Full Description
View Full Description
Superior Drummer 3
A massive library of sound
Boasting one of, if not the largest drum library available, Superior Drummer 3 packs 230GB of drum samples into one virtual instrument. Sampled in unrivalled detail using proprietary sampling technology, Superior Drummer 3 is comprised of seven hand-picked full kits alongside a large selection of extra instruments and electronic drums to stack and layer sounds to craft unique sounds unheard of before. Specifically chosen to pain the richest variety of drum sounds available, a variety of different sizes, timbres and depth configurations are included to let you experiment with loud, reverberant and punchy tones to subtle, tight and articulate.
Engineered, recorded and mixed by world-famous producer, inventor and sound professor George Massenburg, Superior Drummer 3 is in more than capable hands. Using his decades of expertise, George hand-picked 25 acoustic snares, 16 acoustic kicks, toms ranging from 6" to 20", cymbals with more detail than ever before and approximately 350 electronically sampled sounds to create your ideal drum kit. An incomparable palette of drum tones, Superior Drummer 3 also features a selection of optional tools on selected kits including stick hits, brushes, rods and felt mallets. Ideal for a plethora of different styles and performances, Superior Drummer 3 equips you for every occasion.
World-class studio
The core library was recorded by George Massenburg, whose impact on music and audio is unquestionable. Aside from receiving every industry award or recording countless records from the 1970s onwards, he is responsible for the invention of the parametric EQ. Superior Drummer 3 is the next level in drum sampling, captured with layers of technology and probably the most ideal location in the world for sampling, Galaxy Studios. Measuring 330 square meters with an eight-meter high ceiling, Galaxy Studios offers the perfect solution for recording expansive drums with surround immersion possibilities.
Recorded with an 11.1 microphone setup, Superior Drummer 3 enables you to create immersive drums for modern, cinematic formats. Everything from stereo, 5.1. 9.1 to 11.1 systems is possible to ensure no matter the format, your drums will maintain the correct imaging across the entire surround spectrum.
A creative playground where no rules apply
Similar in idea to a DAW, Superior Drummer 3 is a world of sound design within itself where anything you can imagine is possible. Unrestrictive creative mixing application is at your disposal alongside a huge range of individual drum customisation. Adjust the pitch, envelope, velocity curve, import third part samples, set macro controls and even stack multiple drum hits together to craft unique tones that set your music apart from everyone else.
Professional mixing possibilities
As well as individual drum customisation, Superior Drummer 3 features a redesigned mixer with professional features to take your drums from raw and rough to modern and massive. 35 low-footprint insert effects are employed, allowing you to sculpt, shape and morph your tones in a plethora of unique ways. Everything from traditional EQs and compressors, to more experimental distortions, bit-crushers and modulation along with mixing essentials such as tape machine emulations and reverb are included.
A mixing powerhouse, Superior Drummer 3 gives you in-depth control that simply isn't possible with the analog domain. Blend and layer samples seamlessly, detailed bleed control per drum in each microphone channel and unrestricted routing ensures that the sound in your head can be realised without restraint. Additionally, you can route and buss bleed instruments independent of their close microphones for even more tonal control!
Whilst almost limitless constraint is ideal for experienced producers and sound designers, it can be overwhelming for musicians beginning their virtual drum production journey. In typical Toontrack fashion, Superior Drummer 3 includes a comprehensive collection of mix-ready presets for a wide range of genres. Use these as starting-off points before finding what works for you or drop them straight into your mix and unlock radio-ready tones instantly. A slew of industry professionals have lent their hand to crafting presets for Superior Drummer 3 including Bob Rock, Andy Sneap, George Massenburg, Richard Devine and the Toontrack sound design team themselves. Everything from the heaviest of metals, to the grooviest of funk to the most experimental electronica is all included at the push of a button.
