I am trying to decide whether I want to add the additional clutter of Addictive Drums 2 to my PC. I don't create rock or jazz, styles which the online demos seem to highlight. My stuff is more like avant-garde music using classical type timbres, and some new age-like and electronic compositions. I am interested in electronic, orchestral, gong, and world percussion. Does AD2 implement such sounds in its library? Or, if not, can I import my own samples into its environment?
 
thanks for your advice
 
Keith

Hi Keith,
AD2 has a good ADpak for electronic/new age stuff (Reel Machines) and the accompanying midi pack compliments it really well. You can also easily tune/tweak the drums to your hearts content while gettin something very good for any genre.  
 
Also the Beat Transformer (part of the AD2 proramme) allows you to customize the beats in so many ways. You can control velocities, add accents randomize timing  & velocity, mute kitpieces, alter the speed to double time, half time 75%, etc.........alter where on the kitpiece is struck, e.g., the bell of a ride cymbal or a host of hi-hat options. Very useful tool IMO.

I don't know what you are using now...but if it's not BFD 3 or Superior Drummer,
then you definitely want AD2 installed.  It is a step above EZ Drummer in that it 
is fully tweakable, and sounds fanastic.  It doesn't have the "Song Creator" but, as
Mesh said, the Beat Transformer works well...

AD2 sounds really good and can get you to the finish line relatively fast.

cclarry
 
AD2 sounds really good and can get you to the finish line relatively fast.

^^^^
 
And with X3+ the price is hard to beat.  
 

Have you had a look at Applied Accoustics Chromophone, it may interest you for more experimental percussion.
 
Soft tube have a new drum synth Heartbeat if you were looking for an analogue style drum sound.
 
AD2 has as mentioned Reel machines for electronic drums, and Session drums for Latin percussion, along with some African drums add packs that are normally bundled in for you to choose. Nothing really eastern in a World Percussion sense. 
 
 

mcdonalk Does AD2 implement such sounds in its library? Or, if not, can I import my own samples into its environment?
 

AD sounds only unfortunatly
 

Do you have it already? Why not just install it and find out, you can uninstall it later.


I really like AD2, what stops me using it more is that's it's a huge CPU hog.... Performance should be much better with this app.

If you have sonar X3 (?) and above then you must already have AD2 in some form or other?
 
Given that, "avant-garde" as a genre can be almost anything then it's surely more about how you use it?
 
I wouldn't really recommend any of them (AD2, BFD3 or superior) for avant-garde or electronic music as they are primarily for rock, jazz, funk, punk, folk and everything else in the acoustic drum world but they can still be useful, it's a matter of your imagination and how you use it.
 
As for loading your own samples I'm pretty sure AD2 won't let you, not sure about superior drummer but BFD3 will definitely let you load your own samples. If you were going to spend money on any of the above then I would recommend BFD3 as being the best by some distance.
Also from fxpansion, I would suggest having a look at Tremor for electronic music as well Kamikaze's suggestion of Chromophone.
 
 
Steve

twaddle
 
 
If you were going to spend money on any of the above then I would recommend BFD3 as being the best by some distance.
 
 
Steve

Completely agree,,, 

Thanks, all, for the informed feedback.
 
Currently, I primarily use Linnplug RMV (in which I can use my own samples) and Chromophone for my percussive needs. Some of the replies here reinforce my impression that AD2 is geared primarily to rock & jazz, but some replies (Mesh) indicate otherwise.
 
Although I am OCD about cluttering my PC with plugins and "free" VST's that I don't use, and sinking hours into them, it sounds like I would be well-advised to hook up my DAW to the internet and install AD2.