Virtual instrument for authentic sounds of the 60s on the computer

The EastWest Fab Four Library brings the characteristic sound of the 1960s directly into modern music production. The extensive collection contains guitars, basses, keyboards and drums recorded on original vintage equipment. The equipment used includes amplifiers from Fender and Vox, classic microphones, EMI tube preamps, original EMI mixing consoles and legendary Fairchild and Altec compressors. The recordings were made on a Studer 4-track tape machine to capture the authentic sound of the beat era as faithfully as possible.

Legendary guitars and bass sounds of the 60s

The instruments include numerous rock and beat music classics. They include Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, Gibson Les Paul and Epiphone Casino from the 1960s. The collection is complemented by a Gretsch Tennessean from 1960, a Rickenbacker 360 12-String from 1965 and several acoustic guitars from Martin and Gibson, which were recorded via the tube preamps of the original EMI console.

Of course, the famous Höfner violin bass is also included, complemented by a Rickenbacker 4001S. Iconic sounds have also been faithfully reconstructed - such as the guitar tone from Revolution, which was produced with an Epiphone Casino via two EMI REDD 47 tube preamps.

Authentic vintage drums from the Abbey Road studios

Only Ludwig drum sets from the 1950s and 1960s were used for the drum section. The samples contain numerous nuances, including semi-open hi-hats, snare ghost notes and a crash cymbal with a particularly strong character, which was heavily compressed using a Fairchild compressor - a typical stylistic device used in studio recordings at the time.

Vintage keyboards and unusual timbres

In addition to classics such as the Hammond B3 and a Steinweg piano, Fab Four also contains some rare instruments that are rarely heard today. These include the claviolin via a Baldwin amplifier, a harmonium and the Lowrey Heritage Deluxe organ, which is known from legendary productions of the 1960s.

A special highlight is the reproduction of the guitar sound from Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, in which a Fender Stratocaster was played through a Leslie cabinet. Tabla, sitar and swarmandal (Indian box zither) are also available for additional timbres. As a humorous homage to Beatmania, Library even contains samples of screaming fans from a 1960s BBC documentary.

Modern sample engine for flexible production

The Library comes with the EastWest PLAY Advanced Sample Engine and can be seamlessly integrated into any 64-bit capable DAW. The software enables extensive editing of sound parameters, articulations and dynamics.

With the help of an AHDSR envelope, the volume curve can be precisely shaped. Round Robin technology is used for particularly realistic playing styles: several different samples of the same articulation are played alternately to make the sound appear more natural - especially in fast passages or staccato playing styles.

ADT simulation and high-quality effects

A special feature is the specially developed ADT simulation (Artificial Double Tracking). This process was originally developed at Abbey Road Studios and implemented on tape machines. In Fab Four, this technology is available digitally and can be adapted to the respective project in a versatile way.

For spatial design, the plug-in also offers high-quality reverb and delay effects as well as comprehensive stereo output so that the vintage sounds can be optimally integrated into modern productions.