The heartbeat of your songs
Superior Drummer 3 adopts the new streamlined browser, with integrated search filters, making sorting through the 1,500+ included drums fast and efficient. Designed to excel in all popular music genres and to this end, Superior Drummer 3 includes more time signatures, feels and genres than any other library, from hip-hop, metal, Latin and much more. Ideal for the contemporary songwriter, the MIDI files included are labelled with song-specific categorization, allowing you to quickly navigate through files to find the most suitable groove for your track. You can search through playing style, genre, signature and power-hand to find a selection of grooves that match your requirements, or can manually search for a specific style, saving this as a custom filter for future sessions.
Get the right groove
Finding the right groove in Superior Drummer 3 is now interactive and faster than ever. Redefined for a more efficient workflow, Tap2Find lets you record either a full groove or only the accents that you want in your performance. This is ideal for gathering inspiration in your search results or for highlighting specific fills which match the rhythm of your track. Should you need to record more than just the accents for a more specific search, the Record Groove option lets you record either a full or part of a performance to find something that more closely matches with the onboard MIDI files.
Within the step sequencer, you have a wide range of customisation to find the right groove, from the beat length and tempo along with the ability to add notes manually into the step sequencer. Your MIDI file options are then filtered for you based on likeness to your Tap2find groove, allowing you to quickly audition grooves to find the perfect one for your track.
Write it in with Grid Editor
The fully-functional Grid Editor makes it easier to compose grooves from scratch. Employing a humanise engine, Superior Drummer 3 uses machine learning to analyse the hundreds of thousands of MIDI grooves which Toontrack have recorded with real drummers, drawing on micro-tempo and velocity information to make your performances as realistic as possible. Ideal for transforming static, quantised grooves into lively and exciting patterns that enhance the rhythm of your track.
Applied to either individual instruments or entire grooves, this is ideal for adding humanisation to newly-written drum parts on top of an existing groove. With half-time, double-time and blast beat formats, no matter what kind of groove you have, you can ensure maximum authenticity throughout. Micro timing parameters make very small adjustments to the performance on the grid, mimicking the natural performance as possible, with modes for push and pull as well as laid-back style micro-timings.
A new breed of audio to MIDI conversion
Newly introduced in Superior Drummer 3 is the Tracker function. A revolutionary offline audio-to-MIDI conversion engine powered by highly-advanced instrument recognition AI technology. Detecting hits with unequalled accuracy and speed, Superior Drummer 3 makes it easy to augment or replace live drums in your projects. Simply import your drum files into Superior Drummer 3's tracker engine and let the program do the work for you. Intelligent analysis parameters ensure maximum accuracy for all drums, including overheads, ensuring you never have to struggle to mix poorly recorded drums again!
Even for the trickiest of files, Tracker features a wide range of tools to hone in on the desired sound whilst leaving unwanted transients undetected to only augment or replace the sounds you want. Brought to life through machine learning, Tracker draws on 1.3 million audio file analysis parameters to detect even the most subtle of ghost notes on your chosen drum track.
Seamless integration with your E-kit
Designed with the player in mind, Superior Drummer 3 contains a wide range of custom mapping presets and customisation to ensure the software responds to your playing accurately. Making your E-kit every bit as real as possible, you can optimise humanisation, trigger zones, velocity curves per instrument and snare and hi-hat CC information. Regardless of the type, size or brand of E-kit, you will be able to perform freely just how you would on a real acoustic kit.
SDX Sound Expansions
Custom & Vintage
The craft and the sound. This is the very definition of classic, rare, custom and vintage drums. Recorded to perfection in one of the finest acoustic environments ever built.
Death and Darkness
A matter of darkness and death. Two studios. Two engineers. All the death and darkness you can take.
Decades
Decades of experience. A massive collection of drums recorded by one of the most prolific audio craftsmen of our time: Al Schmitt.
Fields of Rock
On hallowed ground. Seven kits capturing the essence of rock drums from the ’70s through to today.
Indiependent
Put the 'I' in independent. A genuine collection of drums, handpicked for indie music but reaching farther, beyond the divides of a specific genre.
Legacy of Rock
Rock royalty. Drums recorded by one of the most iconic recording engineers/mixers/producers in rock history: Eddie Kramer.
