Top 6 Drum Replacement Plugins 2023 (VST, AU, AAX)

Top 6 Drum Replacement Plugins (VST, AU, AAX) | integraudio.com

Let’s look at the best drum replacer plugins trending in 2023.

For thousands of years, humans have made music by plucking strings, singing words, and beating drums. These are the core elements of any song until this day, with astonishing instrument layers later added with the most diverse options – synthesizers, pipe organs, harmonicas… You name it.

In modern times, we can easily be fooled into thinking that the standard way to produce a song would be by relying on the classic band formation (vocals, guitar, bass, and drums). Of course, that works beautifully, but we can do so much more. And drum machines were the first devices to explore this area in a modern and resignified context.

Beatmakers are used to work with drum machines, triggers, and other devices or software that produces a constant and steady beat for your track. To get a grip on that segment, we decided to list the best drum replacer plugins trending in 2023, so you can get ahold of the best new options in the market.

Top 6 Drum Replacer Plugins 2023 (VST, AU, AAX)

1. XLN Audio Addictive Trigger

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
From the same team that brings the best drum virtual instruments available today.

Addictive Trigger is an extension of the power behind the classic Addictive Drums virtual instrument offered by XLN Audio. You can expect very similar controls and configurations here, with the advanced possibility to customize your drum kit or machine in any way you want.

Key Features:

    • Audio Fingerprint
      Instead of relying on many filters and transient shapers, Addictive Trigger uses an FFT-matching-based system to generate its triggers with unprecedented accuracy. This technology ensures that notes played with high or low dynamic variation will be detected just the same, thus bringing more authenticity to your final performance.
    • SuperStart
      The plethora of buttons, knobs, and possible configurations are almost endless in a plugin like Addictive Trigger, which can be painful in the long term. XLN Audio brings the “SuperStart” technology to fix that overflow of information, which listens to your samples or sources and automatically suggests the best parameter combinations for your sound.
    • Trig page
      The first window to be presented when you open up Addictive Trigger is the “Trig” section. Here, you can set your sample the way you want to: add a step sequencer, alter the curve response in your MIDI input signal, isolate each piece to a separate channel, set the transients, and much more.
    • Edit page
      The next section is called “Edit,” and it’s very useful to tweak the detailed aspects of your overall sonority. For example, you can edit the parameters of each drum piece individually, set the perfect microphone position according to the pieces, set the envelope curve, and much more.
    • FX page
      Of course, built-in effects are mandatory in a plugin such as Addictive Trigger! You can access them via the “FX Page” menu, and the same channel separation included in other sections is also present here. This ensures that effects be added and edited into a particular channel and not others. Feel free to add EQ, delay, and reverb with extended settings like the delay type, reverb response, and EQ curve.
    • Presets
      Addictive Trigger
      can be so massive and overwhelming that some users might find themselves lost in the first uses. To remedy that, XLN Audio included some presets that not only provide instant good-sounding tones but also help you understand better what’s going on inside the plugin, with the existing possibility to edit the values as you wish.
Addictive Trigger - Intelligent Drum Replacement

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for macOS 10.14.6 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 10 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST2, VST 3, AAX, and AU plugin formats. 

Summary:

XLN Audio delivers a great package in Addictive Trigger. You can rely heavily on this for both actual drumkit sounds and more modern sampling features, all in the same window. This is a fluid workflow that few plugins possess, even though the overall interface might initially seem too confusing.

2. SPL DrumXchanger

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
A highly responsive and capable drum replacement tool.

SPL, or Sound Performance Lab, brings DrumXchanger as a useful alternative to recording or programming drums. The plugin relies heavily on transient processing to nail the best drum hits, all based on an algorithm exclusively developed for this software.

Key Features:

    • Transient designers
      Two transient designers
      are included in DrumXchanger, with almost the same controls available for each segment. You can set the envelope with “Attack” and “Sustain” knobs and add a low or high-pass filter individually or jointly. The main difference between the sections is that one transient designer has a “Ducking” knob, and the other provides a “Tune” control, allowing further separate adjustments. 
    • Rimshot control
      A small knob almost at the center screen sets the perfect rimshot for your drum piece. In addition, the knob tweaks the exact value that this articulation is expected to have in any sample you load, being significantly important to determine how hard your drums will be hit.
    • Drumkits
      SPL
      included four drumkits into DrumXchanger. You can choose different toms, snares, and bass drums to make the perfect combination or use the standard kits as they are offered. In any case, you can edit and create your kits, saving them accordingly.
    • Editor page
      This “Editor” segment allows you to easily create and store your multi-layered samples, saving them as “.splx” files. You can choose to have at least one sample or go ahead and use all eight velocities and variations included for each sample slot. 
    • Trigger engine
      In the “Trigger” section, you are encouraged to set the best frequencies for your filtering and eliminate any exceeding tones quickly, with the possibility to solo the segment to take a better listen at what your samples are sounding like.
Using Drum Samples in SPL DrumXchanger! |Yosh's Drum Warehouse Vol. 1|

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for macOS 10.11 to 12 (64-bit only) and Windows 8 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST2, VST 3, AAX, and AU plugin formats. 

