The Problem with Superior Drummer SDXs

[Paul Andrew]

I just bought my first SD3 Expansion pack the other...

I just bought my first SD3 Expansion pack the other day and I am EXTREMELY disappointed!

Now that I have your attention, let me explain why:

• The custom presets sound great
• The additional pieces included are all excellent

It’s quite possible that I may not understand some core fundamental aspect of how SDXs work. In fact, I’m 100% hopeful that is the case! Because as far as I can tell there appears to be an inherent flaw in all of the SDXs: Getting them to work with your particular hardware configuration will require a major overhaul to each preset!

My Roland TD-12 is a custom kit that includes a KD, Hi-Hat, Snare, 4 Toms and 4 Cymbals.

The Legacy of Rock SDX by Eddie Kramer that I purchased only includes 2 or 3 Toms for each preset. The way that I understand it, in order to be able to use all 4 Toms, I will need to add an instrument or two to each preset. As far as I can tell, Toontrack doesn’t provide any clear instructions on how to accomplish this. I’ve found a few YouTube videos that cover the subject well enough to get started, but I feel this is something that Toontrack should address in detail. Hopefully they have,  but I just haven’t been able to find it yet. If anyone can point me in the right direction for that, I would greatly appreciate it!

I have to admit that why this hasn’t been covered in any of the dozens of SDX videos I’ve watched is quite puzzling, because I’m actually extremely disappointed. But that also leaves me hopeful that this isn’t actually a big deal at all, and once I find the info it will be a great source of amusement to me and all my friends at a later date. But until then, I feel like I’ve essentially wasted $179 on an SDX that won’t allow me to utilize all of my hardware without some serious manual configuration. What am I missing here?

I should add that I will happily revise this post if I can find the information that’s eluded me so far…

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.6
Operating system: Windows 10

• This topic was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by Paul Andrew.

I just bought my first SD3 Expansion pack the other day and I am EXTREMELY disappointed!

Now that I have your attention, let me explain why:

• The custom presets sound great
• The additional pieces included are all excellent

It’s quite possible that I may not understand some core fundamental aspect of how SDXs work. In fact, I’m 100% hopeful that is the case! Because as far as I can tell there appears to be an inherent flaw in all of the SDXs: Getting them to work with your particular hardware configuration will require a major overhaul to each preset!

My Roland TD-12 is a custom kit that includes a KD, Hi-Hat, Snare, 4 Toms and 4 Cymbals.

The Legacy of Rock SDX by Eddie Kramer that I purchased only includes 2 or 3 Toms for each preset. The way that I understand it, in order to be able to use all 4 Toms, I will need to add an instrument or two to each preset. As far as I can tell, Toontrack doesn’t provide any clear instructions on how to accomplish this. I’ve found a few YouTube videos that cover the subject well enough to get started, but I feel this is something that Toontrack should address in detail. Hopefully they have,  but I just haven’t been able to find it yet. If anyone can point me in the right direction for that, I would greatly appreciate it!

I have to admit that why this hasn’t been covered in any of the dozens of SDX videos I’ve watched is quite puzzling, because I’m actually extremely disappointed. But that also leaves me hopeful that this isn’t actually a big deal at all, and once I find the info it will be a great source of amusement to me and all my friends at a later date. But until then, I feel like I’ve essentially wasted $179 on an SDX that won’t allow me to utilize all of my hardware without some serious manual configuration. What am I missing here?

I should add that I will happily revise this post if I can find the information that’s eluded me so far…

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.6
Operating system: Windows 10

• This topic was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by Paul Andrew.

Topic

[drumjack52]

This thread has highlighted one of the big things that’s an issue with SD3 and that’s the documentation. Some stuff is disjointed and just not clearly explained. And some stuff is never explained like you can’t make gui changes to the kit layout. Unless your e-kit matches what’s in a preset you’re going to have to deal with compromises (and learn to live with them). Shouldn’t have to go to YouTube for answers. Toontrack should do something that was done when I worked in my day job in aerospace and that is to give the test procedure and/or other documentation to someone who knows nothing about the subject and see how they get along with it. And then make the inevitable changes.

The other thing is people really need to take the time and read the docs before making purchases.

One huge thing I’ve learned is I never use SD3’s effects as all that gets done in my daw. I treat SD3 like I would a physical kit.

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.6
Operating system: macOS High Sierra (10.13)

Jack
aka musicman691 on other forums
Superior Drummer 3.4.0
Area 33 1.0.0
Death and Darkness 1.0.1
PT 2021.6
OSX 10.13.6
3.46 GHz hex core 2012 MacPro 48 gig ram

[pumpkinking]

Paul Andrew wrote:

Seems like a sensible way to approach the whole SDX experience!

As you and others have pointed out, I think the lesson learned for me from this is that I need to be more selective in the future and find SDXs that match my kit’s hardware more closely. I didn’t realize that until it was too late, unfortunately. An expensive lesson to learn, but if it leads to the kind of drums I’m looking for in my songs, it will have been worth it. I’m thinking the Hitmaker SDX will be my next purchase since Hugh Padgham is the architect of that one. He’s worked with so many of my favorite artists creating exactly the kind of sound I’m looking for. I’m familiar with his name, but never really noticed he’s worked with that many of my favorite artists.

In regards to your comment about having two kick drums in your ekit, I’m a bit confused as to why, tho. Do you use two different kick drum sounds in your songs? Or maybe you’re not a fan of double bass drum pedals?

Hi Paul – personally I use Hitmaker the most these days.  My ekit has 5 hi/rack toms and 2 floor toms, and that really matches Hitmaker well.  Doesn’t hurt that I like to cover Phil/Genesis tracks also.  Fields and Area33 are the other two that I spend some time with, although it has taken effort to find a good sound with Area33.  Possibly the Area33 Origin would be more out-of-the-box – I’ve not splurged on that one (yet).

As for the double kick – I like the option to have two different kick sizes playable at the same time, although I do not often use it that way.  Ginger Baker used a setup like this, and that always struck me as a unique sound.  Truthfully, the second kick trigger was a by-product of merging two Alesis kits, but I’ve turned it into a feature.  I even bought a lefty double kick pedal so that I could play either kick from my right (dominant) foot.

Cheers.

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.6
Operating system: macOS Sonoma (14)

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