SSD4 Sampler: How to Install, Set Up, and Use Steven Slate Drums' Powerful Drum Sampler
Steven Slate Drums - SSD4 Sampler: A Review
If you are looking for a virtual drum instrument that can give you realistic and professional drum sounds for your music production, you may want to check out Steven Slate Drums - SSD4 Sampler. This software is designed by Steven Slate, a renowned producer and engineer who has worked with artists such as Metallica, Kings X, Motley Crue, Madonna, Seal, OAR, Bowie, and many more. In this article, we will review what SSD4 Sampler is, what it can do, how to install and set up it on Windows, how to use it to create amazing drum tracks, and what are its pros and cons.
Steven Slate Drums - SSD4 Sampler
What is SSD4 Sampler and what can it do?
SSD4 Sampler is a virtual drum instrument that lets you create realistic drum sounds using MIDI. It is based on a powerful sampling engine that can load and play hundreds of drum samples with high fidelity and low latency. You can use SSD4 Sampler as a standalone application or as a plugin in your digital audio workstation (DAW).
SSD4 Sampler features over 100 drum kits, 25 snares, 16 kicks, and hundreds of cymbals from different genres and eras
One of the main attractions of SSD4 Sampler is its huge library of drum sounds that cover a wide range of musical styles. Whether you are into rock, metal, pop, jazz, funk, country, or anything in between, you will find a drum kit that suits your taste. You can also mix and match different drums from different kits to create your own custom kit using the kit editor. You can also choose from 25 different snares, 16 different kicks, and hundreds of cymbals from various brands and models. Some of the drum kits included in SSD4 Sampler are:
Deluxe: A collection of classic and modern drum sounds that are suitable for any genre.
Blackbird: A set of drums recorded at the famous Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, with a vintage and warm tone.
Rock: A selection of hard-hitting and punchy drum sounds that are perfect for rock and metal music.
Jazz: A range of smooth and dynamic drum sounds that are ideal for jazz and fusion music.
Old Zep: A tribute to the legendary Led Zeppelin sound, with a huge and powerful kick, a snappy snare, and massive cymbals.
SSD4 Sampler allows you to customize your drum sounds with advanced controls, effects, and routing options
Another great feature of SSD4 Sampler is its ability to let you tweak and shape your drum sounds to your liking. You can use the mixer to adjust the volume, pan, pitch, and tone of each drum. You can also use the FX rack to add effects such as compression, reverb, delay, and EQ to enhance your drum sound. You can also route each drum to a separate output for further processing in your DAW using the routing menu. You can save your custom settings as presets for future use.
How to install and set up SSD4 Sampler on Windows
If you are interested in trying out SSD4 Sampler, you will need to follow these steps to install and set up it on your Windows computer:
Download and run the SSD4 installer from the Steven Slate Drums website
The first step is to download the SSD4 installer from the official website of Steven Slate Drums. You will need to create an account and log in to access the download page. Once you have downloaded the installer, run it and follow the instructions on the screen. You will need to choose a destination folder for the SSD4 application and plugin files.
Download and extract the SSD4 library files using Win-RAR
The next step is to download the SSD4 library files from the same website. The library files are compressed in RAR format and are divided into several parts. You will need to download all the parts and extract them using Win-RAR or a similar software. You will get a folder named "SSD_Sampler" that contains all the drum samples and presets. You can place this folder anywhere on your computer, but make sure you have enough disk space (about 9 GB).
Download and select the license file from the user/download page
The final step is to download and select the license file that activates your copy of SSD4 Sampler. You will need to go back to the user/download page on the Steven Slate Drums website and click on "Get License". You will get a file named "SSD_Sampler.LIC" that you need to save on your computer. Then, open SSDSampler in your DAW or as a standalone application and click on "Select License File". Browse to the location where you saved the license file and select it. You should see a message that says "License OK".
Open SSDSampler in your DAW and select the base directory and the license file
Now you are ready to use SSD4 Sampler in your music production. You can open it as a plugin in your DAW or as a standalone application. The first time you open it, you will need to select the base directory where you placed the "SSD_Sampler" folder. Click on "Select Base Directory" and browse to the location where you extracted the library files. You will also need to select the license file again if you haven't done so before. After that, you can start loading drum kits and playing with SSD4 Sampler.
