Samplers
Drums
There are now various methods for getting drums recorded:
1. Record live drums (well why not?)
multitrack:Y
pros: realistic sounds, pattern is tailored for the song
cons: needs a good real drum kit, drummer, time consuming, mics, acoustics
2. MIDI track, using external device (record back onto an audio track)
multitrack:Possibly
pros: easy to edit, low CPU overhead
3. Audio Loops
multitrack:N
pros:lower CPU overhead
cons: audio editing needed to make some loops suit the song, tempos need to be close
4. Samples
multitrack:Y
pros:user patterns can be defined, separate drum processing
5. Drum VI, using internal patterns
multitrack:Possibly
pros: quick to construct a drum track
6. Drum VI, using MIDI track
multitrack:Possibly
pros: easy to edit
7. Drum VI, using audio loops (exported to audio track)
multitrack: N
pros: lower CPU overhead
cons: audio editing needed to make some loops suit the song, tempos need to be close
To get an idea of what is available I tried these four drum plugins: mdrummer small, drum core 3 free, addictive drums (demo), and ezdrummer lite (which I upgraded to ezdrummer). Here is a summary of each of them:
M drummer small:
Lots of variations of each drum / instrument (62 kicks, 134 snares, 20 toms, 32 HH, 19 rides, 17 crashes, 10 splashes, 13 chinese, 13 cowbells, 14 woodblocks, 14 shakers, 16 tambourines, 18 claps). Designer tab.
Mostly urban sounds
Percussion
sometimes crashes Logic
Huge range of master effects
GM keymap
EZ drummer:
simple to use
cocktail set includes Brushes
multiple outputs
lots of patterns (including ghost notes variations)
DrumCore 3 Free
lots of MIDI patterns
1 acoustic and 1 electronic kit
drum pitches can be changed
multiple outputs
Percussion
acoustic patterns are also audio loops
Addictive Drums
lots of patterns including ghost notes, and 3/4, 6/8 time
velocity curves
automation
2 reverbs
envelope control
A comparison of the features of these four drum plugins is here:
1. Record live drums (well why not?)
multitrack:Y
pros: realistic sounds, pattern is tailored for the song
cons: needs a good real drum kit, drummer, time consuming, mics, acoustics
2. MIDI track, using external device (record back onto an audio track)
multitrack:Possibly
pros: easy to edit, low CPU overhead
3. Audio Loops
multitrack:N
pros:lower CPU overhead
cons: audio editing needed to make some loops suit the song, tempos need to be close
4. Samples
multitrack:Y
pros:user patterns can be defined, separate drum processing
5. Drum VI, using internal patterns
multitrack:Possibly
pros: quick to construct a drum track
6. Drum VI, using MIDI track
multitrack:Possibly
pros: easy to edit
7. Drum VI, using audio loops (exported to audio track)
multitrack: N
pros: lower CPU overhead
cons: audio editing needed to make some loops suit the song, tempos need to be close
To get an idea of what is available I tried these four drum plugins: mdrummer small, drum core 3 free, addictive drums (demo), and ezdrummer lite (which I upgraded to ezdrummer). Here is a summary of each of them:
M drummer small:
Lots of variations of each drum / instrument (62 kicks, 134 snares, 20 toms, 32 HH, 19 rides, 17 crashes, 10 splashes, 13 chinese, 13 cowbells, 14 woodblocks, 14 shakers, 16 tambourines, 18 claps). Designer tab.
Mostly urban sounds
Percussion
sometimes crashes Logic
Huge range of master effects
GM keymap
EZ drummer:
simple to use
cocktail set includes Brushes
multiple outputs
lots of patterns (including ghost notes variations)
DrumCore 3 Free
lots of MIDI patterns
1 acoustic and 1 electronic kit
drum pitches can be changed
multiple outputs
Percussion
acoustic patterns are also audio loops
Addictive Drums
lots of patterns including ghost notes, and 3/4, 6/8 time
velocity curves
automation
2 reverbs
envelope control
A comparison of the features of these four drum plugins is here:
| free_drums.pdf |
Logic ESX24
| esx24_essentials.pdf |
Akai Z4
| using_the_z4_sampler_and__aksys.pdf |