Spitfire Audio Abbey Road Two: Iconic Strings Professional — Free Download
Abbey Road Two: Iconic Strings Professional is a Spitfire Audio string ensemble library recorded in Studio Two with five players, offering vintage and modern mixes, multiple mic positions, and advanced legato for authentic scoring.
Purpose
This Professional edition focuses on delivering the signature string sound of Abbey Road’s Studio Two, captured from five top string players, and is designed for composers seeking authentic, historic sonics in their productions. It emphasizes the famous signal path, including the vintage REDD desk and J37 tape machine, to replicate the studio’s character.
The library is intended for detailed composition and expressive playing, with a brand-new Arranger feature for controlling instrumental voices and ranges. It balances playability with control, making it suitable for polished, broadcast-level work.
Key Capabilities
The Professional edition includes twelve signals: two modern mixes, two vintage mixes, and eight microphone positions, allowing deep customization. It offers reverb options like the EMT plate and the Studio Two Echo Chamber, enhancing the spatial character. The signal chain, engineered by Sam Okell, includes classic mics such as Neumann u47s, KM54, and M50s.
Legato programming is a core highlight, featuring slurred, performance (with alt attacks and fast runs), and portamento transitions. These are designed for high realism and emotional expression, supported by the Arranger for tailored ensemble sounds.
Workflow
In practice, composers can work quickly using the Arranger to assign voices and ranges within the string band, refining performances without manual routing. The mix options let you choose a vintage or modern character instantly, while mic positions provide granular control for mixing, allowing you to blend tonal perspectives.
For expressive parts, the performance legatos offer intuitive response, and portamento adds classic transitions. This setup suits composers who want to write at a desk yet achieve live-performance nuances, with the option to tweak reverb via the included effects.
Practical Applications
Use this library for film, TV, or game scoring where a rich, emotive string ensemble with historical character is needed. It excels in creating intimate, detailed passages, as well as broader arrangements, given the five-voice capture. The vintage mixes are ideal for retro-sounding cues, while modern mixes offer clarity for contemporary mixes.
For professional projects, the mic positions enable careful placement in a mix, and the reverb options, particularly the echo chamber, add authenticity. It’s also suitable for composers seeking a quick, high-quality performance without extensive tweaking, thanks to the curated presets.
Key features
- Five string players (violins, viola, cello, double bass)
- Twelve signals including modern and vintage mixes and eight mic positions
- Expressive legato with slurred, performance, and portamento modes
- Includes reverb options like EMT plate and echo chamber
- Arranger tool for controlling ensemble voices and ranges
Best for
Composers scoring film, TV, or games who need an authentic, high-quality string ensemble with a vintage Abbey Road tonal imprint, especially those valuing flexible mixing via mic positions and expressive legato for emotional cues.
