Drum kit from heaven
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 doubleheaded 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.