hi
i would like some opinions about VST drum machines.
i don't want to know which is best, just the ones you like and use.
i have tried a few recently andn notced how many of these there are.
i was using Geist a lot but the latest version, i don't know what they were thinking, they've gone and screwed up the GUI a bit... i still like it though. i also use Stix for synthesised sounds.
and reaktor, well, that's got a tonne of these, i especially like Go BOx...
anyway, what do you like and why?

 

This is on my list http://d16.pl/drumazon

I usually use the independence sampler for drums

 

If you're looking for drum machine sounds in the literal sense, Soniccouture's Electro-Acoustic drum library for Kontakt is really nice.

 

For kicks (and else, but specifically kicks) : punchbox, kick 2 and metrum.
For all purposed seq/drum synth : tremor and microtonic.
Sequencer : Geist 1 & 2, MPC 2.

 

Hi filtersweep,
Well it depends, there are two major players , Battery and Maschine , then theres Akai Mpc and the underwhelmed FL FPC

Ill try to make it short-and maybe it helps

Maschine - Most features, best workflow integration with its hardware counterpart, if you do more edm, thats for you. Coming from the oldschool MPC2000xl i can definitely HEAR if a beat was made in Maschine, nonetheless , if you have the bucks AND the enviroment , its a no brainer, NI Complete integration is the biggest plus imho
Workflow : 8/10

Battery - Many features, clunky Output Routing, up to 128 pads i think, a bit CPU heavier, its an overall toolbox , sound nice if you have the factory library, is quite intuitive with the menus, you can make own drumlayouts rather quickly,
Workflow 7/10

Akai MPC - Ugly, Clunky Output Routing , it really helps if you already have a hardware mpc, quite nice expansionas, but nearly not as many as maschine
Workflow 7/10

Fl FPC
has the least features, its just an FL internal VST, light on cpu, no distracting submenus, as many outputs as you can route, ugly, no built in browser(which is a plus for me), works with almost every midi capable interface (i can do beats with my ps3 controller, which is nice ), be careful,each pad gets triggered with its own attack curve, hard to explain but imagine FL WaveShaper kind of distortion, when triggering pads with a velocity of 127
Workflow 9/10

My Verdict - Go with Native Instruments, and save up for a small mpc60 #bestofbothworlds

 

vsti drum synthesizers has worse quality even developed by roland official you need high end outbox hardware and procedures to processing them, try some samplers listed above

 

I got D16 Nepheton last week (808 EMU) and I am very pleased with it, it sounds very nice. I will probably get Drumazon (909 Emu) before my last 50% discount code from Focusrite ends. I'd still love a 909 emu Yeah m9cao I can't afford High end outboard gear, I think most things sound better with such equipment, but. At the same time I guess 90% of the music I listen to never used true equipment. Not dragging this into those depths, just saying if its close enough, mixed correctly it can do the job. Sold a few classic roland gear purely though knowing I couldn't afford to keep it serviced (at that time) So rather than see it decay, I let it go to someone that could care for it.

BTW punchbox has so much potential other than kicks.

 

My absolute favorite box is the Digitakt. The speed of composing patterns, tweaking samples and adding variation is just what I was waiting for, for a long time. It's about creative use of samples.
"Second best" but just as fun is the Korg EMX-1. Although "just" a synth+ROMpler it's amazing what it can do sound-wise.

For natural/acoustic drums I prefer iSpark on iPad because of the way I can trigger up to 6 velocity layers on 16 drum pads is somewhat unique (the vertical position you hit the pad at will select one of the 6 velocity-switched samples).
It works well with the Digitakt and EMX because it supports Midi Slave synchronization.
For synthesized drums, Stroke Machine on iPad is great too. FM, RM, oscillators with sample import, great filters and FX and an extensive modulation matrix plus full Midi Sync support make it a good successor to Waldorf's Attack, if anyone still knows that one ;)
(See

)

On desktop, I'm quite OK with Ableton and a selection of Kontakt libraries, although what I'm still missing is a really good physical modeling drum instrument. IL Drumaxx, Ni Maschine, Reason Kong etc. are not bad, but I hope that one day U-he will finish their drum modeling instrument which afaik is still in alpha stage.

 

Last edited: May 19, 2018

Im still using FXpansion Guru ,Geist little brother.
From the Pdf
Devine Machine and FXpansion joined forces to help GURU blossom
then FXpansion made Geist and made a b*lls of it.

Made a skin for gure cause i like it so much ,ya should give it a try
its alot quicker and better to use than Geist.
https://audiosex.pro/threads/fxpansion-guru-v1-6-12-akai-mpc-skin.32891/

 

VST drum machines? My list for VST drums is pretty boring and not very long...

NI Battery 3 [XP] and 4 [W7] for sampled electronic drums. Especially 3, easy and fast workflow, great sound. I'm not using its FX much, though. Just route the sounds out through its many outputs for external treatment. I've tried using many other VST rhythm machines, but Battery just beats them all, in my case. It doesn't have a sequencer, but hey that's what your DAW is here for, eh?