Summary:

The futuristic looks in DrumXchanger’s interface are a clue to what you can expect. The algorithms and overall functionalities work perfectly with the software, bringing a lightweight and concise experience. You can use this plugin as a real studio rack unit, always thinking about the signal chain to achieve the best results. All controls and features are useful and don’t feel like they’ve just been included for a random reason, with excellent responses.

3. MeldaProduction MDrumReplacer

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Be ready to get the most precise drum sounds in your track.

The main goal behind MDrumReplacer is to eliminate inconsistencies, such as bad microphone positioning, a faulty drummer, or simply a drum hit that should have been more energetic. MeldaProduction always excels in its products, so it’s expected that the same attention to detail should be met with this plugin.

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Key Features:

    • Intelligent detection
      The core behind MDrumReplacer is a clever drum hit detector. You can make this work beautifully either with a mixed drumkit or a soloed instrument, working with extreme accuracy in both cases. This ensures that all your hits are detected, and you can alter and modify them as you wish.
    • Learning mode
      MDrumReplacer
      also learns stuff very quickly. The included algorithm examines your sample audio file and captures the precise hits, the most prevailing frequencies in your spectrum, and the transients. The “Listen” feature lets you further tweak these frequencies to your taste to be as refined as possible.
    • Edit your drumkit
      The amount of power you can get from this plugin is vast, and it also stretches to the point where you can alter an entire drumkit or simply one or two pieces included. As a result, this is perfect for enhancing a kick drum or setting your snare sound just right, with the most simplicity.
    • Leveler
      Inside MDrumReplacer is another MeldaProduction product: the MDrumLeveler plugin. With this, you can extend your editing to the overall leveling in your track or sample, meaning you can set each piece to its appropriate level in a mix. Again, this works better than any unnecessary frequency shaping or similar process, dealing solely with gain in each peak.
    • Sound engine
      Going further than its algorithms, MDrumReplacer contains a succinct engine that makes the sample files even more reliable. This engine guaranteed, from the instant the samples were recorded, that every subtle aspect of a musician’s playability would be translated to the final version of the plugin. The final result is a more humanized performance than most drum replacement plugins.
    • Samples
      You can use the MDrummer sample libraries in your track at any moment with MDrumReplacer. It also includes the excellent Drum Empire bundle and is guaranteed to offer you all the greatest samples you could possibly need in any recording situation, from high-end professional kits to exclusively recorded percussion instruments. The final size is over 80GB of the best percussive samples ever.
MDrumReplacer Introduction

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for macOS 10.14 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 8 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST, VST 3, AAX, and AU plugin formats. 

Summary:

The effectiveness of every MeldaProduction product is great, in either virtual instrument or audio tool format. Their equalizer is excellent for particular reasons, for instance, and MDrumReplacer excels at being one of the best drum replacer plugins for its reasons. The possible configurations are similar to what you expect from drum editing software, but the main difference with MDrumReplacer is the quality behind its detection algorithms, each delivering a high-end response.

4. UVI Drum Replacer

More Info & Price
A professional tool that suits the most demanding productions.

Drum Replacer works as its name implies and provides a precise drum replacement with some powerful features. You can expect to remove any instrument bleeding from your recordings, replace the drums, or add extra percussion layers on top of what you already have. It doesn’t matter how, but UVI Drum Replacer will always be reliable for your needs.

UVI Drum Replacer | Overview

Key Features:

    • Machine learning
      UVI Drum Replacer
      uses machine learning to create a spectral sample of each detected sound, like a “copy” that registers its most important values. This is essential to a satisfactory isolation of a determined hit or the entire instrument if needed and can be very helpful in a mixing or mastering session.
    • Learn
      By hitting the “LEARN” button, a complete analysis of your sample audio signal can be made in real-time. When finished, UVI Drum Replacer will show all the components in your audio file split and ordered numerically to denote their energy level. With this, you can easily find the most crucial moments in your signal, remove or alter them, and maintain the good ones in a heartbeat.
    • Triggering
      The analyzer, located at the center of the user interface screen, and the control panel are responsible for the triggering process in UVI Drum Replacer. Even before analysis, this area is already working to determine how the input signal reacts to understand the sample better. After that, magic happens: with every peak analyzed, you can set which moment to be triggered and by what.
    • Layers
      There are eight different layer tracks in UVI Drum Replacer. You can load these with your samples or any other virtual instruments of your preference, with the help of a built-in browser, to find these files more quickly on your hard drive. If you rely too much on a specific sample or virtual instrument, you can save it as a favorite with a small “Star” button.
    • Hosting
      For a sample audio file or a virtual instrument, the hosting inside UVI Drum Replacer is complete and allows for basic mixing controls (such as leveling, panning, or adding low/high-pass filters). Furthermore, each track contains a configurable delay offset that ensures the limiting is positive or negative in value, syncing better with other instruments in your track.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for macOS 10.14 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 10 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST, VST 3, AAX, and AU plugin formats. 

