SDSE: export drum VSTs to .wav, .dsnd and .dkit in 1-click

Started by Lustar, November 23, 2012, 10:52:32 PM

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Would you be interested in a Mac version of SDSE? (only vote if you are a Mac user)

Yes, a Mac version is a must for me
I would but I already use the Windows version on my Mac or notebook
No, free solutions like Boot Camp or VirtualBox are enough, keep the focus on supporting VSTs

nocturnodrummer

Hey Lustar, is there a chance to add a support for Vi-Elements Core kit? To my ears, it sounds amazing. I'm tired of hearing the same samples everywhere ;D I'm considering buying this one, it's 99 dollars now. I've tried the demo and had a success of converting a snare drum using SDSE since it's a KONTAKT library.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lopXwzagvZ0

Lustar

Hi, I'll take a look at the demo to see if it's possible.

Lustar

A new version of SDSE is available.

As usual, your license file will work with the new version and you can update by installing directly on top of the previous version.

Coda

Cool, thanks. I couldn't find a changelog, what's new?

Lustar

SDSE 2.4.4d is a maintenance release, I would recommend to update if you have 2.4.4 or earlier.
Thanks to medboy and Coda for the feedback ;)

Lustar

SDSE 2.4.5 is available.

This version adds support for the Southern Soul EZX2. Please contact me if your EZX or SDX is not supported and I will add it.

Easier export from unsupported VSTs
SDSE will select the current VST so that it can be rendered even if it's not supported.
It is now possible to export a snare with two articulations on the rim zone from unsupported VSTs.
A short help is displayed when no regions were selected.

To export semi-manually:

  • open the Region/Marker Manager in REAPER (CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+R)
  • mark some regions to be rendered: left-click on the region name then "Master Mix".
    The first line for each region is always the one with more hits to be rendered: KICK1 (high), KICK1 (medium), KICK1 (single hit)
  • click "Export" in SDSE
More details can be found in the manual http://www.lustark.com/FAQ

Coda

This is great news. Thanks a lot for the further development.

Lustar

SDSE 2.4.6 is available.

Note: the new version installs REAPER 5.16 but it is not a mandatory upgrade. SDSE 2.4.6 still works with REAPER 4.77. If you have an older REAPER license that wouldn't work with 5.16 you can skip the REAPER installation during the SDSE setup.


  • support for the BFD expansion packs Sleishman Drums, Sleishman Snares and London Sessions - thanks to Coda
  • new Maximize settings "relative","all","keep original" ("relative" by default, to keep the difference in volume between articulations)
  • improved articulation selection for hi-hats in some cases - suggested by Jman
  • REAPER 5.16 is the new recommended version to use with SDSE
  • message on screen "To cancel press CTRL+ALT+DEL, ESC, ESC"
  • SD2 Roots Brushes & Tools: fixed hihat not converting with felt mallets
  • SSD4: fix for snare and hi-hat with unusual articulations - thanks to Lee

mvdput

I started recently with Superior Drummer 2 and SDSE to create my own custom drumkits.
I took one of the basic presets in SD2 and exported only the Tom to see what the result looks like.

With DsoundTool I compared my exported 14 inch Tom to the 14 inch Red Sparkle Tom that you can download from the 2Box website, but I noticed that my velocity curve has a much steeper slope in the high volume than the .dsnd file from the 2Box Red Sparkle Tom.


This is the 2Box Red Sparkle Tom head:



This is my own exported Tom:




You notice the velocity drops a lot quicker in my exported Tom than in the 2Box one.


I played with several settings to try to modify the velocity curve to be more like the 2Box one, but I can;t seem to manage.
What do I need to do to recreate that same velocity curve?

Lustar

In SDSE you have certainly seen the Velocity Curve setting in Options/Convert. By default it reproduces the curve from the 2box Editor (should be dynamic and similar to the 2box sounds), but the .dsnd from the stock 2box sounds don't always use the same curve as the 2box editor. It's possible to disable this option to get the same curve as DSoundTool (less steep, should be less dynamic) or to set it to VST to get the same curve as produced by the VST. The alternate settings from 1 to 3 produce a steeper curve (more dynamic at the cost of a curve that ramps up faster). There's also the distribution of samples on the curve but that depends from the contents of the VST. The sound of the samples also plays a big part.

