KIT Plugins' recent releases have centred around their collaborations with Nashville’s Blackbird Studio, offering a range of plug-ins that emulate the facility’s vintage gear and renowned reverb chamber. At NAMM 2024, however, the company previewed a new virtual drum platform which they say goes beyond what’s offered by traditional sample libraries. a few months on from the show, the first instalment has arrived in the form of KIT Drums - Connor Denis.
As its name suggests, the release has been created alongside drummer Connor Denis, and samples his custom Gretsch USA kit, with every hit played by Connor himself and recorded by leading engineer Ron DiSilvestro with as little processing as possible. Users are provided with a healthy selection of customisation options, with six snares and two kick drums joined by a choice of three crash cymbals and two rides, and each drum module boasts its own ADSR envelopes that can be configured on a per-articulation basis.
The in-depth contol extends to the built-in mixer, which offers a full channel strip loaded with EQ, saturation, compression not just for each drum channel, but for every microphone signal. Usual controls such as mute, solo, polarity and panning are present, and there’s a bleed option that makes it possible to set how much of each channel and mic signal finds its way into the room and overhead channels. For those who’d prefer to keep it simple, the plug-in comes loaded with a generous selection of mix-ready presets.
A collection of MIDI grooves are included, with a Humanize function making it possible to dial in a more realistic sound to programmed parts, and for those who want to use KIT Drums alongside their electronic kits, the software is equipped with a versatile MIDI map editor.
“I'm thrilled to finally release KIT Drums. This first release not only captures Connor Denis’ unique style, but also sets the stage for future releases powered by this platform. We designed KIT Drums to fill the gap between pre-mixed libraries and do-it-all platforms and provide a seamless and intuitive user experience. As a group of creators that use virtual drums regularly, we designed this plug-in to keep users focused on what matters most when creativity strikes, but still give you the control to take your ideas all the way.” - Matt Kleinman, Founder and CEO of KIT Plugins
Compatibility
KIT Drums - Connor Dennis is supported on PCs running Windows 7 or above, and Macs running macOS 10.14 and higher. VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available. Authorisation is carried out via PACE’s iLok system, with support for iLok Cloud, iLok 2/3 USB dongles and machine-based licenses.
Pricing & Availability
KIT Drums - Connor Dennis is available now, and is currently being offered at an introductory price of $49, reduced from its full cost of $69.
