As a music producer always on the hunt for tools that can elevate my tracks from ordinary to extraordinary, I was thrilled to dive into UJAM’s latest offering: Hans Zimmer’s Symphonic Elements PERRCS. This percussion plugin draws directly from the legendary composer’s personal library, promising suspenseful, driving rhythms that add energy, motion, and cinematic punch to any production. Whether you’re crafting symphonic scores, electronic beats, dance tracks, or pop music, PERRCS stands out as a versatile virtual instrument designed to inspire creativity and streamline workflow.
In this blog post, I’ll share my hands-on experience with PERRCS, breaking down its features, sound design capabilities, and how it integrates into various genres. I’ll also embed the video demo I created to showcase its potential in real-time. If you’re searching for an orchestral percussion VST, cinematic drum plugin, or Hans Zimmer samples, stick around – this might just be the game-changer your music needs.
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What Makes Hans Zimmer’s PERRCS Stand Out?
Hans Zimmer needs no introduction; his scores for films like Inception, The Dark Knight, and Dune have defined modern cinematic music. UJAM’s collaboration with Zimmer brings that Hollywood essence to your DAW through Symphonic Elements PERRCS. This plugin focuses on top-end orchestral percussion, including shakers, rimshots, daiko, wood blocks, surdos, drums, triangles, and anvils. It’s not just a sample pack – it’s a full-fledged instrument with 74 rhythm styles, each containing 17 playable phrases, intros, fills, endings, and hits.
What excites me most is the plugin’s emphasis on movement. Every sound is engineered to drive the story forward, whether in a tense film scene or an upbeat electronic track. With 320 sound designer presets and 74 Finisher multi-effect modes plus 29 ambient treatments, PERRCS allows for deep sound shaping. I found it incredibly intuitive, especially since it shares a similar layout with other UJAM instruments like their drums, strings, and brass plugins. This consistency makes it easy to layer and build symphonic ensembles without a steep learning curve.
Exploring the Interface and Core Features
Loading up PERRCS in my DAW, the interface immediately felt familiar and user-friendly. On the left, there’s a preset browser categorized into natural, big, monsters, processed, and gritty sounds. Each category offers a wealth of options, perfect for quick inspiration during a session.
One standout feature is the Low and High Layer Control. You can split percussion into low and high layers, crossfade between them, and shape each independently with Character, Motion FX, and EQ. This precise control is ideal for cinematic mixing, where you might want booming low-end surdos blended with shimmering high-end triangles. Plus, the mod wheel on your MIDI keyboard lets you blend layers dynamically – a subtle touch that adds expressiveness to performances.
The Styles and Phrase Engine is another highlight. Choose from built-in rhythmic styles and solo parts that lock to your project’s tempo and adapt instantly. This phrase-based approach makes composing dynamic percussion lines effortless, whether you’re building intros, fills, or endings. I experimented with creating custom patterns by combining phrases, and the results synced perfectly, even when I switched to halftime, double time, or added swing via the timing controls.
In the Sound Design Section, the Finisher and FX options shine. Transform natural orchestral sounds into gritty textures or modern cinematic pulses with delays, phasers, fuzz, and ambience. I loved dialing in “crazy things” as I called them in my video – from subtle enhancements to wild, experimental effects that push the boundaries of traditional percussion.
Hands-On Demo: Bringing PERRCS to Life
To give you a real sense of what PERRCS can do, I put together a video demo showcasing its features in action. Watch as I navigate the interface, tweak presets, and blend rhythms with drum loops from Logic Pro. It’s a great way to hear the raw power of Hans Zimmer’s percussion library firsthand.
In the video, starting at 0:53, I tour the interface, highlighting presets and layer controls. By 1:55, I’m demoing high rhythms with Character and Motion FX, adding delays and phasers for evolving sounds. Around 5:59, I dive into “big” and “monsters” presets, which deliver intense, cinematic impacts. Fills, intros, and one-shots get their spotlight at 6:37, showing how easy it is to build tension or resolve phrases.
I also blend PERRCS with external drum loops (8:30), creating toppers by isolating high-end elements. This versatility extends to genres beyond symphonics – I used it for dance music beats and pop rhythms, modulating via mod wheel at 10:58 for seamless transitions. One-shots and timing tweaks (12:03 and 13:34) round out the demo, proving PERRCS’s adaptability.
Versatility Across Genres: From Cinematic to Electronic
While PERRCS is rooted in symphonic elements, its applications are broad. For cinematic producers, the authentic Zimmer samples provide that epic, story-driving percussion essential for film scores. I imagined layering it with strings and brass for a full orchestral build-up, adding suspense with shakers or punch with anvils.
Electronic and dance music creators will appreciate the processed presets and effects. I turned natural sounds into gritty, modern pulses that fit perfectly over EDM loops, enhancing energy without overwhelming the mix. Pop producers can use it for rhythmic toppers – subtle high-end layers that add groove to beats.
Even in experimental sound design, PERRCS excels. With 320 presets and endless FX combinations, I spent hours crafting unique textures. It’s compatible with Windows and Mac (64-bit only), installs via the UJAM App, and authorizes quickly – no hassle, just creativity.
Key Features at a Glance
To summarize the highlights:
- Extensive Rhythm Library: 74 styles with phrases, intros, fills, endings, and hits for dynamic compositions.
- Preset Variety: 320 options across natural to gritty categories, sparking instant ideas.
- Advanced Effects: 74 Finishers and 29 ambients for transforming sounds from orchestral to electronic.
- Layered Control: Low/high splits with crossfade, EQ, and mod wheel integration for precise mixing.
- Tempo-Sync Phrase Engine: Adapts to your DAW, including halftime/double time and swing for rhythmic flexibility.
- Cross-Genre Compatibility: Ideal for symphonic music, electronic production, dance tracks, pop beats, and film scoring.
These features make PERRCS a must-have for producers seeking high-quality Hans Zimmer percussion without breaking the bank on full orchestras.
Final Thoughts: Is PERRCS Worth It?
After extensive testing, I can confidently say PERRCS lives up to the hype. It’s a powerful, inspiring tool that bridges cinematic authenticity with modern production needs. Whether you’re a beginner adding punch to pop tracks or a pro scoring films, its ease of use and depth make it invaluable.
If you’re interested, check it out via Plugin Boutique (affiliate links below). The links to “Plugin Boutique” are affiliate links, and I will make a small commission if you choose to purchase through my links. Thank you in advance. Furthermore, I only recommend products that I use or that I think my subscribers would like and benefit from.
Purchase PERRCS here: Plugin Boutique and Explore other UJAM instruments:
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