# Soft Drummer – Brush Sessions — Ballad & Jazz AUv3 Drum Plugin

> Pocket acoustic drummer with live pads, MIDI export, and Ableton Link sync. (iPhone/iPad app by Lumbeat.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soft-drummer-brush-sessions/id1120957633 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Lumbeat](https://appshunter.io/developer/590278231)
- Category: Music, Education
- Price: Free with in-app purchases (on sale, was $17.99)
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 509 App Store ratings · 606 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16 · 1.3 GB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2016-07-28
- Data updated: 2026-09-10
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soft-drummer-brush-sessions/id1120957633/reviews.md

## What is Soft Drummer?

Soft Drummer is your subtle session drummer, and now it works as an AUv3 plugin inside GarageBand, AUM, Loopy Pro or your favourite DAW.
It doesn't loop. It improvises.

With brushes, hot rods and hands, Soft Drummer generates warm, musical grooves for ballads, soft pop, jazz and latin, adapting in real time like a real session player. No patterns. No repetition.

AUv3
Use Soft Drummer as a plugin in any AUv3 host. Send and receive grooves between Soft Drummer, Pop Drummer and iBassist. Sync everything in real time.

SOUND
More than 50 multilayer sounds with 3 hit types (ghost, accented, drag/open) 
× 3 Round Robin alternating samples for natural, authentic feel.
4 playing styles: Brushes, Hot Rods, Hands and Mallets.
4 Effects: Compressor/Gate, EQ, Delay and Reverb with individual track control.

LIVE PERFORMANCE
8 assignable Live Pads for fills, intros and endings, playable live or with any MIDI controller (iRig Blueboard and 4-button compatible).
Ableton Link sync for tight integration with your setup.

SONG MODE
Build your song structure in seconds. Arrange rhythmic sections and let Soft Drummer follow your song from intro to outro.

MIDI
MIDI Out, MIDI Sync (Legacy, recommended Ableton Link), Sound Module (Play individual sounds by MIDI In).

⏺ Assignable MIDI controls (default mapping):

  -  Transport: Play: G2 · Fill: C2 · Fill + Play/Stop: A2 · Tap Tempo: Bb2

  -  LivePads: Pads 1–8: C1–G1 · Load LivePad: C3 · Previous LivePad: Db3 · Next LivePad: D3 · Select LivePad Set: Eb3 · Fill on LivePad Change: E2

  -  Performance: Toggle Hats/Ride: Db2 · Fill + Toggle Hats/Ride: D2 · Toggle Snare: Eb2 · Crash Cymbal: B2 · Random: B1

  -  Songs: Previous: Gb2 · Next: Ab2

  -  Continuous controls: Jam: CC1 · Intensity: CC2 · Master Volume: CC7 · Swing: CC11 · Progression: CC12 · Tempo Fader: CC20 · Reverb: CC91

  -  Sound selection: Bank: CC32 · Rhythm: CC0 · Soundset: Program Change

  All assignments are user-remappable.
  Note octave naming follows the Logic / Cubase / Ableton / Pro Tools convention (middle C = C3) and is adjustable in MIDI Setup → OCTAVE REFERENCE.
  Tempo Fader is standalone-only (host-driven in AUv3).

EXPORT
Multi-Track or Full Mix export in seconds. Audio, MIDI or with Effects , your choice.

 TRY FOR FREE 
Soft Drummer is free to explore for 7 days with access to all features. Some actions are limited during the trial 
(exports, random grooves, sound changes and bars per session).

After the trial, keep playing with more limitations. 

Unlock everything with a one-time purchase, no subscription.

## Key features

- Natural acoustic drum sounds
- Improvise musically
- Multi-track MIDI export
- Live performance pads
- Ableton Link synchronization
- MIDI control and output
- Song mode for rhythmic structures

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Clayton | $4.99 | one-time |
| Joe | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big & Low | $3.99 | one-time |
| Presence | $3.99 | one-time |
| Raw Brush | $3.99 | one-time |
| Tight Control | $3.99 | one-time |
| Soft Drummer Full Access | $22.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Soft Drummer?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🎨 Excellent sound quality
- 🎢 Realistic and natural-sounding rhythms
- 🎛️ Flexible and customizable features
- 🎶 Great for practicing, jamming, and composing
- 🎧 Authentic brush and mallet sounds

**Cons**

- 🤔 Unintuitive user interface
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💰 Expensive for an iOS app
- 📚 Lack of documentation and tutorials

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Song mode issues, including crashes and missing features
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions and devices

**Most requested features**

- Add support for time signatures beyond 4/4
- Improve MIDI integration and control
- Implement audio/MIDI export options
- Provide preset management and organization

## Recent user reviews (10 of 606)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soft-drummer-brush-sessions/id1120957633/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Killer drums

*2026-09-02*

Hands down this developer makes the best drum apps I have them all and they have changed the way I make music. Excellent to jam along with if your a bass player

### 3/5 — Mixed feelings

*2026-08-20, version 4.02*

Amazing for what it does, and honestly quite surprised there’s nothing else out there similar, but overall still feels janky, and sounds can get repetitive quick, without paying another 20$ for a pack. 

