Shreddage 2X FREE UPDATE - Now available! (May 22, 2014)

[zircon]

Hi all,

Welcome to Shreddage 2X, the massive free update to Shreddage 2! This new version is built for the latest version of Kontakt 5.3 This was built with YOUR HELP - we incorporated tons of user feedback and requests for new features, and the community did an awesome job beta testing the library for over a month. Read on for more details!

DOWNLOAD THE SHREDDAGE 2X UPDATE HERE!

** Important - S2X requires the latest version of Kontakt 5.3! Use Service Center to update.

https://soundcloud.com/isworks/shreddag ... rew-aversa

(Like this demo? Click here to download project files and read more!)

UPDATE INSTRUCTIONS
1. Verify that you have the latest version of Kontakt 5 / Kontakt Player 5 by checking in Service Center.

2. Move the Shreddage2X.nkc and Shreddage2X.nkr files to your original Shreddage II folder. They should be in the same folder as Shreddage II.nicnt.

3. Move the contents of the Samples folder into your Shreddage II\Samples folder. REPLACE any files if prompted.

4. Move the contents of the Instruments folder into your Shreddage II\Instruments folder.

5. Refresh the Kontakt browser or close + reopen Kontakt. You will see Shreddage IIX on the instrument list.

MANUALS
Shreddage 2X Manual
Shreddage 2X Quick Reference (Mapping, Keyswitches, CCs)

VIDEO WALKTHROUGH / OVERVIEW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOxKv23OcuQ

CHANGELOG / NEW FEATURES / IMPROVEMENTS:

* UI has been totally redone from the ground up in the style of Archtop. It looks way better, and it's more intuitive. Check out the Info Bar along the bottom for help text with various controls.

* The underlying engine has been completely rewritten, from string logic to portamento and double-tracking. Fewer bugs! Better string selection!

* The entire instrument has been transposed up one octave to make room for new keyswitches.

* New FX pedals have been added, along with more control over existing FX like the Skreamer pedal or BITE EQ depth.

* New "Thrash Note" feature. When enabled, select a keyswitch. This key will trigger the LAST played note. Useful for live performance / fast parts.

* New custom keyswitches. Articulations can now be assigned to keyswitches, instead of (or in addition to) velocities. Keyswitches can be "latched", or not. Latching means when you press the keyswitch, that articulation will remain on until you press another keyswitch. Without latching, you have to HOLD the key for the articulation to stick.

* New "Random Resonance" feature. This optional setting will allow for random string resonance, particularly on higher velocities. This can add a bit of extra dirt and sloppiness to your playing.. all in the name of realism!

* New "Pick Offset" feature. Use this to cut into the sample start time of all notes. Great if you want a snappier response and LESS pick attack.

* New Velocity -> Volume and Velocity Curve controls. With Velocity to Volume, you can allow the velocity of your keystrokes to affect volume. With a value of 100%, velocity makes a BIG difference on volume, while 0% is like the original S2 playing mode. Or use anything in between! Velocity Curve lets you smoothly adjust the response of the instrument.

* Various tweaked + improved engine settings (i.e. more options for release noise / extra pick sound)

* New MIDI CCs. You can now tweak portamento wait time, change the unison bend CC, and tune individual strings +/- 7 semitones. See below.

* New + tweaked keyswitches (see below)

KEYSWITCHES
C-2: Set stroke (picking) direction to alternating down/up.
C#-2: Set stroke direction to downstrokes only.
D-2: Set stroke direction to upstrokes only.
D#-2: Set vibrato type to Fingered Light.
E-2: Set vibrato type to Fingered Heavy.
F-2: Set vibrato type to Whammy.
F#-2: Set vibrato type to Smooth.
G-2: Resets the round robin sequence. (Useful at the beginning of a riff prior to rendering.)
G#-2: Switches "let ring" mode - all notes will ring out indefinitely when enabled.
A-2: Switches to "tapping" mode - all notes are hammered / pulled to simulate tapped playing.
A#-2: Enables or disables DI line noise (hum).

B-2: Reset string preference.
C-1 to F#1: Force playing on string 7 (A string) through string 1 (high E string).

MIDI CCs

CC1: Controls vibrato depth.
CC11: Controls unison bending by default.
CC14 to CC20: Controls string tuning +/- 7 semitones. CC14 = String 1 (high E), CC20 = String 7 (A).
CC64: Sustain pedal. Holds notes, OR allows legato playing, depending on engin settings.
CC87: Changes the unison bend CC.
CC88: Changes portamento wait time.

KNOWN BUGS / ISSUES / TODO:

None that I know of!

THANK YOU for using, testing, and enjoying Shreddage 2!

[windir]

Hi Zircon,thanks for t he new update.Before doing any damage...the new files....do they replace the old files or what?

[EvilDragon]

They don't replace anything, as you will see they all have different file names.

[xphen0m]

Awesome!

Trying it now. First thing I've noticed so far is that alternate picking time doesn't seem to be right. I had 16th notes and according to the fretboard, they were all either picked up or down with no alternation.

I also noticed that lower chord notes won't play a porta sample when sliding up at least. It seems all chords below low B have this issue.

I have shout a big 'ol "THANK YOU!" for the bite function. It sounds that much better!

[zircon]

Yep, confirmed, and I know why it's happening. You can temporarily fix it by reducing "chord time" to 0. Basically the script thinks that because the two notes are close together (within 'chord time') it should make the stroke directions the same... i.e. normally if you play C -> E -> G rolled close together, you would probably be attempting a chord, so the picks should all go in the same direction.

Of course, that shouldn't happen when you're on a single note, so the next update will fix that. Otherwise, chord time is a good way to customize that behavior.

[zircon]

Also, low powerchord portamentos sliding up from B or below will be fixed in next update.

[xphen0m]

I forgot to post this in the original post, but it appears that pinch nor tremolo are working at all once enabled. Unless I'm doing something wrong.

[zircon]

Both are working over here.

1. Make sure the articulations are not overlapping in velocity. I.e. If you have sustains 1-127 and tremolo 1-127, you'll get sustains.

2. Check that you don't have a keyswitch set for trem/pinch, or if you do, make sure you actually hit the keyswitch

3. Remember you can only play trem/pinch on the single note range, not powerchords (powerchord trem is... not possible afaik)

[xphen0m]

Ah okay. #1 was my issue. I assumed certain articulation ranges over rode others like the first version of S2. Good to know it was just me.

[zircon]

They do, but it's in order from top to bottom. So sustains override mutes in the same range, and so forth and so on.

[warfighter67]

They do, but it's in order from top to bottom. So sustains override mutes in the same range, and so forth and so on.

I never knew that. That is actually very good to know.

[EvilDragon]

(powerchord trem is... not possible afaik)

It's possible but it's rarely used... unless you're into black metal.


GUI bug report: when you click on "Pinch" text, the quick edit area becomes black background.

[zircon]

Can't reproduce, can you take a screenshot..?

[xphen0m]

Possible bug or maybe just not complete yet: Double tracked powerchord slide samples are mono on my end. It also leads to phasing.

[zircon]

Bug. Will be fixed in next update.

(BTW, everything I've said that "will be fixed" is already fixed on my end, I'm just waiting to gather more bugs/feedback before pushing out the next update, which would be in the next ~6 hours)