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EastWest String Machine

Back to the Retro Future

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4.7
Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars
28 Reviews
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Description

 

Paying homage to the great vintage string synthesizers of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, EastWest's String Machine virtual instrument brings the past into the future. Produced by sound titans Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, String Machine includes samples from some of the greats - the Arp Solina, Oberheim OBX, Roland RS-505, and the Roland Jupiter 6 - and allows you to instantly combine them with modern strings, brass, woodwinds, and vocals to create unique vintage vibes perfect for your next pop, rock, or hip-hop masterpiece.

String Machine-s user interface takes inspiration from the design of vintage string machine synthesizers. From the chunky instrument switches adorned along the front panel, to the glide of envelope sliders, and the click of push buttons, String Machine-s form and function is informed by the original hardware units.

String Machines were well known for their ensemble chorus effects, and the one included in String Machine features 3 modes, each with distinct characteristics. With effect emulations modeled from the Arp Solina, and Roland VP-330 hardware units, along with a -Modern- mode, our Ensemble Chorus effect delivers everything from vintage warmth and thickness, to modern transparency and dimension.

String Machine-s use is flexible, owing to its hybrid design of electronic and acoustic instruments. It fits right at home in a variety of genres, electronic or otherwise, but especially suitable for genres heavy on retro nostalgia, like chillwave or pop. Any piece of music that needs a large ensemble string pad would benefit by using String Machine.

INSTRUMENT GROUPS
String Machine features 4 color-coded instrument sections, including string machines and pads (red), string sections (green), solo woodwinds and brass (teal), and choirs and solo vocals (orange). Each instrument section features a number of instruments and alternatives, giving you countless ways to combine them into a diverse range of timbres, and the ease of mixing the individual instrument sections together to create rich, multi-layered pads.

PRESETS
String Machine comes with 17 presets programmed by Nick Phoenix. These presets demonstrate the type of sounds possible with String Machine, but we encourage you to use String Machine as it was intended -- creating your own presets! 
With high-quality sampling of vintage hardware units and authentic ensemble chorus emulations, String Machine is the perfect companion to recreate the classic sounds of vintage string machine synthesizers, and much more. Whether you need a synthy string pad heavy with retro nostalgia, or a rich backdrop for a pop track, String Machine gives you the instruments and controls that empower you to deliver.

Tech Specs

Below are the minimum and recommended hardware and software specifications for using Opus 1.6.1 on Windows and MacOS systems. Update to the latest version of Opus for compatibility with the latest EastWest product releases.

MINIMUM SYSTEM

  • CPU: Quad-core (four cores), running at 2.7 GHz (or above)
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • OS: macOS 10.15 (or later); Windows 10 with ASIO sound drivers
  • Drive: HDD (7200 rpm, non-energy saving)

RECOMMENDED SYSTEM

  • CPU: Octa-core (eight cores), running at 2.7 GHz (or above)
  • RAM: 32 GB or more
  • OS: macOS 10.15 (or later); Windows 10 with ASIO sound drivers
  • Drive: SSD (SATA or PCIe)

Reviews

4.7
Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars
Based on 28 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 19 Total 4 star reviews: 9 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
100%would recommend this product
28 reviews
  • SM
    Stephen M.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Jun 10, 2026
    So incredibly easy to generate beautiful sounds even for beginners, plus there's magic under the hood

    I am NOT a sound designer. I almost always stick to using presets in plug-ins and at most might tweak a few parameters. But EastWest's String Machine has changed all that. It is SO easy to make entirely new sounds simply by pressing a few buttons and mixing and matching sounds. It reminds me so much of the Hammond organs I used to play and is just as easy to operate. But that's only half the story. String Machine sits on top of EastWest's incredible Opus engine, which IMHO is hands down the best sample playback platform currently available (way better than Kontakt). While the parameters in the String Machine UI are deliberately limited in scope to prioritize ease-of-use, the Opus Engine - which can be called up at the click of a button - contains an impressively large library of modulation options, from EQs to reverbs to filters of all sorts. And they are all incredibly easy to apply. Taken together with the samples built into String Machine, they make it easy to develop an extraordinarily wide variety of beautiful hybrid acoustic and synthetic sounds. But frankly, as easy and gratifying as using the Opus UI turned out to be, I never would have been motivated to use it if it weren't for being gently introduced into designing my own sounds via the simpler String Machine UI overlay. If anyone here is in a similar situation, I would suggest checking out the Youtube video "EastWest String Machine : an underrated beast !!" authored by the YouTube vlogger…

  • GL
    Gonzalo L.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Jun 6, 2026
    Best synth String

    Uno de mis favoritos, lo uso siempre para darle ese toque que synth análogo a las producciones.

  • IV
    Ido V.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Jun 1, 2026
    Deep sound

    Good and deep sound but limited number of presets.

  • RI
    riku i.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Jun 1, 2026
    Gorgeous vintage string tones, perfect for that classic vibe!

    If you are looking for that authentic, dusty 70s analog string machine vibe, EastWest nailed the sound with this one. It perfectly captures the warm, chorused, and nostalgic textures of classic hardware like the Solina and Elka.

    It's an incredible tool for adding cinematic depth, mood, and vintage drama underneath samples and hip hop beats. The layering options with vintage brass and woodwinds are great, and the built-in effects sound very lush.

    The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the interface and loading times can feel a bit heavy sometimes, which slows down the workflow a little bit. But sound-wise? It's absolute gold if you love that authentic retro grit and warmth!

  • MM
    Mike M.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Jun 1, 2026
    OH YES!

    Great Strings! I will be using this for a long time!