Been using for days and still can’t find how to do something as simple as delete a pad, or link a kit with a pad. When using sequencer, unable to preview the 3 types of sounds before laying down. Smallish things but head scratching for something 10 years old with outdated ui, still over 20$ and without a dedicated manual (there is only 1 manual shared between apps so it’s a guessing game what applies to each app).

I want to hate it but for what it does there’s still no alternative, and it does it reasonably well.

Good app, but with some small tweaks could be amazing.

### 5/5 — Excellent for solo and duo performances

*2026-08-09, version 4.02*

Just what I needed to accompany my duo

### 1/5 — Soft drummer review

*2026-08-07, version 4.02*

It sounds good but it’s useless in Logic Pro on the iPad there is noise interference when bounced down in Logic Pro

### 5/5 — Good

*2026-07-30*

good choice for funk

### 5/5 — Great

*2026-07-27, version 4.02*

Amazing

### 5/5 — Love it

*2026-07-22, version 4.02*

Excellent app , will definitely check out the other ones after hearing this one. Thank you

### 5/5 — May Favorite of all the Lumbeat Drummers

*2026-07-19*

Why do I love this app? Well it seems to be the only Lumbeat drummer I can control without using either MIDI or a mouse! Keyboard control via the space bar to toggle on and off, as well as the carriage return to toggle with fills and the arrow keys for setting tempo up and down. This makes it so much easier to start and end along with my playing, which is kind of necessary to sound reasonable whether live or recording bands that do not end at the sea time are immediately dismissed as not good enough. The opposite of tightness.

This app really rocks and I just discovered that it also works a plugin which is awesome and one more thing - the brushes and hands are much less in your face than sticks so for jazz and ambient this is perfect.

It also has some jazz, some latin and some funk - this is a huge range of rhythms, sounds, and styles. And I recently tired it with a MIDI keyboard controlling various parameters as well. This is a thoughtful, deep and great sounding non repeating non looping rhythmic scaffolding!

**Developer response:** Hi Neubop,
Thank you so much for this fantastic and detailed review! We're thrilled Soft Drummer's keyboard control, plugin support, and wide range of styles (jazz, latin, funk) are fitting so well into your workflow, and that the brush/hand sounds are working great for your jazz and ambient tracks. Great feedback on tightness and feel too,  that's exactly what we aim for with our non-looping, dynamic rhythmic engine.
Thank you for your review.

### 5/5 — Upgrade auv3

*2026-07-16*

I'm revising my review and giving it the highest rating for finally updating to AUv3.

**Developer response:** Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, João. We completely understand your frustration and want to assure you that we truly value the users who trusted our apps from the very beginning.
We have not abandoned our previous apps. Maintaining and evolving audio products on iOS sometimes requires deep rebuilding to adapt to major system changes (such as AUV3). Rather than simple updates, some of these improvements require creating new technical foundations to ensure long-term stability, compatibility, and performance.
That said, we hear your message clearly: our existing users matter a lot to us. We are working on fair and reasonable paths for those who made high-value purchases, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and feedback, as it helps us make better decisions.
Thank you again for your support and for letting us know how you feel. We’re still here, listening and improving.

### 5/5 — New but lovin it

*2026-07-16*

Still getting my hands to understand how to use this but I love the drum sounds

**Developer response:** Hi Molardoc,
Thank you for your review! We're glad you're loving the drum sounds. If you need any tips getting started, feel free to reach out to our support team anytime.
Thank you for your review.

## Frequently asked questions about Soft Drummer

### What does Soft Drummer do?

Soft Drummer acts as a session drummer in your pocket, offering natural acoustic drum sounds played with brushes, hot rods, and hands. It can improvise musically to provide warm grooves suitable for genres like soft pop, ballads, jazz, and latin music. The app also includes features for MIDI export and live performance.

### What are the key features of Soft Drummer?

Key features include 50 multilayer acoustic drum sounds with multiple hit types and Round Robin samples for authenticity. It offers an improved Jam algorithm, random generators for creative ideas, and 4 effects (Compressor/Gate, EQ, Delay, Reverb). The app also supports Song Mode for creating rhythmic structures, Live Pads for live sessions, and synchronization via Ableton Link and MIDI.

