Texture brings a touch of professionalism and emotion, essential elements in audio production. There are several methods to achieve texture, one of which is Percussion, which the Strikeforce 2 plugin offers. Now, the question arises: So, what exactly is percussion?
Percussion instruments are typically played by striking or shaking. It adds rhythm, emotion, and texture to the sound.
There are many types of percussion. They lie under two categories. Pitched percussions (Timpani, Timpani, Vibraphone,Xylophone) and unpitched percussions (Cymbals Tambourine, Tambourine)
Many plugins that provide percussion sounds are available on the market. One of them is the Laboratory Sounds Strikeforce 2 plugin.
This plugin includes almost every type of percussion sound.
So. in this article, I will discuss the following topics about this plugin.
- Key Features
- Detailed overview
- Technical Information and system requirements
- Uses and applications
- Comparison with the Strikeforce 1
- FAQs
- Review
- Conclusion
Key Features:
- This is the Kontakt player plugin. You will need a Kontakt player to run this plugin.
- This plugin is actually a sampler plugin. It is a Hollywood percussion library with instruments.
- All the samples and instruments in this VST were recorded in the Ocean Wave Studio in Nashville, a Gothic Revival Greystone Crunch.
- This plugin comes with 16 velocity layers and a round-robin.
- This plugin also supports the midi mapping.
- Out of 145 percussion instruments, this synth VST consists of 75 complete kits and 50 solo drums.
- This plugin lets you play the percussion sound in 5 different octaves. The keyboard displays different colors for each octave range.
Detailed Overview:
In this article, I will discuss each element or function of this plugin in detail. Let’s start with the Round
Round Robins:
This plugin includes 16 round robins. Now, the question arises, what are round robins? Let me tell you in detail. Each sample in this plugin is recorded multiple times.
Let’s say your composition includes five shots of the same percussion sound. After playing the first shot by pressing the key on the keyboard, the other shot will not sound the same even though you pressed the same key on the MIDI keyboard.
This plugin has multiple recorded samples of each shot. Let’s say you play the snare drum five times by pressing a key on the keyboard, and then the plugin does not play the same sample or recording of the snare drum each time.
After playing the first recording of the snare drum, the plugin played the other recording of the same snare drum for the second time. this means that when you play a drum or percussion instrument, the plugin will use a different sample from the set of available round-robin samples each time you trigger the sound.
All these different recordings of the same sample are called round robins.
This plugin feature is useful because it maintains the organic feel of the sound and tries to emulate the actual person playing the sound each time.
As mentioned above, this plugin has 16 round robins, meaning each sample is recorded 16 times.
Mic Mixes:
There are two modes of mixes in this plugin.
- Close Mic Mix mode
- Far Mic Mix mode
These mic mixes are actually the reference of positions of the microphones by which the samples are recorded.
Close Mic Mix:
This mode of mic means that when the samples were being recorded, the recording mic was placed close to the source. This mode gives you a clearer and more punchy sound from the plugin.
If you select this mode, the plugin’s output will have less room noise and echo signal.
This mode also allows the user to design the sound by pitch, attack, decay, and release.
Far Mic Mix:
This mode of mic means that when the samples were being recorded, the recording mic was placed at a distance from the source. This setup picks up more of the room’s acoustics and ambiance.
This mode introduces a sense of room recording as it picks up some of the room reflections
This mode also allows the user to design the sound by pitch, attack, decay, and release.
Blend:
This plugin also lets the user blend the far and close mic mix sound with the blend option. Here is a visual representation of this option.
Keyboard Octaves:
The keyboard of this list is divided into five octaves. The pink-colored keys have the sample’s real pitch, and other keyboard sections are pitched up or down.
In other words, when you play the pink keys of the keyboard, the plugin output will be the instrument’s real voice without any pitch modification.
On the other hand, the keyboard sections consist of a pitch-modulated signal, meaning when you press those keys, then the plugin outputs will be the sound whose pitch will be different from the original recording.
Panning Controls of the Strikeforce 2:
You can also set the panning for each element of the percussion kit with the help of panning knobs given at the bottom of the plugin.
Panning creates a sense of realism and gives the sound a natural feel. It gives space to every instrument and avoids clashing similar-sounding instruments. It also gives the sounds a sense of space and depth.
