Drum Samples: The Best Free & Premium Libraries in 2024

How to select the right drum sample?

For starters, it’s advised to start building a drum sample library for yourself. Start scouring the web for drum kits, percussion samples, free stuff, or maybe even create your own drums. Over time, this expands into a goldmine worth of drum sounds to fit the needs of your own productions.

With a massive library, you don’t have to start searching for the right drum sound every single time—which also improves your workflow big time. Need kick drums for hip hop? You got it. Sound effects for an extra touch? All there. Or maybe even clap samples or acoustic drums to add a human feel to your own productions. Having a massive library available makes a producer’s life easier to find and select the right drum sample.

A rule of thumb is to not waste too long searching for “the perfect sample.” Instead, find a drum sample with the right tempo or feel to it, and then work with that or layer it with additional samples to achieve the sound you’re after. For example, the powerful low-end of kick drums can be sourced and paired from different sample packs than, say, which drum library the cymbal hits are sourced from.

Above all, get familiar with sound, processing, and layering within your digital audio workstation. This makes you more comfortable and knowledgeable about which sounds go well together. Take factors such as frequencies and obviously the right BPM into account when selecting drum samples. Aesthetics and taste also come into play here—so aside from selecting the right drum sample, try to “understand” the sound and feel of drums and your own personal taste. Use samplers or drum machines, or find drum samples with a jazz-like playing style—anything goes. Swap sounds till you find the sweet spot for your own music production style.

What are drum samples?

Drum samples are audio recordings of drums that can be loaded into a sampler or DAW to create or program something new. Drum samples can be recorded from live acoustic drums, or they can be synthesized using drum machines or other software instruments. Not everyone loves the latter, but they are an integral part of modern music production. To read more on drum samples, check out our guide Drum Loops & Breaks: What They Are and Where to Find the Best (Free & Paid)

What to look for in a drum sample library?

The best drum sample libraries offer a wide variety of both live and/or synthetic drum sounds, so you can find the perfect sound for your beat. When choosing a drum sample library, it's important to consider the quality of the recordings and the variety of sounds included.

Price is obviously also a consideration when choosing a drum sample library. While there are some great free libraries out there, the best premium libraries usually offer better-quality recordings and more sounds tailor-made for sampling. However, if you're on a budget, there are still some great options available.

Why use drum samples?

Drums are the heartbeat of music production; the lifeline of rhythm. Even though producers like The Alchemist, Griselda’s Daringer, and Madlib pioneer drumless hip hop tracks in this day and age, that doesn’t take away the fact that drum samples are the core of genres like hip hop, EDM, and house. Not every drum sample is going to change the world like the Amen Break; it's all about how you use them. So make sure to pick the high quality samples that are right for you.

How to use drum samples

Drum samples can be used in a number of different ways. They can be loaded into a sampler, or they can be used in a DAW like Logic Pro to create and program new drum tracks. As explained above, most of it comes down to selecting the right drum sounds. Make sure to use drums recorded in high-quality, so they don’t sound muddy.

Then it’s time to work with a drum sample. To find out more about go-to techniques such as chopping and looping, read our Beginner’s Guide to Sampling*. *It’s commonly the case that a drum sample doesn’t fit as-is. That means you can adjust the timing or pitch, use quantization, or program drums to make them work for your production. A wide array of VSTs can help you with your music production process. Such as plugins by musician, producer, and audio engineer Joey Sturgis, although that’s just one of the countless options out there.

The problem with drum samples

One of the main problems with drum samples is that they can sound artificial or fake. Especially with synthesized drum sounds, MIDI, and one shots, that can be the case when the drums are not recorded in a natural environment such as a studio set-up, with a studio engineer carefully placing the microphones. Such sounds don’t always capture the subtle nuances and human feel of live acoustic drums.

