Steven Slate Drums 5 - Finally! Was Due for Release Mid 2014

  • By the time this is released ...I could catch Herpes waiting LOL (meaning long time) ;(


    Ash

    Have a beer and don't sneer. -CJ. Two non powered Kempers -Two mission stereo FRFR Cabs - Ditto X4 -TC electronic Mimiq.

    Edited once, last by ashtweth ().

  • So, here's the list from the announcement mail I got:


    Here’s a Full List of Every New Feature and Update in SSD5:

    • New Deluxe 2 drum library with more than 50 new instruments including 10 new kicks, 10 new snares, and even a few percussion instruments. All the drums are unique and have two stereo room layers each
    • New SSD5 physically modeled drum playback algorithm ensures that each drum part sounds extremely natural, authentic, and real
    • Classic Slate Drums, Deluxe 1 Drums, and ALL Expansion pack drums (CLA, Blackbird, etc) have been re-done using the new SSD5 physically modeled drum playback algorithm
    • New GUI with a better layout and better functionality. Easy to understand and navigate, even without the manual.
    • Using Drum Kit view, or Pads/Cells View you can now load up to 32 drum instruments simultaneously along with up to 32 user one-shots.
    • Super powerful and easy routing to your DAW with AUX channels, routing manager, and routing presets.
    • Group selection of mixer strips to adjust parameters of different mics simultaneously
    • New solo/mute logic in Mixer with hotkeys for instant un-solo and unmute.
    • Phase now can be flipped not only on selected mics but also on a whole instrument. Gives you the possibility to flip all mics in the instrument, but, for instance, subsequently flip the close mics
    • Reworked mapping. Everything in the kit preset is easily mappable and remappable plus there is an input converter to load mapping presets for popular formats
    • New groove library with more than 1000 new grooves. Grooves are unique and come in a lot of styles played by great drummers. New grooves are played by the new groove player, where you can adjust the dynamics and speed of grooves and ‘drag and drop’ modified grooves into your DAW
    • Drums audition has been greatly improved. Audition just by clicking on a drum instrument
    • Now you can change the balance of direct mics vs ambient mics for sample audition in the browser
    • Master volume for plugin output added
    • Resampling quality is improved
    • Retina support added
    • VERY BIG - new shaping section. ADSR, where you can adjust A, D and R curves and S volume. Allows you to emulate transient shapers and compressors. Also gives endless possibilities for sound design



    I remain slightly underwhelmed :)

  • And let's not forget one of the more important parts... $79 upgrade fee for those of us with SSD4 Platinum or $99 to go from SSD4 EX. #happiness #takemymoney


    Regs,
    Jeffro

    Shred 'til yer dead,

    Jeff in Houston

  • Well...that's what Steven said. But he says a lot of stuff. :D


    I think that is correct...except I understood it to end when SSD 5 is released. Is it already released, or not...? I don't know. It's supossed to be, but no one has it yet right? So you should be good...I'd ask Slate man. From back in Jan:


    "Any purchaser of ssd4 from now until release will receive a free upgrade to SSD5."


    But I can't find it on the website...


    I do have to say $149 is a really great price. SD3 was like $400!

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • Well, I was right about the upgrade price, but the full-purchase price is $20 to $30 less than I predicted, so I'm really happy for those who're going to buy it outright.


    Michael, thank you for providing that info, mate. I'll add it to the OP.


    He made a new video too:


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  • The main advantages of this IMHO are:

    Much-smaller footprint.

    Much-cheaper price.

    Huge selection of kits and individual drums, even without the expansion packs.

    Much less work involved (sometimes none for some folks) to get the kits to sound great - lots of juicy analogue processing "baked-in".


    Handy things missing IMHO:

    SD3's tap-rhythm-to-find-grooves functionality.

    Drum replacement functionality (if you need it to replace pre-recorded acoustic parts), which you'd have to buy a separate plugin from Slate for.

    MIDI part editing within the plugin (I prefer to do MIDI editing in my DAW 'though - that way the tracks are always there regardless of where I might want to send them, be that to an external module or plugin).


    HTH, mate.

  • Anybody know if the upgraded version will replace my existing version so all existing projects just use the upgraded version?

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  • Anybody know if the upgraded version will replace my existing version so all existing projects just use the upgraded version?

    Damn-good question, MM.


    At worst, you'll have to reselect the kits you used previously and of course they'll theoretically sound better.


    If it were a point update, we'd all obviously expect existing presets to be recalled. This is an integer upgrade 'though, so I'd be surprised (and impressed) if it honoured them, and here's the main reason why:


    You can run SSD4 next to SSD5; they're effectively different plugins. We can only hope, I s'pose, that if a project loads and SSD4 isn't found, then v5 will somehow be used in its place, but I fear that that sort of intelligent decision-making ability would have to be programmed into the DAW, and I've never seen an option to specify whether or not to intelligently seek more-recent-and-similar plugin offerings as last resorts.


    At least if you have to reselect presets they'll apparently sound better now; that's a consolation at any rate.

  • I have to say I'm underwhelmed by SSD 5.

    I mean, we have 2018, but operating SSD 5 still feels like 2010 with zero possibility to alter midi drum files (Superior Drummer 3 is terrific in this regard).

    Yes, it may sound great, but in no way better than Toontracks efforts.

    The upgrade price for SSD 4 users like me is reasonable but ATM I'm not tempted to do it.