I was a HUGE Rapture fan. But when Rapture Pro first came out, I thought it was a
major step backward. Its only saving grace was it did a better job with Dim Pro programs than Dim Pro itself. There were reliability issues, volume matching issues, missing sample issues...just trying to use the same expansion packs on my desktop and laptop was problematic.
But there have been several updates, to the point that I now use Rapture Pro all the time. It seems that those with the most success just let the installer do its thing. Later you can move the samples elsewhere and point to them, as
scook has detailed in several posts. It seems that when you start moving
program files to other locations R-Pro isn't too happy about that. I leave them on the C: drive because they don't take up much space.
There's still room for improvement if you're creating sounds for it, like when you go to save a program and Rapture Pro takes you to a folder with samples if that's what you used last. Also, the modulation matrix doesn't "tear off" so you have to switch back and forth between views more than I'd like, and more than you had to do with Rapture. A few keyboard shortcuts would be killer...so would something like the "Quick Grouping" that SONAR has when you want to make changes across multiple elements.
Now, here's the really good stuff.
- The Instruments page. If you have a controller with sliders and knobs, having this degree of real-time control is wonderful.
- The modulation options. Step sequencing is off the hook, you can do all kinds of incredible modulations...including subtle randomizing effects that bring programs to life.
- The effects. No, they're not as good as many plug-ins...but, being able to build particular sounds into a program, and control them from the Instruments page, gets extra points from me.
- The multiple filter responses and DSP options. Tying these to modulation can do all kinds of sonic mutations.
- SFZ-based format. The SFZ format appears daunting but once you become fluent in it - which looks much harder than it is - you can assemble your own instruments easily.
I created the Gibson Bass Expansion Pack for Rapture Pro and unless I'm playing an actual electric bass, it's all I use for bass parts. Part of that is because of what I can do with the sounds in Rapture Pro, and part of it is being able to create my own programs easily, so I sampled slides and other idiomatic elements. I'm finishing up a new expansion pack called Syntronic which is heavily electronic but based on twisting the living daylights out of guitar samples...for those who remember my Electronic Guitars expansion pack for Rapture, this is the far more sophisticated follow-up.
So yeah...Rapture Pro is cool. It does things other instruments don't do. For those who don't want to get deep into creating programs, the sample library has some real winners in there.