### How can I export my drum performances?

Soft Drummer offers a new Audio - MIDI Export feature that allows you to get Multi-Track or Full Mix exports in seconds. This enables you to send your generated drums via MIDI to any sound source, drum machine, or synthesizers for further production.

### Can I control Soft Drummer with external hardware?

Yes, the app provides extensive MIDI control capabilities. You can control several parameters with MIDI Control Change and Program Change messages. It also features a 4 Board Mode for controlling Live Pads with any MIDI Controller using just 4 buttons, and offers assignable MIDI controls with default mappings provided.

### What kind of music is Soft Drummer best suited for?

The app is designed to provide the warmest grooves for genres that benefit from subtle and natural acoustic drum sounds. This includes soft pop, ballads, jazz, and latin music. Its improvisational capabilities and authentic sound make it ideal for creating nuanced rhythmic backings.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.04 — 2026-09-10

•  Settings is now available inside the AUv3 plug-in
  •  Settings: choose whether a manual fill or a rhythm change restarts the BARS TO FILL count
  •  Settings: a rhythm picked while playing can enter on the next bar or right away
  •  Live Pads and play lock are saved inside the DAW project (AUv3)
  •  Live Pads over MIDI: on CC, one controller number and the value picks the pad (0 = pad 1). Update your controller if you had eight
  •  Favorites: picking a rhythm while playing no longer jumps to another bank
  •  Bug fixes

### 4.03 — 2026-08-26

- Send entire Live Pad Sets and Songs to other Lumbeat apps, not just the current groove (standalone & AUv3)
- Afro Latin joins Send / Receive with the rest of the suite (standalone & AUv3)
- When you receive a shared Live Pad Set or Song, choose which bank to save its grooves in, or create a new one named after it
- Share a groove or song as a file (AirDrop, Mail, Files), it opens in the same app on the receiving device, no Apple ID required
- Song mode: loop setting is now remembered per song (adjustable in Settings)
- Live Pads: the next pad queued to play now shows a countdown bar before it triggers
- Fixed: switching to a triplet groove no longer doubles the first note
- Fixed: songs starting on a later part with Fill In enabled now play through to the end
- Bugs Fixed & Optimized CPU usage for smoother, more efficient performance

### 4.02 — 2026-06-14

•  AUv3: Groove and Drum Kit lists now load reliably in the DAW's plug-in parameter controls
  •  Stability and bug fixes

### 4.01 — 2026-05-29

•  New "Soft Drummer (MIDI)" plug-in. A lightweight MIDI-only Audio Unit to play external instruments
  •  AUv3 stability improvements in third-party DAWs
  •  More accurate playback timing at high tempos
  •  Performance and bug fixes

### 4.00 — 2026-05-21

•  AUv3 plug-in support
  •  AUv3 Send / Receive grooves with Pop Drummer & iBassist
  •  Standalone ↔ AUv3 sync with Pop Drummer & iBassist
  •  Send Groove to Pop Drummer (standalone)
  •  Drum Kit View (visual kit overview)
  •  Song Mode View (redesigned)
  •  Sound Module mode. Play the kit as a MIDI sampler (standalone & AUv3)
  •  Dynamic Custom User Rhythm Banks
  •  Per-track reverb send
  •  Export Effects option
  •  MIDI Setup: customizable note octave naming · independent MIDI Clock In / Out · MIDI-controllable tempo (fader / fine / encoder) · Share / Import maps
  •  App Settings panel
  •  iPhone vertical layout
  •  External keyboard support (Space: Play/Stop · Enter: Fill / Play · ↑/↓: BPM)
  •  Mixer layout optimizations
  •  UI synchronization and rendering improvements
  •  Free to try with 7-day trial · In-App full version

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## More apps by Lumbeat

- [SuperMetronome Groovebox Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/supermetronome-groovebox-pro/id590278208)
- [Super Metronome GrooveBox Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/super-metronome-groovebox-lite/id604175633)
- [Rock Drum Machine](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rock-drum-machine/id725234217)
- [Rock Drum Machine Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rock-drum-machine-lite/id725314924)
- [Afro Latin Percussion Machine](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afro-latin-percussion-machine/id879474839)
- [Afrolatin Drum Machine - Free Beats](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afrolatin-drum-machine-free-beats/id881669486)

All apps by Lumbeat: https://appshunter.io/developer/590278231

## Related topics

[auv3 free](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/auv3-free) · [soft drummer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/soft-drummer) · [drummer jazz](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drummer-jazz)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-10.*