Compared to the synth and effect plugin worlds, the virtual drum machine realm is fairly small and underpopulated. The reason for this is that, probably more so than with any other plugin type, a lot of music makers are happy to make do with the tools offered by their chosen DAW.
Drum production doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re working with samples, tools such as Ableton’s Drum Rack, Logic’s Drum Machine Designer or FL Studio’s FPC are more than capable of helping you to create pro-quality productions. What’s more, a lot of producers prefer to forego these tools entirely and work by arranging sampled hits directly onto an arrangement timeline - an equally valid choice.
Other common beatmaking options include the likes of Native Instruments’ Maschine or Akai’s MPC software, which offer a lot of drum machine-like tools but also more advanced sampling and sequencing capabilities that put them into the realm of being DAW-like, self-contained production tools.
The benefit of dedicated drum machines, however, is that they’ll usually come with a raft of advanced features specifically aimed at assisting with various aspects of beat production. This could be through the use of unique, rhythmically-minded sequencers, synthesis engines designed specifically for percussive purposes or - as in the case of some more recent plugins - intelligent tools to help you find the perfect drum sound.
One final note on what’s not included here. We’re focusing on drum machines, rather than ‘realistic’ sampled drum instruments. By that we mean that our focus is on electronic-orientated samplers and synths. We’ve not included the likes of Toontrack’s EZdrummer or Native instruments Drum Lab, which aim to replicate the sound of acoustic drums and a real drummer.