£99 (€119/$149)
When FXpansion’s Geist plugin replaced the company’s much-loved GURU back in 2010, it was business as usual: the plugin’s combination of drum sampling, loop slicing and beat sequencing represented a new take on familiar territory. But when the company’s next drum plugin, Tremor, followed two years later, the approach was altogether different.
Tremor isn’t a replacement for Geist. Both remain on sale alongside each other. Instead, Tremor is the synth-based option for the hands-on producer. Based around FXpansion’s DCAM (discrete component analogue modelling) approach, Tremor contains no samples. Everything’s generated in real time by the synth engine, which must rank as one of the more complex example on this list thanks to the presence of a ‘cloud oscillator’ (a take on additive synthesis, with eight oscillators tuned at intervals) and the accompanying Harmonics controls.
Thankfully, Tremor isn’t as tricky to use as its spec might suggest. You can dive deep into the modulation options if you like, but even relative newcomers to synthesis will be able to figure out the basics and get involved with creating new sounds from the plugin’s polished, analogue-sounding synth engine.
At £99, you get a hell of a lot of features for the money, and that’s before we’ve even mentioned the built-in sequencer. Tremor might just be the best bang for your buck on our entire list. A real all-rounder with something to please everyone.
07.46 AM
I think Drumatic 4 deserves to be on that list! http://www.drumatic.info/
Maybe even Maschine’s drum modules could be on the list.
Other than that, great list! I learned that Kickr was for windows now as well.
04.31 PM
vive le Drumazone
04.36 PM
vive le Drumazon !!!, mais pour faire le râleur, il y a juste une différence de tonalité, mais sinon c’est le top quand on rêve d’acquérir une 909.
10.33 PM
I agree with Sleepydog, Drumatic 4 is an amazing drum synth, would have like to have seen it on here
09.03 PM
Can’t believe Audiospillage and their whole line of drum synths didn’t get included, especially with so many redundant entries that did make it in. Have to give them a plug, but I’m just as happy keeping these all to myself…
03.06 PM
Yeah not sure why Drumspillage 2 and Elecktroid, both by Audiospillage did not make this list
12.18 PM
Waldorf Attack was a great unsing hero of Drum Machine VSTs imo.
09.46 AM
It would make sense to put Spark on the list as well.
12.50 PM
Another vote for Drum Spillage. I’ve demo’d just about all of these, and Drum Spillage is easily at the #1 spot for me. For both sound, and the ability to dial in sounds and timbres.
01.29 PM
Bazzism by Intelligent Sounds & Music – It’s my go to for kickdrums and its priced right!
07.52 PM
Yeah, not sure why we’ve got two kick drum plug-ins on this list?
I second Attack – It’s an oldie, but a goodie, for sure!
Tattoo is okay, but pretty limited sonically, especially when compared to the Audiospillage stuff, which for some reason didn’t make it on the list.
One omission I’m pretty surprised about is LinPlug’s RMV, which I think is totally underrated. I use it all the time… And it was one of the first plug-ins to combine drum synthesis and sampling – way before Punch or even Maschine!
Anyway, my 2 cents.
08.24 PM
Spark?
11.59 PM
you skipped the 2 best ones:
http://audiospillage.com/drumspillage.html
http://www.sonicacademy.com/KICK/
12.07 AM
You need to add Drumspillage 2 to that list.
Seriously!
02.50 PM
ahem…
Sonic Academy KICK was Future Music Gear Of The Year #1 and its not even in your list?
http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/future-music-gear-of-the-year-readers-choice-award-612743