Just a friendly little curious poll.  Feel free to add responses or to list how you voted.

I got the poll started with a ";completely"; vote.

I was writing all my music by hand then converting to a notation software at first.

Then I got VDL and started to use the notation software along with VDL to write and play with sounds.
It took a while to enter the music but it was worth it for the sounds.
I got pretty good at shortcut keys in Finale.

I purchased VDL2 when it was first released along with the oxygen 8 midi keyboard.
I switch to Sibelius and my world changed.
Using the VDL2 template and the keyboard has made it possible to write music faster than ever.
I'm able to put my ideas down in minutes VS hours.

VDL2 has helped me go from writing a drum cadence in about 2 weeks (by hand) to a couple hours until completely finished!

I can't wait to hear about VDL3

Thanks!

I think VDL2 has been not only important in writing, but making it possible to communicate the writing to others and be used as a teaching tool.  Now a student can get their part with a click track, which makes practicing more fun too.  Drill designers can hear the parts and stage the battery better.  When it comes to gaining new clients, it's very easy to show examples of your work.  It's much more than just a sound library!

I use to write everything using a pencil and ruler.�� It looked neat but was very time consuming.�� I used VDL 1 on a limited basis and was a frustrated puppy.�� But when VDL 2 and Sibelius 4 got together, my learning curve greatly improved.�� Not only do I now get a publication-quality printout with Sibelius 5, but I can copy out what I need whenever I need it.�� There's no more running to a copy machine and wasting that time.��

Thanks to VDL 2.5, using a recording of the chart by isolating an instrument and/or group of instruments is a major bonus on boosting the player's learning curve.

If some design change needs to be accomodated (instrument change, deletion, addition, cuts, tempo changes, etc.) its much easier to do.
There is better coordination with show designers because of the playback capabilities.��

Also, future business prospects like the fact that they can hear what I write in order to make better/faster decisions on whether to use my services.

Overall, communication of my musical ideas has been enhanced and streamlined.

The ability to playback what you just wrote is wonderful - and to that point, with some of the best sounding percussion samples I've ever heard.  Nuts & bolts explanation:  it's like writing something, then having the SCV drumline/front ensemble play it for you (over & over again).  Wonderful! 

The biggest change for me has been implementing the wide palette of sounds included in VDL.  I'm able to experiment with different sounds, and get exactly what I want, or be inspired to write something different for a musical passage. 

AND (not to make this post too long), it has improved my ";old-school"; writing style.  Every now and then I'll jot down some ideas on paper - and I've noticed that what I envision in my head translates better to the music when I hear it play back with VDL.

Just a few ways VDL has improved my music writing....

my writing used to be with the good old sibelius midi files. Four bass drum sounds, awesomely tasty tenor sounds, and the snare sound was just amazing. Now that i have vdl, and am familiar with it, i love it. It has changed the way i even notate individual licks. With the computer, now anything you've ever wanted a drumline to play is a click away. I spend frequent time experimenting with VDL more and more. VDL is the shit, and nothing compares.

The concept was important enough for me to create my own personal soundfont in 2001.  When VDL1 came along, I didn't have to splice samples into a nasty old process.

VDL2 is a gamechanger, no doubt.

But as anyone here knows, having more than sheet music for kids is a learning tool that is very tangible.  The results were amazing.  And I guarantee that I didn't take an average HS drumline and turn them into 3-time state champs because I'm some guru.  I just had the tools to put in the time in advance, and take the learning curve away from my students.  They could focus on technique, and playing better.

Less time learning, less time sorting out pencil marks, less guessing.  It translates into real results.

It worked well enough that I got two of the kids to go from 'no clue' to D2 DCI champions.  That's all I need to know about Virtual Drumline.