Ultimate Studio Drums II: The Sequel - GB Discussion Thread

[eDrummist]

Tonight I am sampling Simon Collins' Gretsch kit. We took the day off from working on music in the studio (we're working on album right now... sounding great too!) and there is a free open day so I think I am going to sample the heck out of this Gretsch kit which was custom made for him and his dad Phil. Always nice to sample a drum kit where the drum company was bending over backwards to give their very best... same thing was the case for Peart's kit from DW. As good as it gets. Anyway, this Gretsch sounds killer so I am going to capture that and also this Black Beauty snare that Simon picked up that we both liked. Sample Everyting!

I don't know if I'm allowed to have more than a couple of posts a year on KVR showing my appreciation for physical instruments, but DW and Gretsch make some really great sounding drums (and DW makes some great pedals too). I love some other brands too (personally, I have Tama, Yamaha and Pearl drums and my very first kit was a Camco made in Oak Lawn, IL -- which I will forever regret selling!), but DW (which bought out Camcos tools and dies; their DW pedals are based on the Camco pedal) and Gretsch are two excellent drum manufacturers that make some beautiful sounding products (okay, I also think they're nice to look at), IMO. Squids, when you say "Black Beauty" you do mean the classic Ludwig Black Beauty snare, right? Those were huge back in the day. Just about every decent drummer that did studio work owned one.

- eDrummist

[Squids]

Yeah a Ludwig Black Beauty. He's not using it now, he has some other snare... not sure what it is but it is deep sounding. But the good old Black Beauty is a nice one to sample in different environments. This room sounds pretty cool. It is not large in size but has high ceilings so is surprisingly powerful yet tight.

We're not going to sample the kit tonight but probably on the weekend. Simon wants to hit the drums for the sampling. It is amazing how much he sounds like his dad. Musically though it has as much in common with Gabriel's music or even Kevin Gilbert's actually... or at least certain bits and mainly my taste in keyboard sounds like Mighty Wah Wurlitzers , Mellotrons, Chamberlins and the like. Lyrics you cannot compare to Kevin... nothing does. But musically, at least the sound of the band with me in it, there are some similarities in this new band project we're doing here. A lot of fun I can tell you. We all have to make music otherwise... what are all these sounds for?

[mac4d]

Thanks Reverend Rhythm and Kevin63101 for info regarding MT kits. Helpful link too.

Squids: Those of us who got the DVD versions of GB1 and/or GB2 need to know what didn't make the DVDs and we need to still download from esoundz. Is there a list somewhere.

For GB1: do we need Global Patch Update #3.

For GB2: based on ship date, I'm guessing we need to get USD2 Global Update 04/19/10. And I'm guessing the USD2 Bonus Hybrid Kits. But what about USD2 Extra Snare Samples and Extra Snare Samples 2. There's also nothing on the DVD that says Percussion Samples that I can see.

Please clarify. Thanks

[Analyst69]

Okay, I seem to have goosed my installation of the USD 2 kits.

I was waiting for the discs to arrive (which came today) before installing them, however, I had already downloaded and installed my MT kits.

After doing the whole drag-and-drop with the Infinite Installer, I don't get anything related to USD2 showing up under the Multis tab. Kit pieces do show up under the Instruments tab, and checking the directories, I definitely have all the samples in the samples folder (my hard drive space has also been significantly depleted which confirms it for me).

It seems the installer did not make an "Ultimate Studio Drums 2" directory (which from other posts, I expected it would).

I wondered if this might be related to me loading the MT kits, prior to getting the discs and loading the STm kits.

Any ideas?

I'm thinking the easiest answer is going to be to blow away the whole Infinte Player directory and start again (with both USD 1 & 2). Is it save to do so?

I recently did a full clean install of my PC and did have a few issues with USD 1 graphics (when I first set it up in January everything was fine, I just think I did something in the wrong order).

Any suggestions or advice from anyone who has experienced similar would be great.

Cheers and thanks

[Rockdude]

Yeah a Ludwig Black Beauty. He's not using it now, he has some other snare... not sure what it is but it is deep sounding. But the good old Black Beauty is a nice one to sample in different environments. This room sounds pretty cool. It is not large in size but has high ceilings so is surprisingly powerful yet tight.

