The concept behind the new Thunder engine is fairly simple – the keyboard range is divided into 12 zones that you are able to assign different sounds to. After making the template of your choosing just plug in and play – nothing else needed!

 

In addition to that the engine also allows you to tweak individual zones, as well as the whole mapped ensemble patch with various effects, mic positions and two custom vintage analog hardware chains. Combining these with the natural and organic recordings you have maximum flexibility when it comes to sound.

 

Once you load up the Thunder X3M Ensemble Builder you automatically load all samples inside the “Samples” directory. However, the instrument is built in such a way that it actually keeps all samples purged, unless you load them up into a zone. This means that not only you have a single patch with all types of percussion you might need, but it is also optimized and doesn't hurt your RAM ressources in any way!

 

• 12 percussion zones - you can load up instruments from different categories into 12 separate zones (Low ensembles, High Ensembles, Ethnic Percussion, Epic metals, Sound Design Percussion, Distorted Percussion) and thus create your own percussive template! 
• Pitch knob – allows you to adjust the pitch of the samples. Really useful to load a single instrument two times and then change the pitch of one of the zones. For instance – load up a solo Taiko low on zones 1 and 2, then decrease the pitch of zone 2 all the way to the left. And now your have even thicker sound of a taiko – be sure to turn on your sub speaker for even more awesomeness!
• Transient controls – transient attack and sustain work like a compressor; the attack amps up the beginning of the wave file, while the sustain can increase or decrease the sample tail. These are just PERFECT for getting even punchier sound!
• Separate volume and EQ controls for each zone!
• SAVE AND LOAD functions that allow you to easily exchange templates between projects!
• Integrated HELP file
• Three microphone positions - Close, Decca, Hall
• Two custom vintage analog hardware chains, (NYC Compression and Sub-Bass Enhancement), you can seamlessly blend in to enhance the sounds

Instrument List:

LOW ENSEMBLES

• The Brute – low taiko (mallets) and gran casa (hands);
• Elder Titan ML - 7 timpani, 3 bass drums and 5 floor toms, recorded with mallets (ML)
• Elder Titan ST - 7 timpani, 3 bass drums and 5 floor toms, recorded with sticks (ST)
• Elder Titan BR - 7 timpani, 3 bass drums and 5 floor toms, recorded with brushes (BR)
• King Kong Rise - 2 concert bass drums, 1 detuned kick drum, 3 detuned timpani and shouts; the shouts are a part of the recording, they were not added afterwards.
• King Kong Shout - 2 concert bass drums, 1 detuned kick drum, 3 detuned timpani and shouts; the shouts are a part of the recording, they were not added afterwards.
• The Kraken - 2 concert bass drums and 1 detuned kick drum (huge sticks), 3 detuned timpani (hard mallets);
• The Mandarin - 2 concert bass drums (huge sticks) and 4 wooden clacks;
• Camel Safari - 2 concert bass drums (mallets), 2 detuned timpani (sticks), 4 bulgarian tupans (sticks);
• The Hulk - 2 concert bass drums (mallets), 2 detuned timpani (mallets), 1 kick drum (played with a mallet), 3 low toms (mallets);

HIGH ENSEMBLES

• Fists of Fury – six detuned timpani (sticks), solo taiko (hard sticks), 2 floor toms (mallets);
• Two Toms – two floor toms (sticks);
• Armada Snares – 15 snares (sticks);
• Pirate Ship - 8 different snares (sticks);
• Fist Fighter - 2 concert bass drums, 1 detuned kick drum, 3 floor toms – played with hands;
• Warrior
• Click Clackers 1 - 4 tupans (sticks), 2 concert bass drums (sticks), 2 detuned timpani (sticks) – all of them: rimshots;
• Click Clackers 2 - 8 toms, detuned (sticks) – all of them: rimshots;
• Dawn Rider - 4 tupans ('beater'), 3 high toms (sticks), 1 mid tom (sticks);
• Dervish - 3 bulgarian tupans (sticks), 1 darbuka (hands+stick), snare drum with tambourine (sticks), 1 floor tom, 1 concert bass drum (mallet), 1 snare drum (sticks);
• Greater Beasts 1 - 8 toms, normal tuning (sticks);
• Greater Beasts 2 - 8 toms, detuned on set (sticks);
• Mountain King - 2 timpani, 1 concert bass drum, 2 snares, 3 toms (all of them with brushes);
• Voyvoda 1- 3 tupans (small sticks), 2 floor toms (sticks), 2 concert bass drums (mallets), 1 snare drum (sticks);

