EZ Drummer 2 Not my First Rant

Thatbastarddon said:
I dunno man…if you want to work inside the plug, maybe you , might wanna think about upgrading to EZD 3 or SD…for the sequencer. Once you learn to set your loops up in the onboard sequencer, things would come together for you more…and you already have kit and midi packs…
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That's a good idea. All the discussion in this thread has been very helpful. I will dive back in. I do like the idea of the sequencer in Reaper. Reaper is also going to be a key in solving issues with EZ2 for me.

I was working with HX Stomp as a interface and Mixcraft 9 Pro as a DAW. They both work very well at least I have options.
 
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ibmorjamn said:
That's a good idea. All the discussion in this thread has been very helpful. I will dive back in. I do like the idea of the sequencer in Reaper. Reaper is also going to be a key in solving issues with EZ2 for me.

I was working with HX Stomp as an interface and Mixcraft 9 Pro as an interface. They both work very well at least I have options.
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I did just verify that you can drag midi from EZD 2, right to a reaper track…You can further edit it in reaper. Too many fancy hits? You can just edit out the ones you don’t want, and substitute what you like…or whatever.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I did just verify that you can drag midi from EZD 2, right to a reaper track…You can further edit it in reaper. Too many fancy hits? You can just edit out the ones you don’t want, and substitute what you like…or whatever.
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I did that once and it sort of worked. I didn't have EzD2 running in Reaper . The track sort of worked but replaced some parts with different stuff. Sounded weird.
 
I am some what embarrassed to say. I need to re-think my original statement.
Today I needed a quick drum riff for the challenge Riffmasters Side Hustle 6.

I first went to a library called song writer.
I think that it might be left over from the trial version of EZD3?
Anyway , I went in to pop ballads because the Country section only had 1 option in straight 4/4.

Top right drop down menu , mouse over Vintage modern . There is a section that has a dry drum kit in it. Wow.
It's sounds decent but I don't have time to adjust everything this time.
I tried the basic kit. It works well.
So I started changing individual parts of the kit. I usually like the Yamaha Bass drum.
Changed the snare.

Finally I changed the whole kit to a custom kit. It has very articulate sounds.
Crisp loud hi hat sold me. Deep snare. One thing I could not get out was a weird noise , I think it's the bell part of the ride or possibly snare rim.
Overall I was happy with it.
That kit has a different mixer drop down control panel.
 
ibmorjamn said:
Superior Drummer 3, I hate to choke down the cost but....
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Yep…that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing with EZD 2 & 3. Pick grooves, drag them into a midi track, and edit to taste in the DAW. At 6:08 he points out the extent of his midi pack library…something that I lack a bit, but make do with. EZD 3 has the song suggestor thing…I believe Superior does too? I’ve found that to be a pretty good tool for starting out writing a song, so far. Drag the song suggestion out to a track, and edit to taste…or…(in EZD 3/Superior) edit in the onboard drum midi editor before dragging it into the DAW. That guy is editing in his DAW…ProTools. He’s dragging from his library, to a midi track, and so on.

Again, I’ll make the crappy analogy…the drum program(EZD/Superior etc) is the player piano(drummer), and the DAW midi track is the music roll for the player piano(drummer). In the DAW, you can write from scratch(like with an electronic kit, pads, keys etc), load and edit a preprogrammed song(see sites like freemidi.org, or “onlydrums” on YouTube), or use your groove library to build a midi track.

Good luck sir!
 
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Thatbastarddon said:
Yep…that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing with EZD 2 & 3. Pick grooves, drag them into a midi track, and edit to taste in the DAW. At 6:08 he points out the extent of his midi pack library…something that I lack a bit, but make do with. EZD 3 has the song suggestor thing…I believe Superior does too. I’ve found that to be a pretty good tool for starting out writing a song, so far. Drag the song suggestion out to a track, and edit to taste…or…(in EZD 3/Superior) edit in the onboard drum midi editor before dragging it into the DAW. That guy is editing in his DAW…ProTools.

Again, I’ll make the crappy analogy…the drum program(EZD/Superior etc) is the player piano(drummer), and the DAW midi track is the music roll for the player piano(drummer). In the DAW, you can write from scratch(like with an electronic kit, pads, keys etc), load and edit a preprogrammed song(see sites like freemidi.org, or “onlydrums” on YouTube), or use your groove library to build a midi track.

Good luck sir!
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Well, I have been getting by with EZ2.
I do have the editor in Mixcraft.
So all of the keyboard synth is written in there. I would also do drums.

I have been getting by tapping out simple beats or editing by removing notes.
Some of the over embellished snare for example, I just turn the dial to reduce beats until it sounds right.

I have thought about getting a Alesis Strike pad. But watching the video, it would cost just as much or more than superior and then it's another dust collector. Lol
 
ibmorjamn said:
Well, I have been getting by with EZ2.
I do have the editor in Mixcraft.
So all of the keyboard synth is written in there. I would also do drums.

I have been getting by tapping out simple beats or editing by removing notes.
Some of the over embellished snare for example, I just turn the dial to reduce beats until it sounds right.

I have thought about getting a Alesis Strike pad. But watching the video, it would cost just as much or more than superior and then it's another dust collector. Lol
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PM sent.
 
I am still doing hybrid with my kick, & easy D, on my crappy ol Ludwig can not find a better sound than it...maybe its the alcove have the kit in , the drums are half in it & half in the room. Sounds so good.

Drums really are the key to any song..where they go..we go.. almost cant listen to strait drum tracks with no changes that songs get made to

EZD is the biggest weapon for a home music maker there is,,,,,,,,
 
BFT Gibson said:
I am still doing hybrid with my kick, & easy D, on my crappy ol Ludwig can not find a better sound than it...maybe its the alcove have the kit in , the drums are half in it & half in the room. Sounds so good.

Drums really are the key to any song..where they go..we go.. almost cant listen to strait drum tracks with no changes that songs get made to

EZD is the biggest weapon for a home music maker there is,,,,,,,,
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I wish I could have room for a kit but I can not play at any volume level I intend to stay silent in recording. Probably forever. Lol
 
ibmorjamn said:
I wish I could have room for a kit but I can not play at any volume level I intend to stay silent in recording. Probably forever. Lol
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It is where every single song i ever wrote started, Not a drummer at all but have the beats very clear in my head when an idea comes & the only way i can get it right before record is to.

Hit kick & what tom or snare snap is my main idea. If i get that, i get tempo of song & bass line situated. Sometimes i think even putting guitars on it is a waste of the good stuff lol
 
I also wish I had 3 instead of 2. But to be honest, I'm not all that tech savvy. I usually work by trial and error, and then monkey around with the different drum rooms, settings, and mixer. But reading some of the above posts, I'm know I'm a bit out of my league here. I'm an analog dude in a digital world, lol.
 
Ludwig kit..3 mic's...when i first started recording was forced to drum..i like to drum & play guitar & write songs but all i really wanna do is be left alone by ampeg rig & play bass.. Even tho they dont sound as good i like the raw stupid songs i first did before got into the tech side..lesson learned

 
I just looked back at Addictive drums. The editing looks kind of busy but very powerful.
It is difficult to make a jazz beat. Especially a classic one. Ez drummer can get close.
Editing midi is frustrating.
However , I am using mixcraft as my DAW right now.

I need to get my new laptop setup.
 
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