You can avoid such problems by making sure to select the right high-quality drum samples—keep on reading this guide, as we’ll recommend a ton of those. On top of that, properly processing, layering, editing, and mixing drum samples is an essential part of the music production process. By using EQ, upward compression, plug-ins, and other effects, you can transform a drum sample to your needs.

Process is everything. Also to fix problems with drum samples such as the lack of dynamics or variation, phase problems in mixing, inaccurately triggering drum samples in a DAW, or dissonance when drum samples aren’t properly tuned to your track.

Using real drum samples is the best way to get a natural and realistic sound

When it comes to music production, one of the most important goals is to achieve a realistic and natural sound. This is especially true for drums, as they are the most essential rhythmic element.

There are a few reasons why using real drum sounds is the best way to get a natural and realistic sound. First, artificial drums don't have the same range or depth as a real, full drum kit. Real drum samples provide a more natural sound that is closer to a ‘human feel.’ Secondly, real drum samples come from an actual studio environment with analog processing, mixing, and creative sparks of the drummer in session with other artists.

Sure, any drum sample can be tuned, adjusted, and controlled with volume, EQ, pitch, programming, and other settings to get the perfect sound for your track. But nothing beats using real drum samples, human quality, and analog processing on real records. There’s no way to recreate the vintage sound of drums from a golden era like the 60s.

Real drum samples from the Tracklib library we can't get enough of:

Freesound
Freesound is a great resource for some interesting drum samples. The site offers a variety of sounds, from classic drum machines to live recordings. Many of the samples are high quality and can be used in a variety of music genres. However, being a free site, the selection is limited and not updated very often. A pro tip for this library is to look at the star rating for each sample, as the ones with lower ratings may not be of usable quality for your tracks. It’s definitely worth having a look though, as this library is completely free to use–you just have to create an account to start downloading.

Addictive Drums 2 by XLN Audio
Released in 2013, Addictive Drums 2 is a drum sounds software program created by XLN Audio. It features a wide range of acoustic and electronic drums, as well as a variety of different microphone positions for each drum. The program also includes a number of pre-made drum kits, or users can create their own custom kits. Addictive Drums 2 is available for both Windows and macOS operating systems. Addictive Drums 2 is a powerhouse of a drum designer. It comes with tons of features and an extensive sound library that is second to none. The interface is extremely user-friendly and the workflow is very straightforward. The downside is that it is a bit pricey, with sample packs starting at $149. Overall, Addictive Drums 2 is an excellent piece of drum software, well worth the investment.

Sample Focus
Sample Focus is a community-curated library of sounds that offers users 5 free downloads per week. There are thousands of sounds to choose from and the database is updated every week. All sounds from Sample Focus are royalty-free and there’s no need for attribution. One downside is that you cannot purchase more download credits—in order to get more, you’ll have to wait until Monday for them to refresh, or earn some by adding a quality sample to the collection yourself. This library is well worth exploring if you’re after some unique samples.

Citizen DJ
Citizen DJ is a sample library that was created in partnership with the Library of Congress. The great thing about this collection is that there are many real recordings that can add an organic element to your tracks. But while all of the collections are completely royalty-free, the downside is that the interface makes it quite hard to find what you’re looking for, and there isn’t much in the way of isolated drum samples. Citizen DJ will be interesting to those looking for unique and hard-to-find samples.

GetGood Drums
GetGood Drums make high-quality virtual sampler instruments in a variety of genres. Their drum packs work with the Kontakt sample player and are easy to use in your DAW. What’s great about these packs is that they’re easy to use and can start sounding great very quickly. A drawback would be the price–with prices starting at $50 per pack, you’ll need a few of these kits if you make tracks in many different styles. These drums are also more suited to heavier genres such as rock and metal. GetGood Drums is perfect for producers wanting things to sound great straightaway.

Drumforge
Drumforge is a high-end collection of drum sample packs that have been recorded with the most incredible attention to detail. These have the potential to sound incredible, with the user having a lot of control over many elements of the sound, including how each piece is miked up. However, as far as virtual drum sampler instruments go, this one is quite tricky to use and requires a bit more setup time than other options. The price for these drum packs starts at $39. If you want the utmost control over your drum sound, Drumforge is the way to go.