ETHNIC ENSEMBLES

• Bendir – solo Turkish bendir, played with mallets;
• Cajon Low – solo cajon, played with mallets;
• Cajon High – solo cajon, played with hands;
• Wooden Sticks – two sticks, played by one player;
• Kali – combination of 5 tambourines, 6 djembes and 4 darbukas;
• Mumbai Chase BR - 15 large water jugs, recorded with brushes (BR);
• Mumbai Chase H - 15 large water jugs, recorded with hands (H)
• Mumbai Chase ST - 15 large water jugs, recorded with sticks (ST);
• The Cartel – 4 cajons, 6 djembes, 1 gran casa, 4 darbukas;
• Urban Warriors ML - basins and buckets, recorded with mallets (ML)
• Urban Warriors ST - basins and buckets, recorded with sticks (ST)
• Jungle Chase - 6 toms (rimshots);
• Samurai - 6 custom made wooden stick clacks;
• Voyvoda Tupans - 3 tupans (small sticks), 2 floor toms (sticks), 2 concert bass drums (mallets), 1 mid tom (sticks);

SOLO PERCUSSION

• Taiko Flam – low taiko, flammed hits;
• Taiko Low – low taiko hits;
• Taiko Mid – mid taiko hits;
• Taiko High – high taiko hits;
• Taiko Rim – taiko rimshots;
• Thor's Hammer – “Mahler hammer” on wood;
• Gran Casa Case – concert bass drum inside a case, sticks;
• Gran Casa H – concert bass drum with hands (H);
• Gran Casa ML – concert bass drum with mallets (ML);
• Gran Casa ST – concert bass drum with sticks (ST);
• Kick ML – drum kit kick, played with mallets (ML);
• Kick ST – drum kit kick, played with sticks (ST);
• Kick RIM – drum kit kick, played on the rim;
• Tom 12” ML – 12” tom, played with mallet (ML);
• Tom 12” ST – 12” tom, played with sticks (ML);
• Tom 14” ML – 14” tom, played with mallet (ML);
• Tom 14” ST – 14” tom, played with sticks (ML);
• Tom 16” ML– 16” tom, played with mallet (ML);
• Tom 16” ST – 16” tom, played with sticks (ML);

EPIC metaLS

• Anvil 1 – anvil played with a hammer;
• Anvil 2 – anvil played with a hammer;
• Anvil 3 – anvil played with a hammer;
• Anvil 4 – anvil played with a hammer;
• Anvil 5 – anvil played with a hammer;
• Lightning – two anvils, being hit with another anvil;
• Thrall 1 – anvil, being hit with a metal chain;
• Thrall 2 – multiple anvils, being hit with a hammer;
• Uruk-Hai – metal anvil, thrown on top of pile of anvils;
• Thunderbolt - an ensemble of various metals – big “anvil” sound;
• metal Freak - 5 small anvils (hammers);
• Gates of Hell – metal gates, played with hammers;
• Gates of Hell Low – detuned metal gates, played with hammers;

SOUND DESIGN PERCUSSION

• Balrog - processed samples of hits on enormous sheets of metal; ensemble hits with hammers and large drumsticks.
• Dragon - 2 concert bass drums (mallets), 2 detuned toms (large sticks), 2 “anvils” (hammers);
• Emperor Kong 1 – processed off-beat hits of 2 concert bass drums, 1 detuned kick drum, 3 detuned timpani and shouts;
• Emperor Kong 2 - processed hits of 2 concert bass drums, 1 detuned kick drum, 3 detuned timpani and shouts;
• Mammuthus – processed low booms;
• Steampunk – processed high clacks;
• Thunderbolt Dist – processed metal hits;
• Werewolf – processed toms;

Most of the patches also have distorted versions, that were run through a Marshal amp!