Drum Library Recommendations?

[sayan]

Hey Everyone,

So, I carried a false notion around with confidence for a very long time that my Steven Slate Drums 4 Custom (Yes! I know its medieval!) drum library is the only one I'll ever need but everything came crashing down when I was working on a couple of my tracks last week. The library is not bad and can holds its own in a rock or a metal mix but is quite processed and not very flexible and is sheer misery to get it to sound right in a dense mix like symphonic metal. After a bit of processing, I could get the shells to sound decent and somewhat sit in the mix, getting the snare to sound right made me curl up in to a fetal position. I have managed to get it sounding slightly better than a plastic bucket but I still think needs to go a long way. So, in summary, I need a new drum library and will be very grateful if anyone can suggest me one that sounds good and doesn't tear a hole in my pocket. I scanned through the previous threads here and Analogue Drums' Blacksmith sounded nice but I think there is a problem with their website as it is very difficult to navigate.

In theory, what should a snare which can cut through a dense mix sound like?

Has anyone tried Top Shelf Drums from 3 Sigma Audio? They are quite affordable and demos sound okay. I have the full version of Kontakt, so I wont need to download additional samplers.

[PPH]

I don't use drums a lot, so I don't have a lot of experience, but still, here are some pointers.

First, I suggest you try Sennheiser Drummic'a, which is free. It works in Kontakt Player. I have it, but haven't used it much. But I have played a little with it, and think it sounds fine.

Also, right now, you can get the SONiVox Percussion Companion for 19.99 at Plugin Boutique. It comes with three drum libraries plus the Bing Bang Cinematic Percussion. I only own the latter, so I can't say much about the drum kit libraries, but the demos sound good, and Big Bang Cinematic Percussion would be a nice plus. You can download a trial of at least one of them, Big Bang Universal Drums. I think it's a good deal.

There is also Strike 2, by AIR Music. I haven't tried it, though, but it should be good. Right now it's 49.99 at Plugin Boutique. Take into consideration, though, that this product is included in a bundle, AIR Instrument Expansion Pack 3, that contains lots of other stuff, too, including Hybrid 3, which Matthias recommended in another thread. This bundle is expensive, but if you already have one product, it costs around 75 dollars. It includes several synthesizer plus a rompler and a sampler player. I think these products are old, but depending on the kind of music you make, probably useful (the sampler, Structure 2, comes with a large sample library). So, at least in theory you can buy, for instance, the Mini Grand piano for around 5 at Plugin Boutique and then buy the bundle upgrade for around 75. I only mention this because I've done some research and most people will probably miss this kind of thing.

On the more expensive side is MODO Drum. They have a trial version. Again, I haven't tried it but it seems very good. It's supposed to be a physically modeled sample library. I think it's samples + modeling. You can download a trial. There is an "affordable version", MODO Drum SE, which includes two drum kits (but they are customizable) and costs 149.99 dollars, and the full version, which costs 299.99. Right now there is a group buy. If you buy one of them, you get two more of IK Multimedia's products of the same price or less (so you can, e.g. buy MODO Drum and get Miroslav Philarmonik 2 and SampleTank 4 too). Also, there are a few days yet to unlock more "free" products in the group buy. I have only listened to demos.

So, I don't recommend anything (except Drummic'a, which is free). But I think this information should help you.

[PPH]

Also, have you checked this thread?

http://scoringcentral.mattiaswestlund.ne...hp?tid=815

[sayan]

(08-24-2020, 02:58 PM)PPH Wrote: Also, have you checked this thread?

http://scoringcentral.mattiaswestlund.ne...hp?tid=815

Yes I have.

I checked all the suggestions out but the problem is most have baked in samples. I was looking for more unprocessed samples so that I can mix them on my own.

[PPH]

(08-25-2020, 08:38 AM)sayan Wrote:

(08-24-2020, 02:58 PM)PPH Wrote: Also, have you checked this thread?

http://scoringcentral.mattiaswestlund.ne...hp?tid=815

Yes I have.

I checked all the suggestions out but the problem is most have baked in samples. I was looking for more unprocessed samples so that I can mix them on my own.

Well, MODO Drum is supposed to be highly customizable. But it's expensive.

[sayan]

MODO is bit too pricey for what it offers and is way out of my affordability.

The guys over at Slate Digital made an error with their 'sale price' about a month or so back. I like an idiot deliberated too much and they fixed the error.

I did a bit of research and have settled on GGD's INVASION or GGD's Modern and Massive or Perfect Drums. I just can't decide which I'll get the most use out of.