![sonar 8 session drummer 2 sonar 8 session drummer 2](https://dt7v1i9vyp3mf.cloudfront.net/styles/news_large/s3/imagelibrary/S/Sonar1SD2GUI-Yi0gwAQDryvEZEUSTK.BjEyULqQvAf2v.jpg)
You can change these icons, by the way, as well as the overall look, if you're feeling adventurous (we'll cover how to 're-skin' SD2 towards the end of this feature). The middle strip consists of virtual pads for the 10 drum sounds, along with the all-important cute little icons for each drum. The topmost section is where you select SD2 programs, choose MIDI patterns, or populate individual pads with sounds ('instruments') if you want to create your own kit or modify an existing one. Some have compared SD2 to Steinberg's Groove Agent, but I think that's a stretch SD2 doesn't have GA 's 'intelligent' pattern generation of tracks and fills, so it's up to you to provide the intelligence. The original was basically a way to string together MIDI files into a drum part, whereas Session Drummer 2 ( SD2) is a drum machine that can serve as a tone module, respond to 'canned' MIDI sequences, to lay down a quick backing track, and even allow a small measure of real-time improvisation.
![sonar 8 session drummer 2 sonar 8 session drummer 2](https://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/cakewalk-sonar-6-producer-edition-219628.jpg)
S ession Drummer 2 has very little to do with the MIDI-based Session Drummer in previous versions of Sonar. Sonar 's Session Drummer has evolved from a MIDI plug-in to a sophisticated tone module that also includes pattern playback capabilities. In this screenshot I've 're-skinned' SD2 for a different look, as well as making the drum pads show the MIDI note numbers to which they respond.
![sonar 8 session drummer 2 sonar 8 session drummer 2](https://dt7v1i9vyp3mf.cloudfront.net/styles/news_large/s3/imagelibrary/S/Sonarworkshop_02-0309-We6pkb49zOHP20cGNlHMU3xoljdH7qQw.jpg)
It's Session Drummer 2, Jim - but not as we know it.