Steven Slate Drums...Anyone recommend?

[dmmi]

OK...OK...I will admit when I'm wrong, The thread title DOES, kindof invite a bashing, but I tried to correct it and the title didn't change.....

Yes I did post in a huge hurry, but hell I was excited and wanted to know if it was worth it for me to get.....I don't see anything wrong with that, and to be honest I'm more inclined to be curious about the validity of "attackers" purchases then my own. You can think what you want, my personality is just that it really pisses me off when I work my fuckin' bag off, hate my life for it, and wish I could spend all day in my studio, and possibly a living at it.......

BUT, I have commitments that I need keep my job for, otherwise I'd pack it in, and give the studio a go for a living.

I went to recording school back in the day, and back then it was analog boards, R2R machines, and DAT.....now that shit is WAY more expensive than what I spent on software....and, well the hardware too. That shit really pisses me off 'cause here i am, got my FT job and commitments, can afford the stuff now, but back then couldn't.......if I was only where I was then in the year 2010, things would probably be different because I could slowly build a project studio as I've done today.

Dude......this is the only thing that keeps me sane....there is not a day that goes buy that I wish things could have been different, but I love my family....so i gotta take it in strides.

NOW.....I respectfully ask for you guys to BACK the FUCK off....as many of you have given me advice in a pinch.....stupid threads and all.

 

[dmmi]

So just because someone is a senior member on this board means that he knows what software another forum member has or has not paid for?

How can someone "hint" that they have pirated software? Can you explain this to me? He even started the thread asking if he should BUY SSD. I know many software pirates and none of them would ever dream about spending a nickel on software.

Every anti dmmi statement in this thread is fucking retarded. I don't know him from a hole in the wall, but people are making such ridiculous accusations, that I just had to speak up.

Bobby

I think it's because you understand my situation....Thank you!

 

[Skinny Viking]

Guru's right tho, you cannot have both the wife and groupies, they just won't let you.

This is not very accurate :Smokedev:

 

[Virgil.]

Instead of being a douche to newbies you could just ignore them. If they don't get an answer, they will eventually resort to digging through the search button or google if they are really hard-up to find an answer. I've been in his spot before, and hell, I still ask dumb questions. But I always try searching first. Back OT... You don't have to help them. If you're sick of those threads and responding to the same old questions, STOP RESPONDING. That simple mate.

 

[006]

This thread has seriously gone off the deep end :\

 

[ahjteam]

I'm kinda with Jason here, but his execution was a bit douchey. If you can't get a good sound out of the stuff you already listed you have, the problem is you, not the stuff you have.

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

This is not very accurate :Smokedev:

That's what I said...cruel world

 

[Matt-Steele]

You named every hacked / torrented piece of software available on the market and you expect us to believe you bought them all.

Just reading this thread now for the first time...

I'm not very different from this guy. I work as a 3D designer and I make a good living, but I've been in bands throughout my life and I love music and recording, so I don't make a living as a producer/engineer in music, but I do spend lots of time recording myself and friends with the gear I've accumulated over the years. I love it!

I own Superior2.2.2, EZDrummer, Addictive Drums, lots of expansions and Steven Slate Platinum. I have a LOT of plug ins that I've purchased and I have what I would consider a REALLY nice and powerful DAW. I've purchased all this stuff and I wouldn't appreciate someone accusing me of stealing all of it. There's no way of knowing anyway on an internet forum anyway, so why accuse someone of it anyway? I guess I really don't see the point.

Anyway, as someone who has purchased all the drum sequencers I listed above, SSD are great and you can't beat Steven's kick drums. But not everything is perfect. Lately, I've been coming around to the Metal Foundry samples. I really love the overheads and the clarity of what is attainable in MF. I wasn't a fan to begin with, but there's so much in that package, it's hard to go wrong. My biggest gripe with SSD is the Kontakt player and trying to get it to go multichannel out into your DAW. It's a painful process. Superior is superior when it comes to ease of use.

SSD snares and kicks mix well with Superior too. You can't go wrong having them both if you can swing it. Just don't think of any one piece of software as the end all be all solution.

 

[dmmi]

Ahjteam ^^^

Thanks....the problem is I find that AD or SD require a lot of tweaking for me....and everything I've read so far about slate drums is minimal tweaking to get good results....that to me is worth thousands (doesn't mean you should up the price Mr. slate)

....also, i try to run a completely 64 bit rig, and I've had a couple issues with the SD 64 bit beta update and stability, and 32 bit SD doesn't work with my DAW 32/64 bridge....so I mainly goto AD, which is great with the TD-3 and 1.5 update (which is free BTW, but still only 32 bit). Slate drums list 32 or 64 bit...I'm assuming this is native. BFD was my first drum plug....and while it was great at first, I barely use it because it requires the most tweaking.

