Please Recommend Me Drum Production Software

[Riff Ranger]

Surely at least a few good threads on this general topic already exist, and I'll thank you for pointing me at them if it makes sense, but I suspect my specific situation can probably justify another one. Please recommend me some software to add decent drum sounds to my home recordings, considering the following:

•I have used Reaper as my DAW since I started recording at home two years ago, and while I've managed to record a handful of things and even post a few on TalkBass, I feel like I've yet to achieve even basic proficiency with it. In other words, I've experienced a steep learning curve with home recording. I would prioritize user-friendliness over versatility at this time.

•My only previous recording experience came in a professional recording studio 21 years ago. I just played bass and communicated my idea of a good sound to the dude behind the desk. We used a human drummer and no click track.

•While I never stopped playing, music took a back seat from 2002–2018, so I've had a lot of catching up to do since class D bass amps and home recording have become the norm.

•I have about as much familiarity with drumming as I do with recording.

•While I would classify my original material as metal, I strongly favor the rock and punk beats in my BeatBuddy Mini 2 pedal. Think somewhere between Entombed's Wolverine Blues, Tool's Undertow, and Sepultura's Chaos A.D. (yes, I started playing in 1993 ). I do enjoy a good blast beat, but I don't require many.

•My material also regularly includes time and tempo changes (mostly intentional ). I could probably get by with the BeatBuddy if it didn't.

•I would happily pay for the right program, but probably no more than a one-time payment of 200 USD at this time.

Thank you for any direction you can provide

 

[silky smoove]

Are you trying to program your own beats or do you just want samples beats to play along to? Are you on a Mac or PC?

 

[Riff Ranger]

Are you trying to program your own beats or do you just want samples beats to play along to? Are you on a Mac or PC?

Ideally the software would program a beat from a bass line or tapped rhythm, but I would score everything if I had to. I'd rather create beats from scratch than try to track down samples and figure out how to stitch them together.

I currently use a PC but there's a decent chance I will replace it with a MAC.

Short answer: program beats on a PC.

 

[silky smoove]

Short answer: program beats on a PC.

In that case you just need to understand how to program in MIDI in your DAW of choice and then grab a drum VST like any of the widely available ones from Toontrack, Slate, XLN Audio, etc. Insert the VST on a software instrument track in your DAW, program MIDI to create the performance you're looking for and you're all set.

 

[seamonkey]

Rayzoon - Makers of Virtual Drummer Jamstix

 

[Rib 13]

MT Powerkit 2 was one of the best free ones for years until the past year or so because it's only 32 bit.....still may be worth a try. It has a bunch of MIDI patterns and fills to use in construction format

MT Power Drum Kit AU VST Drums Sampler Plugin Instrument FREE

 

[wellshuxley]

You might like EZ Drummer from ToonTrack

 

[Bass4Brkfast]

MT Powerkit 2 was one of the best free ones for years until the past year or so because it's only 32 bit.....still may be worth a try. It has a bunch of MIDI patterns and fills to use in construction format

MT Power Drum Kit AU VST Drums Sampler Plugin Instrument FREE

I will +1 the MT Power drum kit vst.
Comes stock with really good sounds, patterns and a decent 1-knob compressor, it also has a multi track option that lets you bring up each drum on a separate channel and manipulate the output separately for highly flexible mixing duties.

 

[Shepsdad]

I was in the same predicament for years and used numerous different drum programs, I finally got tired of spending so much time programming drum tracks and bought an electronic drum set. I got the Alesis surge set, spent some time learning the basics, and now recording is a totally different ballgame, so much less stress being able to just get behind the kit and go.

I know this doesn't answer your question, just thought I'd put it out there for consideration.

 

[mikewalker]

2nd the suggestion for EZdrummer... not cheap, but very useful

 

[pbass2]

2nd the suggestion for EZdrummer... not cheap, but very useful

Actually, for what you get EZ Drummer is crazy bang for buck. And you might be surprised how many pro recordings and soundtracks you hear it on. It can be "EZ" but can also go way deeper if you want to get your hands dirty with MIDI.

 

[And I]

Addictive Drums is damned good imo. Comes with a bunch of kits and built-in customizable beats. Also can just be used as a sound bank if you want to tap beats out on midi pads or a keyboard.

for something more "tweakable", I used Native Instruments Battery a while back but i was deep into making my own drum kits from scratch with my own samples.

 

[Slapndbayass]

I would try DOD drum loops.

You can chop up the drum hits up against a printed click track. Thing not realized about creating drum tracks is, if you're not really a drummer a machine will not have human feel. DOD is human drummers who really know how to negotiate a drum kit.

Drum Loops, Drum Tracks, Guitar Loops, Bass Loops

I spent though over $200 worth of drum loops different genres. You can get mixed stereo or individual tracks (different cost) and DOD has specials all the time.

They have rock, metal, country, latin etc.

Manic Metal Drum Loops I: Classic Double Kick

Pay online and they can send you the files online. Or you can order discs.

These tracks sit in the mix better and don't sound like a toy. As you get better recording, you will see/hear the benefit of these loops.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Thank you, everyone, for the replies so far

you just need to understand how to program in MIDI

I think that's a pretty big "just" in my case, if the rate at which I'm picking up Reaper is any indication

Rayzoon - Makers of Virtual Drummer Jamstix

Hadn't heard of this one, so thank you for bringing it to my attention. Any particular reason(s) you would recommend it for my particular situation?

