Steven Slate Drums

89
WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM FEBRUARY 2019 |
PRICES
£149 (full), $99 (upgrade
from SSD4)
SOUNDS
270
KITS
138
SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS
Mac or PC
1GHz Intel Dual Core
Processor or AMD
Equivalent
4 GB of RAM
Compatible DAW/host
(AAX, VST, AU)
WEB
stevenslatedrums.com
Essential spec
VERDICT: If you want an easy way of
expanding your e-kit sounds for
recording or just jamming, SSD is a lot
of fun, and most importantly it sounds
great too.
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
RATING
Likewise, whatever is going on under the
hood has worked: the samples feel and
sound more ‘organic’ in response to our
hits, with a much more natural, less
mechanical sound between velocity levels,
even with the kits and samples from
earlier versions.
Steven Slate Drums has always been
known for its heavy, rock-friendly sound,
and this is no exception. There are some
phenomenal kits included within the new
Deluxe 2 sample set ranging from pointy,
weighty kits brimming with clarity and cut,
to big, open, roomy-sounding drums. But
even with the inclusion of some more jazz
and vintage-oriented sounds, there’s still a
signature fl avour of SSD’s modern sonic
aesthetic. Another welcome addition is
that of hand claps, cowbell and
tambourine, which while simple are a
handy inclusion.
Since the last SSD release, Toontrack
has raised the bar signifi cantly by
combining a mammoth library with
additional features such as effects
processing, sample replacement and
more. With Slate’s Trigger being an
industry-leading application for sample
replacement, we wondered if it might
include some of the technology in SSD 5,
but sadly not.
It’s at this point that we should note
that SSD 5 comes in at around £100 less
than Superior Drummer 3, so while they
might seem like a natural comparison, this
isn’t really the case any longer. With this
version, we’d suggest that SSD positions
itself nicely as one of the go-to products
for drummers looking for high-quality, yet
still affordable sounds with which to
expand the scope of their e-kit. It’s still
very much rooted in the world of classic/
hard rock and metal overall, but that
covers a lot of ground for many.
One of the key strengths of Steven
Slate Drums is its ease of use: you don’t
need to get bogged-down in further
processing. If the Audix D6 is the no-fuss
kick drum microphone, SSD is defi nitely
the plug-and-play sound source for
immediacy with album-ready drum sounds
from your e-kit.
TRY IT FOR FREE
Current SSD owners can upgrade
for $99, while there is a free version
featuring one fully-loaded kit
EXPANSION PACKS
Previous Slate packs produced by
the likes of Chris Lord-Alge and
Terry Date are compatible and
benefi t from the upgraded software
RHY290.gear_slate.indd 89 12/20/18 2:14 PM