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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hollywood Orchestrator available as a separate purchase/can it be removed from the Opus upgrade?

Hollywood Orchestrator is built into the Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition and at this time is not available as a separate purchase, nor can you omit it from the purchase price.

Will upgrading to Opus affect my current/existing projects?

No, Opus and Play are two separate software products, anything you have saved in your projects will still load up inside the saved Play version of the plugins. You can update your current/existing projects to Opus if you so choose, or leave them saved within Play.

How Large is the Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition?

Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition Diamond is approximately 944GB in size which includes both the original and new content.

Am I able to save the Orchestra Opus content to a drive separate from my existing Hollywood Orchestra Content?

No, you can split the sections to different devices, but any section will consolidate into the same directory. For example both Hollywood Strings Diamond and the Hollywood Strings Opus Edition Diamond will have to be in the same directory, but you could have Hollywood Brass and Hollywood Brass Opus Edition in the same directory in another location.

Can I split the Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition onto multiple drives?

Yes, that is possible. The Opus Edition is split into separate sections: Brass, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds, Solo Violin, Solo Cello, and Harp. Each section can be installed on a separate drive.

Do I have to reinstall the whole Orchestra, or just download the Opus content?

If you already have the Hollywood Orchestra Gold or Diamond installed, you will only need to download the additional OPUS content which will be available as a download via the Installation Center.

Do you have EDU discounts on Opus?

We do not offer educational discounts on product purchases, but if you are a Student or Teacher we have educational discounts on our ComposerCloud+ EDU subscription plans which includes the Hollywood Orchestra Opus Diamond Edition.

What’s included in the Opus Edition?

  • Includes over 130GB of brand new recordings (total size is now 944GB)
  • Includes reimagined original content for all sections and solo instruments
  • Includes all new interfaces that change color depending on the MOOD selected
  • Includes Hollywood Orchestrator ($299 value), a must-have tool for composers
  • Includes all Hollywood Solo Instruments ($299 value)
  • Includes Innovative new features and effects powered by our new OPUS engine
  • Watch the walkthrough videos to see Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition and Hollywood Orchestrator in action.

Is the original Hollywood Orchestra and Solo Instruments compatible with Opus?

No, only Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition is compatible with the new Opus software. Providing support for old and new versions of Hollywood Orchestra in the Opus software would create confusion and require us to support two versions of the same product in the same software. Original Hollywood Orchestra users that do not wish to upgrade will continue to use the Play software. All other EastWest products are supported in Opus and their interfaces have been updated to retina resolution. Use the new Opus features on all products such as custom articulations, customize instruments with dozens of new effects, search for, audition, and download individual instruments instead of whole collections, and much more!

If all EastWest products are now supported in Opus why would I need to use Play in the future?

After purchasing or upgrading to Opus you don't need to use Play, however, it may be more convenient to make small adjustments to an older composition in your DAW loading the saved Play instruments instead of replacing them with Opus instruments. For any new composition just use Opus.

Will I be able to upgrade to the Opus engine without buying Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition?

Currently you must purchase Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition to get the OPUS software. People who purchase any other EastWest product post-release will also get OPUS. All ComposerCloud members will automatically get OPUS. But we are going to wait a while before allowing previous PLAY product purchasers to upgrade in order to assist our support team during this major upgrade period. When we do provide that option, it will be a paid upgrade.

What is the MOODS feature?

The MOODS feature was programmed for the Diamond editions that include all mic positions (and ComposerCloud Plus). MOODS allows you to easily switch multiple parameters to best match the music you are creating. Classic MOOD is the original Hollywood Orchestra sound. Soft MOOD modifies the sound for softer, more emotional passages. Epic MOOD does the opposite, giving you a sound perfectly suited for your next Action Adventure score. Each MOOD changes the settings and the look of the interface.

What is Hollywood Orchestrator?

Hollywood Orchestrator is our innovative Scoring Engine that is built into Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition, which can help you quickly produce results ranging from basic string arrangements to complex orchestrations. You can use one of the over 500 presets, modify them, or create your own. You can play the presets into your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and assign each instrument in a preset to a different output with the Hollywood Orchestrator mixer, or export them to your DAW using MIDI export if your DAW supports this feature. With MIDI export, you can record complete passages with any Orchestrator preset with all data as MIDI regions. This enables you to adjust your recorded composition and change notes at any time as if you created these in your DAW.

Where can I reach support if I need help or have further questions?

Please click on the “LiveChat” icon in the lower right-hand corner of the webpage. You can chat with us from 09:30am till 05:30pm PST (06:30pm till 2:30am CET) everyday of the week, or leave us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

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