MT Powerkit 2 was one of the best free ones for years until the past year or so because it's only 32 bit.....still may be worth a try. It has a bunch of MIDI patterns and fills to use in construction format

MT Power Drum Kit AU VST Drums Sampler Plugin Instrument FREE

I do like free, and I don't think I require anything super hi-fi, so this sounds promising. Would you say it's user-friendly for someone new to programming (and fairly intimidated by it)?

You might like EZ Drummer from ToonTrack

I had looked into this one a bit before posting, but wanted to hold off on saying so for a bit to avoid swaying responses. Will it really figure out a drum part from a bass line or a tapped rhythm? That would be huge (and a little creepy ).

I was in the same predicament for years and used numerous different drum programs, I finally got tired of spending so much time programming drum tracks and bought an electronic drum set. I got the Alesis surge set, spent some time learning the basics, and now recording is a totally different ballgame, so much less stress being able to just get behind the kit and go.

I know this doesn't answer your question, just thought I'd put it out there for consideration.

It had occurred to me to try. It would not surprise me if I could learn a new instrument faster than a computer program. I just might if I don't get anywhere fast with software.

I have a cousin who can play and would gladly record anything I asked, but we haven't much luck with it long distance. Maybe I just need to move to Minnesota.

Actually, for what you get EZ Drummer is crazy bang for buck. And you might be surprised how many pro recordings and soundtracks you hear it on. It can be "EZ" but can also go way deeper if you want to get your hands dirty with MIDI.

This sounds really promising. I think EZ would do it (OPE ) but I like the idea of having options if I do get fairly capable with it. I do have a MIDI controller (courtesy of the cousin mentioned above) but have yet to employ it. The fewer new things I have to learn right out the gate, the better.

 

[funkinbottom]

Actually, for what you get EZ Drummer is crazy bang for buck. And you might be surprised how many pro recordings and soundtracks you hear it on. It can be "EZ" but can also go way deeper if you want to get your hands dirty with MIDI.

Agree. I love my EZ Drummer. Pretty short learning curve, tap beats to program etc. Fairly simple.

I have used Reaper as my DAW since I started recording at home two years ago

EZD plays nice with Reaper (and midi controllers and other midi drum sounds etc) You can drag and drop beats (stock or ones you program) straight from EZD to tracks in Reaper. I think you would like it.

 

[mikewalker]

....

I had looked into this one a bit before posting, but wanted to hold off on saying so for a bit to avoid swaying responses. Will it really figure out a drum part from a bass line or a tapped rhythm? That would be huge (and a little creepy ).

I can't speak for the latest EZ3 ( I only have EZ2) but the tap-search function is very useful... it goes through all the midi it comes with - (you will have more if you have EZX expansion packs) and suggests you a list of things that match in descending order. Then you can audition them all and grab the one that's closest to what you want. They have excellent drummers playing in all the packs that I have ( about ten, currently...)

 

[Riff Ranger]

Pretty short learning curve, tap beats to program etc. Fairly simple

Hey-oh that sounds like what I'm after.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Addictive Drums is damned good imo. Comes with a bunch of kits and built-in customizable beats. Also can just be used as a sound bank if you want to tap beats out on midi pads or a keyboard.

for something more "tweakable", I used Native Instruments Battery a while back but i was deep into making my own drum kits from scratch with my own samples.

I would try DOD drum loops.

You can chop up the drum hits up against a printed click track. Thing not realized about creating drum tracks is, if you're not really a drummer a machine will not have human feel. DOD is human drummers who really know how to negotiate a drum kit.

Drum Loops, Drum Tracks, Guitar Loops, Bass Loops

I spent though over $200 worth of drum loops different genres. You can get mixed stereo or individual tracks (different cost) and DOD has specials all the time.

They have rock, metal, country, latin etc.

Manic Metal Drum Loops I: Classic Double Kick

Pay online and they can send you the files online. Or you can order discs.

These tracks sit in the mix better and don't sound like a toy. As you get better recording, you will see/hear the benefit of these loops.

I'll have to look into these as well. While I think my top criterion at this time is user-friendliness, it's entirely possible I could get good at this I can dig machine-like industrial drums but I do think a human feel would better suit my style. That's one of the things like about the BeatBuddy: it doesn't feel like playing to a click; it's just not the tool for the job for any song that isn't really straightforward.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Since I've mentioned the BeatBuddy and my lack of knowledge when it comes to drumming (among other things), here's an example of where I can get with Reaper and the BeatBuddy and how it just can't get where I want it. It's a bit different style from what I usually write, but I think it shows my instincts for what I want from a drummer at least.



It doesn't sound bad or wrong, but I would like the drums to hit along with the bass in the section from :36 to :49, and I think I'd prefer to wrap it up at the IV instead of going back to the I at the very end. I feel proud in a silly way that I can do this with my toe while playing the bass (I recorded the tracks separately, and it feels weird to not do the drum part with my toe at this point), but it just doesn't have the capability to make the tweaks I would suggest to it.

 

[Original Bobby Bouche']

this
Superior Drummer 3
I help a few studio(s) that use this.
Its like an axe fx or Kemper for drums.
Huge upgrade from ez drummer but can use the ez drummer expansions pack.
Product categories EZX Sound Expansions
Product categories SDX Sound Expansions