How to use SSD4 Sampler to create amazing drum tracks
Once you have installed and set up SSD4 Sampler on your computer, you can start using it to create amazing drum tracks for your songs. Here are some tips on how to use SSD4 Sampler effectively:
Load a drum kit from the preset menu or create your own custom kit using the kit editor
The easiest way to start using SSD4 Sampler is to load a drum kit from the preset menu. You can access this menu by clicking on the "Preset" button at the top left corner of the interface. You will see a list of categories such as Deluxe, Rock, Jazz, etc. Click on a category and then a subcategory and then a specific drum kit. You will hear the drum kit loaded and ready to play. You can also use the arrow keys to navigate through the presets. If you want to create your own custom drum kit, you can use the kit editor. You can access this by clicking on the "Kit" button at the top right corner of the interface. You will see a graphical representation of the drum kit, with each drum having a name and a number. You can click on any drum to change its sound, volume, pan, pitch, and tone. You can also drag and drop drums from the library browser to the kit editor. You can save your custom kit as a preset for future use.
Adjust the volume, pan, pitch, and tone of each drum using the mixer
The next step is to adjust the volume, pan, pitch, and tone of each drum using the mixer. You can access this by clicking on the "Mixer" button at the bottom left corner of the interface. You will see a set of faders and knobs for each drum, as well as a master fader and a solo and mute buttons. You can use these controls to balance the levels of each drum, pan them left or right, change their pitch up or down, and adjust their tone from dark to bright. You can also use the "Randomize" button to randomly change these parameters for some variation.
Add effects such as compression, reverb, delay, and EQ to enhance your drum sound using the FX rack
The next step is to add effects such as compression, reverb, delay, and EQ to enhance your drum sound using the FX rack. You can access this by clicking on the "FX" button at the bottom right corner of the interface. You will see a set of slots for each drum, where you can insert different effects from a menu. You can choose from various types of compression, reverb, delay, EQ, distortion, modulation, and filter effects. You can also adjust the parameters of each effect using the knobs below. You can use these effects to add some punch, depth, space, color, and character to your drum sound.
Route each drum to a separate output for further processing in your DAW using the routing menu
The final step is to route each drum to a separate output for further processing in your DAW using the routing menu. You can access this by clicking on the "Routing" button at the top right corner of the interface. You will see a list of outputs for each drum, where you can assign them to different channels in your DAW. For example, you can route the kick to output 1, the snare to output 2, the hi-hat to output 3, and so on. This way, you can apply different effects and processing to each drum in your DAW for more flexibility and control.
How to play SSD4 Sampler with an e-kit or a MIDI keyboard
If you have an electronic drum kit (e-kit) or a MIDI keyboard, you can use them to play SSD4 Sampler with more realism and expression. Here are some tips on how to play SSD4 Sampler with an e-kit or a MIDI keyboard:
Connect your e-kit or MIDI keyboard to your computer via USB or MIDI cable
The first step is to connect your e-kit or MIDI keyboard to your computer via USB or MIDI cable. Make sure that your device is turned on and recognized by your computer. You may need to install some drivers or software for your device if necessary.
Select an IO map that matches your device from the settings menu
The next step is to select an IO map that matches your device from the settings menu. You can access this menu by clicking on the "Settings" button at the top left corner of the interface. You will see a list of IO maps for different devices such as Roland V-Drums, Yamaha DTXpress, Alesis DM10, etc. Click on the IO map that corresponds to your device and click on "Apply". This will ensure that the MIDI notes from your device will trigger the correct drums in SSD4 Sampler.
Adjust the sensitivity, velocity curve, and mapping of each pad or key using the mapping editor
The next step is to adjust the sensitivity, velocity curve, and mapping of each pad or key using the mapping editor. You can access this by clicking on the "Mapping" button at the bottom left corner of the interface. You will see a list of pads or keys for your device, where you can change their settings. You can use the sensitivity slider to adjust how hard you need to hit the pad or key to trigger a sound. You can use the velocity curve menu to change how the velocity of your hit affects the volume and tone of the sound. You can also use the mapping menu to assign different drums to different pads or keys. For example, you can assign a tom to a cymbal pad or a snare to a hi-hat key. You can save your custom settings as an IO map for future use.
Play along with your favorite songs or record your performance using the record button
The final step is to play along with your favorite songs or record your performance using the record button. You can use the "Song" button at the top right corner of the interface to load a song from your computer and play along with it. You can also use the "Record" button at the bottom right corner of the interface to record your performance as a MIDI file. You can then export this file to your DAW or another software for further editing and mixing.
