All the samples are presented at 44.1kHz/24-bit and playback within the engine goes from standard stereo right up to 11.1 surround courtesy of original recordings that exploited an impressive array of room/ambience microphones. Within the main kits there are plenty of choices, including more than 30 snares and nearly as many kick drums. This runs to over 230GB, and includes six new acoustic kits as well as around 350 electronic drum sounds and a small collection of percussion instruments. So, UI aside, what’s new? Well, quite a lot, but let’s start with the new core library. Existing EZ Drummer and SD2 content is also fully compatible with the SD3 environment. High-quality drum sounds based upon super-detailed drum sampling, comprehensive mixing and a huge catalogue of MIDI drum grooves still lie at the heart of SD3.

More importantly, while there are lots of new and improved features, the core functionality remains intact. The new look is modern but, despite the visual differences, transitioning from SD2 to SD3 is pretty painless. even more superior? Best, Better?Īs shown in the various screenshots, SD3 has received a complete visual overhaul. So, just how have Toontrack attempted to make Superior, well. However, Superior Drummer 3 is now upon us and, almost nine years on, I think it is fair to say that expectations are high. We reviewed Toontrack’s Superior Drummer 2 back in December 2008 and, with numerous updates and new expansion-pack content since then, SD2 has maintained its position as one of the most popular choices for musicians wanting a top-end virtual acoustic drummer - despite some undoubtedly brilliant competition. It’s been a long time coming, but the new version of Superior Drummer raises the bar for virtual drum instruments. The revamped Drums page provides multiple sub-panels for sound editing and access to the new Song Track. Superior Drummer’s new UI is both slick and highly customisable.

Superior drummer expansion