Hi software forum!
 
I know that a lot of you, like me, own gigs and gigs of drumplers and expansion packs. Do they all see serious use at some point or do you fall back on a trusted shortlist on every 'real' project?
 
Here's some of mine that haven't made it past the fooling around stage:
- BFD Eco: I depend on my Roland E-drums for creating tracks and I never could get the hihat to work correctly with Eco. I also remember not being impressed with the included samples, but the processing options were cool and in a different league from EZdrummer. Since then, Addictive Drums (and subsequently AD2) covers my in-drumpler radical processing needs, so I do not think I'll be installing Eco again...
- Rock! EZX: This EZX trades articulations and velocity layers for quantity of kit pieces. Because of this, the Rock! feels very unnatural and unsatisfying to play using E-drums, though the samples themselves are mostly pretty cool.
- Black Velvet ADpak: During my honeymoon with AD back when X3 was released I bought a number of ADpaks. The Black Velvet pack samples and presets sounded big and lush upon auditioning, but no matter how I tweak them they sound like 'live' (stage) drums to me rather than 'studio' drums. Maybe that's part of the appeal, but I can't seem to find a use for this sound.
 
Here's a couple that sound very promising, but I haven't found the right project for:
- Vintage Dry ADpak: I've been looking for something like this for ages! But once since getting it I haven't been able to find my Disco Mojo! Any day now...
- EZdrummer 2: Just haven't had the time to start many new project since I got EZD2, but the "Ringy Rock" preset is my current favorite for jamming. It exquisitely captures the kind of scooped, punchy drum sound that was in vogue back in the mid 90s when I first got into drums! Dunno if it's right for any of my actual music, though. 
 
 
Lastly:
I have to mention the new Fairfax Vol.1 ADpak! Though I haven't started any real projects with it yet, I've been going through old "unfinishables" and synth-replacing the drums with AD2/Fairfax. I just love it! The ride and hihat in particular are just the best thing in the world ever IMHO!
 
 
 
I'd love to hear about your experiences guys!
 
 
Sven

Steven Slate SSD4. It sounds great but some how I never use it in anger.

I really need to continue my learning of BFD 3 as the potential is terrific. Most of the time I will use Superior Drummer, mainly with the metal foundary SDX. However Roots and Custom and vintage get a fair bit of use.

I use 'em all. Perhaps not as first call go-to drums, but for individual flavor and variety.
 
That includes such ancient relics as Drumkit From Hell, which has some nice kick and crash cymbal samples. Even the TTS-1 receives regular assignments, usually for hand percussion. The free Big Mono drumkit for Kontakt lends its kick drum on occasion. Jamstix supplies shakers and tambourines.

i don't use the mixer or effects in superior drummer.
 
i just output the raw drum tracks after i write them, and then mix them old school.
 

I picked up NI Komplete 9 a few months ago. I've messed around with the Studio Drummer kits (and Battery) to see what they're all about, but haven't used them on anything to date. BFD, BFD Eco and EZDrummer 2 are the usual suspects I use right now.  Oh...and Session Drummer 3 with the "Evil Drums" expansion pack. Nice kit once I spent a few hours dialing it in just the way I wanted it.
 
BFD requires a lot of patience. (Eco as well) I'm a tweeker, so that's ok. Having full control of everything is great if you're willing to spend the time. I wasn't too sure about Eco at first, but with a lot of tweeking, (and there's a lot to tweek) it can sound great. Articulations on a few pieces are a little light, but depending on the song, it's not that big of a deal. Great deal for $25 though.
 
With EZD2 you can now make hybrid kits, so that's a big plus. I don't have a lot EZX's, but I do like the Nashville kit.
 
Snare articulations are the most important thing I think. Sometimes I'll incorporate a sampler into the kit. If the snare needs something - more crack or whatever, I'll whip up a group of velocity triggered samples for that snare with some added crack (or whatever) added in, then I'll point the drum map to trigger those sample sets instead. It's a way of getting more out of certain kit pieces that need a little something. A bit of work involved, but once it's done, it's always worthwhile.
 
I have some Roland V-drums, but I use a keyboard for "live" drumming. Being a keyboard player, I'm a better finger drummer. It's fast 'n easy, plus it allows me to access way more sounds at once if I want lots of extra kit pieces. No issues with the hi-hat that way either, as I use quite a few different keys to trigger all the different hi-hat variations.
 
So...ya, drums are a pain in the a**!, but with some time invested a lot of these virtual drum libraries can sound great.
 
 

Glyn Barnes
Steven Slate SSD4. It sounds great but some how I never use it in anger.

I also find the standard SSD4 package less competitive than others, but I really like the CLA add pack, particularly the kicks and snares.  I use those a lot. 
 
A lot of the NI / Abbey Road drumkits for Kontakt sound good on their own, but I have trouble getting them to fit in a mix.  Some of them (e.g. Vintage Drums) are good for certain situations, though.
 
SD2 gets the most use here.  The Music City SDX is my favorite of the ones I have.
 
Cheers,
Eddie

Session Drummer is probably the least used of my plugins.  I think it helps that I resisted the urge to buy drum programs.  Finally broke down and got full version of Geist this year and that covers most of my electronic drum and sampling needs.

Maybe it's because I have no EZXs, but EZ Drummer is the one I've used the least out of AD/AD2, BFD Eco and Session Drummer 3 just due to the kits themselves.   Like Bit I'll also occasionally pull odd pieces from TTS-1, or even the Roland Groove Synth.
 
I really need to dig into K9s drums some more...
 

Least:
Kontakt Drums such as Abbey Road Studio Drummer, Drumsomic, Analogue Drums, Sonic Reality Kits (even though I do like the sounds a lot)
SSD 4 (again like the sounds, but have too many other choices)
Drumcore 3 (Waiting on the update.)
BFD Eco
 
Most:
BFD 3
Superior Drummer
EZD2 (I am digging the song building aspects of it)
 
Moderate:
Jamstix
AD 2 (I like the new Fairfax aside from the crash cymbals)
 
 

Like Bit, I use them all, even mixing toms from one and snares from another in the same song. The last song I did with drums used 3 sets stacked on top of each other. Since I don't own any real drums, nor would my wife let me play them if I did, I need all the variety I can get, lol.
 
Regards,
Dan