"Superior indeed" was our predictable but heartfelt verdict when we gave Superior Drummer 3 the full MusicRadar review treatment, and it remains a benchmark suite for anyone looking to add drums to their music, without the high maintenance and inconvenience of an actual drummer. So we have no hesitation in recommending you check ouyt this
The massive 250GB library was created using a Holy Grail list of classic and modern snares, kits and cymbals with the help of the legendary George Massenburg. As well as its massive core library, Superior Drummer allows you deep editing of individual sounds as well as a fully-stocked studio-style mixer loaded with effects to help you craft your sound.
As well as this, SD3 includes thousands of MIDI grooves, machine-learning drum replacement and a whole lot more.
SD3’s 230GB library of raw drum samples was recorded (in 11-channel surround) by engineering demigod George Massenburg at Belgium’s state of the art Galaxy Studios.
It comprises six full kits in 14 configurations: Ayotte Classic (sticks and rods), four-piece Gretsch Round Badge (sticks, brushes and rods, all with snares on and off, plus mallets), Ludwig (single- and double-headed toms), Premier Genista, Pearl Masterworks and Yamaha Beech Custom. Supplementing those are a staggering roster of extra snares and kicks, and the 32 cymbals are provided by Zildjian, Paiste, Masterwork, Istanbul, Bosphorus and Spizzichino.
Every snare drum encompasses eight articulations (Centre, Rimshot, Flam, etc), with the brushed snares upping that to 12. Crash and ride cymbals come with up to eight articulations; kicks can be Open or Hit; and toms can be struck in the centre, rimshot, or on the rim. The hi-hats take the cake, though, with a whopping 27 articulations each.
The love and care with which Massenburg and team have set up and tracked SD3’s core library is palpable in every sample, and it serves as a pristine, pure foundation on which to build your own kits.
Also included, incidentally, are 350 single-sample electronic drum sounds, which make a solid starting point for experimentation with SD3’s new-found layering capabilities.
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