Power Tools by Medway Studios

Not too long ago I reviewed ModeAudio's Analogue Experiments which brought sounds from the rare EMS Synthi into easy reach for the budding or pro producer.

Recently I looked at one of their other offerings, Power Tools, which claims to offer bold drums hits bursting with flavour and edited to perfection.

The scene is awash with what seems like almost every conceivable type of drum sound available, so how would ModeAudio's pack stand out against the crowd?

For one you don't just receive drum samples with your order but some extras that help elevate it beyond what you'd normally expect in a typical drum pack.

Processing Presets

ModeAudio have included presets for major DAWs that help further shape the included sounds and give you the opportunity to process your existing library.

I tried out both the Reason and Ableton presets and was impressed with the level of detail they possessed.

There is only 5 total for each DAW but there's enough scope here to keep you busy, you might pick up a few processing tips along the way too.

The Samples

How are the sounds themselves?

These impactful drum hits will easily find a home in most modern EDM, DnB, Trap, and other styles that require hard hitting colourful one shots.

I liked that the Power Tools samples had lots of character yet not overcooked to the point of painting themselves into a corner where it would be difficult to find a place for them in your typical production.

ModeAudio seem to have a good grasp on making distinctive libraries that are still eminently usable for today's production needs.

One nice touch is that the kick drums are all tuned and labelled as such, making them easy to slot into a track once the key has been established.

Many of these have lots of sub and sustain, making them perfect for bass heavy styles.

The hats, claps and snares all cut through nicely with the hi-hats featuring choke groups for more realistic drum patterns.

Take A Look

This pack represents great value, the included samples alone easily justify the price and the included presets and kits make the deal even harder to pass up.