Good drum programs

[Ghost Horses]

I'm looking for a good drum program to get real sounding drums and/or ambient sounding beats. Anyone know of any freeware or shareware? If all else fails I'm up for good programs on the market for sale. Any advise is welcome. Anyone know what happened to the program Virtual Drummer?

 

[WinterMute]

The best drum programming system by far is BFD, but it's expensive.

 

[Fiasco]

Many years ago, when I first ventured into computer based music I used a little program called Hammerhead. Now that was a windows only app but it was so much fun!!!

When I decided to put music creation behind me sometime last year, the best drum app in my opinion was Guru. You should check it out, it's made by fxpansion. They also make BFD which is also worth checking out to see which might suit you better.

www.fxpansion.com

 

[Ghost Horses]

The best drum programming system by far is BFD, but it's expensive.

Many years ago, when I first ventured into computer based music I used a little program called Hammerhead. Now that was a windows only app but it was so much fun!!!

When I decided to put music creation behind me sometime last year, the best drum app in my opinion was Guru. You should check it out, it's made by fxpansion. They also make BFD which is also worth checking out to see which might suit you better.

www.fxpansion.com

Thanks for the heads up on those programs! I really am blown away by them!!!! WOW!!! Both of those look great!! Phew!!! Once I get some spare change I know what I'm buying next!!! Can't swing that price right now though...anything else out there?

 

[quigleybc]

Drum Kit from hell
BFD
iDrum
Guru
Stylus RMX
Native Instruments Battery 3
Drumagog
Reason / reason drum kits
Ableton Live - Impulse
Logic - Ultrabeat

 

[Ghost Horses]

Drum Kit from hell
BFD
iDrum
Guru
Stylus RMX
Native Instruments Battery 3
Drumagog
Reason / reason drum kits
Ableton Live - Impulse
Logic - Ultrabeat

Wow thanks! Choices, choices...I think at this point, if I got Reason I would not only have drums, but some other things to use in my music also. More toys in the toy box! So...with Reason's drums can I program a beat from scratch? In other words can I write a drum part using the bubbles that you fill in for each drum in each measure? Or do I have to select sample beats and fills to form a song? So out of the programs everyone has suggested, which one can I write a beat w/ from the ground up, measure by measure, drum by drum? (using the bubble method for lack of a better word) Is their a name for that kind of program where you have the grid and click the square for when you want the beat to land within the measure?

 

[3rdpath]

don't forget east/west's addictive drums...the new adpack of kits sounds amazing.

i've also had excellent results with the previously mentioned stylus drums, DFH and BFD

as for reason, the drums in the loops can also be played individually....they're mapped across the keyboard. so you can program them on a midi grid. ( i think thats what you're asking). the downside is that because the drum parts are chopped up ( recycled ), they're short in duration...so you may not get the "ring" of the snare and such. i've yet to fully explore reason 4...so maybe there's other kits avail with the program that are longer samples...and individual cymbal hits with long sustains.

reason is an amazing program...super bang for the buck!

 

[Ghost Horses]

don't forget east/west's addictive drums...the new adpack of kits sounds amazing.

i've also had excellent results with the previously mentioned stylus drums, DFH and BFD

as for reason, the drums in the loops can also be played individually....they're mapped across the keyboard. so you can program them on a midi grid. ( i think thats what you're asking). the downside is that because the drum parts are chopped up ( recycled ), they're short in duration...so you may not get the "ring" of the snare and such. i've yet to fully explore reason 4...so maybe there's other kits avail with the program that are longer samples...and individual cymbal hits with long sustains.

reason is an amazing program...super bang for the buck!

Yeah midi! I prefer midi because I know basically how it works and I don't have to take the time to learn it. I'm trying to lay down a few song that I have and I don't really want to waste time getting frustrated trying out how to program a beat. I'd like to get these songs down asap while they're still hot & fresh! Although, I do see my self spending the extra cash in the future for something like reason. Just can't do that much $$ now.

don't forget east/west's addictive drums...the new adpack of kits sounds amazing.

i've also had excellent results with the previously mentioned stylus drums, DFH and BFD

as for reason, the drums in the loops can also be played individually....they're mapped across the keyboard. so you can program them on a midi grid. ( i think thats what you're asking). the downside is that because the drum parts are chopped up ( recycled ), they're short in duration...so you may not get the "ring" of the snare and such. i've yet to fully explore reason 4...so maybe there's other kits avail with the program that are longer samples...and individual cymbal hits with long sustains.

reason is an amazing program...super bang for the buck!

Drum Kit from hell
BFD
iDrum
Guru
Stylus RMX
Native Instruments Battery 3
Drumagog
Reason / reason drum kits
Ableton Live - Impulse
Logic - Ultrabeat

Wow! I didn't know iDrum was so cheap! So it's a good program huh?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t..._shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2YLYLTN75J8LR&v=glance

 

[gvdv]

Here's an alternative to buying a complete program - sf2 files.

This tutorial has been very helpful for me
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/Tutorials/SoundFonts.html

as has the FAQ - exclusively about GarageBand - on that website. I think it's so good that I even sent them a donation.

Hope this is of use.

GVDV.