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EastWest RA
The definitive rare and ethnic virtual instrument
TEST4b
$149.00$59.00Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
4 Reviews
View other products by EastWest
Description
Quantum Leap - RA - PLAY Edition, THE DEFINITIVE RARE AND ETHNIC VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT now available with the advanced featuers of PLAY
In addition to PLAY's intuitive custom interface, Quantum Leap RA - PLAY Edition includes many other features, such as:
- 64-bit (with 32-bit compatibility)
- Intelligent performance section including portamento, repetition, legato
- Features round robin reset
- Offers improved articulation window and controls
- State-of-the-art convolution reverb with pre-delay
- Improved micro-tuning
- Improved sound quality with high-resolution audio engine
- Hi-fidelity one pole filter for natural cross-fades
- Stereo image editing is now possible using channel sourcing
- The instruments featured in the PLAY Editions are newly-programmed for PLAY from the original recordings
Quantum Leap RA - PLAY Edition provides composers with access to a variety of rare and unique instruments from Africa, Europe, India, the Americas and Australia, the Far East, and the Middle East and Turkish Empires. Musicians will find that RA has an amazing sound quality and they'll marvel at the articulation of each instrument which has a wide range that goes from controlled to expressive. All of the instruments and ensembles featured in the collection were sampled extensively as a means of preserving the true character and expression of each instrument. For the first time with the Quantum Leap RA - PLAY Edition, users will have more control over the sounds offered in the collection along with the ability to load even more instruments than ever before
Details
In ancient Egypt, RA was regarded as the creator of everything, the god of the sun. RA is usually represented with the body of a man and the head of a hawk, holding an ankh & sceptre. The chief location of RA worship was Heliopolis (a Greek word meaning city of the sun). RA is an appropriate name for the largest, and most comprehensive rare and ethnic virtual instrument ever made.
RA was born a few years ago, as a sample library called "Rare Instruments." All of the sounds from Rare Instruments are included in RA, but this only represents approximately one-tenth of the content. The other ninety percent of RA was recorded at a top studio in Hollywood. Because of the size and complexity of the project, I brought in two talented producers, Pacemaker and Tony Austin to co-produce RA with me. They have worked on some other Quantum Leap projects and had some great ideas for RA. We spent time hunting down the best ethnic artists on the West Coast. Los Angeles is so ethnically diverse and blessed with excellent institutions like Cal Arts, it is actually the ideal place to record a rare and ethnic collection.
You will find RA has amazing sound quality. RA was captured with a phase accurate 8-mic setup that gives a complete 3 dimensional image of the instrument. It is this type of sound that takes to artificial or sampled reverb extremely well. The sound is clear and broad. Mics used were Neumann U67 (U47s as alternates), Neuman M50, AKG C12 and Shoepps.
Another cool aspect of this virtual instrument is the fact that we recorded ethnic ensembles. This was done with African drums, bagpipes, gamelan and a Middle Eastern string section. The sound of these ensembles cannot be realistically simulated by layering solo instruments.
RA was a very expensive project, but well worth the cost. A lot of thought went into selecting instruments that would appeal to composers of all types, from dance music, to film. You might want to put the middle eastern string section in your next pop tune, or the hardanger fiddle in a sweeping romantic score ala LOTR.
You might also be surprised at how little percussion is included in this giant ethnic collection. The reason is, we already covered much of this in Quantum Leap Stormdrum. Stormdrum is the ideal companion to RA. The percussion in RA compliments Stormdrum perfectly.
You can have a lot of fun with RA. The possibilities are simply endless, especially when you mix the sounds of different cultures together. Load up the middle eastern string section, apply an Indian or Egyptian tuning from the micro-tuning presets and play octaves. Make a really cool groove with the didgeridoo fx and the Vietnamese jaw harp. Take a classical filmscore piece and replace all of the instruments with their ethnic counterparts: strings with middle eastern string section, solo violin or cello with electric baritone violin, hardanger fiddle or erhu, french horn with alpenhorn, flute with dizi, oboe with duduk, percussion with taikos and African percussion, harp with kora, trombones with rag dung etc. etc.... Or perhaps try the hurdy gurdy, hardanger fiddle, washburn guitar, mandolin and the dizi and make an interesting folk ensemble or the gamelan ensemble with the ney flute, duduk and esraj. And don't forget the reverb!
