EZD2 workflow: best practices

[David George]

I’ve been experimenting with different workflows, trying to establish my own best practices.

I usually start with tap to find, find something compatible, then use song creator to find additional parts. I always use edit play style. I work in the song track to get a whole song complete before working in my DAW (Pro Tools 11.3).

When I first started using EZD2 I always saved what was shown in the song track as a MIDI file for the whole song and dragged that into Pro Tools. But I’m finding that it seems to make more sense to drag individual clips out of song track and assemble that way in my DAW. If I work that way it seems to be much easier to make additional changes. For example, I had a break part that was in song track and I decided I wanted to add shaker. I added it in song track and replaced that clip in Pro Tools. This seems to save steps.

Does this make sense? Any down sides to working this way?

Once the drum track is more or less final I always route the EZD2 mixer to individual busses in PT: I want to make sure that dragging clips from the song track as I’m doing now won’t screw that up.

Topic

[onewayout_1]

That’s r exactly how I’m working… But I’ve already set my individual outs though and some added Fx to get the feel and the groove going… I’ll start from intro to chorus out/ending building my parts this way…. Then as I’m adding my instruments I’ll need more in chorus (or less) DIFFERENT rides or hats change up the kik& snare in the second verse ect…

[David George]

Oh wow–I didn’t realize that you can change the instruments clip by clip (different ride or kick, etc.)–will have to try that. Thanks so much for pointing this out.

Related question: I don’t think this is possible, but I’ll ask anyway.

So let’s say I have my basic kick on one track in the DAW (I use Pro Tools).

Can I set up a second track to have a different instance of EZD2 to layer on percussion?

[Juicy]

You can have several instances .
This is a good way of getting around some of ezD limitations or just to get a bit creative with your midi play back.
You could for example have exactly the same kit loaded except for the Snare drum or a dry version and wet version of the same kit and send the midi to where ever you like for different sections. Pretty sure thats what he meant not clip by clip on one instance.

[onewayout_1]

Juicy is very on with more instances!! I was actually saying I would change the kik & snare pattern a bit to add a different groove for the second verse…BUT here is a new song I am working on with 2 instances…This is VERY typical that I have for verse and then chorus….

Also I drag the midi into my daw after I have done my tap&search and edited in ezd2 to manipulate the midi even more…Like humanize and then change the velocities a bit…nudge the kik, snares off grid even more for a live feel… https://www.toontrack.com/news/making-custom-drum-tracks/7/ This is a great tutorial of what I’m talking about….Hope that helps

[David George]

Thanks, juicy and onewayout1 for your replies. It’s funny you posted Graham’s video: I’m a regular @ RR but missed this (I wasn’t an EZ user at the time).

Having more than one instance is great!

[Author]

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