Session Loops DrumNet 2: AI Drum Patterns on Every Pad (2026)

Session Loops released DrumNet 2 in late October, and the headline is simple: the AI drum machine that already invented its own drum sounds now writes the beats too. Pick a genre and it generates a pattern across every pad, then lets you lock the lanes you like and roll the dice on the rest. It is $79 at Plugin Boutique until 4 January 2027 (from $129), and owners of the original DrumNet can upgrade for $19.

At a glance: AI drum sample generation across 13 instrument categories plus new genre-based pattern generation on every pad, lane locking, per-track density and full sequencer editing; Deep Resampling of your own samples; 32-step sequencer with velocity, note repeat and swing; 200 factory presets. VST3 and AAX on Windows, VST3, AU and AAX on macOS (Universal). $79 at Plugin Boutique, $19 upgrade, 14-day trial. A fast idea generator for beatmakers, not a replacement for a drummer's feel.

What is DrumNet 2?

DrumNet is a drum machine plugin built around generated audio rather than a sample library. The first version did three things: it generated new drum samples on demand, it ran Deep Resampling on samples you fed it to produce endless variations, and it gave you a 32-step sequencer to play them. What it did not do was write the groove. You still programmed every hit yourself.

DrumNet 2 closes that gap. The sound engine and sequencer carry over, and a pattern generator now sits on top, so the plugin can take you from an empty grid to a full, editable beat built from generated drum sounds. That puts it in an unusual spot. Most drum plugins either ship a large library of recorded one-shots or help you organise the samples you already own. DrumNet 2 makes the sounds and the parts.

What's new in DrumNet 2

Infinite pattern generation by genre

The core addition is AI pattern generation across every pad. You choose a genre and DrumNet 2 writes a pattern for the whole kit: kick, snare, hats, percussion and so on, each in its own lane. Press generate again and you get another one, with no fixed limit. For a producer, this replaces the stage where you scroll through MIDI groove packs looking for something close, then edit it until it fits. Here the starting point arrives already playing your current sounds.

The catch is that the generator works per genre, so what you get depends on the genre list and how well a given style is covered. If your music sits between genres, expect to do more editing.

Lock lanes and regenerate the rest

This is the feature that makes the generator practical. If the kick and snare are right but the hats feel stiff, lock the kick and snare lanes and regenerate. Only the unlocked lanes change. You can work through a beat one layer at a time: settle the foundation, then keep rolling on percussion until something sits. It turns a random generator into an iterative writing tool, and it keeps you in charge of the parts that matter most.

Full sequencer editing of generated patterns

Generated patterns are not frozen loops. They land in the step sequencer as normal hits, so you can add, move and remove steps exactly as you would on a pattern you programmed by hand. That matters because AI output rarely lands perfectly. A ghost note in the wrong place or a busy hat run in the bridge takes seconds to fix rather than forcing another regeneration.

Per-track density from sparse to busy

Each track has a density control that sets how many hits the generator writes, from sparse to busy. Turn the hats up for a driving pattern, keep the kick sparse for half-time, or thin out the percussion for a breakdown. It is a quicker way to shape energy than editing every step, and it gives each regeneration a direction rather than leaving it entirely to chance.

What carries over from DrumNet

Infinite sample generation

The sound side is unchanged in principle: DrumNet generates new drum samples across 13 instrument categories, as many as you want. Every kick or clap is new audio, which is the main reason to choose it over a library. You can fine-tune each sound's pitch, envelope and filters, then export the generated samples to your DAW or another sampler, so a good hit is not trapped inside the plugin.

Deep Resampling

Import your own samples and DrumNet produces endless variations of them. Import a favourite snare, generate variations, and keep the ones that work. It is a quick way to turn a small personal kit into a bigger palette.

Sequencer, presets and mixing

The 32-step sequencer has per-step velocity, note repeat and swing, a step rate of 1/8 or 1/16 and a pattern length of 16 or 32 steps. Each track has solo and mute. DrumNet ships with 200 factory presets covering House, Disco, R&B, Hip Hop and more, and each preset keeps its individual layers, so you can pull one sound out and replace it.

