Alesis’s new partnership with iconic cymbal maker Zildjian aims to “raise the bar for electronic drums”

Zildjian has teamed up with Alesis Drums to bring the company’s cymbal sounds to Alesis’ electronic percussion ecosystem.

This partnership pairs one of the world’s most iconic cymbal makers with a leading innovator in electronic percussion, promising drummers and producers unprecedented access to handpicked, meticulously recorded samples.

Rather than pulling from off-the-shelf sound libraries, the teams went straight into Zildjian’s sacred Artist Vault – a collection historically reserved for official Zildjian artists to shape their signature sound.

“The Artist Vault is sacred ground – for decades this is where the world’s greatest drummers have come to choose their cymbals and find inspiration,” says Michael Weber, Director of Marketing at Alesis Drums. “Capturing them with the BFD team’s meticulous sampling process means that when an Alesis player strikes a cymbal, they’re experiencing the nuanced sound of those cymbals, with all the depth and character that makes a Zildjian a Zildjian.”

With the partnership launch, Alesis and BFD users will gain access to a new collection of exclusive Zildjian sound expansion packs. The first release, Zildjian Session Mix Vol. 1, is now out, with additional expansions set to arrive in late August and throughout the year.

Drawing from iconic cymbal families and modern favorites, these sound packs will be available across BFD Player, BFD 3.5, and Alesis Strata modules.

Today’s announcement marks just the beginning of the collaboration, with both brands confirming that further joint developments are already underway across Alesis Drums, BFD, and the wider inMusic family.

“Zildjian cymbals have shaped the sound of modern drumming for generations, making them a perfect partner as we continue to raise the bar for electronic drums,” says Weber. “We’re excited to put these sounds into the hands of drummers of all skill levels and see what they’re inspired to create.”

Zildjian CEO John Stephans adds that the partnership “allows more musicians than ever to experience the sound of authentic Zildjian cymbals”.

Learn more at Alesis Drums.

Crystal Koe is a Singapore-based writer covering music and gear news for Guitar.com and MusicTech.com since 2021. A former choir kid with an unhealthy karaoke habit, she once ran an online store peddling earphones to strangers on the internet. Her music taste runs wide — from punk and pop-rock to cool jazz and creepy film scores — and she thinks everyone should listen to Kill The Poor by Dead Kennedys at least once before they die.