Superior Drummer 3
Superior Drummer 3 from Toonictrack is one of the most popular choices for producers seeking an authentic-sounding virtual drummer. With a large variety of pre-programmed grooves made using many different drumkits, and tons of different playing methods to choose from–sticks, brushes, mallets, rods–this is a premium digital drumming instrument. Unfortunately, the high-end sound comes with a high price–at $392, this is one of the most expensive options on this list. You’ll also need lots of storage as the library comes in at 230 gigabytes. Superior Drummer 3 is exactly as the name suggests: a digital drummer that sounds superior.

Splice
Splice is one of the biggest sound libraries around, with a proper selection of drum sounds to choose from. A Pro Tip is to download Splice Bridge—an application that allows you to preview any sound from the library, from within your DAW before purchase. Splice subscription plans start at $9.99 per month, which gives you 100 sound credits to use.

MusicRadar - SampleRadar
SampleRadar is a weekly giveaway of professional-quality, royalty-free samples from MusicRadar. Every week a high-quality pack is released for download, and there’s something to suit all tastes. A downside of this sample collection is that it’s difficult to navigate the whole library, as each week’s releases are linked on separate web pages. Our top tip is to use Google’s site search feature to find exactly what you’re looking for–try typing something like ‘site:musicradar.com sampleradar pop drums’ into Google. Fortunately, these sample packs are completely free. SampleRadar is perfect for people who want to be surprised and find something they didn’t know they needed.

Loopmasters
You may be familiar with Loopmasters from their free content included with products from Ableton Live and Focusrite. They have an amazing selection of pro sounds, with a brilliant interface that lets you find the perfect sample quickly. This company has been around for a long time, however, so it can be difficult to know where to start. Our advice is to explore the free content first before you make a purchase–there’s just so much to explore. Packs start at around $7, with lots of free content too. Loopmasters has it all–if your tracks are missing something, you’ll find it here.

Hyperbits
Hyperbits is a music production school with loads of free sounds to download. It’s run by a producer and artist who has had more than 50 million streams, and the quality of the sounds is excellent. Unfortunately, the selection here is a bit limited and might not be suited to all genres. Pro tip: check out the educational material on this site too–you’re bound to learn something new. Most of the sounds are completely free, but there’s also a kick collection for $47.

Black Octopus
What we love about Black Octopus samples is the variety and quality of the pack. The website is easy to navigate and everything is neatly organized into genres. One downside is that you can’t filter the packs by instrument, so it could take a while to find something specific, like a drum sample pack. Pro tip: you can also access Black Octopus samples through Splice. There are many deals to be had, with prices starting around $15. There’s also a lot of free stuff too.

Slate Digital
Slate Digital is well known for its high-end emulations of classic hardware pieces, but they also have thousands of royalty-free samples available too. Unfortunately, there isn’t a system in place that allows you to preview the samples before buying, apart from some brief promotional videos on YouTube. Slate Digital often gives away its sample packs for free, so you might want to join their emailing list and be patient. Otherwise, you can subscribe for $9.99 per month, which gives you access to everything they’ve got, including all new sample packs at no extra cost.

Slate Digital is great for producers who also want access to high-quality hardware emulations.

Sounds.com
Sound.com from Native Instruments features more than half a million royalty-free sounds to use in your tracks, which are all available through a subscription service. What’s great is that you can sort the samples by instrument and genre so you can easily find the perfect sound. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to browse all the sounds without a subscription. We suggest using the free trial to see if the sounds in this library will gel with the music you make. Plans start at $9.99 per month for 150 credits.

Cymatics
With hundreds of sample packs to choose from, Cymatics is a great place to get high-quality sounds. The site is mainly geared towards hip hop, trap, and lo-fi genres though, so producers of other types of music may want to look elsewhere. Pro tip: check out the Pharaoh Premium Drum Samples pack, which is free. Apart from the free packs, of which there are plenty, prices start at $5. Cymatics is a must-see site for hip hop producers on a budget.

