In 2019, we celebrate having provided our ever-growing community of songwriters, producers and engineers with quality sounds and tools for 20 years and counting. Thank you all for trusting your productions to our gear. We pride ourselves in being part of your creative processes and look forward to the next 20!
Sometimes things happen that exceed your wildest expectations. As in the case of Toontrack. What began as an experiment ended up as Drumkit From Hell – a collection of drum sounds that would come to change the face of the industry. “We just wanted great sounding drums for our own songwriting. We had no aspirations of even selling it in the first place,” says Mattias Eklund, Toontrack co-founder.
That was twenty years ago. But instead of being a two-man operation and having an “office” in the bedroom of Mattias’ apartment, Toontrack now employs almost 40 people in four countries and continues to spearhead innovation of creative tools for songwriters around the world.
We believe our success and legacy boils down to a few simple things: our love for music, craft and sound. That’s what the company is founded on and that’s what we bring to work every day. “At Toontrack, we’re all songwriters and musicians. It’s a privilege to develop tools that we have as much creative use of as our customers,” says Mattias.
Quite frankly, we have fun at work. And most good things come from fun and deep-rooted commitment.
Songwriters, drummers, guitar players, bassists, singers and music lovers – all sharing a common goal of making tools that inspire ourselves (and you!) to more easily create better-sounding songs.
employees from four countries that all love music in any way, shape or form.
10 are in bands who have released albums and some even toured the world.
of these 37 write and record music.
12 have their own home studios.
In January, we announced some of our milestone releases for our anniversary year of 2019: Orchestral Percussion SDX, Decades SDX by Al Schmitt and the birth of an all-new product line, EZbass!
In May 2019, the immersive Superior Drummer 3 saga continues.
The Orchestral Percussion SDX covers the entire tonal range from majestic to subtle.
To kick our celebrations off, we’re offering 20% off all individual drum MIDI packs, EZkeys MIDI packs and EZmix packs.
SAVE NOW
In January this year, we headed out west to sunny Los Angeles to host three days of invitation-only events for handpicked representatives of the music industry press. We did press-exclusive previews of our announced products and ran the groups through the history of the company! Below is a recap video featuring our very own Rikk Currence.
In January this year, we headed out west to sunny Los Angeles to host three days of invitation-only events for handpicked representatives of the music industry press. We did press-exclusive previews of our announced products and ran the groups through the history of the company! Below is a recap video featuring our very own Rikk Currence.
We caught up with some of the guests to ask them some on-the-fly questions, right after the reveal and presentations!
For the final day of our week in Los Angeles, we invited key artists, collaborators and friends. Here are some of them, talking about their Toontrack journey and wishing us a happy anniversary!
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20 YEARS. 20 QUESTIONS!
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A Toontrack partner and one of the creative minds behind how we initially started sampling drums is…
Correct! Fredrik Thordendal is one of our co-founders’ longtime friends. Way before Toontrack was a company, they would experiment with drums in their many recording sessions together.
Nope, sorry! Fredrik Thordendal is the correct answer. He is one of our co-founders’ longtime friends. Way before Toontrack was a company, they would experiment with drums in their many recording sessions together.
Fredrik is probably more known for being a member in a renowned metal band, namely…
Correct! Mr. Thordendal has been a member of Meshuggah since the very beginning of the band.
The photo is from when we had Meshuggah play an exclusive show in Umeå for our Metal Month 2012 kick-off.
Nope, sorry! Fredrik Thordendal is the correct answer. He has been a member of Meshuggah since the very beginning of the band.
The photo is from when we had Meshuggah play an exclusive show in Umeå for our Metal Month 2012 kick-off.
One of Toontrack’s founders shares names with with a known guitar player. Often, these two are confused with one another by fans, customers and in media. What guitar player are we talking about?
Correct! Mattias Eklund is the name of Toontrack’s co-founder. With only one letter separating his and Mr. Eklund’s names, we get the confusion!
Nope, sorry! Mattias Eklund is the name of Toontrack’s co-founder. With only one letter separating his and Mr. Eklund’s names, we get the confusion!
The first-ever Toontrack product was released on a CD-ROM and titled…
Correct! Drumkit From Hell pushed the boundaries of what could be done at the time in terms of sampled drums.
