Scarbee Imperial Drums XL Virtual Instrument

Scarbee Imperial Drums (SID) XL builds on the roots of the first Imperial Drums release, adding a wealth of amazing new features and a new 'virtual home' in the form of Steinberg's cutting edge HALion Player virtual sampler. Scarbee's approach to drum sampling is to get as much detail as possible from a selection of drums, making it possible to create authentic sounding grooves, or any other kind of sound, thanks to the direct-to-disk concept, where the drums are recorded dry without any coloration other than what is naturally imparted by the room, mics and preamps.

Features
51 different drums from renowned manufacturers; 3 bass drums, 7 Snare Drums, 3 sets of Toms, 3 Hi Hats, 4 Ride Cymbals, a full set of Cymbals (2 Chinas, 3 Splashes, 4 Crashes) and some cool additions.

13 different stick types; 3 beater types for bass drums.

Multitrack to Multiple outputs version of each drum.

Stereo mixdown versions of each drum in different fashions.

Extremely long samples recorded in 88.2 KHz / 24 Bit resolution, released at 44.1 KHz / 24 Bit.

Tons of Midi groove files already included and customized for SID-XL

ModWheel, KeySwitch and Midi CC technique switch and positional control.

GM compatible mapping version of every drum.

Roland V-Drums support.

Disk Streaming Sample-Based Virtual Instrument included (Steinberg HALion Player 3.2).

Stand Alone, Rewire, VST, DXi and Audio Units supported.

256 Voices per instance, 16-way multi-timbral, 2 stereo outputs, 12 mono outputs.

Sample/accurate… read more timing and automation thanks to perfect VST integration.

Total recall: all samples are saved with your song, including their respective settings.

Programs can be deeply edited and saved by owners of the full fledged Steinberg HALion 3.2 (or better) sampler.

Minimum Memory requirements as low as 512 MB for the stereo kits (1 GB for multi channel kits). For Example: one Multi channel Kit with Large drums requires just 180 MB of RAM in our tests with 0.20 secs preload (subject to disk drive performance).

Steinberg RAM SAVE technology allows for big savings in terms of RAM once the drum part has been laid down.

More Features
* Disk Streaming Sample-Based Virtual Instrument included (Steinberg HALion Player)

* Stand Alone, Rewire, VST, DXi and Audio Units supported

All of the original SID "classic" content + * more than 25 new drums (including 5 new snares)

* All new Ludwig Vistalite drumkit (John Bonham) and Remo Rototom set

Multitrack to Multiple outputs version of each drum

* Stereo mixdown versions of each drum in many different fashions

12 different stick types; 3 beater types for bass drums

Endless kits combinations possible

* Lots of Midi groove files already included and customized for SID-XL

ModWheel, KeySwitch and Midi CC technique switch and positional control

* GM/Roland V-Drums compatible mapping version of every drum

Scarbee Sound Quality

Same production team and environment as the original SID: Elio Rivagli on drums, Simone Coen producing, editing and recording and re-recording, Maurizio Macchioni engineering

11 DVDs (47 GB)

* The star mark indicates a new feature when compared to SID "Classic"

Facts
Based on Steinberg HALion 3.1 technology featuring HALion Player engine working on both PC Windows XP (DXi, VSTi, Stand Alone, Rewire) and Mac OS X (VSTi, Audio Units, Stand Alone, Rewire)

License can be easily transferred to any other Syncrosoft/Steinberg USB key the user might already have

Programs can be deeply edited and saved by owners of the full fledged Steinberg HALion 3.2 sampler

Easy upgrade of programs and fixing of eventual "broken" samples

Minimum Memory requirements as low as 512 MB for the stereo kits (1 GB for multi channel kits). For Example: one Multi channel Kit with Large drums eats just 180 MB in our tests with 0.20 secs preload (subject to disk drive performance)

Custom Output names shown in Steinberg Cubase SX 3.0 and Nuendo 3.0 and above

Steinberg RAM SAVE technology allows for big savings in terms of RAM once the drum part has been laid down

* The star mark indicates a new feature when compared to SID "Classic"

Ease of Use
* Easy to use Q-Controls make up for easy access to crucial SID-XL parameters like each drum's mic volumes (it is now easy to, for example, lower the AMBience mic volume only in the bass drum) and fine/coarse tuning

Single Midi Channel functionality adds for an easier programming and learning curve

Stereo processed versions of the drums: more complete and wider user experience - best of both worlds

