what is everyong using for percussion....I'm thinking about getting battery 2 but this would require me to custom make my beats which I can handle but I'm trying to learn to be more time efficient. Any thoughts?

What kind of percussion? And how much are you looking to spend. Percussion is a very large category of instruments.
:)

Beeson

There is a drum samplekit called Drumkit From Hell, which I've heard a lot of musician use. It's really nice, listen to the samples.

I create and collect one-shot drum samples so I haven't paid for one drum sample. Then I load them into a software sampler. You can even use a free one like the one made by GTG.

GTG Vsts



The interface is basic but great, and you can tweak each part of the kit individually. It doesn't offer cool extras like mic bleed as Toontracks Drumkit from Hell Superior, or multiple layers to recreate every nuance of kits like the many libraries available for Gigastudio. But it's free and workable.

I always mention the simple, free stuff first ESPECIALLY if this is your first time with this sort of thing. Not only do you want to practice and see if it's your bag, but you also should learn the most basic setups available and make an educated and informed decision as to which program or library best suits the way you work.

I mean, that's all that Battery is really with a ton more customability. Practice first with the cheap/free stuff and then move on.

To trigger them? I've gotten really good over many years of writing music to playing kits with a keyboard. Otherwise I'd consider M-Audio's Trigger Finger or get a real electronic trap kit synth. Again, that's depending on your skill level and what you're willing to spend.

Good luck!
Tony

thanks for the screenshot that program looks really cool I'll have to check it out. I write drum parts best by conceptualizing them and then use the piano roll to create them with latency plus my mediocre piano skills playing a drum part through the keybaord isnt the best option...if its simple sometimes I do it then quantize it but thats only if its simple. I have experience making rock drum parts and occasionally electronic but am not familiar with orchestral percussion and am curious how people create it....other than the occasional orchestral bass drum or cymbal hit. An example is a "epic battle scene" or something like that, you dont want a drumset persay but not sure how to write a good percussion part. Do people use loops for this? I am assuming not but am curious.

Just as in the drum set, certain drums play certain roles, orchestral percussion is much the same. Epic percussion could have timpani, taiko, toms, snare, bass, tamb., shakers, gong, two kinds of cymbals, chimes, bells, xylophone, marimba.

There are multi-function instruments there.

You have the non-chromatic percussion (non tunable) - taiko, snare, bass, shakers, cymbals, gongs.
Semi-chromatic -(instruments that can have pitch) - timpani, toms, other noticeable percussion instruments that can be tuned.
chromatic percussion - this would be all of your mallet instruments. Bells, Xylo., Chimes, Vibes, ect.

Each of those three groups can have special ways that you write for them. Many times, for example, people use the timpani as an additional bass drum.