Big Fish Audio | Music Tech Magazine | Symphonic Manoeuvres 2 Product Review
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Symphonic Manoeuvres 2 | Music Tech Magazine

Rating: 8/10 Back to Symphonic Manoeuvres 2 product details

There's nothing like a full symphony orchestra going full pelt to get the blood pumping during a big cinematic set-piece. Unfortunately, few of us can afford to hire a roomful of professional musicians to play our compositions. In steps Big Fish Audio with Symphonic Manoeuvres Volume 2, a collection of ten massive construction kits recorded live with soaring strings, blasting horns and crashing percussion.

Whereas Volume 1 featured 30 original one-minute pieces, Volume 2 has only ten, but each is nearer the two-minute mark. There are more than 850 loops in total. The DVD contacts 3.5GB of 24-bit/44.1kHz audio material in WAV and Apple Loops formats, plus folders of orchestral drones, orchestral hits, strings and choir chords. The drones are effective tension builders, the choir chords are useful and the hits are suitably OTT. However, the main focus of the pack is ten construction kits. The quality of the recording is excellent and you can really feel the power and subtlety of each instrument – not that this pack has a great deal of subtlety! Most of the pieces are of the James Bond actions scene variety, with a couple of more Lord Of The Rings-esque epic, evil choir pieces thrown in.

Despite a lack of variety, though, this is a good pack for film or media composers wanting to add a touch of epic Hollywood excitement to their productions.

Verdict A good shortcut to getting an epic Hollywood sound.

Rating: 8/10

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