Free VSTi Drum Machines
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Posted on Dec 04, 2011 06:33 pm
dbmasters
Administrator Since: Apr 03, 2002
So, what's the pulse these days on what drum machines people are using?
Right now the guitarist I am recording with and myself are using the demo version of Addictive Drums, also got a couple cheesy free kits I don't really like, or, perhaps just haven't learned to use properly...
So, what are you guys using? I know there are free options out there, I'd like that, cheap would be acceptable...full price for things like addictive are a non-starter.
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J-botByte-MixerMember
Since: Dec 04, 2007
Dec 05, 2011 01:30 am Hrmmm, when you mean drum machine, are we talking something that can kinda imitate your typical acoustic kits and rhythms, or are we talking about something more like an electronic drum machine/synth with a built-in step sequencer? (kinda like a software-version of an electribe or something)
For the former, I don't really know of any freebies. I know Jamstix is pretty cheap at $100 (they're having a holiday discount right now, I think, so it's $69, which is a steal for what it's capable of, IMHO), which gives you several styles of rhythms, kits and several drummer A.I. which are modeled after various live drummers. I really like it a lot since writing drum parts and creating phat beatz is one of my weak areas. With Jamstix, you can be as simple or as complex as you want with it. You can create the song piece by piece (# of bars, tempo, transitions between sections, etc.) Or use the wizard, or you can forgo the A.I. completely and start writing parts from scratch, which can get pretty deep. Another thing, is Jamstix can listen to the audio in a track, and produce a more dynamic performance by analyzing the audio levels via the audiomate, which you throw in an FX slot on one of the mixer channels in the DAW.
But yeah, for acoustic sounds, I've mostly heard of the paid plugins. Jamstix, BFD, Drumkit From Hell, Addictive Drums, EZ Drummer, and the likes.
For a more electronic/typical/simple step sequenced drum machine type of thing, there are a few freebies. Elektrostudio Ocet has a built-in step sequencer www.elektrostudio.ovh.org/index2.php?go=6
I've read some decent things on this Hammerhead business as well: www.threechords.com/hammerhead/ But I think it's also more electronic sounds geared.
And this little guy became freeware not too long ago apparently: www.contralogic.com/vst-plugins/rps-1/ (which I may look at myself for creating more elektronik sounding drum loops.)
As for purely drum sounds (mostly synth-ish or electronic-ish) Drumatic 3 is free and has some nice sounds with it. There's no sequencer built-in though, I don't think.
Anyway, that's what I've read/seen/dug up on KVR. :)
Dec 05, 2011 06:49 am I am looking for more acoustic kit sequencing. I could use Battery, I think I have an old copy of that, but I want both of us (guitarist and I) to be able to both have the same setups and spend as little as possible...besides, the hope is to replace it with a real drummer at some point.
Thanks for the RPS find, I hadn't seen that one before...I will have to look into that a bit more. I totally forgot about Hammerhead, I looked at that a long time ago (years), I'll have to see what's come of it...if I can make a small basic kit, 2 or 3 toms, and a couple different crash cymbals, I'll be happy.
J-botByte-MixerMember
Since: Dec 04, 2007
Dec 05, 2011 01:24 pm Addendum: Looks like Xoxos did a VST port of Hammerhead:
www.kvraudio.com/get/1591.html
That might be worth looking at too.
olddogMember
Since: Jul 02, 2003
Dec 05, 2011 03:16 pm Both BFD Eco & EZDrummer are on sale thru Dec, for $29, both are great but I prefer BFD Eco. If you buy BFD Eco from AudioMidi.com you can get a $15 dollar promo code for re-registering for their new site making the cost ~$15.
I also use Jamstix3 though it's a bit more money it's a great program and comes with alot of good sounding kits.
Dan
J-botByte-MixerMember
Since: Dec 04, 2007
Dec 06, 2011 02:03 am Yeah, messed with RPS-1 a bit today. Definitely more electronic/dance oriented, but you can load your own samples I believe. I do like the way that the probability works and adds a little controlled randomness into the rhythm. I think I'll be playing around with this for a bit. (even though I still suck at making phat beatz from scratch lol)
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Dec 07, 2011 03:34 am Man, I can't believe I just saw hammerhead. That was probably the first music program I ever tried way back in the day... 2000 or 2001 maybe? Anyhow, I didn't have such a great experience with it back then but that could very well be the fact that I had no idea what I was doing.
Dec 07, 2011 07:38 am Yeah, my experience with HammerHead was less than impressive as well, but a lot of time has went by, so it might be better.
That said, I am really interested in BFD Eco, I might go that route...but it reads like it's a standalone app...BFD is a VSTi plugin isn't it? Perhaps I just skimmed over that while reading...
EZDrummer is probably what I would lean toward, but honestly, I can't find the $29 deal, it's quiet expensive...
Dec 08, 2011 09:30 pm OK, so I just bought, downloaded and installed BFD Eco.
WOWZERS!
olddogMember
Since: Jul 02, 2003
Dec 09, 2011 05:00 am I have EZD as well and IMO BFD Eco blows it away. BFD Eco is StandAlone & VSTi, and there is a 64bit version in the works from what I've heard.
I thought the $29 deal on EZD was good for the same time period as BFD Eco but must have been mistaken.
Dan
Dec 09, 2011 06:37 am Deleted By dB Masters
