RE: stage vibration damaging laptops... put it in a box with an open top and some padding on the bottom.
As for switching patches... map the 'fx bypass' controls for a few tracks in Reaper to be affected by the MIDI being sent by your switching device.
S'goin'on, long time no see.
I've got a 15'x12' room I'm about to set up as a drum room. It's gonna be soundproofed for 24 hour practice. The drumming style's pretty subtle and dynamic, it doesn't need to be a HUGE sound but the feel is a priority (probably going to mic it Glyn Johns style)...
I love Miroslav Philharmonic, it runs on the Sampletank engine and has a shitload of orchestral instruments... can't remember what I paid for it but it was definitely worth it many times over
Check out the G-Town Sampling Project, they are free samples... some pretty nice bells in there. And if they aren't huge enough you can blend 'em with some of the anvil strikes in the same sample pack.
Everything else I am aware of is for Kontakt.
I thought this thread was going to be about Obamacare providing free breast implants, and was coming in here to say I support my tax dollars being used to beautify the tits of America.
It doesn't seem to be medically significant from what I've experienced talking to others who have it. Also it seems to go away when listening to music so I wouldn't worry about it affecting your mixes either