Summary:

The refined adjustments that can be made with UVI Drum Replacer are relative to tracks that require demanding attention to every detail in the overall sound. This is surely a professional audio tool that has the best algorithms, scripts, and options included. The tiniest details can be adjusted with careful attention to the peaks in your file. The best feature is the possibility to load in a sample file or an entire virtual instrument at once, which can also be highly demanding on processing power.

5. Steven Slate Trigger 2 Platinum

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

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One of the most trusted brands and products in the market nowadays.

As with multiple Steven Slate products, Trigger 2 Platinum is widely used by multiple producers in the studio, thus being a reliable tool that enhances, modifies, and transforms your drum sound to be the best possible. Its controls and workflow are the main reasons this is such a good audio toolkit always to have nearby.

Key Features:

    • Layers
      Trigger 2 Platinum
      counts on eight layers of multi-velocity sample files located at the sample mixer. This ensures that the multiple microphone positions and their layers are in a single sample instance. In addition, as they are distributed in channel stripes, it gets easier to tweak their volumes and parameters properly.
    • Gate
      A transient gate in the main interface enables precise clean-up in your sample file. You can activate or deactivate it at any time, and you can set the “Attack,” “Hold,” and “Release” parameters to your taste.
    • Sample library
      Slate’s samples
      are renowned and widely used by diverse audio professionals, independent of the covered style. To get you covered regarding the best drum sounds, Trigger 2 Platinum comes with samples recorded with the best analog studio gear available, resulting in great-sounding classic sounds.
    • MIDI
      Tiger 2 Platinum
      might be good for you if you use a MIDI controller or keyboard. It has a distinctive MIDI engine that aims to assist you in making it as fluid as possible. You can expect to trigger audio from MIDI data and convert audio tracks or samples into MIDI files effortlessly, heavily using drag-and-drop commands.
Trigger 2 Platinum - Drum Replacer Overview

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.13, 10.14, 10.15, and 11 (64-bit only) and Windows 8 or 10 (64-bit only). It runs in VST, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

The name Slate implies quality, high efficiency, and fluid workflow. It expands through its multi-product line of options available in its catalog, always showcasing excellence. Trigger 2 Platinum is no different, but we found it could be more powerful for what it does, especially regarding sample editor sections and more in-depth parameters. Similar plugins have the features included, although not often so well done and programmed as with any Slate product.

6. Drumagog Drum Replacer

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Replace your drum sounds effortlessly with this elegant plugin.

Drums are essential to any particular piece of music, as they offer the main basis for the overall rhythm. Usually, the recorded drum part can be improved or enhanced, which is where drum replacer plugins act. Drumagog Drum Replacer is another option, but it shines best when preserving the original dynamics in any sample further added.

Key Features:

    • Triggering engine
      Drumagog Drum Replacer’s powerful triggering engine
      can track the most demanding and colorful drum tracks. If your drum part has a specific roll or a complicated flam, this engine can still monitor it in seconds. It can even track hi-hats open, half-open, and closed! This is imperative for better adjustments in the final track.
    • Wave alignment
      Sometimes phase issues might occur if you load different samples into your project. It’s a headache to fix that, so Drumagog uses a feature in their other products called “Full-Wave Alignment,” which aligns the phase of the overall sound instead of aligning only the transients. The phase coherence is significative better because of this, preserving more of the overall soundscape in your file.
    • Overhead samples
      Drumagog Drum Replacer
      is one of the few plugins, if not the only one, to handle multiple samples from a single hit. It means that if you hit your drum pad or piece a single time, various samples can be triggered from that hit. This is very useful for room samples, as Drum Replacer can keep the room settings from one sample to another.
    • Hi-Hat tracking
      As far as we know, Drumagog Drum Replacer is the only drum replacer plugin that tracks any variations of a hi-hat cymbal wonderfully. You can track them open, half-open, and closed faithfully, with available replacement samples. The downside is that this is a Premium-only feature.
    • Favorites list
      Working with samples can get messy in no time, so learning how to organize the files is imperative. Drumagog Drum Replacer helps you with that by providing a “Favorites” list, which can save you a lot of time when looking for that particular sample file or setting.
    • Live triggering mode
      The “Live Triggering Mode” can be activated anytime and offers what it promises: you can trigger the samples and hits on the go in live situations. This can work beautifully with Ableton Live users since it can be marvelous to work in live situations where samples should be triggered and released appropriately. 
How to Use Drumagog to Add Samples or Replace Your Drum Sound

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.7 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 7 or higher (64-bit only). It runs in VST, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

Few plugins have such a dedicated script going on as Drumagog Drum Replacer. The team of developers excelled in developing a consistent and trustworthy tool that accomplishes what it promises and may be the only option available that offers hi-hat tracking and a live triggering mode. The results are nice and clean, as it’s the overall workflow.

