For Apple Logic Pro's ES2 and EXS24, 9 Soundware released the Drum Tree collection of drum-inspired presets and instruments.

Adapted from electronic drum timbres, Drum Tree presets and instruments are organized into three main components: files for the ES2 synthesizer and EXS24 sampler, and Channel Strips.

The ES2 component of the sound set includes 100 files organized into the following categories: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Hi-Hat, Tom, Crash Cymbal, Ride Cymbal, Side Stick, and Hand Clap. Examples include bass and snare drums with sustain-capable ADSR settings and tempo-synced LFO modulation, kick drums that can be used to play bass lines, noise-only snares with extreme filter settings, hi-hats that allow for complex pan sequences, and tonal crash cymbals with modulated Digiwaves.

According to 9 Soundware, the ES2 component of Drum Tree was designed to repurpose the archetypical, yet immensely flexible, synthesizer as an interactive generator of drum kit component sounds. The presets were specifically designed to be played by MIDI keyboards, and they were tuned to maintain percussiveness across the approximate key range of C1 and C6. In addition, each patch was programmed for velocity-triggered modulation. As the manufacturer notes, the ES2 presets of Drum Tree challenge orthodox notions of electronic drums.

The EXS24 presets, based on 150 samples from the original 9 Soundware Drum Key release, were designed with an emphasis on punch and tightness. With a versatile tone that recalls that of acoustic drums, the EXS24 samples serve as a counterpoint to the synthetic character of the ES2 presets.

This component of the sound set offers 20 instruments. Included are 10 EXS files that reference the bass drum, snare drum, hi-hat, tom, crash cymbal, ride cymbal, side stick, and hand clap samples, as well as 10 drum kit files with keymaps consistent to those used in Logic factory presets.

Designed for use with the ES2 and EXS24 components of Drum Tree, the 10 included Channel Strip settings consist of compressor-based plugin chains that heighten loudness and punch, tighten the decay portion of audio using the Expander plugin, offer high compression ratios to increase perceived sustain, and compress reverb.

Drum Tree is modular in design, allowing you to purchase the full version with all three components, or to purchase the ES2 and EXS24 components separately. The Channel Strip files are exclusive to the complete edition. The full version of the 9 Soundware Drum Tree collection is now available $39.99. The partial downloads for the ES2 and EXS24 components are available for $24.99 and $14.99 each.

Learn more at 9soundware.com.