Stereo versions are presented in 'natural sounding', 'heavily-processed' and 'remix-oriented' fashions: lots of styles covered

Stereo versions of the drums can be easily exchanged with the multi-miced ones at mixdown time if required

Stereo versions require minimum RAM and Disk Streaming Performance

Any production approach can be exploited by this single product: song writers, pre production, film music writers, music for commercial writers and all the 'pros in a hurry' will make use of the stereo processed versions, while all other uses, including production, mixing and all other 'pro' needs will be satisfied by the multi-miced drums

Every drum is now presented also in a GM compatible / Roland V-Drums mapping version

Preview bank: allows for a fast & easy comparison and choice of the different drums in SID-XL

* The star mark indicates a new feature when compared to SID "Classic"

Professional Drums tracks made easy
Full set of Midi files providing Midi grooves optimized for SID-XL: played live on a Midi drum kit by drummer Elio Rivagli and optimized by producer Simone Coen

Newly revised manual with step-by-step tutorials on making the best out of SID-XL (also Quicktime movies): using, programming and mixing. Hints on drum programming

* The star mark indicates a new feature when compared to SID "Classic"

Top Sound Quality
Scarbee means industry wide renowned top sound quality

Recordings made at 88.2 KHz and 24 Bit: crisper highs and deeper lows

Product Release is at 44.1 KHz / 24 Bit industry standard

88.2 to 44.1 KHz is the cleanest sounding sample rate conversion possible (discrete-rate-based conversion: 1/2)

Dry room sound allows for an easier customization and mixing of the drums: you can really fit it to the song needs

New sounds sampled in the same room the original SID was recorded in by the same production team (producers, engineer and drummer)

Multimic version is totally dry, direct from microphone to preamp and converters; no processing applied to the samples

Some SID-XL new drums feature multiple mic choices

Stereo processed versions engineered by first call sound engineers and by Simone Coen, produced by Simone Coen

Extremely low noise: playing groups of hits there is not any perceived added noise

* The star mark indicates a new feature when compared to SID "Classic"

What's inside the package
All of the original SID content in a new reworked and optimized version

Factory Kits are now built from the L (Large) drums, striking the perfect balance between quality, speed of loading and RAM usage; users can easily exchange any drum with a lighter (Medium) or deeper (X-Large or XXLarge) version at any time during production

Mod Wheel control of Hi Hat opening (up to 14 steps) and Ride Cymbal (up to 5 steps) playing positions

Simultaneous Key Switch and Midi CC (#74) control of Snare playing positions: user can choose which one to use even in the same session without having to reload programs; helpful with any kind of controller Keyboard

Multiple drumsticks: Vic Firth wooden drumsticks, Vic Firth brushes, HotRods, Blasticks, Webs, Vic Firth mallets, * Vic Firth Rute 303 brushes, * Vic Firth Rock Rake, * Vic Firth Jazz Brush, * Vic Firth Blades, Hands, Hands Mute and Fingers

Wood *, Plastic and Felt bass drum beaters

A full set of Remo Rototoms

The Ludwig Vistalite "plastic orange" drumkit widely used in the '70s by the infamous John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and others

New output scheme allows for separate outputs from each single Tom drum

Real Drum Names makes for an easier categorization, memorization and recall by users

Multiple micings versions on some of the new content: 4 different mics on Bass Drums (choice of 2 at a time), 2 on Snare Over (top), 2 on Hi Hat, 2 sets of Overheads mics, 2 sets of Ambience mics; they all fit with the others perfectly

Snare Drums: left and right arm samples, keyswitch and Midi CC control of playing style (standard-center of the snare, reverse stick, rim hit), dedicated keys to real flam hits, ghost hits, snare presses and others

Hi Hats: left and right arm samples, dedicated keys to different pedal fx, mod wheel control of cymbal opening

Toms: left and right arm samples and/or dedicated keys to real flam hits

Massive number of samples for each hit: the XXL drums feature up to 80 velocity switches for each technique/hand - No need for the 'mechanical' Round Robin: it is almost impossible to hit the same sample twice

Impressive dynamic range: any style can be covered, from subtle and intimate to headbanging

GM/Roland V-Drums mapping makes use of automatic Round Robin feature to overcome GM mapping limitations and help expression with drum pads

The biggest MultiMic drums come in up to 4 different flavours: memory needs can be halved or doubled easily switching from L (standard) to M, and from L to XL and XXL versions.

* The star mark indicates a new feature when compared to SID "Classic" read less