Drum Software Recommendations? Mac OS 10 Mojave compatible

  • EZ Drummer 2.... it is so simple... it has limitations but those are what I really love.. :) I suffer from options anxiety! I have not upgraded to SD3 for this reason... I love minimalism! :)

    If you don't like to tweak, EZ is the way to go. Just load it and load some midi-files and you're done. :thumbup: But I like to tweak so SD3 is right for me. And I agree with DamaianGrada, TPF is the best SDX so far. Suitable for anything from simple pop to death metal.

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau

  • The worst you do is to put just grid hit the notes? I depends on what genre you're into. If it's metal, just go for the grid. If it's jazz, well please don't do that.

    It does not matter what kind of music you are into. Minor time differences in hits are just as important as the difference in velocity. Otherwise, we get a perfect drums that sounds like plastic.

    Well, unless you're a perfect drummer with millisecond precision.
    Then you sound like perfect drum machine.

    Such a perfect design is totally devoid of life and unnatural for me.

  • It does not matter what kind of music you are into. Minor time differences in hits are just as important as the difference in velocity. Otherwise, we get a perfect drums that sounds like plastic.

    Well, unless you're a perfect drummer with millisecond precision.
    Then you sound like plastic.

    Such a perfect design is totally devoid of life and unnatural for me.

    Quantized drums in metal is very common. Just becuase it's quantized to the grid doesn't make the drums sound plastic. That's not true at all. The same is done with guitar and bass. Or at least recorded small parts and edited together, bass and guitars. Just compare to 80's metal and today. Even if your're a tight guitar player no one can play that tight thru a whole song.. Kick and drum samples together with the real drums and sometimes the real kick is replaced 100%. Does it sound plastic? That claim about drums is as false as say if you can't sing perfect, don't use Melodyne because that's fake and it will sound unnatural. But nearly all use Melodyne or autotune today in the end in most studios. Auto-aligning the multiple chorus takes. What sounds plastic or fantastic? Who decides? I know many metal fans snort at edm or electronic music and say it's not real instruments, samples and fake. But metal, yeah what you hear is the real deal and nothing more. Oboy if they only knew the truth

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau

  • Quantized drums in metal is very common. Just becuase it's quantized to the grid doesn't make the drums sound plastic. That's not true at all. The same is done with guitar and bass. Or at least recorded small parts and edited together, bass and guitars. Just compare to 80's metal and today. Even if your're a tight guitar player no one can play that tight thru a whole song.. Kick and drum samples together with the real drums and sometimes the real kick is replaced 100%. Does it sound plastic? That claim about drums is as false as say if you can't sing perfect, don't use Melodyne because that's fake and it will sound unnatural. But nearly all use Melodyne or autotune today in the end in most studios. Auto-aligning the multiple chorus takes. What sounds plastic or fantastic? Who decides? I know many metal fans snort at edm or electronic music and say it's not real instruments, samples and fake. But metal, yeah what you hear is the real deal and nothing more. Oboy if they only knew the truth

    I'm just saying that I prefer minor imperfections ;) And I don't like 80's rock and todays new metal songs exactly for this reason.

  • Jamstix is great too with its different Drummers and styles

    If you use FRFR the benefit of a merged profile is that the cabinet is totally separated in the profile.


    For my edification only... ;) Kemper/Axe-FX III/ Quad Cortex user

  • Yes, Jamstixs AI is very interesting with the style of different well known drummers! You can change a lot of parameters there to adapt the playing.

    Kemper Head - Kemper Remote - Palmer Box with Kemper Kone - TC Electronic BAM200 - Laney LFR 112

  • I have SD3 and BFD3 and I find it's fun to play around with and layer both.


    The Black Album kit on BFD3 is amazing, just like the drums on that great album.


    The way I like to look at each software is that SD3 is processed and recording ready drums, BFD3 is the raw sounds and you can process them anyway you like.


    The groove section on BFD3 is cool, just play it and it will add fills, change sections and whatnot.

  • Wow! A wealth of information! You guys are awesome!!!


    I am going to have to do some research. I am not sure my budget can meet my expectations, and my previous foray into drumming software (mostly incorporating it into Reaper) led me to conclude I have no aptitude and need something simple/plug&play. However, I can get stubborn about learning something and taking it to its/my limits (sound familiar?), so I do like to push myself beyond the comfort zone. I will need some time to absorb all this and figure out what works for me.


    THANK YOU ALL!!!

  • The way I like to look at each software is that SD3 is processed and recording ready drums, BFD3 is the raw sounds and you can process them anyway you like.

    This is not true. SD3 is every bit as raw as BFD unless you choose one of the many presets (very good and varied ones btw.) which are processed in the box (SD3 contains a load of very good FX).

    The processed one is EZ Drummer. ;)

  • Also of course I second giving Jamstix a try.

    I've been a Jamstix supporter and user for many years, since version 1.

    Ralph Zeuner, the developer, is a genius because he's the only one who has created a rule based groove generator that mimicks the drumming behaviour of many famous drummers (Bonzo, Stewart Copeland, etc. you name it).

    Although the learning curve can be a bit steep this approach is so refreshingly different compared to all the pre-played midi libraries.

    Also I'm proud to still appear in the credits of this fabulous app. ;)

  • SD3 has the huge advantage of a MIDI search engine. You can input or choose a MIDI pattern and it searches like patterns from commercial or your own 3rd party library. Plus it has a Song Creator that can make up element patterns such as Intro, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Outro.


    EZ Drummer has these as well, is cheaper, less options, and sound less good, but is quite a great program. Its definitely for ppl who want to work immediately with "processed" sounds. It's for a more lazy person wanting to get on with the song rather than tweak drums for hours. But you CAN be lazy with SD3, too, with presets.


    I've had a bunch, Slate, Logic, etc but prefer SD3.


    Btw, I still sometimes use audio loops, but match them BPM-wise to a MIDI track so I can alter the beat in the future if need be. But this tends to be only when I'm looking for an ambiance that MIDI drum machines don't have. Audio almost always sounds more authentic b/c it often is actual drummers.


    Logic also has a quickie drummer program, but if you're on Reaper, a standalone drum machine makes more sense.

  • Say, what was your drum work flow and programs on PC? (mine used to be audio loops in Sony Acid Pro, or FLStudio. The loops were often Drums on Demand)

    It was on an older mac and for the life of me, I don't recall what the software was? I gave the disk to my brother so he could use it - if he still has it, I'll find out.

  • Ok, so its been almost a year, but the current lockdown gave me a good reason and opportunity to focus on developing my rudimentary studio skills. I wound up getting Steven Slate Drums 5.5 and after some crying in the dark and gnashing of my teeth, I did figure out how to incorporate it into Reaper and after developing a basic song drum track, incorporating that into Acapella so that I can do some video collaboration with some friends. Fun stuff, but my understanding of drumming and making something sound even remotely real remains to be developed. Thank you to sambrox and everyone else for getting me pointed in the right direction - even if it took a long time.