[I apologize for re-posting, but I thought this might be a good topic to start...]

Hey, I was really excited to hear about the pan addition, it even makes me want to finally upgrade from VD1...but I was reading the keymaps you made and it looks like some of the pan ranges leave a bit to be desired.  For example...it looks on the map like the Double 2nd pan goes only down to F where most of the drums I've played...go to E.  Just wondering if anyone knew for sure, (or a workaround, if indeed tapspace bailed).  Most pan arrangements utilize at leat 5 voices, I can't believe VD2.5 only has the bare bones band of 4 voices.  My wish list would include -Lead, double Tenors, double Seconds, Triple Guitar AND Cello pan, and 6 Bass.  at the minimum...and please get the full ranges. 

P.S. anyone know what maker the sampled pans were from???

This response is about the Steel Pan samples-see my earlier post also about this subject.  Today, I finally got to hear the pan sounds while visiting a friend who recently got the 2.5 library.  I have to say, I'm COMPLETELY dissapointed.  I hate to rip on VD because the marching sounds work well and there are SO many pit sounds and cymbals options...awesome. 
I write steel pan literature as one of my main passions...I have played in world-class Collegiate Steel Bands for about 8 years now (two different schools) and have heard many types, builders and tuners of pans.  I'm not trying to be a ";pan snob"; but these sounds remind me of steel drum instruments that a middle-school might have, they sound cheap and probably are taken from poor quality instruments as well as played by bad players. 
I don't know what builder the instruments are from, but I venture to say it's not one of the most respected builders out there.  I know this is a personal preference, but I think the Mannette pans have the richest, best sound out there...but other tuners/builders (Coyle, and even Panyard) typically sound way better than these samples.  My guess is that the pans themselves are the problem, they sound thin and cold.  It even sounds like the player who recorded the samples was inexperienced, playing too loud throughout the range of the pan, and not hitting ";sweet spots"; of the notes creating a very brash, unpleasant sound.  It feels like we got world-class mallet percussion and drumline, while the pan sounds are entry-level at best.

Unfortunately, I won't be buying VD 2.5 anytime soon...sorry pan lovers, although I thought this 2.5 upgrade was gonna finally answer our prayers, it seems that tapspace dropped the ball for us.  I understand that the process of sampling instruments is probably way more complicated than I know, but I'd like to think that if we can get multiple cymbal/mallet/and keyboard percussion options, we can at least get the full ranges of pans as well a decent sound. 

I'd be more than happy to help out in anyway I could for a future pan update...

Mike Wendeln

Mike-

Thanks for the comments.�� Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the Samples.�� As concert/rudimental percussionist, I, personally, was very pleased with the Steel Pan Samples that are included with VDL 2.5 - although I do not have the ear that you might have as I am not an experienced pan player.�� However, barely having to pay anything to get fairly high quality samples is a huge thing and something I commend Tapspace on.�� Some other programs would have users pay hundreds of dollars for an upgrde that you would have to pay just to get the Intel compatibility and the new sounds.��

If you have some suggestions to how we can make those sounds better we would be welcome to any you have.�� Please use this link and I would be happy to forward that information along to the developers of the sounds.

[url]https://www.tapspace.com/support/faq/index.php?sid=264066&lang=en&action=contact[/url]

Thanks again for any suggestions you may have, and thanks for helping make Virtual Drumline better.

I will definitely forward some comments to the webmaster, thanks...

But, come on: ";barely having to pay anything to get fairly high quality samples.";  For a freelance percussion teacher, I believe many people would consider $200 more than ";barely anything.";  Plus, like I did for VD1, many people need new computers and midi keyboards as well, just to get up and running.
I'm not saying it's not worth it...simply put, VD 2.5 is the best thing out there...so far.  But, the money I'd been saving for 2.5 and it's pan sounds will be staying in the bank for now.

thought I'd ";chime"; in.


I was and AM VERY pleased that steel drums are included in VDL2.5 They are the best samples I've heard of pans.�� Garageband has them and they are almost decent, but no where near VDL2.5�� - thanks so much!!