Tech Specs
System Requirements
- 14 GB Free Hard Disc Space
MAC MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.1GHz or higher (PPC not supported)
- 8GB RAM
- Mac OSX 10.7 or later
- 7200 RPM or faster (non energy saving) hard drive for sample streaming
PC MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- Intel Core 2 Duo, or AMD Dual Core 2.1GHz or higher
- 8GB RAM
- Windows 7 or later
- Sound card with ASIO drivers
- 7200 RPM or faster (non energy saving) hard drive for sample streaming
MAC RECOMMENDED SYSTEM
- Mac Pro Late 2013 edition (current model with round enclosure) or above
- 16GB RAM or more
- Mac OSX 10.7 or later
- SSD (Solid State Drive) for sample streaming
PC RECOMMENDED SYSTEM
- Intel Core 2 Quad, or AMD Quad Core 2.66GHz or higher
- 16GB RAM or more
- Windows 7 or later (64-bit Windows/Host Sequencer)
- Sound card with ASIO drivers
- SSD (Solid State Drive) for sample streaming
All Systems
- iLok account required for machine (electronic) license placed on your computer or use optional iLok Key; internet connection required for one-time product activation
Included for both PC and Mac:
- 32-bit standalone and plug-in versions included.
- 64-bit standalone and plug-in versions included.
- Check the compatibility chart for supported hosts.
Reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 3 Total 4 star reviews: 1 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
100%would recommend this product
4 reviews
- NRNick R.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsDec 9, 2025OOH RA!
Eastwest delivers a world changing sample library with outstanding customization. Presented in opus engine alongside traditional Orchestral and hybrid titles like Hollywood Orchestra, Silk, Fantasy orchestra and Ghostwriter RA gives you diverse instruments for creating scores ranging from Dune to Braveheart. The built-in effects allows for wide-ranging soundscapes using the reverb spaces, SSL Channel and Amp simulators. The Automatic double tracking creates a wide stereo spread in your mix and helps deliver cinematic feel that's both accurate and unique to your project. At the holiday price point it's a not just a must have, it's why wouldn't you?
- RSRena S.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsDec 5, 2025Well sampled set of a lot of historic instruments!
Wish there were slightly more articulations and smoother vibrato though
- NRNIck R.Verified BuyerRated 4 out of 5 starsDec 2, 2025RA May have been lost to time but his power hasn't
Eastwest has been a stable Sample Library company since before there was such a thing. Nick Phoenix and Doug Rodgers have managed to orchestrate instruments that are standing the up to times crule embrace, by providing sound shaping options that put industry grit and character without blowing tour audio spectrum with saturation and distortion. The processed signal chains mix seamlessly with the onboard SSL strips and onboard effects. Total control for space and Amplitude, and IR responses are what sell you as a creator not a button pusher or preset hunter. The shaping tools provide ground sonic pallets to morph back and through world genres. Providing crunch and pop to silk deep emotional engaging cinematic dram. It's an old library but if it ain't broke count fix it. I would seriously like an upgrade with some new samples and fx chain processing, but as a seasoned veteran my Tools box is already full of tools that can do the in post, but movies may need onboard flexibility to get the hang of sound shaping and frequency placement. I think that would add the spice this old library needs. My favorite instruments are the bowed and that drum transient shaping control. They hit cue with controlled turmoil leaving the passages fun exciting and full of unknow tension. My only Critiques it that the library is in my opinion very sparce. There is not a variety that can truly encompass what I believe this library could and should do - bring more cultures together . Spitfire's Orbis is…
- BUBernardo U.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsOct 8, 2025Ra
Great product! Legendary library!