I need a Drum Kit Blend

Sorry Keni, I don't understand what you mean.

Are you referring to editing the sfz file for the Zep kit but using Slate Sizzle Kick instead or simply swapping it on the fly?

Thanks Guys...

FBB... You're correct. I need to edit the sfz.... but I've been having no luck getting it to work so I'm doing something wrong with my editing.... I thought I could simply copy/paste the appropriate sections, but I've had no success...

I sure wish the bakers had spent time developing a decent editor for the Session Drummer.... they're on the right track with the player itself, but they decided to skip development of it for a long time... We got PC instead... ;-)

Keni

Jim Roseberry

I sure wish the bakers had spent time developing a decent editor for the Session Drummer.... they're on the right track with the player itself, but they decided to skip development of it for a long time... We got PC instead... ;-)

 
FWIW, If the .sfz format had a good integrated editor, you would have seen many high-quality 3rd party sound libraries for Dimension Pro/SD/etc.
As is... it's a major PITA for the typical end user.  Liken it to intonating a Rickenbacker 4003! 
Yes, it can be done... but it's the very definition of tedious.

Hi Jim...

Yeah, I know... the text of it can be so interwoven that it's very difficult to follow unless you're the one who created it (and remember what you did)...

So? where are all the hot programmers with such an open market? Think of how many people use sfz based plugins... they're there for the taking (excuse the cut-throat business attitude there)...

Keni

TStorms

So? where are all the hot programmers with such an open market? Think of how many people use sfz based plugins... they're there for the taking (excuse the cut-throat business attitude there)...

Keni

Maybe here??? Sounds like a ground floor opportunity but might be what you need. Check it out... http://noisesculpture.com/sfz-tools

Thanks for the link. I just gave it a once over and it sounds interesting... But I don't have the cash to experiment with XEDit just on the chance that it will help...

An actual editor is badly needed. I tried one that was recomended, but it had many "issues" (If I remember correctly - It was a while ago)...

Maybe we can get Slate to release design notes for their' sfz drum kits? ;-)

Keni

brundlefly


The quick and dirty solution might be copy the Sizzle kick samples(s) over the Zep kick sample(s) in the samples directory (saving a backup copy of the original Zep samples, of course). I don't know if the velocity switch points are the same for both kits, but they shouldn't be radically different. I also don't know whether they use the same number of samples for the kick, but it's been my observation that SD kits usually have only one or two layers per instrument.

EDIT: ...or maybe not. I just had a quick look at the samples and the SFZ files, and it's uglier than I thought.   I could probably help sort it out for you, but it would have to wait 'til I have some more time to look at it.

EDIT 2: If it's just for one project, I'd probably opt for two instances of Session Drummer, and be done with it.

Hi Brundlefly...

Big <OUCH> there, eh? ;-) I appreciate your help, but it's quite a pita the way things stand. I can usually edit sfz files, but these seem to be partiucularly hairy in their' design and things aren't resulting quite as expected...

Just so that you know... I did opt for two instances of SD3 to get around the issue, but waht a price to pay! <sigh>...

The d&d method you mention is an interesting idea, but as I need the originals available as well it gets ugly fast...

I was hoping I might stumble on someone who had already done this... a long shot... ;-)

Thanks again...
Keni

Thanks for the link. I just gave it a once over and it sounds interesting... But I don't have the cash to experiment with XEDit just on the chance that it will help...

An actual editor is badly needed. I tried one that was recomended, but it had many "issues" (If I remember correctly - It was a while ago)...

Maybe we can get Slate to release design notes for their' sfz drum kits? ;-)

Keni

Okay, so you want something good AND free???   - Google search for SFZ Editor came up with this http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.ashx?m=1469506
 
There's probably more but I'm at work and don't have time to go down that rabbit hole... good luck!
 
p.s. UltraEdit has a trial package - you can try the sfz tools before buying UE.

TStorms

Thanks for the link. I just gave it a once over and it sounds interesting... But I don't have the cash to experiment with XEDit just on the chance that it will help...

An actual editor is badly needed. I tried one that was recomended, but it had many "issues" (If I remember correctly - It was a while ago)...

Maybe we can get Slate to release design notes for their' sfz drum kits? ;-)

Keni

Okay, so you want something good AND free???   - Google search for SFZ Editor came up with this http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.ashx?m=1469506
 
There's probably more but I'm at work and don't have time to go down that rabbit hole... good luck!
 
p.s. UltraEdit has a trial package - you can try the sfz tools before buying UE.

Thanks... I've already got sfzed, but I wasn't able to use it for this... I don't remember why as It was 2 years ago (approx) that I went thu it the first time...

I may try the ultra-edit trial... We'll see...

Keni

I was reminded that Mike McCue has a tutorial on building your own instruments, kits and programs for Session Drummer on his website at:

http://www.harmoniccycle.com/hc/music-09-SessionDrummer2.htm

I never actually tried to do it, so I didn't remember how you write the proprietary kit and prog files, but it appears you can use the SD interface itself to save them after loading different SFZ files to replace individual instruments. 

The tutorial is based on SD2, and he uses a custom skin that makes it look like some alien VSTi, but I think it's probably still applicable to SD3. You might want to scan through the whole thing, but you can find the section of interest by searching on  the phrase

"This is the primary place to create, edit, and save Session Drummer 2 .kit files"

EDIT: It took longer to write the above, than to created an "Old Zep Dry with Sizzle Kick.kit" file. The basic drill is:

1. Open Session Drummer, and load the Old Zep Dry kit.
2. The Kick will already be showing as selected in the "Drum" section (you can click pieces in the kit image to select a different instrument).
3. Click the Drum button, choose Load Instrument, and load the SFZ for the stevenslate-sizzlekit-dry-kick.sfz.
4. Click the Drum button again, and choose Save Kit As...

It's that simple.

Glad to help. I'm a little surprised ol' Mike didn't pick up on the thread title and jump on it himself.

Anyway, if you have any trouble, PM me your e-mail address, and I'll send you the .kit file I created. 

Just to note...

It worked fine here too... I'm glad at least basic editing of SD3 files is rather easy... (and finally works for me). I guess the missing element is specifically the sfz editing as SD3 edits files that use sfx files...

Thanks again...
Keni

I just read the thread. I am glad to think that something I wrote while ago may still be pertinent and helpful.

Thanks for helping Keni find the info at my site Brundlefly.

best regards,
mike

mike_mccue


I just read the thread. I am glad to think that something I wrote while ago may still be pertinent and helpful.

Thanks for helping Keni find the info at my site Brundlefly.

best regards,
mike

...and an extra thanks from me!

Hi Mike...

Your instructions made it very easy... I think I've been tangled between the collection of files needed for this thing to work. I believe I loaded a sample this way, but couldn't find how to load the other samples and determine their' settings... so I went to the sfz only to be tangled more in the myriad of file types used here. (flo?)... and I couldn't get it to work. I use notepad for my sfz editing as I've always been a somewhat seat-of-the-pants programmer... ;-)

I never had any trouble editing sfz files of the simple type... These were a challenge...

Thanks again...
Keni