Oh this might be the first uber super extra overkill sampled snare!
I would buy it for 99$ in a heartbeat.

[Squids]

Yeah a Ludwig Black Beauty. He's not using it now, he has some other snare... not sure what it is but it is deep sounding. But the good old Black Beauty is a nice one to sample in different environments. This room sounds pretty cool. It is not large in size but has high ceilings so is surprisingly powerful yet tight.

Oh this might be the first uber super extra overkill sampled snare!
I would buy it for 99$ in a heartbeat.

Yes, no worries I will Uber-Sample it. The other snare is a Tempus or something like that. Really great sounding snare too. We didn't end up sampling last night because Simon wanted to hit the skins and he wasn't there. But we worked on this REALLY progressive track that has this ascending bit and then ends with a sort of YES-like descending line that gets doubled with keys and guitars... as pretentious prog as it gets! We'll see if Simon bites on it in the studio today... I think he'll love it.

[Rockdude]

Yeah a Ludwig Black Beauty. He's not using it now, he has some other snare... not sure what it is but it is deep sounding. But the good old Black Beauty is a nice one to sample in different environments. This room sounds pretty cool. It is not large in size but has high ceilings so is surprisingly powerful yet tight.

Oh this might be the first uber super extra overkill sampled snare!
I would buy it for 99$ in a heartbeat.

Yes, no worries I will Uber-Sample it. The other snare is a Tempus or something like that. Really great sounding snare too. We didn't end up sampling last night because Simon wanted to hit the skins and he wasn't there. But we worked on this REALLY progressive track that has this ascending bit and then ends with a sort of YES-like descending line that gets doubled with keys and guitars... as pretentious prog as it gets! We'll see if Simon bites on it in the studio today... I think he'll love it.

Great! Keep us updated about the snare sample session....I want to know all the sexy details about the sampling of them!...and share the progressive track you're working on when it's done

[mac4d]

I thought this was the group buy thread.

This talk of upcoming uber sampling snares, and progressive rock tracks is interesting and all, but how or where do I get answers to my questions about the group buy DVDs? Here, I'll post them again.

Those of us who got the DVD versions of GB1 and/or GB2 need to know what didn't make the DVDs and we need to still download from esoundz. Is there a list somewhere.

For GB1: do we need Global Patch Update #3.

For GB2: based on ship date, I'm guessing we need to get USD2 Global Update 04/19/10. And I'm guessing the USD2 Bonus Hybrid Kits. But what about USD2 Extra Snare Samples and Extra Snare Samples 2. There's also nothing on the DVD that says Percussion Samples that I can see.

Please clarify. Thanks

Analyst69:

On my mac I just installed one of the GB2 MT kits and it got installed here...

Infinite Player > Multis > Ultimate Studio Drums 2 MT >


When I installed the GB1 MT kits from DVD, they installed here...

Infinite Player > Multis > Ultimate Studio Drums > Drum Master 2 Multitrack Kits >


When I installed GB2 from DVDs, it did create 'Ultimate Studio Drums 2' folders, one in the 'Instruments' folder and one in the 'Multis' folder. Have no idea why it wouldn't create them for you, even if you installed the GB2 MT kits first.

[Analyst69]

I thought this was the group buy thread.

This talk of upcoming uber sampling snares, and progressive rock tracks is interesting and all, but how or where do I get answers to my questions about the group buy DVDs? Here, I'll post them again.

Those of us who got the DVD versions of GB1 and/or GB2 need to know what didn't make the DVDs and we need to still download from esoundz. Is there a list somewhere.

For GB1: do we need Global Patch Update #3.

For GB2: based on ship date, I'm guessing we need to get USD2 Global Update 04/19/10. And I'm guessing the USD2 Bonus Hybrid Kits. But what about USD2 Extra Snare Samples and Extra Snare Samples 2. There's also nothing on the DVD that says Percussion Samples that I can see.

Please clarify. Thanks

Analyst69:

On my mac I just installed one of the GB2 MT kits and it got installed here...

Infinite Player > Multis > Ultimate Studio Drums 2 MT >


When I installed the GB1 MT kits from DVD, they installed here...

