The drum machine changed music. There’s no getting around it.

Every DAW software these days comes with some sort of sampler or drum machine built right in. They’ve become a pillar of modern music production.

DR-910 is a Roland TR-909 drum machine emulation. The instrument itself does not need presentations: used by artists like Moby, Fatboy Slim, The Prodigy, Jean Michel Jarre, The Chemical Brothers, Faithless and many many others, the TR-909 quickly became one of the most classic pieces of gear in the electronic musician’s arsenal. Oh, and tune your drums. Tune your drums! As a final note, if you have the preference or ability to compromise, working with sounds in-the-box can be a lot more forgiving when it comes to drums. There’s a reason sample-based music is so accessible. You can record great sounding live drums at home, but it takes time, work, and planning. Multi Layer Drum Sampler AU / VST Instrument. Specially recorded and processed to make them ideally suited for use in pop, rock and metal productions.

But picking a sound can be tough when you have infinite possibilities at your fingertips.

That’s why these drum VST plugins are so great. They impose some limitations to help you corral the creative juices a bit.

• LEL UDS Drums is a free VSTi by Softrave that has 140 stunning samples of the famous vintage analog drum module Lel UDS. One thing I love about this plugin is the option to filter the high frequency of any bank and to also mix sounds to create the sample I want.
• Size 54.4 MB / 54.5 MB / 55.9 MB / 55.2 MB The MT Power Drum Kit is a free drum sampler offering the powerful, high-quality sounds of an acoustic drum kit. Samples have been specially recorded and processed to make them ideally suited for use in pop, rock and metal productions. The MT Power Drum.
• Multi Layer Drum Sampler AU / VST Instrument The MT Power Drum Kit is a free drum sampler offering the powerful, high-quality sounds of an acoustic, realistic drum kit. Samples have been specially.

So here’s the 10 best free drum VST plugins for making your drums pop.

1. T.REX 606

The name says it all. The T.REX 606 is a compact rompler modelled after the iconic Roland TR-606 drum machine.

The simple interface keeps things basic. Which is nice these days when so many VSTs are needlessly complicated.

It’s just volume, reverb and 7 classic sounds. Easy peasy.

Download it here for free

2. Djinndrum

The Linn LM-1 is a classic drum machine. It’s been used by everyone from Peter Gabriel, to Prince, to Michael Jackson.

But let’s face it, these days they’ve gotten a bit pricey for what they are.

No problem, The Djinndrum has you set for all that classic sound that the LM-1 packs in.

Download it here for free

3. Drum PRO

Drum Pro has 20 built in drum kits, 12 pads and global effects, what more do you need from a drum machine plugin?

The Drum Pro has you covered no matter what you’re making. Big EDM? Check. Techno? Check. Everything else you need for sweet drums? Check that too.

Download it here for free

4. Line of Legends

This plugin may not look as technical as others. But don’t let the looks of Line of Legends fool you.

This plugin boasts 47 high quality samples, 8 individual output channels, and punch, release & attack knobs for some serious tweakage.

Heads up: you may have to set up the output channels in your DAW if it’s only showing one channel. So check your DAW manual to figure out how.

Download it here for free

5. Sean Pandy Drums

Sean Pandy Drums is based on a sample pack made by heavy metal drummer Sean Pandy. So if you’re looking for a heavier drum sound on your mix, this VST will definitely give you it.

The ‘Sub Blower’ is especially good and certainly lives up to its name…

Download it here for free

6. KickMaker

2 of the most important elements in any track that thumps is the kick and bass. So they deserve some serious attention.

That’s what makes KickMaker so great. It’s a plugin built for crafting the perfect kick. So what’re you waiting for? Get kickin’.

Download it here for free

7. Beat Factory Drums

Beat Factory Drums is easy to use, sounds great, and packs a serious punch.

It has fully tweakable ADSR parameters so you can customize each and every kit to your sound. Not bad for a FREE plugin.

All you have to do is enter your email and that’s it.

Download it here for free

8. MT Power Drum Kit 2

MT Power Drum Kit 2 isn’t just a plugin for drums. In addition to top notch drum sounds that cut through any mix, it also has a fully pre-programmed groove library.

It’s wicked for composing your own patterns, or stringing together grooves for the drum accompaniment you need.

Download it here for free

9. Dub Turbo DrumTROOP

The DrumTROOP drum machine is big both in its sound and what it offers. It’s a powerful tool for everything from EDM to house and back again.

Their website calls it a “weapon of mass production.” I can’t really disagree with that. It’s definitely massive is every respect.

Download it here for free

10. Single Cycle Vintage Drum Elements

Vintage Drum Elements has a nice, warm analogue sound that so many vintage drum machines have.

The 12 pad interface is easy to use and tweak, and the preloaded samples are all top notch.

Name your price or enter your email to grab it on the Single Cycle Bandcamp.

Download it here for free

Drumming up the perfect sound

Nothing beats a banging drum track. They’re the backbone of tons of top notch songs.

And the drum machine is a superb way to hone in on a specific sound for your tracks.

So grab these sweet plugs and program away!

Already set for drums? Grab some of our other favourite free VSTs.

The famous Linndrum LM-1 drum machine !
Here’s a selection of 3 free VSTi that try to emulate the sound of the LM-1.

1. JM-1 VST by Jun’s Factory

Info & download : http://www.aaa-int.or.jp/jfactory/projects/VST/

A Synthedit creation with good quality samples. It’s Windows only and 32 bit.
There is a volume and a pan control for each element.

2. DJinnDrum VST by SimpleRecorder

DJinnDrum LM-1 VSTi

direct download for Windows
direct download for Mac OS X — UPDATE !!—

This one has a more dry sound, you may need to add EQ + COMP after.
It doesn’t feature the “ride” sound nor the “crash”.
But it have pitch control for some sounds!
It comes in 32 & 64 bit version for Windows
NEW!! and it also have a free VST MAC OS X version !!

3. Linn LM-1 VST by MH Music

info & download : https://web.archive.org/web/20131122002253/http://www.mhmusic.dk/plug-ins

Free Vst Metal Drums Download

This plugin is freeware and has been released as VST for Windows and AudioUnit for Mac.
It has been made with Maize Sampler.
It’s a multi out VST : each sound is routed on a stereo pair:
bassdrum on channels 1-2, snare on channels 3-4, etc..

4. TheDrumSource VST drum sampler + LM-1 Soundbank

The Drum Source VST

TheDrumSource + Linn LM1 (LM-1) Drum Set by rossf

Free Vst Metal Drums Guitar

With many quality sample kit of the LM1 floating around the web, you can also use your favorite drum sampler and load the wav files into it.
You can use the old Linplug RM F VST or the good TX16Wx, or any sampler able to load wav files and trigger the sound with MIDI.