Free Drum Replacement Plugins 2023

1. ReaSamplOmatic5000 (MIDI-triggered sample player)

More Info & Download
A built-in tool that excels in doing what more expensive options do for free.

Reaper is arguably one of the best DAWs nowadays. The overall usability, the CPU consumption, and the available built-in plugins are attractive to beginner and experienced producers alike. One of the multiple free plugins included is ReaSamplOmatic5000, a reliable drum replacer software that can replace any samples you’d like.

Make Your Own Drum Trigger with JS: Audio to MIDI and ReaSamplomatic5000

Key Features:

    • Drag and drop
      When you first open ReaSamplOmatic5000, you’ll notice a large black rectangle section on your screen. This is where you can monitor your waveform, and it will show a black color if no sample is added. So go to your sample folder and drag it into the black rectangle to remedy that. That’s it! No complicated methods or tricks, just a very easy workflow.
    • Three modes
      Three main modes do ReaSamplOmatic5000 work with your MIDI controller: you have “Freely Configurable Shifted,” “Sample (Ignores MIDI Note),” and “Note (Semitone Shifted).” The last mode is very useful for making your sample shift according to the notes on your keyboard.
    • One shot
      If you want to have the sample played as one shot, ReaSamplOmatic5000 natively does that. Every time you play a sample, it will continue playing even if you lift your finger off the keyboard. However, by ticking the “Obey Note-Offs” box, the sample will stop playing as soon as you stop pressing the determined key.
    • Included in Reaper
      As with other JS plugins, ReaSamplOmatic5000 comes natively with Reaper. So you only need to download the plugin bundle from their website, and you’re good to go. This is very useful because it can be loaded instantly as soon as you open Reaper to start working, thus being a reliable, simple, yet trustworthy tool that will always be there for your needs.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.5 to 12 (64-bit only) and Windows XP or higher (64-bit only). It runs in VST plugin format.

Summary:

Reaper is an excellent DAW with multiple friendly tools that help your workflow to be as fluid as possible. Among the best features, the ReaPlugs are close to the top, as it is a bundle of efficient and relevant plugins to be used however you want. ReaSamplOmatic5000 is a reliable sampler with special integration to MIDI controllers and keyboards, with useful options and consistent workability.

2. Soifer Sound SampleSwap

More Info & Download 
This lightweight tool impresses with its simple yet effective design interface.

Freebies sometimes tend to be too simple, usually offering generic usability for the effect or instrument simulation it proposes to achieve. However, sometimes less is more, and an elegant plugin such as SampleSwap reminds us of that by offering the most important aspects of sample replacement while bringing clean looks into the process.

Key Features:

    • Visualizer
      On the lower side of your screen, there’s a dedicated preview window for monitoring your sample audio file. This is crucial not only to overlook the general waveform but also to see where the transients are and how the overall dynamics are behaving.
    • Threshold
      You can set the exact limit in which your current waveform will be replaced with your preferred sample. To do this, just set the best value in dBs with the “Replace Threshold” knob, and your sample will be activated whenever the overall loudness is met.
    • Dry mix
      Aside from replacing your sample, you can blend both signals for interesting results. For example, the “Dry/Wet” knob mixes both signals accordingly, with hard-left bringing only the “Dry” signal and hard-right doing the exact opposite.
    • Drag and drop
      Drag-and-drop movements
      are essential if you want to work as fluidly as possible. In SampleSwap, drag the sample files you want and drop them into the main user interface screen, and they will be loaded immediately.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.5 to 12 (64-bit only) and Windows XP or higher (64-bit only). It runs in VST3 and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

As simply as possible, SampleSwap delivers what it promises with substantial effectiveness. This freebie can be a good tool if your main DAW does not come with an integrated sampler, and it works beautifully because it is simple at its core. Of course, you cannot expect immersive parameters to be set here, but the basics of sample replacement will surely be covered successfully.

Bonuses:

1. AudioDront DSP Trigger

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Enhance your drum sounds in seconds with this useful plugin.