As a guitar player...(no offense to drummers) and having little time on my hands it would be nice to have a stable plug...with the least amount of tweaking....so If anything, I've decided I'll go with SSD EX Special offer package with metal and more EX....but can't decide on the other.

I know I need a lot of practice with it.....but in all honesty I'd rather spend the time I do have practicing my chops, than tweaking....tweaking....Thx

Cheers!

 

[Virgil.]

(i predict more bashing)

 

[ahjteam]

Ahjteam ^^^

Thanks....the problem is I find that AD or SD require a lot of tweaking for me....and everything I've read so far about slate drums is minimal tweaking to get good results....that to me is worth thousands (doesn't mean you should up the price Mr. slate)

I have no experience on Addictive Drummer or Superior Drummer, except that the Avatar kit sounds pretty bad ass out of the box as is. Or is it part of the EZ Drummer?

I mostly only use the default settings on "Sky Kit" of Native Instrument's Kore Player, that is free. It has it's quirks like the cymbals, but the best part is that you literally can't tweak it and it sounds decent enough. If you just leave the settings at default, you get to the actual "being productive" part faster. That's why I usually make about a song a week, as quality usually also needs some level quantity before it evens out. Practice makes perfect, you know?

Record first, mix later.

 

[Matt-Steele]

Ahjteam ^^^

Thanks....the problem is I find that AD or SD require a lot of tweaking for me....and everything I've read so far about slate drums is minimal tweaking to get good results....that to me is worth thousands (doesn't mean you should up the price Mr. slate)

dmmi, I wouldn't agree with this. If you go to Steven's site, he outlines what it takes to get the most out of his samples, and it requires bussing kit parts out to your DAW and compressing them with the basic settings he suggests. It requires Kontakt to go multi out (PAIN!!!). Every time I wanted to change my kit, I had to go through the multi out process with Kontakt and my DAW. Not as simple as loading up new kit pieces.

My mixes with the stock SSD sounds were not that great. I think you really need to compress the cymbals to help the decay. Like I said, the snares and kicks have a TON of character, but the rest of the kit falls a bit flat for me.

EDIT: If you're concerned about the stability of 64bit and the samplers, Superior vs Kontakt, Don't think for a second that Kontakt is more stable than Superior! I hate the Kontakt player compared to Superior's sampler!!!

 

[dmmi]

Matt-Steele....Thx!

ahjteam...Haha...record first mix later....thats why I have only come up with 3 half ass "final" mixes in the last year, but have tons of recorded riffs..etc....like I said, would rather play guitar.

I'll look into sky kit.....does it work well with v-drums, I used to use e-drum midi mapper for AD drums before 1.5....so I could use midi mapper for sky kit if needed.

OK.....So here's an idea....maybe instead of dropping more cash on drum plugs....I should hire one of you guys to program drums for me....maybe I could have saved tons if I did that from the beginning? My drummer is having a real rough time with family dropping like flies from cancer (3 in the last year!)....so I don't want to bother him. when he's ready....we'll record him again.

In the mean time, I don't have the time or the patience to program, tweak, mix drums right now....maybe someone could record their edrum kit and send me midi files?
paid of course

 

[dmmi]

matt......great points.....THANK YOU!!

 

[Matt-Steele]

matt......great points.....THANK YOU!!

Sure! I'm happy to share my experiences and perspective with anyone who wants to listen.

If you really want to know where I've ended up after owning Superior the day it came out and owning SSD since 3.0... I think grooves sound more articulate in Superior, and even though I've never been totally happy with Superior's kicks, I've had the best sounding mixes with Superior in the past. I just got the Metal Foundry expansion a while ago, and I was really happy with what I got. I really like the Gene Hoglan and Dirk Verbeuren presets as jumping off points.

I've been screwing around with these drum programs for years trying to get the mixes that suit me, and it's always been a struggle. If I could follow my own advice, I'd tell you to just decide on one thing and stick with it! Who cares if your mixes aren't as perfect as the other guys? As long as your creating music and enjoying yourself. It's too bad, I can't take my own advice and I'll always be searching for the perfect...