A way to get a more positive curve (less steep) would be to keep the Velocity Curve set to 2box in the SDSE settings and set the pads to pos1 or pos2 in the Unit settings to get a curve and try it with the exported kit. If it works you would then use a different kit bank for your exported kits with the pads set to pos1. The module can load different kit banks each with their own settings so you can copy DrumIt.dkit with a different filename and place your exported kit in this new bank with Dkit Manager or the 2box Editor.

It's also possible to fine tune a .dsnd to match the curve from another .dsnd with Dsound Tuner. The two .dsnd must have the same amount of zones and samples. So to get the same curve you would export from a VST then match the .dsnd:
- edit SDSE.ini to enable Samples limit: use fixed amount=1 and adjust the limits to the exact amount of samples you'd like to use (same as your reference .dsnd files for each instrument type) Samples limit: Kick=50
- export normally with SDSE
- open DsoundTuner, go to the Match tab, open the .dsnd to be adjusted, open the reference .dsnd

mvdput

Hi Lustark,

thanks for your answer. As I am a newbie in the VST scene, I compared my own export to a few ones from 2Box and one from eNerd to see if my export was somewhere in the right direction, before doing a complete kit. I used the 14x14" GMS Coated Heads Tom from the Steven Slate Basic Rock preset in SD2.

I did see the Velocity Curve setting in Options/Convert and tried also the VST-option and modified the curve in SD2 (In the mapping section un velocity control. Am I doing that right?) to a lot less steep one and 2nd time to a very steep one but that did only make a very small difference.

The reason for this my question is that my own exported sound has less samples than ones from for example 2Box, less steps in verlocity and the volume drops very quick to a very low value. For which I think, again with my newbie knowledge of VST and exporting custom sounds, will result in less dynamic sounds on your 2Box....

Lustar

It's a good way to proceed, testing first and trying settings before exporting everything. I wouldn't change the velocity settings in the VST, it would only change the way the samples are distributed on the curve. The curve that is used for the .dsnd is based on the volume, it depends on what the VST plays. It's important that the volume in the VST is not much too high (would only produce loud samples, less dynamic) or much too low (would decrease the sound quality, but only if it's very low). Most presets are usually OK so I wouldn't worry about the volume unless you notice that it's too high.

The amount of samples depends on the VST. There are some SDX packs for SD2 with more samples than Avatar, some EZX packs with less (EZX packs usually contain half the samples found in their SDX counterparts) and some VSTs with more samples (BFD2, BFD3 and the expansion packs). In my opinion the amount of samples is not as important as it may seem, as long as the samples are interesting. So for instance a .dsnd with 5 different samples could be more interesting than a .dsnd with 50 samples that all sound the same at different volumes. When there's less steps the module fills the blanks by playing the neighboring samples at different volumes.

The velocity curve is a bit counter intuitive: when the volume drops faster it means that we have to hit harder to reach the highest velocities. It's more dynamic this way, it allows to play from quiet to loud. With the opposite curve and a volume that would increase slower the difference would be smaller, everything would be loud, any moderately hard hit would always play the highest velocities. About dynamics it's also important to set up the gain of the pads with the Unit settings, set the gain so that only the hardest hits reach the highest velocities. I'm sending you a PM with more details.

mvdput

Hi Lustar,

thank you for clarifying this. I was not aware that the default SDSE settings should already be sufficient for exporting sounds from VST to the 2Box module. I will export a full kit and see what is does in the module.

I wonder if the panning-setting for each channel in the VST makes a difference when doing an export? I have some presets where some channels the panning for the left channel is set all the way to the left and vice-versa for the right channel. Does this influence the exported sound and should it be set to center for both sides?

Lustar

It does, when clicking Export what is set in the VST is what is exported. You can keep the default panning or adjust it to the center. It's also possible to use Options/Convert/Mono if you prefer to have .dsnd files set to the center. When using this option the .dsnd files are still stereo though (no difference in file size)

Guuz