The main goal of AudioDront DSP Trigger is to process the output audio signal from drum pads into MIDI data, later sending it to a drum sampler. This is useful for enhancing or correcting the hits you have played on your pads with new features and extended functionalities not available in your drumkit.

Key Features:

    • Positional sensing
      With DSP Trigger, you can expect an optimal positioning of your pads. This means that no matter where and how hard you hit your drum pads, DSP Trigger will be able to recognize it almost instantly. This level of analysis is imperative for crafting your final sound the way you want to, effortlessly.
    • Articulations
      Articulations
      can make your playing richer and more organic, and to help you with that, DSP Trigger allows for up to three articulations in a single zone. This is enough to have variations, a particular combination of techniques, or be creative with any particular playing style.
    • Dynamic
      The sounds crafted inside DSP Trigger offer extreme dynamic and sensitivity. This is special for pad users because these instruments tend to be too rigid and solid in sonority. The precise analysis opens up space for refined control over the dynamics, especially the envelope configurations.
    • Triggering
      As with similar drum replacer programs, you can expect a fast triggering rate in DSP Trigger, as the name suggests. It’s not only fast, though, as the triggers tend to be very precise and coherent to what the analysis read forehand.  
    • Velocity curve
      The velocity curve is a very important parameter often customized in MIDI controllers and padded instruments. You can easily alter and set it nicely in DSP Trigger, with advanced controls that help make it more organic-sounding.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for macOS 10.14 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 10 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST, AAX, and AU plugin formats. 

Summary:

Although it’s specifically made for drum pads, DSP Trigger is a nice tool that can benefit users who own such equipment. The smaller size is attractive to beginner producers who cannot have a full drum kit in their home studios, so this plugin works great in expanding the sonority behind pads and making it more organic. The interface could be friendlier, but it does achieve its purposes nonetheless.

2. Waves Torque (Tune Your Drums Instead of Replacing)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Its intuitive, user-friendly controls help producers bring life to drums.

Torque by Waves is specifically made for treating drums and salvaging mistuned or poorly recorded pieces without replacing the sounds with pre-recorded samples. 

By letting you focus on the root of each drum, Torque brings excitement to dull-sounding kits.

The technology behind this plugin makes it an innovative tool based on the concept of pitch-shifting rather than another modulation plugin.

Key Features:

  • Zero-latency
    The Torque Live component lets you process your audio with no latency. It is a convenient feat in the studio situation, but it’s most needed if you are in a live scenario. For example, you can retune your drum set without spending time during the show or switching the kit. However, I suggest using the normal component with latency for studio use as that will generally result in higher-quality sound.
  • Torque focus
    Zero in on your desired resonant peak, and address it specifically without processing the rest of the sound. The focus control and its precise alteration operation allow you to achieve the desired result while keeping the drums sounding as natural as possible. Furthermore, it lets you target a single component of your drums (like a snare or a tom) even if you’re using an overhead mic.
  • Output level
    You can lower your output signal if it’s peaking or turning it up. In this way, you can adjust the levels in yet another gain stage, thus increasing your chances of avoiding getting into digital distortion.
  • Organic ReSynthesis
    This patented technology patented by Waves is responsible for this plugin’s amazing sound. The plugin separates and analyzes each drum’s soundwaves’ characteristics to reassemble them with the new pitch information later. And since the new sound is based on your drum recording, the result is never as drastic as a drum-replacing plugin.
How to Tune Drums in the Mix with Waves Torque

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for Windows 10 or higher and macOS 10.14.6 or higher, both 64-bit. It comes in VST 2/3AU, and AAX formats.

Summary: 

Torque can be equally effective with both well-recorded and poorly-recorded drums. The sum of all the main features makes this plugin equally adept for live and studio scenarios.

Furthermore, the zero-latency feat can be of great use for mid-song front-of-house mixing interventions.

However, the most significant advantage is the artifact-free pitch-shifted sound which minimizes the need for any triggering. In addition, the advanced Waves ReSynthesis Technology also ensures precise deconstruction and manipulation, making the reassembled track sound organic.

3. Massey Plugins DRT v2 Drum Replacer (Pro Tools Only)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
A reliable tool for the most renowned industry-standard software.

Like all products on this list, DRT v2 Drum Replacer works by adding samples to a specific part of your drum track. You can use it to make your drums sound better, to fix some wrong hits, or to have better control over your entire drum kit.

