If you plan to use any of the non-pitched percussion instruments from VDL:2 with a notation program such as Sibelius or Finale, it is highly recommended that you use a MIDI keyboard. The various instruments within VDL:2 contain a huge variety of sounds (for example: RH hit, LH hit, RH rim, LH rim, short cresc. buzz roll, medium cresc. buzz roll, etc). These various sounds are mapped across several octaves in VDL:2. To input one of these sounds into Sibelius or Finale, a MIDI keyboard is by far the most efficient way to accomplish this so that it knows exactly which sound (which is mapped to a specific MIDI pitch) you intend.

There are many low-cost USB keyboard controllers available today (such as the M-Audio Keystation 49) that can accomplish this without hitting your wallet too hard. Also, any MIDI keyboard with a "MIDI-Out" port will work as well as long as you connect it to your computer via a compatible MIDI interface such as M-Audio's Midisport series.

As an alternative, you may use an on-screen solution. Mac users can use the very cool utility MidiKeys. Windows users can try an on-screen keyboard such as the Granucon Virtual MIDI Keyboard or Bome's Mouse Keyboard which can be set to "float" above your main program (Sibelius or Finale).