(Full lists of instruments and mic positions appear below.) The expansion library consists of over 120 instruments simultaneously recorded from multiple listening perspectives, enabling you to create anything from a simple stereo mix to an 11-channel surround extravaganza. The 'SDX' part of this product (henceforth referred to as OP SDX) stands for Superior Drum expansion, which means you'll need Superior Drummer 3 (SD3) in order to use it. This musical clan were united in naming the snare drum as their favourite instrument, which may have further endeared them to Toontrack. The instruments were played by members of the Ouderits family: dad Leo and sons Tim and Tom, all classically trained percussionists. Realising with excitement that here was another large collection of things that you can hit with a stick, the Toontrack sound-design team returned to the main hall of Galaxy Studios in Mol, Belgium, the same location used to record the Superior Drummer 3 core sound library (and incidentally, the studio used for the spiffing Galaxy Steinway 5.1 grand piano).įor this project the company enlisted specialist help in the shape of producer Patrick Lemmens, a classically trained musician with a background in orchestral engineering and mixing. While the expansions cover all angles of the drum kit and Latin percussion, one area has hitherto gone unexplored: orchestral percussion.

Since releasing Superior Drummer 2.0 in 2008, Toontrack have issued a steady stream of SDX and EZX expansion libraries for their Superior and EZ players and all of those reviewed on these pages received a warm reception from SOS's keen-eared writers, who know a good sampled drum kit when they hear one. The product names say it all: Superior Drummer, EZ Drummer, and before that, Drumkit From Hell and its devilish offspring DFH Superior. Think of Toontrack and you think of drums. The US drum maestros take a decisive step into the world of orchestral percussion.

Superior drummer orchestral