Tag: VST

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

Soundworks library expands

The expansions just keep coming for the DW Soundworks drum library, with the company just adding the DW Collector’s Pure Cherry expansion pack. This latest addition features sounds from Collector’s Series Cherry drums, known for their bright attack, musical tone with rich midrange and balanced sustain. According to DW, “this brighter alternative to Maple is suited for up-tempo and dynamic styles like fusion, funk, gospel and pop – or just a great way to find a new sound”. The Cherry pack comes hot on the heels of the recent release of the Design Series Acrylic expansion pack. The producers classify the pack as representing “all the bright, clean attack, focused tone, controlled sustain and oversized live sound acrylic drums are […]

Samples

Soundworks adds Acrylic pack

DW Soundworks and DWe owners have a new option with the recent release of the Design Series Acrylic expansion pack. The pack is based on sampling of a DW Design Series Acrylic kit, recorded at the DW factory with sounds sampled in high fidelity. DW says the new sample collection features all the bright, clean attack, focused tone, controlled sustain, and oversized live sound acrylic drums are known for. “The new expansion pack makes it easy to punch up music tracks with a big, boomy backbeat,” the company notes. The kit has been remixed in 12 custom presets to fit a variety of playing styles and includes a range of mic selections to give producers and drummers even more control […]

Samples, VST

Spectre Digital launches new library

E-drummers have another VST option thanks to Spectre Digital, which recently launched Icon Drums Classic Rock. Designed to run on Kontakt Player, the pack was sampled from a Pearl Music City Custom Reference Pure kit (26” kick, 10” and 16” toms; Ludwig Supraphonic and Black Beauty snares; and a range of cymbals). Spectre says the kit was recorded in a world-class studio with legendary equipment, including “industry-standard microphones and mic-pres you would expect of a serious drum recording”. They were recorded using the ‘Glyn Johns overhead microphone technique’ as heard on tracks from The Kinks and The Who, to Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. Every piece of Icon Drums Classic Rock is tweakable with variable EQ, compression, a transient […]

Samples, VST

Addictive Drums 2 overhauled

Addictive Drums has long been a recommended VST for e-drummers because of its small footprint, easy-to-use stand-alone player, wide variety of sounds and reasonable cost. However, the product was showing its age, especially with the major rivals all launching new versions since AD2’s 2014 debut. The Swedish producer, XLN Audio, is attempting to catch up with and perhaps leap over some of its competitors with the recent addition of the v2.5 update – a free update to Addictive Drums 2. Updating The v2.5 update is executed via the XLN Online Installer app which automatically detects the new version, downloads what’s needed and guides you through the installation. It’s all very easy and intuitive. When it’s done, you see a fresh, […]

Samples

Toontrack releases Alchemy of Pop EZX

Toontrack has added another EZX expansion pack for EZdrummer 3/Superior Drummer, the Alchemy of Pop EZX. The new EZX was recorded by JUNO Award-winning engineer/producer/mixer Hill Kourkoutis and sampled by drummer Skye Polson (Digging Roots) at the renowned Canterbury Music Company in Toronto, Canada. Featuring four kits, each representing its own niche or style, as well as a broad collection of organic and electronic shakers, stomps, claps, snaps and effects curated to fit each drum set, Toontrack says the pack bridges the gap between several sound ideals and provides kits covering a broad range from raw, rich, dark, earthy and open to muffled, tight and snappy. In addition to using classic drumsticks, one kit was recorded with brushes, one with […]

Samples, VST

Getting started with VST e-drumming

E-drum guru Martin Trommler has prepared a VST primer for those starting out.   Drummers tend to turn to VSTs (Virtual Studio Technology) in search of high-quality drum sounds – otherwise they’d just stick with module sounds which I can describe best as a caricature of acoustic drum sounds. But VST-e-drumming is unfortunately associated with latency (often around 10 milliseconds, which is significant compared to the 2 ms which an acoustic snare drum sound takes to reach the drummer’s ear). So, it doesn’t make much sense to go with the inferior onboard sound chip of your computer, poor audio driver emulations (like Asio4All) and low quality/unsuitable headphones or headphones connected to poor headphone units/amps. And it also makes no sense […]

Samples

New kits for BFD Player

BFD has added eight new expansion packs for its free BFD Player. The new kits are drawn from different genres and musical styles, from jazz to heavy metal. The new packs are: Jazz Sticks Jazz Brushes Americana Sticks Americana Brushes Dark Copper Vintage Rock Metal Essentials Pop Essentials The expansions join the London ‘70  and Dark Mahogany kits launched with the VST last year. They sell for $29 each. The new kits accompany a software update which adds mix presets and grooves for songwriters and music producers. In October 2023 , BFD released its first new product since its April 2020 acquisition by inMusic, the owner of Alesis, as reported by digitalDrummer.        

Samples

ML Sound Lab adds Grit

ML Sound Lab has released ML Drums Grit, a new expansion pack which adds “a huge-sounding full drum kit”. According to ML founder Mikko Logrén, the samples were recorded at Finnvox B-Studio, “the best studio in Finland …as if we went to Abbey Road”. He describes the studio as a very good space with real echo chambers. The featured kit is a Gretsch Drop G (1979 – 1981) with 13″, 16″ and 18″ toms, augmented by a Gretsch Bell Brass 14″x6.5″ snare and a Pearl Masters 22″ kick. The Zildjian A-Custom cymbal array includes 14″ hats; 18″, 19″ and 20″ crashes; and an Ultra-Hammered 19″ China. The drums were recorded with some of the most sought-after mics, including Neve 1073s/1081s, […]

Samples

BFD offers free VST pack

digitalDrummer was among the first to test BFD’s new free VST offering, BFD Player. BFD, previously owned by ROLI in 2016, has released its first new product since its April 2020 acquisition by inMusic, the owner of Alesis. The new BFD Player represents a new direction in drum plug-ins, with BFD describing it as “the simplest, fastest path to great-sounding drums”. That’s shorthand for minimal bells and whistles – which is exactly the request we often hear at digitalDrummer. Better still, the Player and Core library are totally free. What’s in the box Like pretty much all software these days, there is no “box”. Instead, BFD Player is a digital download – 4.9 GB containing a stand-alone player and stock […]