Diablo IV
Active Member
Test free version. It's a kit only but super complete.
Slate SSD5 Verdict?
- Thread starter jononotbono
- Start date
Test free version. It's a kit only but super complete.
OP
OP
jononotbono
Luke Johnson
I bought the upgrade from SSD4 Platinum to SSD5 and it was $49! So I also bought the blackbird expansion for $49 as well! Amazing!
Zoot_Rollo
Throbbing Member
hmmm
i have SSD4 Platinum - SSD5 was a running joke for the longest time.
$49 - hmmm.
SD3, BFD3, AD2, SSD4
the question for the ages:
do i NEED SSD5?
i have SSD4 Platinum - SSD5 was a running joke for the longest time.
$49 - hmmm.
SD3, BFD3, AD2, SSD4
the question for the ages:
do i NEED SSD5?
constaneum
Senior Member
how good is SSD5 actually ?
constaneum
Senior Member
i prefer them having demo license to test out everything instead of getting just a free and settled with purchasing the complete kits and end up with possibility of dissatisfaction. Just my two cents. ahha
Mark Schmieder
Senior Member
I did not do the upgrade, and I even deleted SSD4 after SSD5 came out, even though it can't be resold (I normally don't like the principle of deleting something that was never used vs. passing it on if I can). Perhaps the hyperbole was just insane by the time it finally came out, and I do notice a sonic improvement from SSD4 as well as a better interface, but I couldn't find any way to "unmix" the drums to make them usable.
I do mostly acoustic and non-metal non-hip-hop music in a GAZILLION genres as well as more vintage influenced material. But that doesn't mean I don't want my drums to have presence and depth. In fact, it's why my entire (almost complete!) fxpansion/BFD collection is for sale dirt cheap.
I just find that SD3 (which I ONLY use dry, and I remove the gimmicky channels as well), sits in the mix better and has a more dynamic sound as well as MUCH preferring the mic choices and overall timbre. And that's coming from someone who owns all but the latest two or three expansions, including most of the ones from third parties (which in general I prefer).
I love the Slate Digital products and own them all, but I never really got on with the drum philosophy (though I have found some use for Trigger 2). I got a good deal on SSD4 so figured I might as well, knowing SSD5 was coming "soon" (that was a few years ago!). But I don't even think I'd like it if it wasn't pre-baked, as I need a wide variety of drum sizes, tunings, etc., going back to 1920's traditions through more or less the 1990's (but not much later).
I do mostly acoustic and non-metal non-hip-hop music in a GAZILLION genres as well as more vintage influenced material. But that doesn't mean I don't want my drums to have presence and depth. In fact, it's why my entire (almost complete!) fxpansion/BFD collection is for sale dirt cheap.
I just find that SD3 (which I ONLY use dry, and I remove the gimmicky channels as well), sits in the mix better and has a more dynamic sound as well as MUCH preferring the mic choices and overall timbre. And that's coming from someone who owns all but the latest two or three expansions, including most of the ones from third parties (which in general I prefer).
I love the Slate Digital products and own them all, but I never really got on with the drum philosophy (though I have found some use for Trigger 2). I got a good deal on SSD4 so figured I might as well, knowing SSD5 was coming "soon" (that was a few years ago!). But I don't even think I'd like it if it wasn't pre-baked, as I need a wide variety of drum sizes, tunings, etc., going back to 1920's traditions through more or less the 1990's (but not much later).
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That's all honestly?
Mark Schmieder
Senior Member
Yes, I read the manual, and followed the threads, and did not see a way to "unbake" these samples. I realize that it's a case of different strokes, but I am moving to all-SSD storage (not to be confused with Steven Slate Drums 
), and every GB counts at this point. That was a bigger factor than the easy $49 incentive.
), and every GB counts at this point. That was a bigger factor than the easy $49 incentive.
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Diablo IV
Active Member
Installed yes. If you have the Free V installed too then 16.
Diablo IV
Active Member
Yes, I read the manual, and followed the threads, and did not see a way to "unbake" these samples. I realize that it's a case of different strokes, but I am moving to all-SSD and every GB counts at this point. That was a bigger factor than the easy $49 incentive.
I did not place my fxpansion stuff for free, so you won't find it there; it's in the for sale section at a super-low price and flexible options, but I also got no takers or responses on the keyboard forum, which is why I am starting to think that there may just not be many people interested in BFD anymore. I even had a bit of trouble unloading AD!
No, I mean the FREE section, where you can SELL you're stuff (meaning they don't ask you to pay a fee for selling or posting your stuff there). Anyways, if you don't have it in that section, where do you have it listed for dirt cheap?
https://vi-control.net/community/forums/for-sale-music-gear-classifieds-free-service.66/
Diablo IV
Active Member
In my experience honestly SSD5 is my fave and that's why I bought it. OFC we can talk cons and pros about anything. Just for me SSD5 snare and kick wise have punch and body, sounds very very good (that too me is what a snare or kick drum are supposed to sound... THICK). Good tone.
SD3 for me sounds so weak I feel I have to fight it to sound any good.
SSD5 I just load it. Lol. If it's too much you can dumb it down.
GUI wise I honestly think it sucks ballz but I am not here for the GUI (I wish it looked like EZ Drummer, awesome drum kits pictures and underneath carpets), but the sound.
SD3 has the fireworks that's for sure.
SSD5 Rimshot button is a godsend.
SD3 for me sounds so weak I feel I have to fight it to sound any good.
SSD5 I just load it. Lol. If it's too much you can dumb it down.
GUI wise I honestly think it sucks ballz but I am not here for the GUI (I wish it looked like EZ Drummer, awesome drum kits pictures and underneath carpets), but the sound.
SD3 has the fireworks that's for sure.
SSD5 Rimshot button is a godsend.
Thanks. Again 14GB for a full SSD5 install.Not 140 GB?
Diablo IV
Active Member
Yep, I have it installed in a 120 Gb SSD, so it can't be 140 Gb.
Trying to audition SSD5 Free. Have (2) Folders of 'slatepacks', but no clue how to access from SSD5 Free_Sampler.
Halp!
Had same quandary, as I didn't want to download the slate installation manager software, thinking I could install it by itself, but it seems to require the installation manager. So if you download that, run it, you can then install the slatepacks. Here's the video to install them:
As diablo3 noted, there is a nice punchiness to them (that Superior Drummer 3 seems to lack, and I have a lot of the expansions).
I tried to make Superior Drummer 3 get that same punchiness, as I would prefer to use it for a variety of reasons, but haven't found the magical combo of eq, compression, limiting, saturation that matches the ssd5 punch. Suggestions welcome from all readers (as there are times I'd really like that level of punch for the rock/pop projects and my brain would really like to stay in one drum environment!)
I also wish more that one demo kit was included with ssd5. Or at least an alternate kick or snare, since the included kit sounds a little drum machine-y to me that I heard only while download/demo-ing and not so much in the videos. (I've learned to be wary of demo videos). It would be nice to see if that's just the demo kit, or overall.
In other notes for anyone that might be curious about interoperability between SD3 and SSD5, I dragged a midi file from the SD3 library into SSD5, and it almost mapped perfectly. I only had to re-map the closed hat cc. So for those that own both, it looks like you can take advantage of that to some degree...
