real time. Samples streamed from slower drives perform better when more data is loaded into memory (RAM), compensating for slower disk speed.
To access these settings, go to the Settings Menu, and select Preferences from the drop-down menu. When the Preferences pop-up window appears, select the Audio Drives tab (shown below). Next, click inside the drop-down menu to the right of each of the drives in the list, and select the best option based on your drive type and connection to achieve optimal performance.

• DEFAULT: defers to the drive type selected in the Streaming menu (see note below).
• HDD (HARD DRIVE): a mechanical hard drive (slow, needs considerable memory).
• SSD (SATA): a solid state drive on a SATA connection (faster, needs less memory).
• SSD (PCIe): next-generation solid-state drives using NVMe (least memory required).

PLEASE NOTE: T he ‘Default’ drive option described in the bullet point above will defer to the drive type selected in the Audio Engine tab, under the Streaming header (shown right).

LIBRARY SIZE CHART
The table below contains the current lineup of EastWest Libraries, and the amount of drive space required to store them rounded to the nearest gigabyte.
PLEASE NOTE: MacOS and Windows operating systems calculate file size based on their respective drive formatting. As a result, these numbers represent an approximation.

VISIT OUR SUPPORT CENTER

Visit the EastWest Support Center to talk to a Support Rep through our Live Chat service, get software and product updates, and access FAQs, manuals, guides, and more!

LIVE CHAT WITH A SUPPORT REP

EastWest’s Support Center offers Live Chat, the fastest way to reach a Support Team Member to help resolve any technical issues you may be having.
Click on the red “Chat Now” box that appears in the lower-right corner. Fill in your name and email address, then click “Start the Chat”, or if an agent is not available click “Leave a Message” by explaining your issue, and a Support Agent will respond as soon as they’re available.

VIDEO TUTORIALS AND MORE

Visit us on YouTube for video walkthroughs, tutorials, and trailers, and join the discussion and get the latest announcements on Facebook.

• EastWest Sounds on YouTube
• EastWest Sounds on Facebook

MANUALS AND GUIDES
The latest manuals for each product are available in the EastWest Support Center, and many are accessible directly inside the Opus Software itself.

• Library User Manuals are accessible by clicking on the USER MANUAL BUTTON located in the top-right corner of the Description Box, found in the Browse page.

• Opus Software Manual is accessible by clicking on the SETTINGS MENU BUTTON in the Navigation Bar, and selecting the HELP OPTION at the bottom of the menu. It provides a comprehensive dive into all the features and controls available in Opus.

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