Category: VST

Industry, Samples, VST

Breaking news: inMusic acquires Native Instruments

The months-long uncertainty over the future of Native Instruments has ended with a deal that will reshape a significant corner of the music software world. inMusic, the Rhode Island-based group behind Alesis, Akai Professional, Moog Music, Denon DJ, Numark, Rane and M-Audio, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Berlin company, bringing an end to an insolvency process that digitalDrummer has been tracking since January. A strategic fit — with one intriguing question The acquisition is not without precedent. The two companies established a working relationship in 2025, when a collaboration brought NKS integration to Akai Pro’s MPK and M-Audio’s Oxygen controllers, and placed NI sounds on the MPC standalone platform for the first time. That partnership now looks […]

Gear, Samples, VST

Novation launches Control XL 3

British music technology maker Novation has introduced the Launch Control XL 3, a redesigned compact MIDI control surface aimed at producers and performers seeking hands-on control over DAWs and external gear. The new model updates the long-standing Launch Control line with a mix of physical controls and workflow enhancements while retaining a focus on broad compatibility and flexible configuration. Expanded controls and features The Launch Control XL 3 retains the layout familiar to users of earlier versions but introduces several notable enhancements: Eight 60 mm faders for mixer control or continuous parameter adjustment. 24 endless rotary encoders with RGB LED feedback for parameter tweaks. 16 assignable buttons that can be mapped to functions such as mute/solo, track selection or custom […]

Gear, Samples, VST

Built to Play: The Drum VST Hardware Guide

The marketing around drum VSTs has never been better. The samples are more detailed, the mixing engines more sophisticated, and the sonic options more nuanced than anything that existed even five years ago. Superior Drummer, BFD, Steven Slate Drums, Addictive Drums — any of these can produce results that rival a professional studio recording. But open one of them on an underpowered or poorly configured machine and the experience is miserable: dropouts mid-fill, latency that kills the feel, or a spinning beachball every time you load a new kit. The good news is that building or configuring a system for drum VSTs isn’t as complicated — or as expensive — as it might seem. The bad news is that a […]

Performance, Recording, Samples, VST

Why DAW integration matters more than ever for drum libraries

In online discussions about electronic drums, one recurring theme keeps surfacing: many virtual drum instruments still struggle to deliver flawless e-drum performance straight out of the box. German e-drummer software guru Martin Trommler recently summed up the issue in a detailed post to the community, arguing that DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) integration is essential for serious players. With the exception of Toontrack’s Superior Drummer 3, Trommler says that most drum samplers “need improvement in order to deliver flawless electronic drum performance”. For many libraries, the standalone version simply doesn’t provide enough control to adapt perfectly to the player and the hardware. Instead, a DAW such as Reaper becomes the essential link in the chain. Below are the three main problem […]

DIY, Gear, VST

Developer shares TMI design for free

In a refreshing move for the electronic drumming community, amateur builder and embedded software engineer Tobias Gunkel has released the complete open-source design for his custom trigger-to-MIDI module, EavesDrum. Developed as a personal project to overcome the high cost and perceived lack of innovation in the e-drum market, Gunkel is offering the plans at no charge, inviting DIY enthusiasts to build their own professional-grade module replacement. Gunkel’s journey into e-drums began, perhaps ironically, with a used Guitar Hero drum set. “I was surprised to find it was basically a real (though outdated and low-end) drum set,” he recalls. Living in an apartment, the noise from the rubber pads was an immediate problem, driving him to research quiet alternatives. This quickly […]

Samples, VST

Toontrack launches Real to Reel SDX

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 […]

Samples, VST

VST Spotlight: The Most Sampled Snare in E-Drumming

You’re deep into a recording project using e-drums and chasing that perfect snare sound. You’ve got two options: tweak something that sounds close by adjusting tuning, attack, decay and other parameters — or find the exact drum sampled in one of the hundreds of VST packs available. If you’re looking for something obscure, you’ll need a lot of luck. The issue isn’t that rare snares aren’t sampled — it’s that most VST developers don’t do a great job of listing what’s inside their packs. Others avoid naming instruments for copyright reasons, using vague or coded references instead. But if you’re after a popular snare (or kick, tom or cymbal, for that matter), chances are good you’ll find it — often […]

Samples, VST

Acoustic Songwriter EZX review

Just when you thought you had a drum kit for every song in your repertoire, Toontrack comes up with new “must have” samples. This time, it’s the not-quite-accurately-named Acoustic Songwriter EZX, a collection of seven diverse kits, recorded by multi-award-winning producer/engineer/mixer Dave O’Donnell (James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer). Part of the new trend at Toontrack, this pack, the 69th individual title in Toontrack’s massive collection of EZXs, is huge – weighing in at over 18 GB. This, in itself, may create a challenge for anyone with limited space on their laptop – not to mention limited download bandwidth. What’s in the pack Acoustic Songwriter consists of seven smallish (two- or three-tom) kits recorded at Sound Emporium, one of Nashville’s […]

Samples, VST

BFD 3.5 released

BFD has released an update of its drum VST, just dropping BFD 3.5. The new version introduces an enhanced engine and “best-in-class features designed to push realism and sonic customisation even further”. There’s a redesigned workflow, a range of new kits, mix-ready presets and advanced modelling technology for tom resonance and cymbal swells. The new version also boasts a new mixer and sound browser, Apple Silicon AAX support, cross-platform VST 3 compatibility and a new Microphone Inspector panel. The Core library features 51 kits and 60 mix-ready preset BFD kits, along with 48 high-quality audio effects and flexible multi-mic control. The update is a huge download, requiring 55 GB of free disk space. BFD 3.5 is a free update for […]

Samples, VST

Fusion EZX has tons of toms

  Toontrack’s latest expansion pack, the Fusion EZX, must have the most toms ever offered in a sample pack, with four seven-tom kits. Toontrack’s 67th individual EZX pack was recorded by engineer Stefano Civetta (Nile Rogers, Ed Sheeran and Earth, Wind and Fire) and drummer Pete Riley (Guthrie Govan, Keith Emerson and Ritchie Kotzen). “If you’re looking for big, resonant kits that can handle the entire dynamic range from the subtle to the explosive and offer tones covering the bright, crisp, earthy and warm, this EZX is for you,” the company boasts. The sampled kits are two Yamaha Recording Custom 9000 kits  – one from the ‘80s and one from the ‘90s, a Sakae Almighty and a Tama Star, recorded at […]