Anyone use Addictive Drums 2 with DrumIt?

[nohumanape]

I'm looking into the right VST to expand my sound library. Superior Drummer 3 seems like a top pick, but it's pretty much a base price of $400 (all of which, I can't say I need). However, Addictive Drums 2 has a Custom package that is currently $100. This package allows the buyer to select three sound packages of their choosing (as well as some other MIDI and a la cart instruments). I dont need a ton of sounds, just want a few kits that are more up my alley.

Anyone have a preference about which functions better with a DrumIt module?

[Rmiller]

I use AD2. I like the black velvet and metal kits. I think they sound better than the factory stuff. I use the Lustar SDSE software to convert and transfer them to the drummit format, library and to the sd card (I have the 32gb conversion from Jman). Very easy to do with my setup. You need a PC for Lustar software since Mac’s aren’t supported. Highly recommend this route.

[nohumanape]

I use AD2. I like the black velvet and metal kits. I think they sound better than the factory stuff. I use the Lustar SDSE software to convert and transfer them to the drummit format, library and to the sd card (I have the 32gb conversion from Jman). Very easy to do with my setup. You need a PC for Lustar software since Mac’s aren’t supported. Highly recommend this route.

I have a PC and the components to do the 32GB MOD (just haven't done it yet). Think I might just jump on AD2. The Pop United, Dry and Indie packs seem like a nice mix. Plus you can add packs easily.

[nocturnodrummer]

Well, I can recommend you few kit pieces that I like the most:

Snare - Pearl Reference/Funk

Toms - Ludwig/Blue Oyster

Hi hat - 13 Paiste Heavy/Funk

Ride - 21 Meinl Byzance Dark/Black Oyster

Crashes: 17 Paiste Signature Dark/Studio Prog;
17 Sabian HHX Evolution/Funk
19 Sabian HHX Studio/Studio Rock

For Kick drum I use:
Drumasonic DS Fat Kick sample from 2box website

It's the most versatile kit that I could make from AD. For me these are the most playable sounds. The problem with AD is they the kit pieces differ a lot and the playability may vary drastically. They may sound nice in a groove but here and there you may notice the snares are not so dynamic, the hi hat splashes are abrupt and sound unnatural. The SD is more uniform, all the pieces fit together nicely, it may not be that easy with AD.

[nohumanape]

Well, I can recommend you few kit pieces that I like the most:

Snare - Pearl Reference/Funk

Toms - Ludwig/Blue Oyster

Hi hat - 13 Paiste Heavy/Funk

Ride - 21 Meinl Byzance Dark/Black Oyster

Crashes: 17 Paiste Signature Dark/Studio Prog;
17 Sabian HHX Evolution/Funk
19 Sabian HHX Studio/Studio Rock

For Kick drum I use:
Drumasonic DS Fat Kick sample from 2box website

It's the most versatile kit that I could make from AD. For me these are the most playable sounds. The problem with AD is they the kit pieces differ a lot and the playability may vary drastically. They may sound nice in a groove but here and there you may notice the snares are not so dynamic, the hi hat splashes are abrupt and sound unnatural. The SD is more uniform, all the pieces fit together nicely, it may not be that easy with AD.

Ah, ok. That's good to know. Mostly it will be for home practice and studio production. But yeah, all good points. Thank you.

[Rmiller]

I don’t find the same issue with the snare dynamics or the hi hats. With that said, I do some processing in AD2 before exporting. For my taste I like the Ludwig kits for the most part. I can’t remember the hi hats I use mostly but I have found many are crappy sounding but many aren’t as well, same with snares. I have a lot of adpacks and will create custom kits. What’s nice about using Ad2 and SDSE is after you do some tweaking in AD2 on let’s say on a couple of particular kits and once you import them into SDSE, you can very easily create custom kits to add to the sd card. You need to play around with it until you find a sound you like for a particular kit. Once in the module you may want to mess with different curve settings as well as eq. You can really create some great sounding kits if importing post processed instruments since not much can be done in the module I.e. reverb etc.

[ANGR77]

Hi!

I am also an AD2 user since many years...and after several years of collecting..have all ADPaks.