How to Replace Drums with Massey DRT and BFD2

Key Features:

    • Note selection
      When you export to MIDI, you can always expect to have full control over the notes you edit. However, if you need only to export a few ones, DRT v2 Drum Replacer can help you by effortlessly exporting the notes you want.
    • Trigger editing
      While editing the triggering configurations, you have special and dedicated options, including adding, modifying, deleting, and removing velocity values. This allows for an immersive modification in your drum kit sonority, even when you have not added up samples yet.  
    • Learn mode
      DRT v2 Drum Replacer
      comes with the native ability to “learn” the pattern of your hits just by listening to your sample. As a result, it can be very efficient to provide the overall soundscape of your file in seconds and also analyzes what can be done to improve or alter it.
    • Pro Tools ready
      Exclusive to Pro Tools, DRT v2 Drum Replacer may be the best drum replacement tool when you work with this DAW. It is the industry standard, and this plugin was developed to work effortlessly and provide the best results intertwined with the DAW’s functions.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.9 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 7 or higher (64-bit only). It runs in AAX plugin format.

Summary:

Although it works only in Pro Tools, DRT v2 Drum Replacer is still a nice choice for producers. The features are very similar to other drum replacement plugins, so the best thing about this item is that it works tailored to the Pro Tools scripting and environment.

Conclusion

The best way to ensure your drums sound perfect is to record them during the studio session properly. However, things can go south very easily, and it may be hard to re-record all of that just because of a wrong hit or something similar.

Thanks to modernity, we can expect to alter and change these errors instantly with the best software possible. The main way to do that is with drum replacement plugins and samplers with drum parameters in mind.

Among the best options in our list, the deserved kudos goes to XLN Audio Addictive Trigger and MeldaProduction MDrumReplacer, each excelling in bringing the most advanced and specific features to tame the drumkit as you’d like to. In addition, they offer considerable controls and have everything you need to replace a sample, analyze your hit, or do anything in between. Another cool option is Drumagog Drum Replacer, which in our opinion, has the best algorithm to deal with hi-hat cymbals.

More specifically, if you use an electronic drumkit and rely on the pads to construct and develop your drum ideas, then AudioDront DSP Trigger may be the best choice, as it’s tailored for drum pads. In addition, the options and controls revolve around this use, so it can be the perfect tool you are always looking for. 

Lastly, among the freebies, we saw that Soifer Sound SampleSwap offers the best features with minimal effort, being a reliable and consistent software to deal with drum samples and maybe some more options.

Feel free to test out the demos of each item, as they can be decisive in telling you what’s best for your situation.

See you next time!

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Top 7 Metal & Rock Kontakt Libraries (Best Guitars & Drums)

Top 10 Guitar Libraries For Kontakt (Acoustic, Electric, Bass & Freebies)

 

Top 7 Trailer Scoring Plugins & Kontakt Libraries 

20 Best Free KONTAKT Libraries For Various Instruments

Top 9 Piano Kontakt Sample Libraries  (And 5 Best Free Pianos)

Top 10 Percussion KONTAKT Libraries  (And 3 Freebies)

Top 7 Kontakt Libraries For Horror & Thriller Scoring (No VSTs)

 

Audio Restoration, Calibration & Utility:

Top 6 Noise Reduction Plugins (And 3 Best Free Tools)

6 Best Audio Restoration Plugins & Software 

Top 7 Phase Alignment Plugins To Fix Your Bass & Drums

Top 10 Room Calibration & Headphones/Speakers Correction Plugins 

 

Instrument Plugins: 

Top 6 Vocoder Plugins (Effects & Synths + FREE Vocoder)

11 Best Rhodes VST Plugins (AND 5 Free Rhodes Plugins)

Top 12 Randomizer Plugins Including FREE Plugins

Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins (Best Kick Designer Tools)

Top 12 Woodwind Plugins (And KONTAKT Libraries)

Top 10 Double Bass Plugins (Best Upright Basses)

Top 5 Strings VST Plugins (AND 4 Best Free Instruments)

 

Top 6 Sampler Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Plugins)

Top 6 Classical Guitar Plugins & Kontakt Libraries (And FREE Guitars)

Top 7 Wavetable Synth Plugins 

Top 12 Sub Plugins (Best 808 & Bass Tools For Massive Low End)

Top 10 Plugins On PluginBoutique (And 7 Best Free Plugins)

Top 11 Plugins On Plugin Alliance 

Top 7 Acoustic Guitar Plugins (And 4 Best Kontakt Libraries)

 

9 Best Bass Guitar Plugins (And 2 Best Freebies)

Top 6 Electric Guitar Plugins (Best PAID & FREE Picks)

Top 10 Arpeggiator VST Plugins (Best Synths, MIDI Effects & Tools)

Top 10 Modular Synth Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Plugins)

Top 6 Choir Plugins & Sample Libraries (And 3 Best Free Plugins)

11 Best Percussion & Drum VST Plugins (And FREE Plugins)

 

Top 8 Piano Plugins (Best Sounding Pianos & 5 FREE Piano Plugins)

Top 6 Organ Plugins Ever Made  (And 3 Best Free Organs)