Metal Machinery
Raw power. The original recording that the Metal Machine EZX was based on.
Music City USA
Big, warm and genuine. Premier drum samples recorded to perfection that you hone, mold and shape to fit in any style of music – from country to pop, rock and soul.
New York Studios Vol.1
A New York landmark. The drum sounds that set an industry standard.
New York Studios Vol.2
Historic recording studios. 13 snare drums, seven sets of toms, seven kicks and a wide assortment of different cymbals – all sampled in extreme detail and showcasing the incredible sonic qualities of two New York City landmark studios.
New York Studios Vol.3
The New York legacy continues. Three (3) full kits recorded in one of the greatest acoustic environments in the world.
Orchestral Percussion
The immersive saga continues. Welcome to the Orchestral Percussion SDX for Superior Drummer 3.
Roots SDX - Brushes, Rods & Mallets
The ultimate drum recording? This is the portion of the Roots SDX that comes with brushes, rods and mallets.
Roots SDX - Sticks
The ultimate drum recording? This is the portion of the Roots SDX that comes with sticks.
The Metal Foundry
Forge your metal. Welcome to the metal foundry, the ironworks where the most massive body of drums wait for you to be honed, harnessed and molded into shape.
The Progressive Foundry
Raw power. A profound library of drums recorded by Forrester Savell.
The Rock Foundry
Hard as a rock. A massive library of sounds for Superior Drummer 3 recorded by a true industry legend, Bob Rock.
The Rock Warehouse
Drums, as good as they come. Drums, recorded with utmost craftsmanship in one of the finest facilities in the world.
The Rooms of Hansa
A wall of sound. A massive collection of drums captured in the four different rooms of the Hansa Tonstudio.
Reviews
"In a word, magnificent." - Computer Music
"A game changer on all fronts." - Ask Audio
"Taking the virtual drummer concept to a completely new level." - Sound On Sound
"The most complex and extensive sound library in the world of drums." - Sound And Recording Magazine
"Once again a definite winner from Toontrack." - Beat Magazine
Features
- Perfect for every genre from hard and heavy metal to groovy funk and smooth Latin
- Unrestricted mixing capabilities with 35 low-profile plug-ins and freeform routing
- Individual bleed control in every microphone adds realism and unrivalled flexibility and control
- Stack, mix and match drums simultaneously to create new and exciting sounds
- Independently adjust the level, pitch and envelope of each drum
- Load third-party and custom samples to blend with onboard sounds
- Mix-ready presets crafted by industry professionals from Andy Sneap, Richard Devine, Bob Rock and more
- Seven full kits comprising 230GB of samples
- Specialised articulation tools on selected instruments including sticks, brushes, rods and felt mallets
- Over 350 electronic samples let you blur the lines between acoustic and electric
- Immersive 11.1 surround sound playback options
- Recorded by world-famous engineer and inventor George Massenburg at Galaxy Studios, Belgium
- Comprehensive MIDI library filled with grooves and performances for a wide range of genres
- Percussion and Future Hit MIDI grooves
- Intuitive browser function lets you find the groove you need with smart search functions
- Tap2Find function
- Song Creator tab lets you compose full tracks without ever leaving the software
- New scalable interface with detachable windows
- Advanced e-drum features and simplified microphone routing
- Full support for keyboard shortcuts
- Precise and accurate drum audio to MIDI conversion with integrated Tracker
- DAW automation for built-in macro controls
Specifications
System requirements
- Operating system:
- Mac: 64-bit macOS 10.10 or higher - Intel or Apple silicon processor
- Windows: 64-bit Windows 7 or newer
- Format:
- Mac: VST, AU, AAX and Standalone
- Windows: VST, AAX and Standalone
- RAM: 8GB recommended
- Disk space:
- Basic install: Approx. 41 GB download and an additional 41 GB for the installation process
- Complete install: Approx. 236 GB download and an additional 55 GB for the installation process
- Product code: TT082