EZdrummer 2 Musikmesse Announcement

[anonymous_3]

Hello Toontrack, With the introduction of EZdrummer 2, will we...

Hello Toontrack, With the introduction of EZdrummer 2, will we have to uninstall/remove EZdrummer and all the EZX libraries? Or is this a completely new version with a completely different drum library that will coexist alongside EZdrummer (V1)? Is EZdrummer 2 going to be compatible with older EZdrummer sessions? Lastly, is EZdrummer 2 going to be compatible with the current line of EZX’s, S2, the SDX’s, Solo & EZplayer pro? Or are all of these getting updates to version 2 as well? Thanks!

Hello Toontrack, With the introduction of EZdrummer 2, will we have to uninstall/remove EZdrummer and all the EZX libraries? Or is this a completely new version with a completely different drum library that will coexist alongside EZdrummer (V1)? Is EZdrummer 2 going to be compatible with older EZdrummer sessions? Lastly, is EZdrummer 2 going to be compatible with the current line of EZX’s, S2, the SDX’s, Solo & EZplayer pro? Or are all of these getting updates to version 2 as well? Thanks!

Topic

[John]

ORIGINAL: kiddkubi What ezx’s actually come with the program ? Is it just the two new ones or are there more ?

2 new libraries and a special Percussion addition for EZdrummer 2

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Joe DeFalco]

Any chance you could be a lil more specific ? I know your probably sworn to secrecy , just trying to see what the kits are .I would imagine buy the video that atleast one of them is a DW kit . Will the software have the multitrack output feature ? ie.. kick , snare , toms , etc…….

[L.Mon]

There should be a graduated upgrade price for those outside of the upgrade window for those customers who bought near the window. A “cliff” start date without any sort of consideration for those customers who purchased (days) near the start dates is sure to anger customers who purchased EZDrummer in good faith. Further, Toontracks has set the stage for customers who currently own EZDrummer to reconsider upgrading to Superior Drummer since Toontrack’s Superior upgrade is indeterminable and may be sooner than later. For me, the experience has left me with a negative view of Toontracks and the way they conduct business. When I decide to upgrade, I will review alternatives.

[Whitten]

Every other virtual instrument and plug-in company operate the same way. It isn’t that Toontrack are being unusually unfair, they are just following normal practice for this type of product. The upgrade from 1 to 2 isn’t a software tweak, it’s new software AND two new sound libraries. Also, Superior is another quite large step up.

[L.Mon]

To quote Warren Buffett, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” To respond directly to your comment, “Every other virtual instrument and plug-in company operates the same way,” is inadequate. It does not address the view of good customer relations and further, the impact on Toontracks’s reputation with customers. Toontracks is not creating a $5 Apple application that users purchase to play games. If you are correct that other virtual instrument and plug-in companies are also following this practice, Toontracks should innovate by changing this industry practice.

[anonymous_3]

Ladies & Gentlemen… As an owner of EZdrummer and almost ALL of the EZX’s, I started this thread because I wanted to know how to proceed right now with continuing work with the programs and what to expect when EZdrummer 2 and all of the EZX’s are released and updated. And in the process, other Users can add their questions that pertain to the subject matter in this thread. Not to go over how customers are being shafted. If you want to discuss that, then start your own! But since some of you do not have the respect to do such and interrupt the conversation… Let me join in! Am I pissed about the 99 buck upgrade (which to me, equates to 100 dollars)… Damn right I am! But to move 4ward with making music… Then that’s what it takes! And am I pissed about paying 15 bucks for only 5 Presets in the S2 Producer Preset Packs Series and 50 bucks for 50 presets for each of the EZ Mix Packs… Damn right I am! As I said… That’s what it takes to keep moving forward! As on owner of almost ALL of the Toontrack products, I can go on and on about how Toontrack conducts business to my disapproval! And I too have also been in the position where I picked up a piece of software either right before or after the cut off date and have gotten shafted as well. So I can completely understand the frustration! Does every “other virtual instrument and plug-in company operate the same way”… I think not! As an owner of almost everything out there, I can say without a doubt… This is incorrect! To Mr. Whitten… In my eyes, you’re a famous drummer, who I deeply admire! But it seems like every time someone has something negative to say (whether it’s justified or not) about Toontrack, Universal Audio, etc… on the internet, there you are with a rebuttal! Why someone of your stature would put so much time and energy into this is a mystery! I mean no offense… I am one of the customers/fans who bought the products and records that you performed on!

[anonymous_3]

ORIGINAL: Larry.Monast To quote Warren Buffett, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” To respond directly to your comment, “Every other virtual instrument and plug-in company operates the same way,” is inadequate. It does not address the view of good customer relations and further, the impact on Toontracks’s reputation with customers. Toontracks is not creating a $5 Apple application that users purchase to play games. If you are correct that other virtual instrument and plug-in companies are also following this practice, Toontracks should innovate by changing this industry practice.