I like the metal ADPak and the retro, blue/black Oyster packs.

The newer ADPaks like the Fairfax and United Heavy are not bad at all either.

I am occasionally building nice dream kits from all AD2 kits and pieces and is exporting them using SDSE...I have like 50 GB on a SD card with AD2 drums..(!}

Best regards

Anders / www.zourman.com

[paulf707]

Is there any documentation with AD that confirms how many sample levels are recorded in there? I don't have SSDE yet, but have experimented exporting samples manually. I'm never sure how many to use. There's no point exporting 128 velocity samples if the original SD samples were based on 32?

[Jman]

Is there any documentation with AD that confirms how many sample levels are recorded in there? I don't have SSDE yet, but have experimented exporting samples manually. I'm never sure how many to use. There's no point exporting 128 velocity samples if the original SD samples were based on 32?

I think Lustar has some info on that. But once you have SDSE it has settings in the program to only record the unique samples, so you will not get a bunch of repeats, just what is unique in the instrument. So, that is basically handled for you with the setting.

[nocturnodrummer]

I can give you exact number of unique samples per instrument from my kit:

Hi hat has a range of 24-36 unique samples per zone/openness state

Toms from hi to low : 43, 33, 33, 33 (Here we can see the inconsistency even within one set of toms!)

Snare: 59 head/20 cross-stick

Crashes - 23-26

Ride: 29 bow/20 bell (Although it sounds great, the dynamic range could be better. you can feel it while playing that it could be more dynamic)


That's for AD.

But when it comes to Drumasonic's samples from 2box websiste:

DS Fat Kick - 65 Layers

Some 2box sounds have even 100 layers e.g. Maple 10 snare

I'm not saying it's all about the layers. When the sound is sh*t, even a thousand layers won't make it sound good.

[nohumanape]

I can give you exact number of unique samples per instrument from my kit:

Hi hat has a range of 24-36 unique samples per zone/openness state

Toms from hi to low : 43, 33, 33, 33 (Here we can see the inconsistency even within one set of toms!)

Snare: 59 head/20 cross-stick

Crashes - 23-26

Ride: 29 bow/20 bell (Although it sounds great, the dynamic range could be better. you can feel it while playing that it could be more dynamic)


That's for AD.

But when it comes to Drumasonic's samples from 2box websiste:

DS Fat Kick - 65 Layers

Some 2box sounds have even 100 layers e.g. Maple 10 snare

I'm not saying it's all about the layers. When the sound is sh*t, even a thousand layers won't make it sound good.

Do you know how many layers Superior Drummer 3 generally uses?

[ANGR77]

Just one valid point when talking SDSE...it is using dsoundtool when exporting the wavefiles to dsnd... and that app is limited to 99 layers.

In my Ludwig black beauty snare sample found on DrumIt Three factory sounds - we used 123 layers... https://zourman.com/product/ludwig-black-beauty-1922-snare-sample/


Best regards

Anders / www.zourman.con

[nohumanape]

Man, I'm really torn between Addictive Drums 2 and Superior Drummer 3. Superior Drummer 3 really sounds like it packs in a lot for the $400 price. But being able to customize my sample library in Addictive Drums 2 (currently for half that price) just sounds very appealing.

Also, I just haven't heard as many drum tones with Superior Drummer that I really dig. I understand that you have a lot of freedom to manipulate the sound of the room, snares on/off, mallets/brushes, etc, but are there any punchy, not super ringy drum tones? I'm not looking for Metal or heavy rock sounds. I want stuff that would fit into Pop, Alternative, Indie, etc.

[FooFighters]

I have updated my SD card with several Addictive drums packages this weekend.
I love them.. My hybrid Tama kit sounds great 

Check Thomann.de, they have a 33% discount on XLN products at the moment.
198 euro for 6 extendsions. But be quick, sale is ending soon.

[nohumanape]

I just went for it and picked up the Addictive Drums 2: Custom XL bundle (it was on sale for $200). I dont play heavy rock or metal, and the sounds of these kits/cymbals are really great so far. I also really like the sound shaping tools that they provide, along with some really nice presets to get started.

Got a lot to load up onto my DrumIt3.