Infinite Player > Multis > Ultimate Studio Drums > Drum Master 2 Multitrack Kits >


When I installed GB2 from DVDs, it did create 'Ultimate Studio Drums 2' folders, one in the 'Instruments' folder and one in the 'Multis' folder. Have no idea why it wouldn't create them for you, even if you installed the GB2 MT kits first.

I got a helpful message from Allen at esoundz and he solved my problem. I had missed the patch zip on the first disk (serves me right for not following the instructions to a tee.

In terms of your questions about patches, I think the only things that didn't make the disks are the USD2 global update 4/19/2010) and the hybrid kits you mentioned. I beleive the zip titled ip-usd2perc_inf (on disc 1) is the percussion, and suspect ip-xtrasd2samp might be the snares?

[KindredSpirit]

Going slightly off topic (sort of) Always been impressed by the drumming duties carried out by Gentle Giant's John Patrick 'Pugwash' Weathers, though I doubt if anyone could compose around his grooves

[Squids]

Those of us who got the DVD versions of GB1 and/or GB2 need to know what didn't make the DVDs and we need to still download from esoundz. Is there a list somewhere.

For GB1: do we need Global Patch Update #3.

Need? No. But if you want the latest updates for V-Drum patches then sure you might as well. Keep in mind that patch updates for Infinite Player products are going to be a regular (optional) enhancement kind of thing - at least for certain products but even DVD versions may have on line updates... however with patch updates you don't have to download the samples which makes it a lot easier. But, again it is optional.

For GB2: based on ship date, I'm guessing we need to get USD2 Global Update 04/19/10. And I'm guessing the USD2 Bonus Hybrid Kits. But what about USD2 Extra Snare Samples and Extra Snare Samples 2. There's also nothing on the DVD that says Percussion Samples that I can see.

Just the Global Patch Update of 4/19 (again, optional just for the latest updates in the brand new V-Drum script settings). You might as well though but you don't have to. The Hyrbid Kits are a nice bonus though and those you should download. We're going to do some more as well... but remember this is icing on the cake. Bonus extras. On our regular products like Drum Masters 2 Signature (which you technically HAVE if you own USD1 and USD2) we plan to do all kinds of future updates and enhancements (that the ppl in the group buy will be able to use). However those are in a different folder structure which I will explain in a moment here...


On my mac I just installed one of the GB2 MT kits and it got installed here...

Infinite Player > Multis > Ultimate Studio Drums 2 MT >

When I installed the GB1 MT kits from DVD, they installed here...

Infinite Player > Multis > Ultimate Studio Drums > Drum Master 2 Multitrack Kits >

When I installed GB2 from DVDs, it did create 'Ultimate Studio Drums 2' folders, one in the 'Instruments' folder and one in the 'Multis' folder. Have no idea why it wouldn't create them for you, even if you installed the GB2 MT kits first.

All of that is correct. They have their own folder structure for each of the USD bundles. The folder named "Ultimate Studio Drums 2" that is installed into your Multis folder has the KITS and the one that is installed into your Instruments folder has the individual "Kit Pieces" to use when making your own custom kit... if you choose to do so. Otherwise just load the Multis!

[Squids]

Going slightly off topic (sort of) Always been impressed by the drumming duties carried out by Gentle Giant's John Patrick 'Pugwash' Weathers, though I doubt if anyone could compose around his grooves

Yeah, he's out there. Great stuff. I love the vocals on that. Have you ever heard Kevin Gilbert's "Fugue - Dance of the A&R Men" (or whatever it is was called...). It's really amazing and very Gentle Giant influenced... plus hilarious if you listen closely to all the lyrics.

[megadude]

I'm curious what people's favorite kits and kit pieces are. Is there a way to set up a poll so that we could vote on favorite kits from the group buys (first, second, first and second) and maybe favorite kit pieces? (I have no idea how easy that would be to do.) We have a lot of variety to choose from, even disregarding all the hybrid kits. Just curious which kits people have been banging on the most. (I'm really into the British Rock and the soul kits from gb2, for example.)

[jarrydee]

Are we still getting the GB 1&2 mixed hybrid kits?

[DarkStar]

.. .
All of this is detailed thoroughly in the 100+ page manual coming next week... but for now I can be your manual. Or other users. We'll help each other understand how to use this amazingly powerful product!

I may well have missed this manual. If so, can someone tell me where to find it? If not, then how's it going?