My sentiments exactly!!!

[fnordbak]

ORIGINAL: kiddkubi Any chance you could be a lil more specific ? I know your probably sworn to secrecy , just trying to see what the kits are .I would imagine buy the video that atleast one of them is a DW kit . Will the software have the multitrack output feature ? ie.. kick , snare , toms , etc…….

EZ Drummer 2 presentation at British Grove Studios: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AArgiZAC3IM

[Whitten]

ORIGINAL: Larry.Monast If you are correct that other virtual instrument and plug-in companies are also following this practice, Toontracks should innovate by changing this industry practice.

Fair enough, that’s your opinion. It is just incorrect to suggest Toontrack are unusual in this regard. The drum sample scene is super, super competitive. I’m sure they wouldn’t do anything to turn off their customers.

[Whitten]

ORIGINAL: izzi63 To Mr. Whitten… In my eyes, you’re a famous drummer, who I deeply admire! But it seems like every time someone has something negative to say (whether it’s justified or not) about Toontrack, Universal Audio, etc… on the internet, there you are with a rebuttal! Why someone of your stature would put so much time and energy into this is a mystery! I mean no offense… I am one of the customers/fans who bought the products and records that you performed on!

Probably because I understand the sheer hard work that goes into these. I’m a professional and I value the gear I’ve purchased, and there is more gear and software I cannot justify purchasing based on price. So as users we are all effected by the price and have to make our purchasing decisions based on price. Every time an upgrade is announced someone is going to be the wrong side of the cutoff. Of course that has been me from time to time too. On prices… When I started out (1980) it cost a few thousand to buy a synthesizer. When I switched from drumming to film composing (1992) it cost many thousands to but Pro Tools and a powerful enough Mac to use it. Essentially, we’ve never had it so good. On the perceived value or not….. To cut a long story short, I empathise with the personnel at these companies, the hard work and dedication put into each product because I’ve worked on projects and know the hard work it’s involved and the multiple agonising dilemma’s we’ve had to resolve. Finally, I NEVER abuse the people who complain. I just put forward the alternative view. Not just to be alternative, but because I believe in what I’m saying. It’s getting to the stage where any price a company puts on their product will attract at least a few complaints. Fine, that’s customer feedback. But don’t kick and scream when the alternative view is put.

[Guy Rowland]

I’ve seen that there’s some more info about EZD2 now (reading this month’s Sound On Sound). Very interested to read that you can easily swap kit parts for ones from your other EZXs – potentially this is a killer feature worth the upgrade alone. It’s the one feature I’ve been longing for, but it’s always been a tall ask because, when you think about it, it becomes pretty complex. So can you guys tell us a little more about how this works in practice? Specifically, different EXs have different mixer options, room sounds etc. So lets say you want to switch out a snare in Metalheadz. There are channels for top, bottom and trigger, plus spill comes in on the overheads and room channels (and there’s a bleed option). Now I choose to load a snare from Rock Solid. This has only one mixer channel for the snare itself, but spill comes in on overheads, room, mono room and comp, plus there’s no bleed control. A tricky scenario – how will EZ2 manage this?

[Olof Westman]

>…swap kit parts for ones from your other EZXs … >…A tricky scenario – how will EZ2 manage this? That’s pretty much the reason why we never bothered to do this in EZ1. Or rather, we didn’t even think of it as an option. So, considering that it is impossible, I would say that it works pretty well in EZ2. You cannot expect a ‘brought in’ drum to offer the same functionality as one of the native ones but there are still plenty of situations were the result is going to be just what you were after. You can also use this feature to move toms and crashes between different positions within an EZX.

Olof Westman - Toontrack
Coder

[Guy Rowland]

Thank you Ollie, sounds great! I’m sure you’re right and it will work very well most of the time. It’s just given me an idea though – don’t know if anyone else would find this useful, but how about an option to “delete all kit except this instrument?” That way if you had Solid Rock but wanted the Metalheads snare and the replacement wasn’t quite enough in terms of mixer functionality, you could just set snare to NONE, fire up a 2nd instance of EZD2 Metalheads, then in one click delete all kit except the snare. Copy the midi part and voila!

[Staley]

Will the ‘Songtrack’ arranger and ‘Tap2find’ support having multiple time signatures in one/the same song?

[Rogue]

ORIGINAL: noiseboyuk you could just set snare to NONE, fire up a 2nd instance of EZD2 Metalheads, then in one click delete all kit except the snare. Copy the midi part and voila!

unless I misunderstand, that has been the standard way for users to ‘mix’ kit pieces from different EZX-s up to this point (with 2 clicks instead of one – empty the kit, then load the snare). You don’t have to in EZdrummer 2, but it is still an option if in some scenario this would allow you to get the desired results. I’m not convinced you would very often but that method is there if you need it!

Rogue Marechal - Toontrack
Configuration Manager

[Author]

Replies