Editing Drums: These 3 Plugins Are a Perfect Match
Three Great Tools to Enhance Drum Sounds and the Entire Drum Track
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Editing drums is the topic of this edition of Perfect Match, our weekly series about three products that complement each other perfectly. In this article, we look at how you can shape the drum tracks in your DAW to match your needs and which tools are best suited for the task.
Editing Drums – Perfect Match
Editing Drums with Individual Plugins
If you want to edit drums in your DAW, a wide range of suitable tools is now available, including plugins that specialize exclusively in this task. The plugins presented here are not limited to drum processing and can therefore also be used in many other production situations.
All recommendations are meant as inspiration. There are several interesting alternatives, and we provide links to further suggestions where appropriate. We deliberately skip basic tools such as equalizers, delay, or reverb. Of course, these remain very useful when shaping drum sounds, but the focus here is on more character-driven processing options.
The suggested plugins do not always have to be used together. In many cases, a single tool is already enough to shape the sound. It is also worth experimenting with different signal chains and the order in which the processors are placed.
Our tips cover both the processing of individual drum tracks and their use on the entire drum bus.
Editing Drums with a Saturator such as FabFilter Saturn
Saturation and distortion are very effective ways to add character to individual drum sounds or to an entire drum track. One plugin that works particularly well for this task is FabFilter Saturn.
Saturn covers the full range from subtle harmonic saturation to heavy distortion and offers a wide selection of different processing modes. A particularly interesting aspect is its multiband design. Up to six separate frequency bands can be processed with different saturation or distortion types. The interface remains very intuitive and clearly shows what is happening in each frequency range, making it easy to understand how the processing affects the sound.
Another practical feature is that Saturn can also be used for dynamic control. The plugin can act as a gate, which helps reduce unwanted crosstalk, for example from cymbals.
Saturn also works very well on drum buses, where it can help bring individual elements together without flattening them through heavy compression. At the same time, you retain enough control to keep the processing subtle. The result can be drums that sound denser, warmer, or more aggressive, depending on the musical context. Although Saturn offers many possibilities, a plugin such as Soundtoys Decapitator* works in a more straightforward way and is also known for its excellent sound. You can find FabFilter Saturn here at Thomann*.
Editing Drums: Compressor Like an 1176 for a Punchy Drum Sound
If you want to edit drums, a compressor is almost indispensable for controlling dynamics and adding more cohesion to the drum bus. When compression is discussed in the context of drums, the name 1176 comes up again and again. That is why this compressor, now available in many plugin versions, is often considered the archetype of a dynamics processor.
For drum processing, the 1176 has long been regarded as a classic. Its FET compression, emulated in many plugins, reacts extremely quickly and is well suited for shaping percussive material while bringing it forward in the mix. At the same time, the compressor introduces a certain amount of tonal coloration that becomes more noticeable with more aggressive settings.
The Universal Audio 1176 Collection includes several revisions of the legendary hardware model, each adding a slightly different character to the drum sound. Especially on snare, room microphones, or the entire drum bus, it quickly becomes clear why this compressor has appeared in countless productions for decades.
Gentle compression adds more presence, while stronger settings create additional energy and density. When used in parallel, the 1176 can also produce the well known explosion effect that makes drums feel larger and more powerful without overly reducing the dynamics.
A good plugin in the style of the 1176 is therefore an essential part of your toolkit if you want to process drums, but other compressor plugins are also worth considering as alternatives. VCA compressors in particular are very effective for drum processing in electronic music, for example when compressing the drum bus. Plugins such as the dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter*, API 2500 Native*, or SSL 4000 G* are well worth exploring.
You can find the Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection here at Thomann*. If you want to learn more about the different types of compressors, you can also take a look at the related article for further background.
Editing Drums with a Transient Shaper such as Newfangled Audio Articulate
A transient shaper can be a great alternative or addition to a compressor. Several interesting plugins are now available in this category, and we have also published a buying guide with further recommendations.
Here we want to highlight Newfangled Audio Articulate. This plugin stands out because it provides very precise control over the attack, decay, sustain, and release phases of a sound. With these parameters, you can make drums pop more clearly, increase their punch, or shape how individual hits fade out.
Articulate allows you to fine tune the relationship between attack and decay. Kick drums gain more definition without sounding artificial. Snares cut through the mix more clearly without becoming harsh or developing an overly long tail. Hi hats can also be shaped very precisely while retaining their natural character.
In this sense, Articulate is designed as a sound shaping tool and also includes several practical features such as sidechain input, stereo link, and a peak limiter. Newfangled Audio Articulate is available here at Thomann*.
Conclusion: Why This Trio Is a Perfect Match
If you want to edit drums in your DAW, a wide range of suitable plugins is available. While some tools are designed for comprehensive drum editing, plugins that focus on a specific task can often be just as effective and are usually useful in many other situations as well. These are exactly the types of plugins presented here.
FabFilter Saturn is a multiband effect that delivers saturation and distortion across up to six frequency ranges with different processing modes. The Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection provides emulations of several revisions of the famous 1176 compressor and allows you to shape the dynamics and tonal character of drum sounds in a very direct way. A transient shaper such as Newfangled Audio Articulate makes it possible to control the attack and decay of drum and percussion sounds with great precision.
Together, these three tools form a powerful combination for editing drums and percussion.
More Information About Editing Drums
- How to Get a Punchy Drum Sound: Just Make It Slap
- The Best Studio Gear 2025 for Recording and Mixing
- The History Of The 1176 Limiting Amplifier
- The Best 1176 Alternatives for your Home Studio
- Bus Processing: Mix Cohesion and Control
- More about Perfect Match
*Note: This article about editing drums contains affiliate links that help finance our site. Don’t worry, the price for you stays exactly the same. If you purchase something through these links, we receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!
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