# The SSD5 Update



## Cory Pelizzari (Apr 12, 2020)

Get it here: https://stevenslatedrums.com/ssd5/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/corypelizzari
Albums: https://corypelizzari.bandcamp.com/


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## PerryD (Apr 12, 2020)

Paid upgrade from SSD5?


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## Cory Pelizzari (Apr 12, 2020)

PerryD said:


> Paid upgrade from SSD5?


No just an update.


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## PerryD (Apr 12, 2020)

Cory Pelizzari said:


> No just an update.


 Thanks!


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## kgdrum (Apr 12, 2020)

Thanks Cory, for the informative review. 👍
How are the eDrum hi-hats as far as playability?

I have SSD4 which I never really cared for ,so I never upgraded to SSD5.
The impending end of the $49 upgrade has been tempting me but the limitations you’re mentioning might convince me to hold off.

I already have Toontracks SD3 and several SDX expansions,so I’m now leaning towards just sticking with SD3.

A major consideration for me though is the actual eDrum playability,with hi-hats in particular as they are imo the hardest aspect of eDrum/library integration for most developers to pull off successfully.primarily I like to trigger these libraries via Vdrums.

Thanks
KG


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## Cory Pelizzari (Apr 13, 2020)

kgdrum said:


> Thanks Cory, for the informative review. 👍
> How are the eDrum hi-hats as far as playability?
> 
> I have SSD4 which I never really cared for ,so I never upgraded to SSD5.
> ...


The hi hats are pretty good, having both edge and tip hits for tight, closed, loose closed, semi open, open and loose states. As far as e-drums go, SD3 technically has the superior setup due to having more custom controls over the pads and how they're played. SSD5 just has your standard pre-baked settings.

I think personally for me the libraries I like best for live playing are the Progressive Foundry SDX and the Rooms of Hansa SDX. Nowadays I use those two and no other SDX expansions.


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## kgdrum (Apr 13, 2020)

The 2 SDX’s I don’t have and want are Decades and Hansa,at some point after the current Covid-19 insanity subsidies I’ll pick them up.

Thanks for the great review & info


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## sostenuto (Apr 13, 2020)

Appreciate the candid and timely Review !! Keyboardist with minimal drumming chops, and wnet to Addictive Drums early on. AD2, now and several expansions. Feeling a bit down given these comments. Also have Stylus RMX, NI_ K12U, Jamstix4. 
Time to take serious look at SD3 ? Guessing capable players can do well even with my toolkit ? Dunno how to sort 'major' shortcomings.


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## X-Bassist (Jul 1, 2020)

sostenuto said:


> Appreciate the candid and timely Review !! Keyboardist with minimal drumming chops, and wnet to Addictive Drums early on. AD2, now and several expansions. Feeling a bit down given these comments. Also have Stylus RMX, NI_ K12U, Jamstix4.
> Time to take serious look at SD3 ? Guessing capable players can do well even with my toolkit ? Dunno how to sort 'major' shortcomings.


I have to admit I own a lot of drum kits (including SSD4) but always come back to AD2. The kits just sound more produced out of the box, and tweaking them or “unmixing” them is easy too. Once got a kit down to raw samples and was surprised what a difference their mixing makes. Combined with a beat section that is crazy cool for customizing- so fast and easy- that I’ve converted many third party midi loops to work in AD2, and now have a midi beat library of many thousand that are all searchable and sound good (hand picked, real unquantized players). Combine this with v-kit and you can pretty much find or play any groove and it sounds great with no mixing effort.

This convinced me to get most of their expansion kit packs (their midi grooves are just so-so). I have a number of favorites and even like their electronic kits over many others I own. Just all around best drums without hiring a drummer.

All this to say SSD4 has hardly seen daylight. I like the Led Zeppelin Drums and a few others, but comparing them to AD2 they sound a little thin and weak. But I also don’t do any slamming metal or hard rock. I thought that they would cut through better on commercials, but I always end up back on AD2.

Although I was thinking about this $49 upgrade, I’d probably get more value out of the couple of meals that it would buy. I’m interested in what the 1300 midi grooves sound like. But knowing Slate they are probably generically labeled “Rock 01, Rock 02, etc” in folders of “Rock” “Metal” and “Other”. ;D Love his attention to detail. Come to think of it, I’ve heard sooo many lame, quantized midi groove libraries that I should save myself the few hours it would take to check them out. My evening has just opened up.


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