Best Drum Plugin in 2024

[MatrixClaw]

Hey guys,

I used to run a small studio and own Super Drummer 2, EZDrummer 2, SSD4 and Komplete 8, but I used to record on a Windows machine and now I'm on a much smaller setup with an M1 Mac. I'm not 100% certain, but it doesn't seem like any of these work on the new Mac architecture (I'm not even sure how to download some of them anymore ), so I've been looking at some new options. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Toontrack has an upgrade from SD2 to 3 and I'm not spending $320 to "Crossgrade" to it from EZDrummer, as I have no interest in recording bands again and that's way more money than I'd like to spend on something to just lay down some demos for myself. I could buy EZDrummer 3 as an upgrade for $99, but it doesn't seem like it's much of an upgrade from 2 and I always thought it sounded kind of cheap in my mixes and wasn't very flexible. I used Superior most of the time, but I'm also not sure I really care to spend tons of time mixing drums anymore, so the more "mixed" options look interesting to me. I could also go to SSD5, but it doesn't seem like they changed much, either...

GGD has a ton of interesting ones. I've heard the Architects OKW is good, as well as the PV and PIV kits. Haven't heard much about Mixwave, but I watched the Fluff video on the Gojira kit and it sounds massive out of the gate.

What are the best ones out there under $100 for metalcore / progressive metal?

I don't care about all the songwriting crap or MIDI beats included. I can play drums, so I'm fine just writing them on the MIDI roll.

 

[LeftOurEyes]

I like Ezdrummer 3 a lot more than 2 because you can actually edit the midi beats now inside ezdrummer. It is certainly not as flexible as superior drummer but with just a couple of expansions and some mixing I get ezdrummer to sound great. I love the post-metal pack for alt-metal type stuff (think Deftones). I wouldn't use ezdrummer if I had zero mixing abilities though as I wouldnt want all my drum tones to sound the exact same in every song, and the same as millions of others, but if you're just making some decent demos for yourself then it probably would not be much of an issue.

 

[budda]

Does your mac have logic vs garageband?

 

[MatrixClaw]

Does your mac have logic vs garageband?

I have Logic, ProTools, Studio One, Cubase, Ableton, Audition and Reaper I forgot how to use all of them, so probably gonna use Logic.

 

[budda]

I have Logic, ProTools, Studio One, Cubase, Ableton, Audition and Reaper I forgot how to use all of them, so probably gonna use Logic.

Its got a lot of drum vst options and iirc had an update recently. Worth checking first/before spending.

 

[MatrixClaw]

Its got a lot of drum vst options and iirc had an update recently. Worth checking first/before spending.

Hmm... I'll definitely check it out. I haven't played with it in Logic much, but that's what I was doing in Garageband before I bought Logic and I thought the kits sounded surprisingly good... I just couldn't figure out how to actually change what it was playing past the built in stuff it gave me. Can I use Drummer to just play a MIDI track, or do I have to use its built-in options to let it make its own??

 

[budda]

Hmm... I'll definitely check it out. I haven't played with it in Logic much, but that's what I was doing in Garageband before I bought Logic and I thought the kits sounded surprisingly good... I just couldn't figure out how to actually change what it was playing past the built in stuff it gave me. Can I use Drummer to just play a MIDI track, or do I have to use its built-in options to let it make its own??

Piano roll for your MIDI and go

 

[Crungy]

I've only used GGD Modern and Massive and their One Kit Wonder Fusion. I love the sounds of M&M and used that for a few years on its own. OKW Fusion is good but I was so used to M&M that instead of switching I use both at the same time to get more toms and cymbals and layers snares and kicks. I'm even happier using them combined and would like to get more of their kits.

I know some people don't like Kontakt Player but I have no issues with it. The biggest thing is I don't using iLok but it is what it is.

 

[Crungy]

GGD has a new metal OKW called Brutal and another called Metal... I have no experience with them but those are some other cheap options.

One thing I like about some of their newer ones (Invasion, PIV/V) is you can change pitch of the drums. I wish M&M had that as I don't care to use other plugins to re-pitch stuff. Not a huge deal but it would have been nice.

 

[profwoot]

The P5 kit sounds incredible but I already have and love the P4 kit so hard to justify. I also have their OKW Fusion kit but haven't really used it much and in general prefer to do the mixing myself as opposed to having the sounds preprocessed.