Phase-accurate drum replacer paired with 10 virtual drum kits from Steve Slate Drums.
Slate Digital's Trigger EX drum sample library is a package deal that includes their next-generation drum replacement VST/RTAS/AU plug-in, Trigger, as well as the drum sample collection Steven Slate Drums' Signature Drum Kits EX Edition.
Trigger Advanced Drum Replacer
Slate Trigger is an exceptional way to take your drum sounds to the next level without fuss or hassle. With its phase-accurate engine, extreme detail, natural response, multiple drum layers, and the professional Steven Slate drum sample library that's included, you'll never have to worry about drums again.
Trigger drum replacer plug-in has a phase-accurate multilayered triggering engine. This means that in one instance of the plug-in, you can seamlessly trigger multiple samples simultaneously such as a close mic sample, stereo overhead sample, and a stereo room mic samples. Or, mix many direct mic samples to develop your own custom unique sounds. The Slate Trigger's multichannel triggering functionality allows the user to recreate the sound of natural drums with real multitracked samples. Each sample layer has parameters for customization such as velocity and dynamic control, attack, sustain, release, and independent levels. Other features of the Slate Trigger EX include 2 detection modes, MIDI in/out, automation of detecting parameters, up to 127 different articulations per instrument, up to 127 velocity layers per instrument and up to 127 alternation hits per velocity layer, and a unique Leakage Suppression function.
Phase Accurate Triggering
When using the Slate Trigger drum sample plug-in, you will hear tight, phase-accurate drum triggering without unwanted mistriggers, flamming, or phasing. Kick samples line up tight with the original kick drums, snare drum transients align perfectly, and tom fills come out exactly like the original tracks.
Leakage Suppression
Slate Digital Trigger has the unique functionality to be set in a way that in can automatically be instructed to not trigger certain leakages on a virtual drum track using its Leakage Suppression mode. Using the Leakage Suppression technology you can trigger a drum track with 100% accuracy even if this drum track has many loud bleeds from other drums.
Two Detecting Modes
The Slate Trigger EX comes with two detecting modes, Live and Accurate. Live mode is geared for live on-stage triggering and has a close-to-zero latency engine. Accurate mode is the professional studio setting, which enables Slate Trigger EX's advanced engine to replicate the original drum track with the most precise detail and natural velocity response.
SIGNATURE DRUMKITS EX
Steven Slate Drums SIGNATURE DRUMKITS EX contains 10 virtual drum kits including the famous Old Zep kit (an authentic Led Zeppelin model recorded in a stone castle) as well as 5 hybrid kits which use multiple layers of kicks and snare to achieve highly unique sounds.
This complete EX software drum suite conquers all your digital drum needs with an RTAS, VST, AU, and standalone MIDI plug-in, instant presets for all Roland VDrum Modules, hundreds of easy-to-use MIDI grooves in SSD's unique SONG form.
The Samples
At the heart of any virtual drum library are the actual samples themselves. Steven Slate has been called the master of drum sounds. In the early 2000s, his original drum sample disc was in high demand amongst many top Hollywood producers and mixers. By 2006, when he publicly released his first official drum sample disc, his sounds could already be heard in many top billboard hits. Today, the airwaves are filled with Steven's samples, as they are used by top mixers such as Mike Shipley, Chris Lord-Alge, Dave Way, Jeff Juliano, Jay Baumgardner, and more.
Steven has recorded only quality drums, all tuned to perfection. Every drum and cymbal in the Slate Trigger EX sample collection has been recorded first to 2" tape, enhancing their unique, rich sound. Every drum and cymbal was recorded with multiple velocities and multiple hits per velocity to ensure the most natural recreation. Then the samples were transferred to digital via high-end A/D converters at 24-bit/ 44.1khz.
The drum samples were then processed by Steven Slate using some of the most classic analog gear from both past and present. The result are drums that sound like you've always dreamed of, with punchy transients and smooth decays.
SSD Virtual Instrument
The SSD virtual instrument, powered by KONTAKT Player3, is a standalone or RTAS-VST-AU plug-in that is easy to use and integrate into your DAW. It contains both maps for keyboard and a universal mapping for Roland VDrums. With its custom velocity and remapping features, you can also customize your own maps.
New in version 3.5 is the "Advanced AMG" anti-machine gun mode. This algorithm is physically modeled after real drummers playing real drums. Advanced AMG makes the drums play with an extreme amount of realism with detailed response and sensitivity.
Modeled Virtual Drum Sets
While you'll probably find many of the drum kits on Steven Slate Drums are reminiscent of drum kits you've heard from various bands over the years, 13 kits have been authentically modeled for a sound so close, you'll think it is the real thing. The initial EX pack contains the now famous Old Zep kit, modeled after the classic sound of Led Zeppelin. Upgrading with the EX expansions can get you all of the modeled kits, including: Steely Dan, Motley Crue, Metallica, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Dream Theater. Keep in mind, these virtual drum kits model the finalized mixed sounds that you have become familiar with, not just raw recordings of the drummer's kits.
Room Mics
The Steven Slate Drums collection contains two unique sounding sets of room mics. The first set is from a large warehouse with concrete walls. These room mics were processed with heavy doses of compression, EQ, and even modulation to make a larger then life, deep, wide, expressive room sound.
The drums were then sampled in the famous NRG Recording STUDIO A, known for being one of the top drum rooms in Los Angeles. It's been home to bands like Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, Billy Joel, and more. These room mics have been left unprocessed and contain the signature depth and space from this beautiful sounding room.
