Fusion by VMWare is a virtual machine software for Mac capable of emulating Windows and Linux OS. To set it up, several steps are required, starting with obtaining the Windows image, as usual: Select “Install from disc or image” and click Continue. Select Windows.iso file in Finder.
- An intelligent step sequencer and drum machine. Mac: Freeware: 2012-10-17: 0: 60db: orDrumbox v0.9.07: Audio sequencer and Software Drum Machine with sound synth and drumkits. Mac: Free: 2011-12-14: 2: 60db: AntiLoop v7 923: Beat generation software. Mac: Free: 2004-08-17: 5: 60db: Malodie: A very odd on-line experimental loop-based MIDI.
- Hydrogen is a powerful virtual drum machine. It is an open source software, free available for Linux, Windows, and Mac but Intel based. Come across a software dedicated to a specific instrument, which is also of good qualities and free is not very simple.
- The orDrumbox is a free drum machine software, designed to be as creative as possible with some unusual features: auto-composition, polyrythmes, custom arpeggiator, automatic sounds/track matching, custom softsynths, lowfi rendering and more. Ideal for experimentation and fast results.
- Nerve has earned a leading position in our “Best VST Drums” list, being as one of the best and highly rated software drum machine for both Windows and MAC producers. Featuring a huge sound bank of over 2GB, Nerve offers everything you need: one-shots, drum kits and even drum loops created by world-class sound designers like SampleMagic, Dom.
| Software | Description | OS | License | File Date | Comments | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebirth RB-338 v2.0.1 | Software emulation of TR-303s and one TR-808. | Mac | Freeware | 2005-09-01 | 5 | 75db |
| Addictive Drums 2.0 | Drum Production Studio. [VST/AU] | Mac | Demo | 2013-09-26 | 0 | 70db |
| Drumagog 5.0.2 | Drum Replacer Plug-in [AU/VST/RTAS]. | Mac | Paid | 2010-11-19 | 0 | 65db |
| Reason 9 | Reason is a virtual studio rack with tools like Analog synth, sampler, drum machine, ReCycle!-based loop player, mixer, effects, pattern sequencer, and more. | Mac | Demo | 2016-07-04 | 0 | 65db |
| RS-16X v1.5.5 | Sequence & song style standalone drum machine. | Mac | Shareware | 2013-04-19 | 0 | 60db |
| KickMaker 2.0 | Synthesizer designed specifically to create good kick drum sounds. [VST/AU] | Mac | Freeware | 2010-10-30 | 1 | 60db |
| AntiLoop v7 923 | Beat generation software. | Mac | Free | 2004-08-17 | 5 | 60db |
| Jamstix 3.6.0 | Jamstix is a virtual drummer inside of your sequencer/host [AU/VST] | Mac | Demo | 2014-07-04 | 0 | 60db |
| BazzISM v2.5.0 | Drum synthesizer that produces bass kicks by a sinus sweep. [VST/AU] | Mac | Demo | 2015-03-10 | 1 | 60db |
| Breakage v23 | An intelligent step sequencer and drum machine. | Mac | Freeware | 2012-10-17 | 0 | 55db |
| Malodie | A very odd on-line experimental loop-based MIDI sequencer and drum machine. | Mac | Freeware | 2003-10-31 | 0 | 55db |
| Drumcore Free v3.0 | A subset of the award-winning DrumCore software. [AU/VSTi/RTAS] | Mac | Freeware | 2009-07-21 | 5 | 55db |
| RMV v5.1.4 | Drum machine combining analog-style percussion synthesis with percussion sampler. [AU/VST] | Mac | Demo | 2014-04-07 | 0 | 55db |
| Sonic Charge µTonic v3.1 | Drum and percussion synthesizer combined with a pattern based drum-machine engine. [AU/VSTi] | Mac | Demo | 2013-05-20 | 0 | 55db |
| AnarchyRhythms v2.5.1.2 | Sonic Pattern Morpher - hybrid between an effect and a drum machine. [VST/AU] | Mac | Free | 2014-02-27 | 0 | 55db |
| orDrumbox v0.9.07 | Audio sequencer and Software Drum Machine with sound synth and drumkits | Mac | Free | 2011-12-14 | 2 | 55db |
| Tseq_AM | Matrix-Style Drum Machine. | Mac | Freeware | 2002-12-29 | 0 | 55db |
| Giada 0.95 | Giada is a work in progres minimal, hardcore loop player | Mac | Freeware | 2015-04-01 | 0 | 55db |
| DrumSpillage 2.0.7 | Model based drum and percussion synth for Mac OS X. [AU] Get reviews of Electronic Drum Kits here. | Mac | Demo | 2014-04-21 | 1 | 55db |
| Drum Kit Samples | Drum Kit Samples captured real acoustic drums in action for use with virtual percussion programs that use with WAV, MP3 or OGG. | Mac | Paid | 2012-02-20 | 0 | 55db |
| Battery 4.0.1 | Stand-alone and VST/RTAS/AU plug-in drum sampler. | Mac | Demo | 2013-04-15 | 0 | 55db |
| MrDrum v1.70 | Drum and bass machine | Mac | Freeware | 2007-08-20 | 1 | 55db |
| iDrum v1.73 | Drum machine. [VST/AU/RTAS/Standalone] | Mac | Demo | 2010-04-07 | 2 | 55db |
| a-kit v1.4 | A collection of seven simple-to-use drum plug-ins. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Shareware | 2008-10-09 | 0 | 55db |
