Foundation by Bedroom Producers Blog
Foundation is a collection of royalty-free drum sounds sampled from selected vintage drum machines and analog synthesizers. Firstly, the sound designers at ModeAudio sampled a pair of studio classics – the LinnDrum and the Alesis HR-16 drum machines are legendary instruments that defined the sound of the late 80s music. These vintage classics are joined by the more modern Akai MPC2000 drum sequencer and Behringer’s new DeepMind analog synthesizer to create a collection of retro-inspired drum samples.
The Content
ModeAudio included 433 drum samples in this release. Here is a detailed breakdown of Foundation’s contents:
- 88 Kick Samples
- 84 Snare Samples
- 65 Hi-Hat Samples
- 30 Clap Samples
- 43 Tom Samples
- 16 Cymbal Samples
- 10 Rim Samples
- 23 Shaker Samples
- 74 Percussion Samples
Foundation doesn’t contain any drum loops. It only contains one-shot drum samples and a collection of eight MIDI drum sequences to get you started with using the provided sounds. If you’re looking for drum loops, ModeAudio’s other releases like Raw Trap will be a better fit.
This drum sample library is offered in five different format options. The customer can download the WAV samples only, or choose the pre-made Reason ReFill, Logic Pack, FL Studio Pack, or Ableton Live Pack templates.
As always with ModeAudio libraries, the included samples are expertly edited and organized. There are no unwanted noises as a result of lazy audio editing, nor unclearly labeled filenames that make the library a pain to browse. What you’re getting is a meticulously crafted collection of drum sounds that won’t slow down your workflow.
The samples are organized into three folders (Raw Drums, Processed Drums, and Layered Drums), each folder containing a clearly labeled set of samples. The sounds in the Raw Drums and Processed Drums folders are marked with the source instrument information (like Linn_Kick01, HR16_GatedKick01, etc.).
Sound Quality
Having tested several ModeAudio sample packs in the past, I’ve come to expect high-quality sounds in the company’s releases. Foundation is not an exception in this regard. The clean samples capture the authentic, unaltered sound of the sampled drum machines. This is perfect for drum machine purists who want to use raw drum machine sounds as a starting point for their music production or sound design projects.
The processed and layered samples are there for music producers who prefer using ready-to-mix drum sounds. There’s just enough compression and EQ applied to make the processed drum machine samples sound punchy and make them cut through the mix. Finally, the layered samples provide a more modern take on the vintage drum machine sounds. The raw source samples were layered to add punch, snap, and presence in the bass region for a more modern flavor.
The Verdict
For the price of €19.12, you can’t go wrong with the Foundation drum collection. ModeAudio has once again crafted a superb collection of drum samples that can instantly be used in the studio. If you’re a fan of old-school drum machines or retro drums in general, this library will be a worthy addition to your arsenal.