Pros and cons of SSD4 Sampler
SSD4 Sampler is a powerful and versatile virtual drum instrument that can help you create realistic and professional drum sounds for your music production. However, like any software, it also has its pros and cons. Here are some of them:
Pros:
SSD4 Sampler offers a huge variety of high-quality drum sounds for any genre and style
One of the main advantages of SSD4 Sampler is its large and diverse library of drum sounds that cover a wide range of musical styles. Whether you are into rock, metal, pop, jazz, funk, country, or anything in between, you will find a drum kit that suits your taste. You can also mix and match different drums from different kits to create your own custom kit using the kit editor.
SSD4 Sampler is easy to use and customize with intuitive controls and features
Another advantage of SSD4 Sampler is its ease of use and customization with intuitive controls and features. You can load and play drum kits with just a few clicks, adjust the volume, pan, pitch, and tone of each drum using the mixer, add effects such as compression, reverb, delay, and EQ using the FX rack, route each drum to a separate output using the routing menu, and save your custom settings as presets for future use.
SSD4 Sampler is compatible with most DAWs and MIDI devices and supports multiple formats
A third advantage of SSD4 Sampler is its compatibility with most DAWs and MIDI devices and its support for multiple formats. You can use SSD4 Sampler as a standalone application or as a plugin in your DAW. You can also use it with an e-kit or a MIDI keyboard for more realism and expression. You can also export your performance as a MIDI file or as an audio file in WAV or AIFF format.
Cons:
SSD4 Sampler requires a lot of disk space and RAM to run smoothly
One of the main disadvantages of SSD4 Sampler is its high demand for disk space and RAM to run smoothly. The SSD4 library files take up about 9 GB of disk space, which may be too much for some users with limited storage capacity. The SSD4 application and plugin also require at least 2 GB of RAM to load and play drum samples without glitches or crashes.
SSD4 Sampler may not work well with some older or slower computers or operating systems
Another disadvantage of SSD4 Sampler is its potential incompatibility with some older or slower computers or operating systems. The SSD4 application and plugin require at least Windows 7 or higher (64-bit) or Mac OS X 10.7 or higher (64-bit) to run properly. They also require at least an Intel Core 2 Duo processor (or equivalent) or higher to handle the processing power needed for SSD4 Sampler.
SSD4 Sampler may not have some specific drum sounds or features that some users may want or need
A third disadvantage of SSD4 Sampler is its possible lack of some specific drum sounds or features that some users may want or need. For example, some users may prefer more realistic or organic drum sounds than the processed or polished ones in SSD4 Sampler. Some users may also want more options for editing or manipulating the drum samples, such as changing the pitch envelope, the sample start and end points, the layering and blending of samples, etc. Some users may also want more features such as a groove editor, a step sequencer, a MIDI learn function, etc.
Conclusion
SSD4 Sampler is a virtual drum instrument that can help you create realistic and professional drum sounds for your music production. It has a huge library of drum sounds that cover a wide range of musical styles, an easy-to-use and customizable interface with intuitive controls and features, and a compatibility with most DAWs and MIDI devices. However, it also has some drawbacks, such as its high demand for disk space and RAM, its potential incompatibility with some older or slower computers or operating systems, and its possible lack of some specific drum sounds or features. Therefore, you should weigh the pros and cons of SSD4 Sampler before deciding whether to buy it or not.
FAQs
How much does SSD4 Sampler cost?
SSD4 Sampler costs $149 USD on the official website of Steven Slate Drums. However, you can also find it on sale or bundled with other products from time to time.
Can I use SSD4 Sampler with other Steven Slate Drums products?
Yes, you can use SSD4 Sampler with other Steven Slate Drums products, such as SSD5, Trigger 2, and Expansion Packs. You can load these products as additional libraries in SSD4 Sampler and access them from the preset menu.
Can I use SSD4 Sampler with other virtual drum instruments?
Yes, you can use SSD4 Sampler with other virtual drum instruments, such as EZdrummer 2, Superior Drummer 3, BFD3, Addictive Drums 2, etc. You can load these instruments as plugins in your DAW and use them alongside SSD4 Sampler. You can also use MIDI files from these instruments to trigger the sounds in SSD4 Sampler.
Can I use SSD4 Sampler with real drums?
Yes, you can use SSD4 Sampler with real drums, if you have a way to convert the audio signals from your drums to MIDI signals. You can use a device such as a Roland TM-2 Trigger Module or a software such as Drumagog 5 to do this. You can then use these MIDI signals to trigger the sounds in SSD4 Sampler.
Can I use SSD4 Sampler for live performance?
Yes, you can use SSD4 Sampler for live performance, if you have a reliable computer and audio interface that can handle the processing power and latency required for SSD4 Sampler. You can also use an e-kit or a MIDI keyboard to play SSD4 Sampler live.
dcd2dc6462