| DrumThing v3.1 | Software version of a drum machine for creating drum patterns, loops and grooves | Mac | Demo | 2013-04-17 | 0 | 55db |
| SwarShala v3.1.1 | Complete Indian music software for Indian music lovers and fusion composers. | Mac | Demo | 2014-04-01 | 0 | 55db |
| Archibald v3.6 | Virtual drummer which improvises on your patterns. [VST] | Mac | Shareware | 2008-12-01 | 0 | 55db |
| Monkey Machine v1.2 | Online Java drum machine. | Mac | Freeware | 2007-02-03 | 0 | 55db |
| DRECEIVE R8 v1.0 | Channel strip/drum processor. [VST/AU] | Mac | Freeware | 2006-10-09 | 0 | 55db |
| Punch v1.0.4 | Synthesized drums in the finest audio quality and with breathtaking features for the contemporary producer. [AU/VSTi/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2013-11-13 | 0 | 55db |
Free Drum Machine Software
Below is a list of the best free and paid virtual drum software programs available to download right now.
They are available for PC and Mac computers in plugin formats to use with DAWs and most operate as a standalone program as well.
Unless you plan on mastering the technique of recording an acoustic drum kit and finding a drummer to play for you all the time, having a good drum software plugin is one of the most important aspects of music creation.
It’s amazing how realistic virtual drum software has become over the years.
Drum software is also surprisingly versatile. You can create custom kits and sounds with endless variations.
You can use MIDI keyboards and drum pads to trigger drum sounds, and connect e-drum kits like the Alesis DM10 to play virtual drums in real time with an electronic drum set.
There are several good choices when it comes to drum software. Some have more expansion packs than others, some offer larger MIDI libraries (ready-to-use drum loops), and others have more advanced editing and mixing tools.
Best Free Drum Software
Sennheiser DrumMic’a – A surprisingly high-quality free drum kit plugin with variable mics, a mixer, and a number of included MIDI loops. It just requires setting up a free account to register the softwrae. DrumMic’a works with the free version of Kontakt 5 Player.
MT Power Drum Kit 2 – A former paid plugin, MT Power Drum Kit 2 has a number of included features, such as a built-in mixer and a bunch of high-quality MIDI grooves. MT Power Drum Kit 2 is available in VST and AU formats in 32 and 64 bit versions. There are some MIDI mapping presets available to use it with other drum programs as well.
Best Paid Drum Software
Toontrack EZdrummer 2 – Estimated price: $149 – EZdrummer is one of the most popular drum production software programs. It’s very simple to use and yet it offers a number of advanced features. The base version comes with 5 drum kits, two sound libraries, some MIDI grooves, and a mixer with effects. It works as a plugin and standalone program. There are tons of expansion packs for additional drum kits covering a wide range of genres.
Drum Machine Software For Mac
FXpansion BFD3 – Estimated price: $349 – Another top choice is BFD3. It comes with 7 drum kits, with dedicated rock, metal, jazz, and brush kits. It has a fully-editable groove engine to make creating custom grooves quick and easy. BFD3 works as a plugin and as standalone software. It comes with an extensive virtual drum library with 55GB of sounds.
Virtual Drum Machine Software For Mac And Windows
Addictive Drums 2 – Estimated price: $149 – If you’re looking for an extensive library of included beats, XLN Audio’s Addictive Drums 2 comes with over 5000 MIDI grooves ready to go. It has three custom drum kits, and features a Transient Shaper and Tone Designer and some included effects to fine-tune your sound. Addictive drums can be used as a plugin as as a standalone program.
Toontrack Superior Drummer 2.0 – Estimated price: $179 (on sale) – Superior Drummer is Toontrack’s more advanced version of EZdrummer, and it works with EZdrummer 2 expansion libraries. It offers more ways to adjust sounds and tweak individual parameters, and it comes with more effects and 20 GB of included drum samples.
Steven Slate Drums 4.0 Platinum – Estimated price: $149 – A virtual drum library with 100 included drum kit presets and a drum sampler to create custom grooves. Steven Slate Drums come in VST, AU, and RTAS formats.
Free Virtual Machine For Mac
Studio Drummer – Estimated price: $149 – Native Instrument’s Studio Drummer comes with three drum kits, a dedicated mixer with effects, and over 3500 included drum patterns. Studio Drummer works with the Kontakt 5 Player.