Toontrack EZdrummer Question

I love EZD and actually I've upgraded to Superior Drummer 2.  I think EZD is the best drum software out there, but I"m sure there are others who would disagree. 

EZD is easy to use and you can get some great drums for projects out of it.  but don't think it's magically easy.  it might be a little easier than using DOD loops only in the respect that EZD has a great interface for auditioning the MIDI loops and once you find the MIDI you like you can easily drag and drop it from the EZD GUI onto your project's MIDI track.

so basically waht I'm saying is you should not expect it to be so easy that it programs the drums for you.  if you want something like that you need to look at Jamstix or Band in a Box. 

Having said that, however, I will sometimes use BIAB to create my MIDI drum pattern and then import that MIDI track into sonar, then use Superior Drummer 2 (or EZD) as the OUTPUT of that MIDI track and I can tweak the drums in SD2 to make them sound pretty darn good.

http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=103

Not only better (probably) but almost a third of the price of ezdrummer too :)
Steve

+1 on EZ Drummer. I upgraded to Superior Drummer and can use all the kits/EZ packs that came with EZ. I also got the Superior Drummer tutorial from Groove3 which really helped in learning all the details of the program.

If you do get EZ or any other drum software, don't forget to get this FREE 600 midi drum loops from http://www.groovemonkee.com/en/free-midi. Groove Monkee has some excellent midi drum loops and are in most styles.

I just got an email today... drum packs are $39.00 (instead of the usual $89). However, it wasn't clear how to get that price... the toontrack store still had them for $89. But, I'll wait until later and see if that changes...

Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts.  I am going to go ahead and purchase EZdrummer ($79).   Sound like a can't miss at that price.
Much appreciated!

TStorms


I just got an email today... drum packs are $39.00 (instead of the usual $89). However, it wasn't clear how to get that price... the toontrack store still had them for $89. But, I'll wait until later and see if that changes...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/search/search.jsp?sB=r&question=toontrack#fT=&gP=2&pS=20&v=g&sB=r&lP=s&question=toontrack
 
if you'll notice the expansion packs are $39 for download and the same expansion pack is $79 for the boxed version.

The Classic is a great EZX and it has some nice long grooves.  I used it in my latest Soundclick posting.

Mesh


+1 on EZ Drummer. I upgraded to Superior Drummer and can use all the kits/EZ packs that came with EZ. I also got the Superior Drummer tutorial from Groove3 which really helped in learning all the details of the program.

If you do get EZ or any other drum software, don't forget to get this FREE 600 midi drum loops from http://www.groovemonkee.com/en/free-midi. Groove Monkee has some excellent midi drum loops and are in most styles.

Thanks for the Groove Monkee link.
I would say to anyone downloading it that it takes (or may take) a while to start extracting so be patient. I re-downloaded it as I thought it was broken!
 
Grum.

inaheartbeat


The price on EZD seems pretty hard to resist especially because I can use my Amex points with Amazon. One thing I did notice with EZ Drummer vs Superior Drummer 2 is the sample depth differences. EZD is 16 bit. Doesn't this make it a little awkward to integrate if you are doing everything else in 24 bit?

For those of you that have/had EZ-Drummer and upgraded to Superior Drummer 2.0, do you find it a much more difficult program to use or is basically the same with a lot more powerful options?

I feel like such a software slut. I keep getting all these packages! What is wrong with me? :-)

no, it doesn't make it difficult to integrate.  sonar will convert it to 24 bit in your project (or even 32bit if you have it set that way for project files).
 
but 24bit files with Superior are better, IMO, because you get better dynamic range with the samples.  Superior is more complex, but more flexible.  you can use it as easy as you do EZD if you want or you can use the functions available to make it more flexible, so it's not more difficult unless you WANT to use all of the functionality of it.
 
and yes, we're all software sluts.  there's nothing wrong with you (from our point of view!)

Well I definitely understood that Sonar would have no problem dealing with the 16 bit libraries but it was more a sound subtlety issue if everything else was 24 bit. Probably a non-issue

I feel like I am sadly going to have to embrace my inner software slut and break down and buy this package based on the numerous recommendations. I will have to get ready for the forlorn look on my fiance's face when she sees another package of music software arrive.

Such as http://image.spreadshirt....nental-classic-161.png

I love EZD. I have the Nashville Kit and was given my choice of kits for free when they made a mistake on another order, very nice of them. Tom

twaddle


Mack!!
 
Why not save your self $50 and buy something that is at the very least equal, and in my view far better than Ezdrummer?
 
http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=103 
 

Eco is a great buy at $29. My reservation is no 64 bit version is available yet and I need to use JBridge to advoid crashes. You get more sounds that EZDrummer and more control of those sounds. I still prefer EZDrummer (I have most of the expansions), but YMMV. Eco is well worth checking out.

offnote

IMO ezDrummer sounds way better then BFD, at least what I could tell from youtube demos.

Youtube demos can be misleading. I have both and while I have a preference for EzDrummer is not way better, each has its own particular strengths. They are different and I find they compliment each other very well.
 
For any given track I will select the best for that track. I have EZ/Superior, Steven Slate, Sonic Realitys Neil Peart, Kitcore and Session Drummer 3, plus some other Kontakt kits and Eco as certainly added useful kits to my pallet.
 
Bang for buck the Eco deal cannot be beaten (a few puns in there ) To get the same varity of drums you would need EZDrummer and some expansions. .

offnote


wonder if ezDrummer is as good  for actual recording in Sonar session as it is for song writing or playing along?
Does it have any jazz grooves or just rock?

EZDrummer is mostly pop/rock. There is a Jazz EZX which has really good jazz kit (its really jazzy, possibly not good from much else, but then that is what its designed to be) and a whole lot of Jazz MIDI grooves.
 
Whatever you use Groove Monkee has Jazz midi grooves, there are versions for EZDrummer, BFD and General Midi (for session Drummer 3 etc.) in the pack