Bazille, Diva or Hive 2 for metallic percussion?
Audio Guru / Software
Choose a synth for bells and clanks by how you want to shape the hit: cable patching, ring modulation or resonant processing.
Why these? These plugins can build pitched percussion from synthesis, using different combinations of modulation, oscillator shaping and filters.
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u-he Bazille
Choose for Patching complex metallic tonesA 16-voice digital modular synth known for FM and phase distortion, Bazille combines four oscillators, patchable envelopes and modeled multimode filters.
- Distinctive textured sounds
- Flexible cable patching
- Strong factory sound selection
- Heavy patches tax CPU
- Easy to make harsh patches
- No built-in chorus
Owner feedback sources
Source 1 ↗
u-he Diva
Choose for Trying ring modulation quicklyA 16-voice digital synth known for classic circuit models, Diva includes ring modulation in Dual VCO Eco and five modeled filter choices.
- Rich analog-style sound
- Mix-and-match circuit models
- Useful starting presets
- High-quality modes tax CPU
- Deep modulation feels fiddly
- Some controls cannot modulate
u-he Hive 2
Choose for Shaping a resonant bodyA 16-voice digital synth known for wavetables, Hive 2 adds comb and Sideband processing for resonant percussion alongside its modeled multimode filters.
- Quick preset tweaking
- Well-liked patch browser
- Modest CPU use
- Stock layout can feel busy
- Deep patches take learning
- No oscillator ring modulation
| Synth | Metallic starting point | Pitch or tone shaping | Resonant option | Patch workflow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bazille | FM; phase distortion | Patch envelopes between modules | 4 self-oscillating filters | Cable routing |
| Diva | Dual VCO Eco ring modulation | Envelope and modulation processors | Choice of modeled filters | Swap fixed modules |
| Hive 2 | Sideband frequency shifting | Matrix; function generators | Comb; Dissonant; Reverb types | Drag-and-drop assignments |
These are synthesizers, not sample recorders or drum sequencers; record each finished hit into your DAW.
Sources & image credits
Developer source 1 · Developer source 2 · Developer source 3 · Developer source 4 · u-he press images
Pros and cons summarize selected user reports, not our testing or a consensus; CPU use depends on the patch and computer.
Repro offers include Repro-1 and Repro-5 where shown; none of these buttons sells a subscription or upgrade. No legitimate Amazon license offer was verified.
