Thx Ollie. This all makes complete sense, especially the lack of hits (only 2!) per gradient layer in EZd libraries. Now I understand a) why those fast snare fills sound more convincing using the Avatar library than EZd libraries, and b) why the SD Avatar library is ~20GB and a typical EZd kit is only 1-2GB. And thx for your MHE explanation. Now I understand how MHE works, it makes perfect sense too and tallies with my user experience.
The problem with only 2 hits per gradient layer and switching Semi Seq on is that it makes the drums unmixable without seriously mashing them in some way. This means that basically most of the time in EZx I'm using just one snare sample, because I personally prefer a constant-sounding snare rather than one that goes "tick tock". This seems a shame, given all the effort that was put into recording so many samples and how many of them there are: I still mainly use just one!!
Given the choice, I'd prefer 20 different snare hits in the 90-115 velocity layer and none below 90, rather than a load of quiet and super-loud hits which I never use (including the hard hits V=127, which often sound like the drummer is really whaling it... ...and to me is too full on). But other users may have a different opinion and I understand that.
I'm a big fan of the Americana kit snare sound and its components (based on just one sample!). The snare top has a nice thump to it, the snare bottom has a nice crack, the overheads have a nice ambient sound (and the snare is pretty closely centred in the overheads - unlike some other kits, SD Avatar for example!!) and the ambience is great too. They all ring out realistically and don't seem to be "choked" at the end (which sometimes seems to happen, presumably for data-per-sample-limitiation reasons). It's just a shame there's only 2 samples per gradient velocity layer...
So here's my question. Actually 2 questions:
1. Which SD expansion has "natural" sounding drums which respond to moderate processing i.e. which sounds most like Americana? Basically I"m looking for Americana with lots of hits per gradient layer.
2. Which are the EZx2 expansions? How do I know whether an EZx is an EZx1 with limited gradient hit samples, are an EZx2 with more?
Thx very much and rgds,
Mark