Toontrack has released the Real to Reel SDX, a new expansion for its flagship Superior Drummer 3. The library was recorded at Real World Studios by producer and engineer Kevin Killen, adding to Toontrack’s pattern of collaborating with notable figures in the music industry. The company has a history of working with a range of professionals on its SDX titles, including Al Schmitt, Bob Rock, Eddie Kramer, and Hugh Padgham.
The Real to Reel SDX features eight complete kits and a collection of extra kicks, snares and cymbals. The sounds were captured in three distinct rooms at the studio: a large concrete and steel room, a two-story wood room with a mix of hard and soft surfaces, and a smaller recording booth for a tighter sound. This variety of room ambiences is designed to offer flexibility for a broad range of musical genres.
A key aspect of the recording process was the use of a Studer A820 analogue tape machine. All drum recording chains were run through the tape machine, providing a vintage character to the samples.
The sound offerings are expanded in a collection of mix-ready presets created by Killen, which can be used as a starting point for users’ own custom mixes.