How do typically guys program drums?
I'm noob at daw stuff and I just use GarageBand drummers cause it's easy, but they are very limited and I would like to do different styles, metal, reggae etc and it's not workin on those.
I don't want to write em from scratch, so is there any decent easy software or something for beginner to play with?

Mt powerdrumkit 2. Should be free and it has banks of loops.

Garageband/Logic drummer is a very easy go-to. In Logic and Garageband, it works best if you set up your song regions, then it intelligently adds in-fills and changes the patterns to match the song structure - something that is not obvious when you first use it. You can, of course, also use some of the included loops. All good just to get a demo together.

This FAWM I've been using a Pocket Operator PO-12 for nearly all percussion except where I used the Korg NTS-1 with the Ruismaker plugin. I would recommend those for learning to use drum machines, but not for producing metal. Dub reggae on the NTS-1 with Ruismaker is very possible because of the good effects in the NTS-1 though.

For drum machines my go to is UVI Beatbox Anthology 2. Has all the classics plus many more that have disappeared into the mists of time, but still have their own character and are good to help get away from the ubiquitous 808, 909.

@stewdean yes I use gb but problem is that my hunger for more versatile things.
I was looking ezDrummer 3 videos and that looked like learnable for noobs too, it ain't very cheap for fawm purposes only but I must get something bigger and better.

GB drummers are pretty ok but they can't offer descent reggae or metal type of thing and I can't do all the stuff I want with that.
I think upgrade to logic don't do the trick either because it seems like there isn't anything larger for the drum department?

I play all my drums in my songs. Ezd3 is pretty simple. Even if you're not a drummer

Depends on my energy. I often program MIDI via piano roll and randomisation, sometimes I modify MIDI loops. Fills are the hardest part. No idea how people perform drums on a keyboard in real time!

The software drummer in Logic is not good for a lot of things. Definitely doesn't work for reggae. It is better if you put into the song the arrangement, but still there's a lot to be desired.

Addictive Drums 2 has a free version.

I use Superior Drummer 3 and EZ Drummer 3 as well as Aly James's VPROM (a Linndrum emulation, which comes complete with Prince's original drum sounds). I've not tried it, but if you're on a tight budget, MT Power Drumkit 2 that @djclark mentioned looks pretty darn spiffy for a free product.
https://www.powerdrumkit.com/download76187.php

@steptide i used to have beautiful Kumu-set with zildjian K custom darks and pile of snares but one point life went little sideways and I had to sell almost all of my music gear to survive, all I left was my bass and Hiwatt amp and cab, and haven't played drums since.
That's why I want even a good sounding software cause I'm used to have a good sound :)

My mainstay is Addictive Drums 2. I also have EZDrummer and NI Abbey Road Drums. oh yeah, and Stylus RMX

EZDrummer 3 for me. Used to use the loops, now playing it via an electronic kit. Love it both ways.

EZ Drummer 3 and the UJAM drum plugins and I still love Spectrasonics Stylus RMX and I love finding elements on Splice and Loopcloud.

I just wonder can my spare Mac vith it's all 4GB of ram handle ez and gb :D

@vomvorton damn, I didn't even think that electric drums could just plug in and just use sounds

Just went and bought ez3
hope it'll do the trick and I learn it fast :)

If you want to go free, MT Powerkit 2 is pretty decent.

If you're happy to spend some money, I've really been enjoying Ugritone Tight Studio drums recently.

I used strike in protools - it was pretty good, but always felt like a machine, so I bought some drums and sticks and got myself some lessons - I’m a much happier person now.

EZDrummer 3 and Ableton Live's stock kits. I'll supplement with loops and samples from various packs if it fits the song.

I second what @stewdean says. I've found the Logic drummer to be more comprehensive the more I use it.

Ableton is perfect for performing all kinds of drum samples. I like to use Ableton's stock samples, Spitfire LABS Drums and whatever drum machine samples I find and like.

@fatboyjamz yes it good but you just can't do metal or reggae type things with that.
It's very versatile but after 3 years I just need more.

@seppo rock on! I have yet to figure out how to use plugins for my drums. Good luck!

@fatboyjamz yes I still got no clue how to work with those but living is learning :)

@fatboyjamz take your time Learning ezd3. There's a lot it can do. Tons of YouTube tutorials too. Ezd3 can do close to almost anything you want

@steptide Cool! Thank you! :)

@seppo see what said above ;)

I switched to mac for Logic Pro and one of the biggest benefits is the AI drummer; nothing else compares IMHO to the speed and efficiency of using the arrangement markers, letting the ai have at it, and then tweaking to your taste. Cuts out all the time auditioning clips and loops, or programming, to get you back to the music. I use it on almost all of my tracks. Best $200 I've ever spent to get Logic Pro X just for the AI drummer (plus the cost of the mac, of course ;) )

FWIW, I've used EZ drummer and MT Drumkit when I was on Windows with Reaper as my DAW, and in my humble opinion, Logic Pro's AI drummer blows those solutions out of the water for speed and ease-of-use. Best part is if you love your drum tones or have sunk a lot into them for EZ or Superior Drummer, you can generate your drumming from the AI, then pipe to EZ or Superior drummer to use those drum samples instead of what comes with Logic Pro as well.