This is how ridiculous I am... I am an Ivory, Omnisphere and Trillian owner and I can't play the piano! I just love the sounds people were getting from those instruments, and I had to have them. I guess I'm hoping those products will excite me so much that I'll be inspired to learn them better than I can right now. So... I know how it is to want or expect a certain product to bring your music/talent/mixing/production skills to the next level. Just don't be let down too much when it doesn't happen and you're left still searching.

 

[dmmi]

Sure! I'm happy to share my experiences and perspective with anyone who wants to listen.

If you really want to know where I've ended up after owning Superior the day it came out and owning SSD since 3.0... I think grooves sound more articulate in Superior, and even though I've never been totally happy with Superior's kicks, I've had the best sounding mixes with Superior in the past. I just got the Metal Foundry expansion a while ago, and I was really happy with what I got. I really like the Gene Hoglan and Dirk Verbeuren presets as jumping off points.

I've been screwing around with these drum programs for years trying to get the mixes that suit me, and it's always been a struggle. If I could follow my own advice, I'd tell you to just decide on one thing and stick with it! Who cares if your mixes aren't as perfect as the other guys? As long as your creating music and enjoying yourself. It's too bad, I can't take my own advice and I'll always be searching for the perfect...

This is how ridiculous I am... I am an Ivory, Omnisphere and Trillian owner and I can't play the piano! I just love the sounds people were getting from those instruments, and I had to have them. I guess I'm hoping those products will excite me so much that I'll be inspired to learn them better than I can right now. So... I know how it is to want or expect a certain product to bring your music/talent/mixing/production skills to the next level. Just don't be let down too much when it doesn't happen and you're left still searching.

Thanks for the advice....the main point is "creating music and enjoying yourself".....I find I'm happier making sub-par mixes than getting frustrated with software....so your points on SSD are really valid for me...I think I'll stick with AD Drums rock solid on my system....thx.

Now for some of my advice...haha....if you have Ivory, Omnisphere and Trillian find a used Roland GR-1 or any roland guitar synth for that matter (GR-1 is biggest bang for buck if using only as midi translator).....then get a Godin synth access xtsa....damn fine guitar, and superb tracking....there ya go....don't need to play the piano now.

Haha...thats the path I went.....got the soft synths because I too loveed the sounds.....can't play piano that well (no patience to program piano roll views either)....got my Schechter Damian just to add a GK-3 pickup to track midi.....didn't work so well......picked up the Godin synth access, and HOT DAMN!....no tweaking, excellent tracking, tuning stability, playablility.....worth every penny!

 

[Matt-Steele]

Thanks for the advice....the main point is "creating music and enjoying yourself".....I find I'm happier making sub-par mixes than getting frustrated with software....so your points on SSD are really valid for me...I think I'll stick with AD Drums rock solid on my system....thx.

Now for some of my advice...haha....if you have Ivory, Omnisphere and Trillian find a used Roland GR-1 or any roland guitar synth for that matter (GR-1 is biggest bang for buck if using only as midi translator).....then get a Godin synth access xtsa....damn fine guitar, and superb tracking....there ya go....don't need to play the piano now.

Haha...thats the path I went.....got the soft synths because I too loveed the sounds.....can't play piano that well (no patience to program piano roll views either)....got my Schechter Damian just to add a GK-3 pickup to track midi.....didn't work so well......picked up the Godin synth access, and HOT DAMN!....no tweaking, excellent tracking, tuning stability, playablility.....worth every penny!

Yeah, I've looked into getting midi pickups, but I really haven't wanted to apply any to one of my guitars. I'll definitely look into your suggestions. Thanks!

I do have an MAudio AXiom keyboard and I can play the piano enough to record midi data slowly, play the root notes of a song and edit the data after I get a basis for the song. My soft synths aren't going completely to waste, but I wish I had the ability to really use them at their full potential. It's just no where near my capability on guitar and a midi guitar would be VERY nice for that application.

 

[dmmi]

DON'T Bother with the pickup route......terrible!

Serously consider the Godins....you WONT be disappointed. They also have an acoustic tone available from the piezo bridge that makes some real wicked high gain tones....in addition to midi blending.

Cheers!

 

[digitaldeath]

I'd happily track MIDI drums on my TD-3 for you.

 

[arv_foh]

It goes without saying that the forum doesn't support piracy, but man guru, you're jumping all over this dude with absolutely no grounds to do so, unless you went to his house and hand checked all his licenses. Damn. You need to chill and stop trying to be the anti piracy enforcement squad for the forum, especially when the dude was just asking for opinions on software.

Also OP: I was kidding about SSD... it's sweet especially if you are drum replacing with Trigger