Greetings. I’m looking for advice on a drum module that does interesting things with velocity. Ideally, through layered samples, sort of like VSTs like Battery, but without a computer. Is there such a thing? I really prefer making drum grooves with velocity variation and am looking for something outside the computer now that I’m in the world of hardware sequencers with velocity.
iOS is ok too. I don’t need hardware; I’m just trying to avoid the DAW environment for now.
I figure for physical modelling, either I go full on with the Nord Drum, or I use my Plaits, but if there are other things to look at, I’m certainly open.
I’m mostly not looking for 808 or 909 sounds, which isn’t to cast aspersions–lots of artists I like use them, I am just going for something more “acoustic” sounding. TIA!
The best dynamic response I’ve ever experienced from a hardware module—and I use controllers that can play with full-range dynamics—is Roland’s TD-50. That’s not to say it’s my favorite for acoustic-type sounds, which would be the computer-based BFD3. Next is Nord Drum, which is so good I have two Drum 3P’s.
I’ve tried lots of iOS drum apps, and they just don’t compare in detail to the above two. That includes creating my own multisamples for iOS. I tried hard to make it work because you can’t beat the convenience of having it in a pad or phone, but they just can’t compete with BFD3’s 64 stereo velocity layers with round robins. If you can do with fewer layers, you may be happy, but for me, play a drum line with anything less than 32 layers for each kit piece, and it weeps.
Well, I don’t know. It’s been years since I A/B’ed extensively, and I settled on BFD as the best dynamic response to my sensitive controllers. I don’t need any sequencing features, and perhaps there are other capabilities people like, but that I don’t use.
BFD also has huge libraries of percussion, kits, and kit pieces that I particularly like. I did A/B closely with NI’s offerings. Since then, I’ve heard a lot of people in my interest group praising Superior Drummer 3. With BFD’s licensing fiasco since InMusic took ownership, I have incentive to try Superior Drummer, but disk space is becoming an issue, and I’m really liking my hardware solutions these days anyway. If electronic musicians (as opposed to physical drummers) find Roland’s TD-50 a little plain for their taste (particularly for the price), I find using an Analog Heat freshens it up quite a bit.