Addictive Drums 2

Kit pieces and microphones are different editing layers

Addictive Drums 2 combines a sampled kit with a production mixer and MIDI-beat browser. Its Edit page separates kit-piece playback controls from channel processing. A cymbal, for example, can be shaped individually even when it is heard through shared overhead and room channels rather than a dedicated close microphone.

Shape the performance and the recording

The upper Edit section controls response, tuning and envelopes. The lower channel strip handles EQ, compression, distortion and other processing, while the Mixer balances close microphones, overheads, room, bus treatment and send effects. The FX page supplies two Delerb units, each combining delay and reverb. This allows a dry, focused drum sound or a much more produced kit without requiring separate plug-ins.

Find a groove, then make it fit

The Beats page searches the library by musical filters or a painted rhythmic pattern. Beat Transformer changes velocity, timing, accents and articulation choices before a groove is dragged into the arrangement. Start with a suitable kit and beat, adjust playing response before heavy processing, then balance ambience and effects against the rest of the song.

Source: Manual, “Edit Page Overview,” p. 16; “Kit Piece Controls,” pp. 18–19; “Channel Strip,” pp. 20–29; “FX Page,” pp. 30–32; “Beats page,” pp. 34–38.

Kit and playback shaping

Use the Kit page and kit-piece browser to choose instruments, then select a piece on Edit. Its basic controls include overall volume and separate OH/Room Level, Pan and Width. Response Volume controls velocity-to-level behavior, Filter adds velocity-dependent darkening, and Sample Layer Selection restricts which recorded dynamic layers are used. No Alts disables alternate hits for an intentionally more repetitive response.

Pitch tunes the piece, with separate overhead/room offsets. For kick and snare, Tone Designer changes the tonal decay without simply shortening all noise and ambience. Pitch Envelope shapes the initial pitch movement; Volume Envelope controls attack, decay, sustain and release behavior. Cut applies high/low filtering across the selected piece's recorded channels.

Microphones and channel strips

Balance Kick Beater/Front or Snare Top/Bottom microphones for attack versus body. Snare Buzz controls the snare's sympathetic response to kick/tom hits, not ordinary snare-hit volume. Room Distance delays the room perspective.

Select the intended mixer channel before processing. MultiFX chooses Comp & Dist or Tape & Shape. The compressor uses Thr, Ratio, Attack and Release, with optional Boost Mode. Distortion offers type, affected frequency Range, Amount and Mix. Tape uses Drive/Bottom; Shape uses Attack/Sustain; its saturating limiter catches peaks above Thr. EQ provides draggable frequency/gain points and Q adjustment, with high/low cuts. Output Trim matches the processed level.

Gate, bus and space

Trig Gate is triggered by selected drum MIDI notes rather than an ordinary audio threshold. Choose triggering kit pieces and set velocity Threshold, Hold, Release and Floor. The Bus receives selected channel sends for parallel treatment. On FX, two Delerb units combine Delay Time/Sync, Feedback, Swing and Ping Pong with reverb Pre-delay, Decay, Damping and Swirl. Their crossfader balances delay and reverb; routing chooses whether returns enter before or after Master inserts.

Groove workflow and outputs

In Beats, use category/style/tempo filters or Grid Search to paint a desired rhythm. Its Replace behavior can impose a lane's rhythm rather than only searching. Beat Transformer adjusts velocity Range, Accents, Random timing/velocity, kit-piece reassignment, Speed and Length. Drag the resulting MIDI to the DAW.

Mixer Volume, Pan/Width, Solo/Mute, polarity and Separate Out control the final presentation. Separate outputs can replace or accompany the internal Master path, so check routing to avoid unintended doubling. Configure MIDI Mapping for an external keyboard or electronic kit before judging articulation response.

Source: Manual, “Edit Page,” pp. 16–29; “FX Page,” pp. 30–32; “The Mixer Section,” p. 33; “Beats page / Beat Transformer,” pp. 34–38; “MIDI Mapping window,” pp. 42–46.