Nope, sorry! Drumkit From Hell is the correct answer. It pushed the boundaries of what could be done at the time in terms of sampled drums.
Who is the drummer that sampled this sound library?
Correct! Mattias Eklund and Fredrik Thordendal ventured off to Uppsala, Sweden with Tomas Haake and Daniel Bergstrand to record what would become Drumkit From Hell. It was the market’s first-ever sample library to include individual mic bleed and a velocity detail unheard of at the time. This very recording changed the face of the industry, set a new benchmark for how to sample drums and is the very foundation of the Toontrack company!
Nope, sorry! Mattias Eklund and Fredrik Thordendal ventured off to Uppsala, Sweden with Tomas Haake (drummer) and Daniel Bergstrand (engineer) to start record what would become Drumkit From Hell. It was the market’s first-ever sample library to include individual mic bleed and a velocity detail unheard of at the time. This very recording changed the face of the industry, set a new benchmark for how to sample drums and is the very foundation of the Toontrack company!
…and who illustrated the original cover art?
Correct! Tomas actually designed a lot of Meshuggah’s cover art as well.
Nope, Sorry! Tomas Haake designed it…and he has actually designed a lot of Meshuggah’s cover art as well.
What major magazine was the first to ever review it and gave it five stars?
Correct! Paul White said it was the “best-sounding drum kit sample CD-ROM I’ve tried to date.”
Nope, Sorry! Sound On Sound reviewed it and Paul White said it was the “best-sounding drum kit sample CD-ROM I’ve tried to date.”
Toontrack’s corporate offices are in…
Correct! While Toontrack employs people in the US, Germany and the UK, Umeå, Sweden is where the company was formed and still has its main base.
Nope, sorry! While Toontrack employs people in the US, Germany and the UK, Umeå, Sweden is where the company was formed and still has its main base.
In what city was the core sound library for EZdrummer recorded in?
Correct! It was recorded at the famous Avatar Studios, formerly known as the Power Station. Actually, today the studio has switched back to its original name is currently occupied by BerkleeNYC. The core sound library for EZdrummer was recorded by the amazing trio of Neil Dorfsman (producer/engineer)), Pat Thrall (producer/engineer) and Nir Z (drummer).
Nope, Sorry! It was recorded at the famous Avatar Studios, formerly known as the Power Station. Actually, today the studio has switched back to its original name is currently occupied by BerkleeNYC. The core sound library for EZdrummer was recorded by the amazing trio of Neil Dorfsman (producer/engineer)), Pat Thrall (producer/engineer) and Nir Z (drummer).
The Metal Foundry SDX was recorded at Atlantis, a classic Swedish studio originally called Metronome. What iconic act has recorded several songs that became world-wide hits there?
Correct! Songs like “Waterloo,” “Mamma Mia,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Money, Money, Money” were all recorded at this historic studio.
Nope, sorry! The correct answer is ABBA. Songs like “Watrerloo,” “Mamma MIa,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Money, Money, Money” were all recorded at this historic studio.
The core sound library for EZdrummer 2 was recorded by Chuck Ainlay at British Grove Studios in London, England. Who owns this studio?
Correct! The studio is named after its location in London’s Chiswick. Originally, the building was a dye works for laundry way back in Victorian times and has since served as a warehouse, workshop, offices as well as a record store (actually, Island’s final location!). Once Mark’s team started the conversion into a recording studio, it was rebuilt from the ground up and the whole process took about three years.
Nope, sorry! Mark Knopfler is the correct answer. The studio is named after its location in London’s Chiswick. Originally, the building was a dye works for laundry way back in Victorian times and has since served as a warehouse, workshop, offices as well as a record store (actually, Island’s final location!). Once Mark’s team started the conversion into a recording studio, it was rebuilt from the ground up and the whole process took about three years.
Toontrack has released more than 80 individual drum MIDI packs over the years. What was the first one that ever came out?
Correct! It was released in May of 2009 and featured one of our favorite local drummers. Since we were all songwriters ourselves, we knew that having MIDI grooves available in a handy way like this would be an amazing time-saver…but we had no idea that it would be such a huge hit as it became. Ever since, drum MIDI is a staple in our release schedule and something we always love producing!
