What is the interest of using sounds from BFD or EZ Drummer?

[gregsim]

Hi,

There are a couple of threads on the forum explaining how to export sounds from a VST software like Superior Drummer, or EZ Drummer, and how to assign them to a kit usable by the 2Box.

I have a noob question : what is the interest of doing this, since the native sounds of the 2box module are already very good and realistics! And what 's more, you can modify many parameters (velocity, level, tune...)?

What is your feeling or experience on that subject? Do all that handlings worth it???

[BURNIN AMBITION]

well stock 2box sounds are great, but enough imo. they can never be enough!! especially when it comes to cymbals! so, sdse gives us a very hassle free way to export great sounds for the module! there re infinite settings you can expreiment on, but the default parameters are always  a great way to start!! imo sdse along with the sd card extender and a big sd card are a must have for all 2box owners. of course it is just my opinion, but i can not imagine myself having just an sd card of just 4gb of stock sounds!!!

[gregsim]

Thanx for your answer BURNIN AMBITION.

I clearly understand that we may need more than 4Go of sounds.

But the quality and the variety of the imported-from-VST sounds are they really better (or at least as good) than the native ones???

One great advantage that I see with SDSE is to freely affect different sounds, especially on the cymbals : for example Heavy Crash on the edge / thin crash on the body / china on the bell.

Thanx!

[fulrmr]

Thanx for your answer BURNIN AMBITION.

I clearly understand that we may need more than 4Go of sounds.

But the quality and the variety of the imported-from-VST sounds are they really better (or at least as good) than the native ones???

One great advantage that I see with SDSE is to freely affect different sounds, especially on the cymbals : for example Heavy Crash on the edge / thin crash on the body / china on the bell.

Thanx!

in a word...YES!

[Haggis-man]

The quality of many of the default sounds are very good indeed, especially the toms, but I find that 99% of the sounds I use now are one's I exported from BFD2 and SSD4. I have  two 16Gb cards full of them!

Cheers

[gregsim]

I also find the native sound very good, but I'd say the ride cymbal and snare are the best ones.
And the kick sounds are quite ugly.

I start to think that my ear is in trouble, because everybody here wants to change the snare first! 

Whatever, your opinion is bright and have convinced me : I have to try to create my own snds with Dsoundtool!

I hope I will hear a difference when playing with headphones, but also when recording on protools. Because at this time I feel like the 2box sounds with a lack of ...punch / attack / envelope...

If you other mate want to share your experience, you're welcome! 

[fishmonkey]

assuming you are trying to get the best audio quality, then IMO if you are recording you are better off recording the MIDI and recording the output from BFD, not from the 2 Box module, the final product will be much better. it doesn't make much sense in terms of audio quality to create DSNDs from BFD which you then record from the module. for starters you are introducing two more digital->audio audio->digital conversions. the sound quality from the outputs of the 2Box module is decent, but it's not great.

if your system is not good enough to do that and monitor with low enough latency, then you could generate the DSNDs so that you can monitor the actual sound directly from the module while also recording MIDI on your computer.

[Hockeylifer]

Fish monkey has a very valid point -- and it's duly noted.  However, for the drummer who uses his/her kit for more than just recording purposes -- having the ability to load new sounds into the module, especially if they're high quality, is an absolute no brainer.  It's just fun as hell to play them.  And besides, with the add-in option one does not have to bring a laptop/rig to a gig in order to trigger vst sounds such as BFD2, which has always been a dicey proposition in my mind.

Embrace it and enjoy it .... Is what I say.

[Greg the groove]

I agree the 2box has quite a few pretty good stock sample sounds no question. BUT when you start playing with VST kits, WOW is all I gotta tell you. They are WELL ABOVE and beyond better than anything stock. Trust me, everything is better. Dynamics, volume, quality, little nuances like snare rattles and snare bleeds. It's really the magic of the open format of the module.

[Hockeylifer]

That's what I'm talking about, "little nuances like snare rattles and snare bleeds."  Totally agree with that sentiment.  This is exactly what I had envisioned years ago when I first heard that you could load your own customized sounds into the module.

[fulrmr]

I agree the 2box has quite a few pretty good stock sample sounds no question. BUT when you start playing with VST kits, WOW is all I gotta tell you. They are WELL ABOVE and beyond better than anything stock. Trust me, everything is better. Dynamics, volume, quality, little nuances like snare rattles and snare bleeds. It's really the magic of the open format of the module.

Yep...this is what I've said all along. Soooo glad Jman dove into this module early and introduced me to it.