XLN Addictive Drums 1 [XP] and 2 [W7] for acoustic drums. I use 1 more than 2. It's rather fast and easy to get what you want with it. Sounds great. It's got many different MIDI patterns that work really well as starting points, and separate outputs per sound so you can treat them with the FX of your choice. I'm not a big fan of its internal FX, either. I've tried many other rhythm machines for acoustic drums and this one just sits right for my needs.

D16 Drumazon and Nepheton for "authentic" 808 and 909 electronic drums. For when I feel like processing the sounds with my samplers and hardware FX. It's rather complicated to get a really good sound with them. When I started using them I realised that to make great mixes you have to process them rather heavily and best with outboard hardware. I'm not saying it's necessary, though... but it does help a great deal. Battery with a couple of really good sample banks can give you great sounding results far more easily and faster.

Everything else I tried like Guru, Geist, Poise, Tremor... and whatnot is just too much distraction from the real work. I don't have anything but the aforementioned 4 installed in my music production system now. More music and less fiddling around.

 

Heartbeat

 

do what you want and do your best,
BTW punchbox is a base drum synth.

 

Mostly use: NI Battery, Arturia Spark, Kontakt (Revolution,AEON,DM307..) and Papens' Punch
Not so much but love: Punchbox, Kick2, Drumazon, Nepheton, Elastik.
But my goto drumbox: my MPC2000

 

*bass
Yeah and the TB-303 was just a bass guitarist emulation for the solo guy doing a pub gig ;) Punchbox is quite a nice playback sampler with a few added effects.

 

Digitakt = £699... Also i am only looking at software.
that's not happening : ) i have a midi controller but that' s it...
interesting how many people use 808/909 clones.
Personally, i have been trying Stix out, interesting synthesised drum machine.
i was curious anout 'Guru' , i didn't know about that one ; i have used geist but it's a bit of a mess in it's current incarnation....
Have also tried:
Spark - Runs like a donkey on my machine. Often sample paths are lost when reopening. i i quite like it's sound though.
Tremor - another synthetic sounds machine. Not to bad but a bit thin to my ears ( and the gui for me is to big for my screen)
Battery: really like the sound, really like the fx but i also find it a little clunky.
Poise - great plugin like an MPC-style sampler. Chops and slices loops as well. My only gripe about it is there are no FX. just some filters...
I also use this from time to time : Ephemere
Oh, not to forget Microtoniq which is great in my opinion.
These days i seem to be leaning toward Samplers and slicing audio rather than drum machines.
always interesting to have some more plugins to play with though : )
There is also tonnes i 've never tried like BFD and the like...

Edit: Does anyone know if Guru is available anywhere? i'd be interested in trying it out

 

Another vote for Rob Papen's Punch (full version, not Punch-BD).
I don't always have the patience to deal with in-depth editing, but its presets do sound remarkably good already and they cover sounds for many different genres which is uncommon in drum synths.

 

I consider Superior Drummer as a drum machine despite that it's much more than that, maybe simply because I mostly use the patterns without modifying them.

There was a time when I was only using Stylus Rmx but I've moved on since then.

 

+1 for the Digitakt even though it’s hardware and not (yet - think Overbridge when it finally arrives) a VST. I got one 1.5 months ago, and I never had this much fun with a black box

In terms of VSTs, if you are looking for acoustic sounding “drum machines” I recommend BFD3, Superior Drummer 3, or Addictive Drums. These three are breathtaking when it comes to acoustic sounds.

If you are looking for electronic sounds the question that comes up is whether you want to synthesise them or whether you’re good with sampled sounds?
I personally use Ableton’s stock sounds stacked in Drum Rack, the D16 stuff, and occaisonally I’ll use my Maschine although I feel NI’s sounds and sound expansions are somewhat “over-engineered”, which makes it hard for me sometimes to find my own sound with them.
I also have an MPC Studio which I use to sequence mainly hip hop beats (cliche ). I like the MPC 2.0 software and I’d say it’s more powerful than the Maschine software at this point, though library integration in Maschine is 100% better.
Re synthesis, Punchbox sounds good, after that I don’t do much with synthesised sounds so can’t recommend

 

If you ask for VST drum machine I understand this:

Applied Acoustics Systems - Chromaphone 2
D16 Group Drumazon / Nepheton / Nithonat / PunchBOX
Image-Line Drummax
Sonic Academy KICK 2
Sonic Charge - Microtonic 3
Roland VS.TR-808 / TR-909
Sample Magic - Stacker
FXpansion Tremor
Waldorf Attack
Native Intruments Maschine
Inear Display Ephemere
Audio Damage Tattoo
-
XLN.Audio.Addictive.Drums.2
Toontrack Superior Drummer 3

if you want samplers, with sequencer.
Guru, Geist, Groove Agent, Maschine, Xfer Records - Nerve,...

 

Gosh, ZUK, don't you find it confusing having all these drum machines, mate? I rated your post "useful" because it is a very good list of all good VST drum machines.

It will take you 166 years to master all of them properly, and you might not be around any more to enjoy making music with them.

Pick several of those that you like the best and learn to use them properly. You might find that you really don't need anything else. I've been there. Done that.

Cheers!