Speaking of popular drum software, XLN Audio “Addictive Drums 2“.
In this article, I am going to explain the advantages and disadvantages of XLN Audio “Addictive Drums 2” and how to use it. I will also introduce all the ADpaks and explain how to buy.
Please read the details below;
Contents
1. What is XLN Audio “Addictive Drums 2” ?
Popular drum software developed by XLN Audio.
There are a total of 21 types of drum kits called ADpak, and there are packages that select several ADpaks from among them, or packages that include ADpak as a set.
You can choose your favorite drum kit, so you can select only the necessary sound source.
Addictive Drums 2 Overview
Development company | XLN Audio |
Price(list price) | Complete Collection 699.95USD
Creative Collection 329.95USD Custom XL 329.95USD Basic 169.95USD Custom 169.95USD Rock & Metal Edition 169.95USD Beat Producer Edition 169.95USD |
XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2 ▶︎Plugin Boutique
2. Advantages
There are three advantages when using XLN Audio “Addictive Drums 2“
- Easy to use even for beginners
- Trigger can be used
- You can choose your favorite drum kit
(1)Easy to use even for beginners
Compared to other drum software, even beginners can use it easily.
Use of drum software requires knowledge of drum recording.
Addictive Drums 2 is easy to understand the operation screen, and I think that it is easy to make sounds even if you do not have knowledge of drum recording.
(2)Trigger can be used
Addictive Drums 2 has a Trigger sound added to the drum.
For this reason, a strong sound can be produced.
XLN Audio Addictive Trigger ▶︎Plugin Boutique
(3)You can choose your favorite drum kit
Addictive Drums 2 allows you to select only your favorite drum kit with Custom (3 types) or Custom XL (6 types). So you don’t get a drum set you don’t need. You can buy only what you like.
3. Disadvantages that you should know before using
However, there is a disadvantage to know before using XLN Audio “Addictive Drums 2“
That is, there are not enough parameters to seek realism.
For example, for the cymbals, the popular drum software “BFD 3” has more tracks and can be set in detail.
However, if you want realism, you need to have knowledge of drum recording.
4. How to buy (Explain ADpaks)
Addictive Drums 2 has a total of 21 different drum kits (ADpak), and each package has a different drum kits. Each package is as follows.
Package | ADpaks |
Complete Collection 699.95USD | All ADpaks |
Creative Collection 329.95USD | Fairfax Vol.1,2
Session Percussion Black Velvet Vintage Dry Reel Machines |
Custom XL 329.95USD | Choose any 6 ADpaks |
Basic 169.95USD | Fairfax Vol.1,2
Black Velvet |
Custom 169.95USD | Choose any 3 ADpaks |
Rock & Metal Edition 169.95USD | Fairfax Vol.1
Studio Rock Metal |
Beat Producer Edition 169.95USD | Session Percussion
Vintage Dry Reel Machines |
The package that I think is evenly covered is the Creative Collection, but I recommend choosing your favorite ADpaks with Custom or Custom XL. If your favorite drum kit is packaged together, choose that package.
From here, I will introduce each ADpak.
Basically you should choose ADpak according to the genre of music you make, but personally I thought United Pop and Vintage Dry were good.
* If you buy ADpak by itself, it is an extended function because it does not have AD2 engine. Please be careful.
Boutique Mallets
ADpak using felt mallet. It is suitable for movie music or jazz, but it can be used for pop because it has a sound with an ordinary stick.
United Heavy
Drum kit suitable for hard rock and metal. It is also recommended if you need a drum that has a strong impact.
Modern Soul And R&B
Drum kit suitable for Soul and R&B. It features a fat sound.
United Pop
Drum kit suitable for pops. It is a sound source recorded in Studio A of Ocean Way Studio where many famous songs were recorded.
Fairfax Vol. 1
Sound source recorded at the Fairfax Recordings studio in Los Angeles. Suitable for standard rock sound.
Fairfax Vol. 2
Sound source recorded at Studio Fairfax Recordings in Los Angeles. This is a sound source using Gretsch’s Round Badge from the late 60’s. There is an old feeling compared to Vol.1.
Funk
Drum kit suitable for funk.
Vintage Dry
It features a dry drum sound of the 70’s.
Black Velvet
Drum kit suitable for stadium rock.
Session Percussion
This is a percussion kit.
Indie
Drum kit using analog tape and vintage microphone.
Metal
As the name suggests, it is suitable for metal. Produced by music producer Ross Robinson of famous artists such as Korn and Slipknot.
Reel Machines
This is the sound source which recorded the famous rhythm machine Roland TR-808, TR-909, Lindrum, and Electronic Drum Simmons using analog tape.
Modern Jazz Sticks
As the name suggests, it is a sound source that is hit with a jazz stick.
Includes Premier Gen-X drum set and Ludwig Acrolite Snare.
Modern Jazz Brushes
As the name suggests, it is a sound source that has been hit with a jazz brush.
