Hi,
 
In the past I've used live drums or drum loops. I'd like to get into using a program where I can load a sample and , via my keyboard controller, compose some grooves to use in songs.
 
I noticed I have Session Drummer 3 and SI Drum kit. Do we like these programs? Which one and why? Is there a killer 3rd party program preferred?
 
thanks,
 
Kawika

Battery, Maschine, Geist - are the best solutions for drum sampling. What else you can find better than that?
 
Session Drummer 3 could be a great solution, but it lacks many features of samplers I've mentioned. I mostly don't like sample dragging to SD3. Why should I do SFZ files instead simple drag'n'drop features? We're in 2018. Maybe later it will be updated.

eve_ripper
 Why should I do SFZ files instead simple drag'n'drop features?

Because SFZ files are multi velocity, normal samples are not.
 
You can drag and drop any .WAV, FLAC, SFV into Session drummer 3.
While it may be a little dated (the gui doesn't harness EQ, Compression, Mic placement, exc) its still a very qualified sampler/Drum VST-I.

kawika
Hi,
 
Is there a killer 3rd party program preferred?
 
thanks,
 
Kawika

Depending on your needs, which you have not really described style wise, BFD3 and Toontrack's Superior Drummer 3 are very advanced drum players. Check out Superior Drummer's Song Arranger feature. These both are more of the "buy a drum pack" variety because their audio files are in proprietary format. We're only a few months away from big sales (typically 50% off) so you might want to wait.
 
Toontrack's EZDrummer is the "little" brother to SD3. It has all the features but is more of a "polished" drum sets way of doing things whereas SD3 is more along the lines of raw drum sounds that you sculpt.
 
BFD3 is excellent too.
 
After that there is Steven Slate's Drums V4 for full on ROCK DRUMS!!!!. But, V5 should be coming soon and so a purchase of V4 *may* mean a free upgrade to V5 if you time it right (and of course no one knows when that will be).
 
XLN's Addictive Drums is also in the same ilk as all the above.
 
For some really "out there" drumming look into Jamstix 4. It's crazy good in that it models drummers style of playing and you can tweak those styles to create your own flavor on that style. It's drum samples are a bit dated but in the end you can export it's MID and play it against anything.   
 
Personally, I do not use any drum players (I own all the above and more) that allow for loading samples and if they do I'm not into that feature so I cannot be of help there if that is your overriding need.

chuckebaby

eve_ripper
 Why should I do SFZ files instead simple drag'n'drop features?

Because SFZ files are multi velocity, normal samples are not.
 
You can drag and drop any .WAV, FLAC, SFV into Session drummer 3.
While it may be a little dated (the gui doesn't harness EQ, Compression, Mic placement, exc) its still a very qualified sampler/Drum VST-I.

In case to sample acoustic drumkit it works. But if you're using sample drum machine - it's another story.
 
Maybe I'm missing something... But I've recorded drum machine. Now I want to make sampled version. I drag closed hat to 42 note and then I want 46 for open hat. And here comes a problem with drag'n'drop.

sfz provides more than multi-velocity capability to Session Drummer. It also allows pads to play more than one instrument. Each pad in Session Drummer is hard coded to trigger on multiple notes. Sfz files provide the mapping function to assign samples to each note. As a bundled drum synth is was pretty good.
 
Still the Velocity synth bundled with P5 was arguably easier to setup because all the mapping was done in the UI. To bad it was never updated.

eve_ripper

chuckebaby

eve_ripper
 Why should I do SFZ files instead simple drag'n'drop features?

Because SFZ files are multi velocity, normal samples are not.
 
You can drag and drop any .WAV, FLAC, SFV into Session drummer 3.
While it may be a little dated (the gui doesn't harness EQ, Compression, Mic placement, exc) its still a very qualified sampler/Drum VST-I.

I drag closed hat to 42 note and then I want 46 for open hat. And here comes a problem with drag'n'drop.

You would have that same exact problem in any sampler unless you set the sampler to choke note 46 when note 42 is triggered.
 
Session drummer 3 will do what the OP wants though. All that is needed is to drag the kit pieces in and drop them on the session drummer GUI kit pieces.

eve_ripper
Maybe I'm missing something... But I've recorded drum machine. Now I want to make sampled version. I drag closed hat to 42 note and then I want 46 for open hat. And here comes a problem with drag'n'drop.

Session Drummer limits drag and drop to one sample per pad. Multi-layer, multi-note, group (which provides cymbal choke in programs supplied with the synth) functions are defined by sfz files. When I wanted to setup extensive custom sets, modifying an existing sfz file was pretty easy but there are certainly more sophisticated drum synths available for purchase.

AIR Strike 2 is another one to look at, especially as www.pluginboutique.com are doing deals on the AIR Complete package at the moment (buy one of the instruments, e.g. vacuum pro for £1 / 1$, then upgrade to complete for £59.95).
 
The pattern editor is one of the best I've used, especially as you can add "complexity" options to your patterns, which kick-in when the complexity control is increased.
 
It also supports wav samples.

Another vote for BFD3
 
It has enough options to satisfy anyone as well as ready made grooves which you can freely edit