Technical details and System requirements:
- Laboratory Audio – Strikeforce 2: Cinematic Percussion v1.0.1 (Kontakt)
- Original Publisher: Laboratory Audio
- Version: 1.0.1
- Category: Kontakt Library, Sound Libraries
- Require: Kontakt (7.7.0+)
- License type: Full
- Size on Disc: 14.91 GB
Uses and Applications:
Film and Game Scoring:
This list is mainly based on percussion and related instruments. Percussion is mainly used in film and game scoring, as it creates a sense of suspense and thrill. So, this VST can be used for cinematic film scores, trailers, and video game soundtracks.
Layering Drums:
Layering is a powerful technique mainly used by producers to make their mixes sound full and rich. This plugin consists of powerful percussion and cinematic drums, which can be used for layering. By layering these percussion sounds under our normal drums and one shots, the mix can sound rich and full.
Music Production:
Although cinematic percussion is rarely used in song production, a trend has emerged in using cinematic sounds in songs. So, this VST can also be used for music production.
Comparison with the strikeforce 1:
| Features | Strikeforce 1 | Strikeforce 2 |
| Sound Library | It has only the cinematic sounds. | It includes the cinematic sounds and also the hybrid sounds |
| User Interface | It has a basic interface that is user friendly. It has limited features. | It has a basic and user-friendly interface. It has some advanced features |
| Customization | It offers limited customizations | Its interface seems to be modern, and it also has better navigation along with some additional features. |
| Integration | Compatible with most DAWs | Enhanced compatibility and integration, especially with newer DAWs and software updates |
| Additional Features | Focused on percussion sounds | It focuses more on sound layering, more mic positions, and advanced routing options |
| Size on Disc | 17.1 GB | 14.91 GB |
FAQs
Can Strikeforce 2 be used in commercial projects?
Yes, this cinematic drum vest can be used for commercial projects, such as ads and film scoring. This Cinematic percussion VST is licensed for this purpose.
Can I get technical support for this Cinematic percussion VST?
Yes, technical support is also available for this VST. To access it, visit the plugin’s official site, which may include a knowledge base, user forums, and direct contact options for customer service.
What DAWs are compatible with this Film scoring percussion VST?
This VST is compatible with most of the DAWs. The list of these DAWs is given below.
- Ableton Live
- FL Studio
- Logic Pro
- Cubase
- Pro Tools
- Studio One
- Reaper
- Bitwig Studio
- Digital Performer
- Reason Studios
- Cakewalk by BandLab
- Nuendo
- GarageBand
- Samplitude
- Tracktion/Waveform
Can I customize the sounds in this Film by scoring percussion VST?
Yes, this VST allows for sound customization. This plugin offers a panning of each element in the drum kit. Close and far mix mic modes are also available in this VST, which play an important role in sound shaping.
On the other hand, round robins are also a good medium for adding realism to this plugin’s output. This plugin also offers other traditional effects, such as EQ, Reverb, Delay, etc., to customize the sound.
My Honest Review of the Strikeforce 2:
This review reflects my personal opinion and experience with the plugin. I have purchased the plugin myself and have no affiliation with the company. I have not received any compensation or free products for this review. My opinions are entirely my own, and they may differ from yours. The content of this review is intended to provide information and assistance to potential users.
I have used the Strike Force 1 plugin in my commercial projects for a long time. When I heard about this new plugin version, I also tested it for a long time. Here is my honest review of the Cinematic Percussion VST, with pros and cons.
First, let’s talk about the pros of this plugin.
The first thing I liked about this plugin is its sound quality. Its sound quality is very good and professional, making me feel that the actual percussion is being played before me. That is why this VST is perfect for film and game scoring.
Its user interface is also user-friendly. Although it is a bit complex, as it offers a wide range of customizations, it is easily understandable for beginners and advanced users.
This plugin offers round robins, panning, close and far mic mix, EQ, reverb, delay, etc, which can be very helpful in adding emotions and realism to the sound. All these features make the audience feel that the actual player is playing the percussion, not the plugin.
These were the pros, and now let’s talk about the cons I faced while using this plugin.
This plugin includes high-quality sound, requiring a lot of CPU and RAM. This can be a problem for users with low-spec PCs. Running multiple plugin instances at a time can also cause performance issues.
This plugin mostly consists of cinematic sound that can be used for film and game scoring and less for song production. So, this list is not for those who produce EDM, Hip Hop, etc.
Conclusion:
- This cinematic sound VST was developed by Laboratory Sounds, which offers cinematic percussion sounds that can be used for film and game scoring.
- This plugin includes 145 percussion instruments; 75 are complete kits, and the remaining are one-shots.
- 41 medium and small percussion instruments! (16 loops in 6 dynamic layers)
- 12 other percussion instruments (16-32 loops)
- This VST requires a high amount of PC and RAM