Now, I must say that I was really disappointed with the quality of instruments used.�� I agree 100% that these sound like toys compared to ";real"; pans (I use PANYARD)�� - which surprised me since they use some of the best instruments in the concert library and marching library. (Although I wouldnt compare an Adams marimba with a Demarrow or Marimba One or Cole, but hey they sound great non the less!!)

Now you have to understand that PANYARD or Mannette may have not given permission to have their instruments ";given away"; to every recording house in the world.��

I would personally LOVE to see the quality of PAN on this collection to rival everything else on it, but for now, I'll make due. (cause what other options exist out there?---non that I'm aware of)

Hey guys,

Thanks for your comments. The steel drum sounds were something of a last-minute addition to the development of VDL 2.5. Truth be told, there were no strategic plans to even have these in the library at all. An opportunity arose to where we could do a quick session with a local group, so we decided to add it as a bonus. The instruments used are certainly not world class instruments, but we still felt it'd be better to have something rather than nothing. Steel drum orchestras are something of their own niche, and the pans in VDL 2.5 certainly aren't claiming to fill that niche from all angles. To do so would have required significantly more development time and would have held up the 2.5 update, which was already a very time consuming endeavor. So until we can focus on the possibility of a more dedicated pan project, we're happy that we could at least start to address this niche. Wabi-sabi and all. :)

[quote]I would personally LOVE to see the quality of PAN on this collection to rival everything else on it, but for now, I'll make due. (cause what other options exist out there?---non that I'm aware of)[/quote]

Here is the only other sample library of Steel Drum that I have ever seen or used. . . Hope that helps. :)

X Sample disc 4 Percussion

[url]http://www.midi-classics.com/f/f16698.htm[/url]

Cool, thank for chatting about the issue Jim.  I truly hope that you guys do work on a ";pan project"; sometime soon. 

it could be an ";add on"; later.  Need it?  Buy it sort of thing.

...or just buy a sample library that focuses on that sort of percussion if it means that much to you.

$200 is fairly inexpensive in the world of soft synths, and for what VDL offers, the price is ridiculously cheap.

These sort of things can get expensive if you want top quality.  I just spent $340 for an EQ.  VDL is $200, and does a hell of a lot more than my Sony Oxford EQ.

[quote author=TylerDurden link=topic=1978.msg9996#msg9996 date=1189486026]
...or just buy a sample library that focuses on that sort of percussion if it means that much to you.

$200 is fairly inexpensive in the world of soft synths, and for what VDL offers, the price is ridiculously cheap.

These sort of things can get expensive if you want top quality.�� I just spent $340 for an EQ.�� VDL is $200, and does a hell of a lot more than my Sony Oxford EQ.
[/quote]

Except it dosen't exist yet that I'm aware of.�� Thats why this could REALLY be a big deal for us Pansters.

I agree VDL2.5 is a joke at $200.
go buy ANY real instrument found in this package and its well over $200, well maybe not the cowbells......

Truth be told, If it were not for the good graces of the VDL developers, then none of us poor educators would have any realistic sounds to compose with. If they had the mentality if say, <insert cooperation here>, they would release it for around 500 bucks, wait for all the diehard fans to buy it, then change the price to 350 bucks so all the poor teachers/students out there could scrounge up enough to get it.

I have the same kinda beef with people who whine about there not being an ";educational"; price for VDL2. It IS the educational price. It's like when you go to wal*mart and the soda is like 89c and then you go to giant/food lion/krooger and the soda is 1.29 but you get 40c off with your shoppers card. Why mess with the shoppers card? :)�� The last thing that tapspace needs to do with their sparse free time is check the validity of educational customers vs professionals. Not to mention that most of their customers ARE educational.

Speaking of their free time,�� we're lucky they provide the best tech support of any library/plugin out there. What other company gives you get a reply to a tech question the same day you posted it by the same people that MADE IT!? Has anyone even called tech support for say Dell? You'll be lucky to get someone who speaks english....

Ok mini rant over :)�� Tapspace is my hero.

We have free time?  Jim, you never mentioned anything about free time!  :)

Thanks, Charlie!  I think I speak for the rest of the TapSpace testers and support people in saying that not only do we obviously love working with VDL,  but we also love helping people use it.

^^ Definitely!!  ^^