Superior Drummer 3

A controllable multitrack drum recording

Superior Drummer 3 separates the drum instrument from the microphones that recorded it. A snare's level or tuning can be changed across its recorded perspectives, while mixer channels control complete microphone signals—including enabled spill from other drums. This distinction makes it possible to reshape the kit and its recorded balance independently.

Performance and arrangement inside the instrument

The Drums tab handles kit selection, articulations and sample behavior. Grooves supplies searchable MIDI performances, and the Song Track arranges them into a drum part. Edit Play Style changes the density and intensity of selected instruments, while the Grid Editor supports detailed note editing. The Mixer then provides effects, buses and output routing for the resulting performance.

From recorded drums to replacement sounds

Tracker imports drum audio, detects hits and exports MIDI after the user refines recognition and timing. It is an analysis workflow rather than an insert that instantly replaces a live audio stream. Start with clean, aligned close-mic files where possible, check false and missing triggers, then audition the selected kit and mix before committing the result.

Source: Manual, “The Drum Kit Graphic Interface,” pp. 26–28; “Property Boxes,” pp. 44–49; “Mixer Channel Description,” pp. 104–108; “Suggested Tracker Workflow,” pp. 171–173; “Edit Play Style,” pp. 196–201.

Drums and articulation scope

Select a kit piece in the Drums tab; Shift-click for multiple pieces. Right-click to choose another instrument or open Search for Instrument, which can browse installed libraries. Check the selected articulation before editing: Property Boxes may affect one articulation, an entire instrument, several instruments or a stack.

Level changes the selected drum across its recorded microphone channels rather than moving one mixer fader. Tuning changes pitch with Drum Head or Cymbal algorithms; use Process to hear the fully processed high-definition result, especially with Drum Head tuning. Reverse reverses the selected sound, while Envelope and Offset shapes onset, decay, sustain/hold and release. Its release trigger can follow note-on, note-off or aftertouch for different performance behavior. Velocity and voice/layer properties provide further response control.

Grooves and Song Track

Use filters or Tap2Find to locate a performance resembling a played rhythm. Preview it, adjust groove velocity if needed, and drag it to the Song Track or DAW. In Edit Play Style, first select which instruments are affected. Amount adds or removes hits, Velocity changes intensity while maintaining relative dynamics, and Power Hand changes the leading instrument. Use the Grid Editor when individual note placement, articulation or velocity needs precise correction. Arrange song blocks to build the part rather than treating the browser preview as the final performance.

Mixer

Microphone Channels include both direct sound and enabled bleed. Bleed Level/Mute changes spill independently of the close-mic contribution. Effects slots process the channel, and Bus Sends can carry direct and bleed signals at separate levels. Send position can be pre-effects, post-effects or post-fader. Pan, Fader, Solo/Mute/Polarity and Output complete channel mixing. Route to internal buses for shared processing or separate host outputs for external mixing.

Tracker

Import aligned drum files and establish tempo with Find Tempo or an existing tempo map. Find selects the target drum class; Replace With chooses its triggered articulation. Increase Amount only when hits are missing. Sound Recognition Match Threshold, Velocity Threshold and Reduce Bleed refine which detections become notes. Listen with the original/replacement Mix, correct individual triggers and export MIDI. Tracker works best with clear drum-only recordings, not a finished full-band mix.

Electronic drums

In Settings > MIDI In/E-Drums, begin with the correct module preset. Select an articulation, activate Learn and strike the intended pad to remap it. Hi-hats also require appropriate trigger articulations and pedal CC assignment; mapping only a single open/closed note does not reproduce continuous pedal behavior.

Source: Manual, “Property Boxes,” pp. 44–49; “Search Filters / Tap2Find,” pp. 79–82; “Mixer Channel Description,” pp. 104–108; “Trigger Point Workspace,” pp. 157–162; “Suggested Tracker Workflow,” pp. 171–173; “Edit Play Style,” pp. 196–201; “Pad Assignments” and “Hi-Hat Mapping,” pp. 309–315.