DrumNet 2 specifications

Spec	Detail
Type	AI drum machine plugin: sample and pattern generation
Sound generation	Unlimited new samples across 13 instrument categories
Pattern generation	By genre across every pad, with lane locking and per-track density
Deep Resampling	Endless variations of your own imported samples
Sound editing	Pitch, envelope and filters per sound
Sequencer	32 steps, velocity, note repeat, swing; 1/8 or 1/16 step rate; 16 or 32 steps
Mixing	Per-track solo and mute
Presets	200 factory presets with individual layers (House, Disco, R&B, Hip Hop and more)
Export	Generated drum samples to your DAW or a sampler
Windows	VST3, AAX (64-bit)
macOS	VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit), Universal for Intel and Apple silicon
Registration	Session Loops account required
Trial	14 days, all features; import and export disabled afterwards until you buy or subscribe

DrumNet 2 vs DrumNet vs XLN XO

	DrumNet 2	DrumNet (v1)	XLN Audio XO
Price at Plugin Boutique	$79 until 4 January 2027 ($129 list)	Owners upgrade to v2 for $19 until 4 January 2027 ($29 list)	$149
Where sounds come from	Generated by AI, 13 categories	Generated by AI, 13 categories	Your sample library, mapped by sound similarity
Variations of your own samples	Yes, Deep Resampling	Yes, Deep Resampling	No, it organises existing samples
Pattern writing	AI generation by genre, lane locking, density	Programmed by hand	Pattern sequencer
Sequencer	32 steps, velocity, note repeat, swing	32 steps, velocity, note repeat, swing	Built-in pattern sequencer
Best for	New sounds and fast beat starts in one plugin	Owners who only want generated sounds	Producers with large sample folders

Which to pick: if you own DrumNet, the $19 upgrade is an easy call if you ever stare at an empty grid; the pattern engine is the only reason to upgrade, but it is a big one. New buyers who want generated drum sounds and an editable starting beat should take DrumNet 2 at $79. XLN Audio XO is the better fit if you already own thousands of samples and want to find the right ones faster: it maps your library by sound similarity and has a pattern sequencer, but it does not generate new audio. Algonaut Atlas 2 is the other sample-organiser route, built on the same idea of sorting what you have rather than making something new.

If you would rather play drums on hardware than generate them, our best drum machines and grooveboxes guide covers the boxes worth buying this year.

Who DrumNet 2 is for

Buy it if you make beat-driven music in styles like the house, disco, R&B and hip hop of its factory presets, and you want a fast way past the blank grid. It also suits producers who are tired of hearing the same sample-pack kicks on every release, and anyone with a small personal kit who wants Deep Resampling to stretch it.

Skip it if you want a live drummer's feel; generated genre patterns are a starting point, not a performance. Skip it too if your style sits outside its genre list or if you dislike account registration. And if your real problem is a messy sample folder rather than a lack of ideas, XO or Atlas 2 will help more.

How much does DrumNet 2 cost?

• $79 at Plugin Boutique, down from $129 (38% off) until 4 January 2027, for a licence you keep.
• $19 for the DrumNet 2 Upgrade at Plugin Boutique, for owners of the original DrumNet, down from $29 until 4 January 2027.
• From $5.99 a month as a Session Loops subscription, which bundles DrumNet with the company's other apps, PitchNet (AI vocal tuning) and VocalNet (AI voice transformation).
• 14-day free trial with every feature unlocked. After that, import and export are disabled until you buy or subscribe.

A Session Loops account is required to register either version. Our DrumNet 2 database entry tracks the price.

The subscription versus licence decision comes down to how long you will use it. The subscription starts from $5.99 a month. If DrumNet 2 is the only Session Loops app you want and you expect to keep using it, compare your plan's yearly cost with the $79 lifetime sale price, which ends on 4 January. The subscription makes sense if you also want PitchNet and VocalNet, or only need DrumNet for a few projects.

FAQ

Is the DrumNet 2 upgrade worth it for DrumNet owners?

Yes, if you want help writing beats. For $19 you get genre-based pattern generation across every pad, lane locking, per-track density and editing of the generated parts. If you only use DrumNet for generating samples, nothing changes on that side.

DrumNet 2 vs XO: which should I buy?

DrumNet 2 makes new drum sounds and patterns with AI and costs $79 at Plugin Boutique until 4 January 2027. XO costs $149 and organises the samples you already own by sound similarity, with a pattern sequencer, but it does not generate new audio. Pick DrumNet 2 for fresh sounds and beat starts, XO for taming a large library.

Can I try DrumNet 2 before buying?

Yes. The 14-day trial includes every feature. After it ends, import and export are disabled until you buy a licence or subscribe.

What formats and systems does DrumNet 2 support?

VST3 and AAX (64-bit) on Windows; VST3, AU and AAX (64-bit) on macOS, running natively on Intel and Apple silicon. You need a Session Loops account to register it.

Verdict

DrumNet 2 adds the piece the original was missing. Generated sounds were always the hook, and now the plugin can write a genre pattern around them, let you lock what works and regenerate the rest, then hand everything to a normal step sequencer for fixing. At $79 for new buyers, or $19 for owners of DrumNet, that is good value for anyone who starts tracks from drums. The limits are real: patterns follow genre templates, the feel is programmed rather than played, and you need an account. Treat it as a fast sketchpad for generated sounds and editable beats and it earns its place; if you want a drummer, look elsewhere.