Top 14 VST Plugins For Beginners (And 9 FREE Plugins)

Top 9 Drum Machine Plugins (And Groovebox Plugins)

4 Best Banjo Plugins (Best Banjo Instruments)

 

The 5 Best Ukulele Plugins & Kontakt Libraries 

Top 13 Synth Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Synths Plugins)

Top 13 Sequencer Plugins  (Synth, MIDI & Step Sequencers)

The 10 Best Multi-Effect Plugins (And 3 Best Free Plugins)

Top 12 Plugin Bundles For Musicians (Synths, Mixing & Mastering)

 

Processing & Sound Design:

8 Best Lo-Fi Plugins (PAID & FREE)

Top 11 Plugins For Mixing Vocals  (For Home Studio)

Top 12 Saturation Plugins (Best Mixing & Mastering Tools)

Top 6 Pitch Shifter Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Pitch Shifters)

Top 6 Chorus VST Plugins For Musicians (And 3 FREE Plugins)

 

Top 6 Limiter Plugins For Precise Mastering & Mixing

The 8 Best Filter Plugins For Precise Cuts & Boosts (+ 5 Free Filters)

6 Best Autotune Plugins To Improve & Enhance Your Vocals

Top 10 Transient Shaper Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)

Top 7 Enhancer Plugins (For Bass, Drums, Vocals & Harmonics)

 

Top 6 Flanger Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Flanger Emulators)

Top 7 Phaser Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Phasers)

Top 10 Plugins For Mixing Drums (And 3 Best Free Plugins)

Top 7 Bitcrusher Plugins (And 4 Best FREE Bitcrushers + 3 Bonuses)

Top 6 Plugins For Voice-Over & Dialogue Cleaning (Post Production)

Top 10 Stereo Imaging Plugins (Best Old & Modern Picks)

 

Top 5 Multiband Limiter Plugins 

Top 7 De-Esser Plugins For Better Vocals (And 4 FREE Plugins)

Top 7 Clipper Plugins (Best Limiter Alternatives)

Top 6 Chord Generator Plugins That Inspire Melodies (+ FREE Tools)

7 Best Exciter Plugins For Mixing & Mastering

Top 7 Channel Strip Plugins (And 2 Best Free Plugins)

 

Top 11 Distortion Plugins (And 4 Top Free Plugins)

Top 5 Comb Filter & Resonator Plugins | Melda, Kilohearts, Tritik

The 7 Best Vibrato VST Plugins | Audec, Audiority, Melda

The 7 Best Tremolo Plugins | Eventide, Melda, SoundToys, Kuassa…

The 7 Best Harmonizer Plugins | Eventide, Melda, Aegean Music

7 Best Sidechain Plugins (VST, AU, AAX) | Xfer, Cableguys..

 

Top 10 Noise Gate Plugins (And 6 FREE Free Gate Tools)

The 6 Best Ring Modulator VST Plugins | KiloHearts, Melda

7 Best Autopan VST Plugins | CableGuys, Melda, Waves, Soundtoys

The 6 Best Frequency Shifter VST Plugins

Top 11 Granulizer Plugins For Future Sound Design

29 Best Sound Design VST Plugins

 

Compressor Plugins

Top 11 Free Compressor Plugins (VCA, Vari-Mu, FET, Digital)

Top 7 Multiband Compressor Plugins (And 4 FREE Plugins)

Top 5 Diode-Bridge Compressor Plugins 

Top 6 Mastering Chain Plugins: Complete VST Solutions 

Top 10 FET Compressor Plugins 

The 7 Best VCA Compressor Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)

Top 11 Mastering Compressor Plugins (And 2 FREE Plugins)

Top 10 Opto Compressor Plugins For Transparent Sound

The 7 Best Vari-Mu Compressor Plugins (And 2 Best FREE Tools)

 

Reverb & Delay Plugins:

Top 12 Reverb Plugins (And 5 FREE Reverb Plugins)

The 6 Best Spring Reverb VST Plugins | AudioThing, GSi, u-he, Eventide

Top 12 Delay Plugins For Music Production In (VST, AU, AAX)

Top 10 FREE Delay Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)

The 10 Best Convolution Reverb Plugins 

 

Amps & Preamps:

Top 10 Guitar Amp Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Simulators)

Top 10 Bass Amp Plugins (And 5 Best Free Simulators)

Top 9 Preamp Plugins (For Vocals, Guitars & More!) + Free Preamps

 

Other Recommended Gear:

Top 12 NearField Studio Monitors On Any Budget

Top 10 Midfield Studio Monitors For Home Recording

Best Biggest Studio Monitors (FarField Monitors)

Top 10 Guitar Pickups for Low Tunings 

Top 10 Analog Compressors For Mixing & Mastering (On Any Budget)