Nope, sorry! Monster MIDI Pack was the first-ever title. It was released in May of 2009 and featured one of our favorite local drummers. Since we were all songwriters ourselves, we knew that having MIDI grooves available in a handy way like this would be an amazing time-saver…but we had no idea that it would be such a huge hit as it became. Ever since, drum MIDI is a staple in our release schedule and something we always love producing!
The core sound library for Superior Drummer 3 was recorded by George Massenburg with a surround configuration of microphones that support playback in traditional stereo up to…
Correct! In addition to close microphones and several ambience positions, the Superior Drummer 3 setup also includes eleven room microphones set up in a surround configuration for use in anything from stereo to 5.1, 9.1 and all the way up to 11.1 systems.
Nope, sorry! In addition to close microphones and several ambience positions, the Superior Drummer 3 setup also includes eleven room microphones set up in a surround configuration for use in anything from stereo to 5.1, 9.1 and all the way up to 11.1 systems.
George Massenburg is famous for an innovation that changed the face of the audio industry, namely…
Correct! In 2005, George was inducted into the TECnology Hall of Fame for his 1969 invention of the ITI ME-230 Parametric Equalizer.
Nope, sorry! In 2005, George was inducted into the TECnology Hall of Fame for his 1969 invention of the ITI ME-230 Parametric Equalizer.
How large is the core sound library for Superior Drummer 3, with all of the separate configurations installed?
Correct! Superior Drummer 3 includes in excess of 230 GB of drum samples, ready for you to hone, shape and mold using the built-in 35 mixer effects and other sound shaping tools.
Nope, sorry! Superior Drummer 3 includes in excess of 230 GB of drum samples, ready for you to hone, shape and mold using the built-in 35 mixer effects and other sound shaping tools.
The first SDX expansion released after Superior Drummer 2 was titled New York Studios Vol.2. It features not one, but two truly iconic rooms. These are…
Correct! These two landmark facilities have hosted the who’s who of popular music for decades – anything from David Bowie to Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones and Paul Simon. The SDX features two separate library configurations, one from each room.
Nope, sorry! Allaire and The Hit Factory is the correct answer. These two landmark facilities have hosted the who’s who of popular music for decades – anything from David Bowie to Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones and Paul Simon. The SDX features two separate library configurations, one from each room.
In 2009, Toontrack released the Electronic EZX. It was the company’s first sound library featuring all-electronic percussion. It was produced by someone who’s come to be a true guru of creative sound design…
Correct! Devine has designed audio experiences for anything from music, software and hardware to sound for visual media and has clients like NASA, Google and Jaguar and many, many more on his resume.
Nope, sorry! The correct answer is Richard Devine. He has designed audio experiences for anything from music, software and hardware to sound for visual media and has clients like NASA, Google and Jaguar and many, many more on his resume.
The Twisted Kit EZX was sampled by Michael Blair, featuring percussive sounds derived from anything from hubcaps to pots and pans. Who was Mr. Blair once the drummer with?
Correct! Blair has also collaborated with Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Susanne Vega.
Nope, sorry! The correct answer is Michael Blair. He has also collaborated with Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Susanne Vega.
When did the first Toontrack Metal Month occur?
Correct! Since then, Metal Month has become almost like an institution to the metal community – bigger, better and bolder for each year that passes. The main product for the first edition was the Metalheads EZX.
Nope, sorry! The first Metal Month was held in 2010. Since then, it’s become almost like an institution to the metal community – bigger, better and bolder for each year that passes. The main product for the first edition was the Metalheads EZX.
How many new products did Toontrack release in 2018?
Correct! In 2018, we released a total of 31 products spanning a host of different genres. If you want a recap, check this page: https://www.toontrack.com/thank-you-for-2018/
Nope, sorry! In 2018, we released a total of 31 products spanning a host of different genres. If you want a recap, check this page: https://www.toontrack.com/thank-you-for-2018/
During the event, Paul and Dave from Sound on Sound presented us with the Best New Software Instrument award for Superior Drummer 3. A huge honor and an amazing accomplishment on behalf of the entire Toontrack team! Thank you, customers, for continuously inspiring us to push the limits as to what can be done with sounds and software.
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