MusicRadar

Today's freeware apps rival many commercial tools, and they look the business too

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Drum machines - back to index

3. DigiDrum Pro
PC – VST

DigiDrum Pro is an out-and-out TR-808 and 909 clone (due to the sounds it’s supplied with), although you can load your own waveforms into the five available slots to create something radically different. It’s fun to use, easy on your CPU and sounds great.

Screengrab
Website: http://www.audiosonic.dk/digidrumpro.html?1

4. Drumatic 3
PC – VST

E-Phonic’s Drumatic 3 is an unusual drum machine in that its sounds are completely synthesized rather than sampled – it’s experimental electronics to the bone. The interface concentrates on the envelope-shaping side of drum synthesis rather than emulating hardware drum machines, but this is no bad thing; Drumatic 3 is instantly creative.

Screengrab
Website: http://www.e-phonic.com/plugins/drumatic3.php

5. Dr-Fusion 2
PC – VST

Odosynth’s Dr-Fusion 2 is a very cool drum synthesizer and sampler, and if you’re into sound-shaping, this is one of the most flexible instruments out there. You can load your own samples into the plug-in, and/or use the supplied kits. You can layer two samples at a time, and there’s also a drum synthesis section, effects (distortion, bit crusher, clipper and filter, multiple outputs and envelopes.

Screengrab
Website: http://www.odosynths.com/vst.htm

Real instruments/ROMplers - back to index

6. Independence – Massive sample player and library
Mac/PC – VST/AU/Standalone

Independence Free from Yellow Tools is a free version of their Independence sampler, but even so, it’s a hugely generous offering. You get an astoundingly large 2GB sample library, as well as MIDI functions, envelopes and more. You can’t import or make your own sounds in the free version, but with a 2GB library to be getting on with, you probably don’t need to.

Screengrab
Website: http://www.yellowtools.us/cp21/cms/index.php?id=842

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