Racks Stevenson Sample Library
This top-rated sample library is unique in that, as well as the usual one-shots and loops, it provides stems too, allowing you total control over the sound of your drums. A downside is that these samples are only suited to rock and the more organic side of pop. Pro tip: explore the different microphone set ups and mix options to see which style suits your track the best. Drum packs start at $24.95. Racks Stevenson drums offer amazing quality at a very reasonable price.

RUDEMUZIK
This isn’t actually a sample library–it’s a set of PDF books showing you a variety of drum patterns for various styles of music. The downside is that you’ll have to find your own sample to pair with these patterns, and the styles are limited to hip hop, drill, boom bap, and trap. Try making a template in your DAW with one of these patterns programmed in–it might be helpful the next time you’re stuck staring at a blank screen. Books are $25 each. Rudemisik is perfect for producers with a beat block, looking for a different kind of creative starting point.

Blap Kits
Blap Kits come from the mastermind of producer Illmind (Drake, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande), and the quality is as incredible as you’d expect from such a hard hitter. The only downside is that previewing the packs before purchase is very limited. These packs are very popular with hip hop producers–if you’re feeling uninspired, just do a bit of online digging to see how other beatmakers have used them. Packs start at $25.

WA Production
This company offers quality sounds to suit all budgets, has a great sample previewing interface, and has an excellent rating on Trustpilot, with people frequently mentioning great customer service. It’s hard to find a bad word to say about WA Production, but you might want to look elsewhere if you’re looking for the absolute best quality sample packs. Pro tip: this company often offers great deals, so you could save a lot of cash if you’re patient. Pack prices vary a lot but start from just $3.95. Worth a look if you’re on a very tight budget.

Blxck Drum Kit
This is a popular and well-crafted trap drums sample pack that has a lot of fanatic users. However, a downside is that it’s not suitable for other genres of music. The price is $14.99.

99 Sounds 
This company makes quality drum samples and sound effects that are very popular with producers. Their most popular pack has been downloaded nearly half a million times! A downside is that while these sounds are well-made they’re not the most innovative. Pro tip: try using the VST drummer for this sample pack for even more convenience. Both the sample pack and the VST instrument are completely free.

Honourable Mentions (Free Drum Samples)

Make Pop Music
As one of the biggest music production channels on YouTube, Make Pop Music is known for making high-quality music that’s ready for radio. They’re suitable for all genres of subgenres of pop music too. One downside is that there isn’t a quick and easy way to preview the packs before buying. Pro tip: watch one of their YouTube videos for some inspiration on how to incorporate the samples into your tracks. Collections start at $20, and there’s a ton of free content too. Samples from Make Pop Music are perfect for producers wanting to make expensive-sounding pop music without paying a premium.

Echo Sound works
Echo Sound Works are well known as a team of producers and sound designers who don’t disappoint with their fine-tuned drum sample packs. The only negative point we can add is that with the focus on high quality, it isn’t the biggest collection of samples around. Pro tip: check out the Drums That Sauce pack—it’s a very popular sample collection for a reason. As well as some free content, packs start at $19.

Samplephonics
Samplephonics is a huge collection of samples that you can access as traditional downloadable packs, or—innovatively—through their Noiiz plugin, directly in your DAW. With new content from top creators added regularly, there’s a lot to explore here. One downside is that the packs have abstract titles that make it hard to tell exactly what’s inside. Pro tip: download the Noiiz plugin, which lets you filter samples by instrument, genre, creator, key, and BPM. Sample packs start at $25  and subscriptions at $5 per month. There’s lots of free content too.

Is it cheating to use drum samples?

