Rikki, yes you can use another VST to handle just the drums. However, you would need to know on which channels the drums are located. They can be all over the place Channel 2, 8, 9 or 10....may be even others. I suppose you could merge all the channels into 10 but that reduces your flexibility of using the Jazz & Brush kit at the same time in any given style.

Rikki, I just took a look to see if it would be feasible to convert Bandstand's Drum kits to Soundfont. This may not be easy. The wave files are accessible but the files that tie it all together into instruments and instruments into kits is not. My guess is that it is part of the Bandstand.dll file (VST or DXi). In kontakt files often come as example.nki files. Such files could be converted. I have tried pulling these files into kontakt but get the error message that I need a newer version of kontakt. I have the newest version.....so it is likely their protection scheme.

I just downloaded the update to Bandstand and will test it tomorrow. It claims to fix some bugs, improve on the 'from disk streaming', etc. So this may improve overall performance including the loading of instruments.

I have done some preliminary checks with computer stores concerning virtual HDs. They have none in stock but would be willing to order them in for me. I will test Bandstand some more and then make up my mind.

Even with these drum headaches, it will take something more for me to even think about switching to any hardware alternatives. The software stuff simiply sounds to good!!!!!


[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 12-05-2005).]