Side stick volume very low

[Scott Kohlmorgen]

I am using a Roland TD 30 to trigger SD 3. Everything is working great except for side stick on the snares. The are so quite I can hear the pad over the sound. I know it’s triggering but it’s useless at the volume it plays at. I do a lot of cross stick so this is a bummer. I can turn the level up on the snare but that turns up all articulation. I am using the Roland trigger setting.

I have gone through the manual but perhaps I am missing something. Any thoughts or help would be great.

Topic

[Scott]

If you record some hits, what velocity are being triggered? When you hit hard on the rim, is 120-127 being triggered? Can you change the velocity curve for the sidestick articulation in S3 so it triggers the hardest velocities regardless of how hard you play?

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Mark King]

Guys. I have the exact same problem that the default is very low. This is what I did.
Select snare so it shows blue round it. Click the articulations menu and click on Sidestick. Note do not click on the switch at the end as this will turn it off. Just on the name itself. I increased the level by about 5 and then in the velocity curve I added a point by clicking and pulled it up. You will need to experiment with this to get your ideal level.

Another thing I have noticed is if I bring in a sound from Rock warehouse I have to drop it by about 9 to get it to the same level as the new kits. This seems a lot? It still works but I thought they would be level matched?

SD3 with older sdx,s plus Rooms of Hansa and Death & Darkness. Cubase and wavelab current versions. Roland TD50x using all trigger inputs for triggering SD3 only. Windows 11 computer. Various keyboards and outboard gear as well as VST instruments. Acoustic drums: Yamaha 9000 natural wood and Pearl masters. Various snare drums. RME BabyFace Pro FS and Adam A7X monitors

2

Thanked by: aidanm and Charlie May

[Scott Kohlmorgen]

Thanks all. Thought I’d tried the articulation solution. I must not have clicked the right midi note. Thanks for all the help.

[seasack]

Thanks for the help! This had really bugged me. On the MIDI settings page, the sidestick sound is shown, but I I cannot assign a MIDI note to it – and thus not change the velocity.

[Cesar Valdez]

2025 and this issue still persists. Come on guys at Toontrack turn up that side stick!

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.7
Operating system: macOS Sequoia (15)

[John]

Hi Cesar,

I wouldn’t call it an issue, user Mark King’s description above of how he handled wanting to have the sidestick articulation higher in level is very valid. Exactly how much is enough is individual, I guess.

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Cesar Valdez]

Sorry, I should’ve been more specific. The side stick in modern metal is where I’m having trouble getting the side stick At an adequate higher value. The side stick sounds great in every other expansion. If there’s any other tips on how to raise the volume of the side stick, I’d really appreciate it

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.7
Operating system: macOS Sequoia (15)

[John]

Hi Cesar,

if you select the Snare on the Drums page, then click the Articulation drop-down (right under the library expansion name in the top of the interface) and select the ‘Sidestick’ articulation instead of ‘All’, you can raise the level +12dB for this articulation only via the level property box. Is the +12dB not enough?

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Author]

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