Top 12 USB Audio Interfaces Under 150$, 200$, 300$ 400$ (Any Budget)

 

Top 12 Hardware Equalizers (Analog EQs For Mixing & Mastering)

Top 6 Analog Hardware Limiters 

Top 6 Solid State Bass Amps (On Any Budget)

Top 6 Ribbon Mics On Any Budget (For Vocals, Drums & Guitars)

Top 6 Cheap Dynamic Mics For Vocals Under 50$, 100$, 200$ & 300$

 

Top 6 Chorus Guitar Pedals (On Any Budget)

6 Best 61-Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)

9 Best 49-Key MIDI Keyboards Under 100$ & 200$

Top 5 Best 25 Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)

Top 12 Acoustic Drums (Best Kits/Sets On Any Budget)

 

Guitar/Amp Focused:

Can I Put Nylon Strings on a Steel-string Guitar?

Do Electric Guitars Sound Good Unplugged?

Buying Your First Guitar: 2 Things To Know

Are Tube Amps Worth It? (Tube vs Solid-State Amps)

How Often Does A Guitar Need a Setup?

Can I Play Classical Guitar On A Steel-String Guitar?

 

How often guitar necks need reset?

Can You Play Two Guitars Through One Amp?

Can a 6 String Bass Be Tuned Like A Guitar?

Can I leave My Guitar Tuned Down a Step? Yes, But Is It Safe?

Should I Learn 4, 5 Or 6 String Bass Guitar & Why?

How To Know If your Guitar Amp Is Broken?

How To Fix Distorted Bass Guitar Sound?

 

Do Fender Guitars Appreciate In Value?

Should You Put Stickers On A Bass Guitar?

How Acoustic And Electric Guitars Are Made?

Is Electric Guitar Too Loud for an Apartment?

Does a Preamp Improve Sound Quality?

If I Learn Acoustic Guitar Can I Play Electric Guitar?

How Many Hours A Day Should You Practice Bass Guitar?

Do I need an AMP/DAC To Run Bookshelf Speakers?

How to Record Electric Guitar Into Logic Pro X?

Do headphones get worse with age?

 

DAW Related:

Best DAWs For Musicians Available (With FREE DAWs)

How To Develop DAW Software?

What’s The Most CPU Efficient DAW? – 5 DAWs Compared

How To Make Music Without Using A DAW?

Pro Tools Guide: How To Use AutoTune & Pitch Correction?

Ableton Review: Is It Worth The Money? (Cons & Pros)

Logic Pro X Review: Is It Worth It? (Cons & Pros)

How To Use Auto-tune & Pitch Correction In Cubase?

How To Fix Ableton Crackling, Crashing & Freezing? Step By Step

 

Plugin Related:

What Are Audio Plugins? Different Types of Plugins Explained

What Are The Best Tools To Develop VST Plugins & How Are They Made?

Cost of Developing Audio VST Plugin: Several Factors (With Table)

VST, VST, AU and AAX – What’s The Difference? Plugin Formats Explained

Complete Guide To Noise Gate – What It Is, What It Does & How To Use It?

How To Clip My Drums? Here Is How & Audio Teasers (Before/After)

 

Complete Guide To Limiter: How To Use It (+ Best Plugins & Analog Limiters)

Mixing With Reverb: How To Add Life To Your Mixes

Linear Phase vs Minimum Phase EQ – Full Guide

Difference Between LUFS, RMS & True Peak Loudness Meters

How And When To Use Algorithmic And Convolution Reverb In Your Mix?

Difference Between Active EQ, Passive EQ and Dynamic EQ

 

Headphones & Studio Monitors:

Do headphones get worse with age?

Monitors vs Studio Headphones For Mixing & Mastering

Top 10 Room Calibration & Headphones/Speakers Correction Plugins 

Does Heat Damage Headphones?

Are Noise-Canceling Headphones Good For Music Production?

Can Headphones Break in Cold Weather?

Why do headphones & cables get sticky?

 

Can Wearing Headphones Cause Hair Loss?

How Do I know If My Studio Monitor Is Blown?

Side Effects Of Sleeping With Your Headphones On

Do You Need Music Amplifier For Studio Monitors or Studio Headphones?

Do Headphones or Earphones Damage Your Brain?

Can Headphones or Earphones cause Deafness or Toothache?

FarField, MidField & NearField Monitors – Their Uses, Pros & Cons

 

MIDI & Synths:

Should I Buy A MIDI Keyboard Or Synth? (Are Synths Worth It Anymore?)

Why Is Audio Gear So Expensive? (Especially Synths)

Top 12 Synth Brands – Analog, Digital & Modular Synth Manufacturers

11 Tips How To Choose MIDI Keyboard 

Should I Buy MIDI Controller Or Keyboard? Cons, Pros & Tips

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