Ultimate drum sample libraries
DETROIT
DRUM DEPT.
Welcome to the Ultimate Drum Sample Library
Get ready to experience a drum library built for total control, stunning realism, and genre-spanning versatility. Whether you’re producing tight indie tracks, booming hip-hop beats, thunderous metal grooves, or vintage rock anthems à la Zeppelin, this kit delivers.
Crafted with precision and recorded using a diverse range of high-end microphones — including Sennheiser 421s, CAD cardioid condensers, classic ribbon mics for natural room warmth, and the industry-standard Shure SM81s on overheads — every detail of this multi-mic setup is captured in pristine quality.
What Sets It Apart?
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Full Mixing Control – Isolate and blend Close, Overhead, Stage, and Stereo Room mics to build your perfect drum tone.
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Natural Expression – Multiple round robins and extensive velocity layers bring your snares and toms to life with unmatched realism.
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Genre-Ready Versatility – One kit, endless possibilities: from crisp pop, tight indie, deep hip-hop, heavy metal, classic rock, and everything in between.
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Impulse Response Reverb – Add sustain and space with independent IR reverb control for each drum element.
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Master EQ & Preset Templates – Fine-tune your drum bus with a built-in master EQ. Save your mix, mic levels, and EQ settings into reusable templates—making recall and inspiration instant.
Jump Right In
We’ve included multiple pre-built templates designed to drop directly into your sessions. Explore a massive palette of sounds that not only sit perfectly in your mixes but inspire entirely new ones.
Easy UI Controls Every Mic Position
Blend between close, overhead, stage, and room for that perfect sound you’re searching for. Sennheiser 421s used for close positions, the all time overhead studio favorite Sure SM81 condenser overheads, condenser room mics, and a hand wired ribbon microphone for stage location. Also included on each channel is Impulse Response Reverb for that little extra sustain.
Full Compatibility
Library is in Decent Sampler engine format.
Absolute free digital instrument by the wonderful works of David Hilowitz.
Runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, and iOS. (I have ran Detroit Drum Dept. Library on steamdeck desktop with Roland TD1 e-drums plugged to usb!)
Can be ran as plug-in within DAW or stand alone software. AU, VST, Pro Tools, and Linux plugin formats.
Decent Sampler engine can be downloaded here: Decent Sampler Downloads
(for Detroit Drum Dept. “Nominal” launch kit)
For Any Jam
Live play or trigger current midi drum track!
GM midi ready mapping.
Can be used as drum replacement or reenforcing doubling.
Roland control binding compatible (more mappings coming soon – but you can easily midi assign any edrum kit.
Multi-Output for DAW or compatible hardware – Kick, Snare, Toms, Ride, Hi Hat, Cymbals, and IR Reverb send separate output options.
No pre-compression, squashing, etc. (like many other drum libraries) Pure microphone, console, and bit of eq!
Why Detroit Drum Dept.?
There are hundreds of drum sample libraries out there, and a few really good ones, so why get Detroit Drum Dept.? Well, first it is a fraction of the cost of drum library and plugins out there. Some leading libraries are hundreds of dollars for just the plugin and then each library is also a hundred plus dollars. We have competitive sound with a versatile mixing system. Secondly, Detroit Drum Dept. is simply mics, console, and eq. Other libraries use compression and emulations to crunch & squash the drums prior to entering your DAW or mixing engine! With this library you’re hearing just great mics, console, and a bit of eq that brings out the liveliness and natural air that drum tracks truly are!
What’s Next for Detroit Drum Dept.?
More Libraries!
More Kits!
More Updates!
There are plenty more in the works for the Detroit Drum Dept. We’re happy to release the flagship initial “Nominal” library available now. The next project in the works is “Sanctuary Drums” where a DW Collector’s series kit multi-mic sampled in modern large church sanctuary in west Detroit, MI. We’ve heard previews of these and they are a HUGE sound! Sanctuary will include the same close, overhead, stage, and room…and this room is big. An awesome non-square auditorium with natural big boom room sound. Another kit in the works is a classic Ludwig late 1960’s maple wood kit in a large wood studio. If you want to hear more about Detroit Drum Dept. and it’s future kits…