@siebass in GarageBand there is same drummers.
If I'm correct, it's exactly same.
If there would be larger pack of styles etc in logic, I would just updated it and stick in familiar stuff.
I still probably use it because it's so easy, at least 'till I get ez3 studied

@steptide yes i just took a little look yesterday and i think this will take a little time to master it, but it seems doable.
Can't wait to try band mate thingy :)

The Logic Drummer is impressive to me, and I have used it for many songs. Sometimes, I have a hard time getting exactly what I want from it, though. On occasion, I've changed the feel of a song I wrote so that it would fit what the drummer was doing.

A friend of mine has been encouraging me for a while to try programming/playing my own MIDI drum parts, so that I don't have to make such adjustments. I'm trying that this FAWM, and there's definitely a learning curve, but so far I'm glad to be giving it a shot.

I love the step sequencer in the OP-Z because I can quickly sketch drum patterns that are complex and interesting.

@seppo I've mainly used Logic Pro and not Garage band, so I'm not sure on the limitations, if any, in the garageband versions; it's definitely the same core engine. Logic also let's you select a track to "follow" with the drummer, so it will change the ai pattern based on, say, your bass track or rhythm guitar, if you tell it to. I also don't know if Garage Band comes with the "producer kits", which break the drum track out into 16-17 subtracks for each microphone that you can then eq/mix/compress to your taste (then save in your favorite logic template), so I can have a drumkit that already is eq'ed with room for my bass guitar when I track it, with separate space for the kick all done. Harder to do when eqing on just one track.

@mattgpt when the Ai doesn't do what I want, I'll do either or both of the following 1) you can right click to convert the part to midi, then edit the section to be what you DO want; 2) add a second track below, and either manually program or give the ai another shot at doing what I want on that shorter section, like a fill say.

If you have a midi controller or drum kit, you can also route it in for manual playing, but I've had issues with the triggers on my hand-made kit, and the extra editing to clean up my (granted) somewhat sloppy playing is not always worth it.

@siebass GB has that follow thing too and templates.
Never opened those tho :)
It is very good set on gb, I'm just bummed that there is a lack of grooving styles and harder stuff.
For normal people there I is plenty but I'm bassist, so I'm not quite normal and I always want more. Even I don't really truly need em and they cost money which I don't have, I still get them.
Then I spend my time cursing cause it's hard to learn new software :)

I use MDrummer, because it (and other Melda plugins) work in linux, with various VST-bridges (I'm using yabridge right now). It's not the easiest plugin to use, but works for me.

Addendum: for song-based drum programming, I often find myself just reaching for DM1 on iPad. The sounds aren't the most exciting but the programming is really easy and I can sketch out a song's structure relatively fast. Good enough for FAWM.

I'm glad this thread is here, I plan on purchasing something like EZDrummer soon. For people who have used this as well as Addictive Drums, Superior Drummer, etc. is there any difference between them? I just want to buy one and have it work for me.

If it helps I'm looking to make pop/rock music, I'm willing to play around/experiment/be creative to an extent but my skills at drum writing and production are both limited. I do know the basics though.

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, but I've been thinking about this for a couple of months and it looks like there are a lot of people in this thread who know all about it.

Logic pro has a brilliant Drummer facility which you just add and some kind of AI adds the drums. There are various Apple like knobs to adjust the parameters. It is quite amazing and very natural sounding. A listen to any of my songs will confirm that. You can also use it to drive other drum libraries like Superior Drummer and it can be exported as MIDI.

I have ezDrummer and Superior Drummer but this is still my go to drum arranger/helper.

Even though I now use Cubase predominantly I still use Logic to provide the drums.

I have done manual drum programming, it can be effective but the process really sucks.

It's usually a mix of synth drums and samples... I always break by drums on to separate tracks. It's the messier way to do it in some respects but I like to do a lot of manual tweaking throughout the track.

Drum VST's have come a long way in the last ten years, most of them are pretty user-friendly. Superior Drummer/EZ Drummer are still great, but a lot of cheaper (and even free) alternatives can produce similar results. I've been using a Kontakt pack for more realistic drums, but my go-to instrument for getting ideas down is a free pack for DecentSampler.

As far as hardware, my favorite is still my Circuit Rhythm. It was in every song I uploaded last year 😀 There are absolutely better hardware samplers out there, I just really like the sequencer and overall workflow.

Hey, @amandaroseriley ,Steven Slate drums has a totally free version that I've been using this year. It's taken some tweaks to get everything in place but, hey, it's free! Might be worth trying it out before paying for a drum VST

I use Ableton, so Ableton Drum rack is my fav. I think any built in sampler from your DAW is going to do the job. From my experience, It's all about the quality of your one-shots samples. - I also use Superior Drummer, Steven Slate Drums, Native Instruments Battery ... For KICKS I think one of the best plugins that you can get is KICK2 in seconds you can create an amazing kick that fits your song.