Massey Plugins DRT : Drum Replacement Tool

The Massey Plugins DRT Drum Replacement Tool is the newest plug-in from Massey. Like all plug-ins from the good guys at Massey, this is available as a free full functioning demo, with the full version giving you some extra features. However, the 'demo' version is completely useful on it's own. You can download this free version at Massey's website where you can also purchase the full version at a whopping $69 US (are you kidding?). It's available in either Mac or PC format and I believe they will run in RTAS or VST. DRT takes a slightly different approach when compared to the other drum replacers out there, as it converts the drum triggers to MIDI. The advantage of this is that you then have a MIDI file which you can alter anyway you like. The best way to do it is with a sampler, or with something like Native Instruments Battery where you can trigger drum samples with the new MIDI file you've made. The interface is fairly simple once you've got the hang of it. The best way to get the hang of it is to first check out the instructional video for the plug-in on Massey's website, which comes straight from the man himself - Steve Massey. That will give you a pretty good idea of what the plug-in is all about and you shouldn't need a manual after that, as it's very simple to use once you understand what each parameter does.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Right now I'm running Massey Plugins DRT on my system at home. I run Pro Tools 9 with a Digi 002R on a Mac Book Pro that has a 2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 4 GB of RAM. I haven't experience any problems running this plug-in, and since it's not a real-time plug-in I don't think many people will have issues with it at all.

OVERALL OPINION

As soon as I started using the Massey Plugins DRT Drum Replacement Tool, I knew I would not be going back to any other plug-in to do the job. There are a few different drum replacement options out there, including the popular Sound Replacer and Drumagog. I'd been using Sound Replacer primarily before, which is good but the more you get into it, you'll fin it can have inaccuracies sometimes. I've been a huge fan of Massey Plug-ins since I first used them a few years ago and they have a really nice suite of plug-ins at prices that make them some of the best bang for your buck; that is if you don't end up just using the fully functional free 'demo' versions of the software. If you're looking for a plug-in to replace drum sounds with, do yourself a favor and get the free version of DRT now.