Crate Digger is a VST and AU instrument from DopeSONIX that provides 800 royalty-free, vinyl-style hip hop samples organized into 50 ready-to-use patches for Windows and macOS.
Crate Digger is built for beat makers who want sample-based hip hop sounds without digging for vinyl. Its library covers stabs, chops, loops and FX drawn from the dusty, crackly style of 1990s and early 2000s sampling. The developer says the samples were made from scratch by its own producers, so they are royalty-free. Each of the 50 patches is EQ'd, mixed and key-grouped for immediate use, and the developer plans to release a new monthly sample expansion.
Crate Digger ships with 800 samples spread across 50 themed patches. The developer states that every patch is EQ'd, mixed and key-grouped, so you can audition sounds without setting up levels or tuning first.
The library is organized around chopped-up sampling techniques. You will find stabs, chops, loops and FX, which fits the workflow of building beats from short musical fragments rather than full loops.
The instrument offers 16 separate volume and pan controls, velocity selection, and Mono and Poly modes. Built-in pitch and drive controls let you shape each sound, and a built-in analog-style reverb adds space.
You can program chops manually or play them from a MIDI or USB controller. The developer lists compatibility with controllers from Native Instruments, Novation, Arturia, Akai and others. The developer also says CPU usage is ultra-low and patches load quickly, which suits laptops and lower-spec machines.
Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.
| Developer | DopeSONIX |
|---|---|
| Type | Plugin |
| Category | Virtual Instruments |
| Formats | VST2, AU |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS |
| Architecture | 64-bit |
Crate Digger is available as a VST2 and AU plugin, running on both Windows and macOS in 64-bit. It needs a compatible DAW host.
You need a VST or AU compatible DAW host. The developer lists 621 MB of disk space and 1 GB of RAM. Windows 7, 8 or 10 and macOS OS X 10.4 and later, including Monterey and Apple Silicon, are supported.
Yes. DopeSONIX says all 800 samples were made from scratch by its own team of producers and are 100% royalty-free.
Yes. You can program chops manually or use a MIDI or USB controller or keyboard. The developer lists support for controllers from Native Instruments, Behringer, Novation, M-Audio, Arturia, Line 6, Alesis, Korg and Akai.
