My first EZDrummer test

[TheStoryteller]

Hey all, I just got EZdrummer and did a quick test with a few riffs that basically just popped up in my head (probably stolen, haha). No real bass as I don't own a 5-string bass, and my 4-string Fender copy with strings for regular tuning was NOT usable when tuned in C, haha! :Smug: So the bass here is a clean guitar pitched down 1 octave, /w some plugins to make sound more like a real bass. Guitars are PODxt.

edit: updated mix /w real bass and even better drums (I hope):
http://fredrikgroth.com/ezdrummer2.mp3

 

[11thDay]

Sounds great. Was it easy? Fast? Is that with the built-in samples or the DFH Expansion Pack? I'm more and more impressed with EZDrummer each time I hear it.

.j.

 

[smy1]

Holy shit! Those guitars are from a POD????

 

[TheStoryteller]

This was with the stock samples... it was VERY quick and easy! The manual editing was held to a minimum, I just moved some kicks around and added some crashes. Great sketchpad-tool.

Edit: I used some compressor and eq on every individual output-track as well, to shape the sounds as needed. Reverb on snare and toms.

 

[TheStoryteller]

Holy shit! Those guitars are from a POD????

Yes. The Criminal and the Angel P-ball... two of each.

 

[smy1]

Awesome tone. Very cool.

 

[TheStoryteller]

Awesome tone. Very cool.

Thanks

 

[11thDay]

Awesome tone. Very cool.

Agreed. Can you post your PODxt patches?

.j.

 

[TheStoryteller]

Agreed. Can you post your PODxt patches?

.j.

Sure, give me a minute.

edit: here you go!
http://fredrikgroth.com/groth_ezguitars.rar

 

[TheStoryteller]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I use a Tube Screamer copy between the guitar and the PODxt. Cheap green Behringer TO800. If you use the screamer simulation in the POD, it will get you close.

The guitar is an Aria Les Paul copy från the late 70's, tuned C to C /w 013-056 strings and an EMG81 in the bridge position.

 

[sparkyness]

I absolutely adore EZDrummer.....I'm currently working on some stuff using it and sample replacing with Drumagog (within Sonar). It's practical, sounds good and easy to use....

 

[ApolloSpeed]

sounds great!

......do you use a sequencer for EZdrummer? Or is it like Fruityloops, where you click the little boxes?

 

[TheStoryteller]

Never used Frutyloops, so I don't really know what you mean by boxes. I use Cakewalk Sonar, and you can use EZdrummer it in the exakt same way as DFH, but you can also use the pre-programmed midi files from within the plugin, just by dragging them onto the midi track.

 

[sparkyness]

sounds great!

......do you use a sequencer for EZdrummer? Or is it like Fruityloops, where you click the little boxes?

Nope...it's different from Fruity Loops in that loops aren't built from within the application/VSTi itself. Loops have to be built within your DAW and then imported, or as Fredrik mentioned, there's demo midi files which can be dragged into the Midi track in your sequencer of choce and then varied/manipulated. EZdrummer is just a "resampler" for lack of a better term, of existing midi files and has some nice sounding samples. It's a very useful dumbed-down version of DFHS (or so I believe....haven't used DFHS myself) with a few other functions thrown in. All in all, it's very musical and is a great sketchpad if you need to throw a few loops down while working on ideas. I'm sure it'd also work very well in a "proper" setting so long as you're creative with your programming and use something like Drumagog to replace the (very good) stock samples as there's a limited selection offered.

On that note, it's important to mention that you can't import your own samples into the tool and there's 4 samples for each drum or cymbal you can choose from. Expansion packs with more samples are due out this month, if not already released.

 

[11thDay]

Sure, give me a minute.

edit: here you go!
http://fredrikgroth.com/groth_ezguitars.rar

Thanks, Fredrik!

.j.

 

[Familia><Publica]

This was with the stock samples... it was VERY quick and easy! The manual editing was held to a minimum, I just moved some kicks around and added some crashes. Great sketchpad-tool.

Edit: I used some compressor and eq on every individual output-track as well, to shape the sounds as needed. Reverb on snare and toms.

what midi plugins are you using for compression/reverb ?

 

[TheStoryteller]

No midi plugins at all. Waves Audiotrack as compressor/eq/gate on every individual output track, and FreeverbToo as reverb.

 

[Familia><Publica]

No idea how to use audio plugins to effect a midi signal.

 

[sparkyness]

No idea how to use audio plugins to effect a midi signal.

While Ezdrummer uses midi for it's loops, it actually outputs the drum tracks to individual drum tracks (or a single stereo output if you prefer) where you can apply FX plugins as per regular audio tracks.

 

[Seizure.]

Hows that Bearringer tube screamer man?
And this sounds great dude!!