Want to emulate some expensive acoustic drum kits? Nowadays producers prefer sample based production for a faster workflow. However, if you are on the lookout for a decent kick drum VST, there is some very good news for you.
With some of the best kick drum VST plugins on our list, you can emulate acoustic kick drums and synthesize and mix electronic drums in a jiffy. These kick drum plugins run the gamut from virtual classic drum machines to responsive sample players and synth generators. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Table of Contents
5+ Best Kick Drum VST 2024
1) FXpansion BFD 3
We have talked about FXpansion’s BFD3 in our list of drum VST for EDM production. BFD 3 is a versatile drum plugin that boasts 7 high fidelity drum kits with splendid kick sounds, tom resonance, cymbal swell modelling to name a few.
It is a cohesive acoustic drum studio that features some state-of-the-art sequencing, effects, and numerous preset grooves crafted and recorded by some of the greatest drummers and producers in the music business.
2) Vengeance Sound Metrum
Vengeance Sound’s Metrum encapsulates the very essence of designing seminal kicks. This nifty plugin features some great sounding kick drums that were crafted by blending up to 3 sampled ‘attack’ layers with a synthesised ‘body’ layer.
Metrum boasts kick-focused Spike and Punch controls, one sine pitch and amp envelopes and one sine wave oscillator.
What’s more, Metrum has 330 onboard presets which can be further customized via a staggering 1800 included samples.
3) Punch BD
Punch-BD is a bass drum synthesizer by Rob Papen that provides extensive kick layering and sound shaping potential.
For starters, Punch-BD extracts the bass drum generating system from Rob Papen’s Punch drum machine to craft deep bass drum grooves.
Especially if you are a fan of the technique of stacking bass drums, you can stack 6 ‘drum pads.
What’s more, every drum pad has its own distortion module as well as a 3 band EQ and 4 FX units each with 31 effects.
Not to mention, tons of envelopes, modulation routings, filters to customize your own unique sound.
4) D16 PunchBox
An emulation of Roland’s legendary TR-808, 909 and 606 bass drums, D16’s PunchBox is a comprehensive kick drum plugin that boasts an adaptive sine wave generator.
Since it relies on D16’s analogue modelling expertise, PunchBox is touted as a solid drum designing tool.
PunchBox also features an effects rack where it houses a ton of eclectic FX such as Filter, EQ, Bitcrusher, Limiter, Distortion and more.
Furthermore, 1100 bass drum samples and the option to import more samples in WAV format for customization ensures that PunchBox is every EDM producer’s dream come true.
5) BigKick
Rounding up our list of the best kick drum VST plugins is BigKick, a relatively stripped down and lightweight tool that offers a wealth of drum designing options.
All the kick drums are tuned which can be further tweaked to match the pitch of bass lines.
With over 300 Attack samples and 110 presets, Big Kick lets you design a great bottom end sound that fits with your bass tracks.
What’s more, you get 100 free kick drum samples from Loopmasters library along with this plugin. Woot woot!