From the early use of drum machines in the late 60s all the way to today’s music industry: sampling has been an integral part of music production. Still, some people think using samples is cheating. Or more specifically, that using ready-made drum loops or standard VST presets is cheating. Shortcuts with “lazy production work” are often considered cheating. But in the end—as mentioned before in this guide—it all comes down to what you do with drum samples.

There’s a fun quote roaming the internet among beatmaking communities, which hits the nail on the head about whether using drum loops is cheating or not:

How to record your own drum samples?

If you have a home recording studio, you can go as far as recording your own drums. Numerous sample packs and one shots feature drum sounds recorded this way. Recording drums adds a new dimension to your music production and allows you to get sounds, playing style, and high quality samples that fit your needs.

First, make sure to tune your drum kit in order to achieve great sounds. Then, make sure to properly place the microphones to record the kick drum and snare drum. Mic placement plays a huge role in the sound of your recordings. So play around with this till you achieve the right sound. In general, mic your snare drum with a dynamic microphone hovering about 1.5 inches above the drum head, suspended over the hoop on top of the drum, and angled toward the center of the instrument. The Shure Beta 52A or AKG D112 are some of the most acclaimed mics to record the kick drum. For snares, recommended microphones include the Neumann M 84, Shure SM57, or Beyerdynamic M201TG.

In addition, place two overhead microphones over the entire drum kit. This stereo pair is going to record the rest of the drum kit. Four microphones with ditto mixing inputs are a solid set-up to record your own drum samples. If budget allows, you can invest in more microphones to also separately record sounds like the hi-hat or toms, but that’s optional.

Finally, set a preamp and compression sound. However, it’s important to note that if you compress your audio signal during recording, there’s no way to “get it back” while mixing. So try to record your drums as pure as possible, and save the compression for later. Needless to say, it’s easier to make a clean tone dirtier, than to make a dirty tone clean in the mixing phase…

Then it’s time to start recording! Try to typically set three hits per drum with varying tempos and hits, to have some diversity available. For more best practices for home recording, read our guide Setting Up Your Home Studio (and 5 Mistakes to Avoid).

Are drum samples legal?

Against popular belief, drums are not legal to sample without the right clearance. Even popular iconic breaks like "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers, John "Jabo" Starks’ drums on "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins, and the "Amen Break" by The Winston Brothers might seem like they’re part of the public domain because they are widely known and used, but they still need to be properly cleared. Tracklib is here to help to make sample clearance easy and affordable for everyone. This is how it works.

How to download drum samples

There are different ways to download drum samples. The first is to purchase a sample pack or drum library, which usually comes with a license that allows you to use the samples in your productions. The second way is to find free drum samples online. However, be sure to check the licensing agreement before using any free samples! As some may require to share credits or royalties with the original creator. Also keep in mind that when a sample pack is royalty free, that doesn’t always mean all usage is allowed. Ownership sometimes still remains to the original music maker, which means you cannot resell or license sounds from sample packs, one shots, or drum loops yourself.

On Tracklib, downloading drum samples is as easy as one-two-three. Start a free trial (download credits are included!), find the right drum samples, and just hit the green download icon on the right side of the waveform.

Give it a try on some of these examples:

How do you find the drum sample of a song?

You can find the drummer or credits of a song via resources such as Discogs, WhoSampled, ASCAP, SESAC, BMI, or Sound Exchange. If you're having trouble finding the drum sample of a song, you can always contact the artist or producer and ask for permission or clearance to use their drum sounds. Alternatively, look for stems or multitracks to get isolated recordings of drum sounds. Tracklib offers many drum breaks and multitracks, including previously unreleased drum recordings. By using Tracklib, you don’t have to go into the dreadful process of finding rightsholders to clear samples. Dig into the catalog of 100K+ records and license the samples for official release as you go.

Conclusion

We hope this guide helped you to find and use high quality drum samples for your music. Now we'd like to hear from you: where do you scour your drum samples? What are your favorite libraries? Did we miss any? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Or join the Tracklib community on Discord to discuss this with fellow producers.