What am I missing in Essential X2 that comes with Session Drummer 3 in Producer X2?  I just want the ability to create basic backing drum tracks.

It depends on your personel taste and drum preferences. Im sure with some good mixing, you can get some great drum sounds with SD3

Cj

You'll be missing Session Drummer 3 with the ability to upgrade more drums library, such as : http://www.store.cakewalk.com/b2cus/category.aspx?categoryID=82

You still have Studio Instrument Drums - and for basic backing drum tracks, it is fine.

Later on, you can always buy higher end drum vsti .. some of them :


http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/the-14-best-vst-plug-in-drum-machines-in-the-world-today-410653

Thanks. Since I'm just getting started it sounds like essendial will be fine for now.

Yeah... SD3 is simple to use and with some of the expansion packs (I picked up the Andy John's kit for SD3 and it sounds GREAT) you can get some very nice results BUT there are much better drum synths out there like Addictive Drums, EZdrummer/Superior Drummer or my personal fave BFD (the Eco version is only $100 but goes on sale occasionally... got mine for $50).

So basically upgrading to Producer for SD3 alone isn't really worth it. However all the other awesome stuff that comes with Producer is. I've never even opened Studio Instruments though so I have no idea what that is capable of.

Food for thought.

 Ha! Wrong thread. Never mind. ;-p