Retroplex
You can get drums like 70’s Glam Rock, David Bowie and Lou Reed.
It is recorded in a transparent acrylic Vistalite drum set and features clear sustain.
Blue Oyster
You can get a drum sound like Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. A sound reminiscent of the late 60’s.
Black Oyster
Sound source recorded with a drum set called Ludwig Black Oyster. It is exactly the Beatles sound of the early 60’s.
Studio Prog
A clean and balanced sound source suitable for progressive rock.
Studio Pop
A clean and balanced sound source suitable for pop music.
Studio Rock
A clean and balanced sound source suitable for rock.
XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2 ▶︎Plugin Boutique
5. Free version
Addictive Drums 2 is available for free.
The free version includes kicks, snares, hi-hats and crashes for Fairfax Vol 1. Toms and rides are not available.
6. How to install and activate XLN Audio products
Plugin Boutique explains how to install and activate.
It is completed mainly in the following 4 steps.
- Register an account with XLN Audio
- Download XLN Online Installer
- Launch XLN Online Installer and enter serial number from “Register Product”
- Install product from XLN Online Installe
7. How to use
I will explain the main parameters of Addictive Drums 2.
Addictive Drums 2 has presets from the upper left and KIT, EDIT, FX and BEATS from the upper right.
KIT
You can see each drum at a glance.
Each drum is linked with the same name at the top and the name of the mixer.
Cymbals other than hihat (SYM1-6, RIDE1-2) have no separate mixer and are reflected in OH and Room.
You can select a drum by the name below, “L”, “▼”, “▲”.
“M” is mute and “S” is solo.
The slider on the right is volume. Go to EDIT with “E”.
Those with the Link mark on the upper right are linked by dragging and dropping the link mark, and when you play the drum, the linked one also sounds at the same time.
EDIT
KITPIECE SELECT
You can switch the drum you want to edit in the upper left.
You can decide the level, PAN, and Width to be reflected in OH and Room.
KITPIECE CONTROLS
All KITPIECE CONTROLS can be turned on and off with the orange button at the top left. You can also turn them off all at once.
RESPONSE controls the volume, filter, and sample width that change with velocity. By pressing “No Alts” you can also turn off alternative samples (Multiple samples are played).
You can control the pitch of Main or OH and Room only.
PITCH ENVELOPE allows you to change the pitch over time.
PITCH ENVELOPE can be changed to TONE DESIGNER, where you can control the tone change.
VOLUME ENVELOPE can control the volume that changes over time. The “CUT” next to it acts as a filter by adjusting the Range.
By clicking on the name at the top of the mixer, the effects applied to each will be displayed.
There is a picture of the drum on the left end. The drums that can be controlled are limited, and the following three are available.
Snare: Top / Bottom balance, Snare Buzz resonating volume
Kick: Beater / Front balance
Room: Distance
NOISE
This effect adds noise. There are 8 types, Decay and Level can be controlled.
<Noise list>
- Tube U47 & Tape
- JB White Noise
- DC Noise & Hum
- Muff Stompbox
- Vinyl
- Tape 7.5ips
- Tape 15ips
- Fairfax Noise
TAPE & SHAPE
TAPE adds the texture of analog tape, and “SHAPE” emphasizes and suppresses attack and sustain.
“SAT” is a saturation limiter.
COMP & DIST
Compressor and distortion.
There are seven types of distortion, and you can set Amount, Mix, and the band to be reflected.
<Distortion list>
- TubePair
- IronTransformer
- AirPressure
- Crush
- Zap
- Heavy
- BitCrush
TAPE & SHAPE and COMP & DIST can be switched by “◀︎▶︎”.
EQ
High pass, low pass and 4 band equalizer
FX
Up to two effects that have both reverb and delay can be used.
Pressing FX will display the parameters of how much to send above the mixer on each track.
You can control four types of reverb and delay: Amb, Room, Hall, and Plate.
BEATS
This is a preset drum pattern.
It is possible to bring the pattern to the DAW by dragging and dropping.
It is also possible to control timing, velocity, accent, etc. with TRANSFORM.
SEPARATE OUT
In the case of drum software, since each drum is not a separate track, it cannot be adjusted with a DAW, which is inconvenient.
You will need to export them on separate tracks. This can be done from the lower left corner of the mixer.
“Pre Fader” does not reflect the mixer volume adjustment, and “Post Fader” reflects the mixer adjustment.
After setting up separate tracks, add new audio tracks and receive each out.
XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2 ▶︎Plugin Boutique
Summary
Addictive Drums 2 is recommended as the first drum software because it is easy to use even for beginners and can change the sound easily.
ADpak allows you to choose your favorite drum kit, so you can buy only the drum kit you need.
However, there are some parts that cannot be set in detail compared to BFD 3.
I hope this article is helpful for you.
XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2 ▶︎Plugin Boutique