EZdrummer 3: How to change kit via MIDI?

[Doug]

How do I configure EZdrummer 3 to change preset kit using MIDI?

I’m controlling the triggering via MIDI with my yamaha DTX kit (this works fine btw) and I want to be able to use EZD3 *live* at gigs with my cover band.  (I.e. change the kit to a preconfigured preset that fits the song.)

I found some topics on EZD2, but I can’t map the discussions to anything I see in my EZdrummer 3 UI.

I’m at a loss here.

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: Windows 11

Topic

[Brad]

Doug wrote:

How do I configure EZdrummer 3 to change preset kit using MIDI?

I’m controlling the triggering via MIDI with my yamaha DTX kit (this works fine btw) and I want to be able to use EZD3 *live* at gigs with my cover band.  (I.e. change the kit to a preconfigured preset that fits the song.)

I found some topics on EZD2, but I can’t map the discussions to anything I see in my EZdrummer 3 UI.

I’m at a loss here.

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: Windows 11

You could preload sessions in a DAW (depending on how many kits you need and how robust your host is)

Or look at something like https://gigperformer.com a point solution for live performance.

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: macOS Ventura (13)

Mac Studio M1 Max, RAM 64 GB, 1TB Drive, OSX 12.x/13.x and Windows 10 (VM)
DAW: Studio One Pro (always up to date)
DTX Express III (Extreme triggers), Nektar LX88
OWC Thunderbay Mini (4 X 1TB Sata SSD), Express 4M2 (4 X 2TB M.2 SSD), Envoy Express (1TB M.2 SSD)
Presonus Quantum, Faderport & Faderport 8
Black Lion Sparrow Mk2 A/D, FMR-RNP-RNC, MIDI Xpress 128, BM5A, KRK VXT4, Equator D5
2020 Macbook Pro 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Audio(mobile rig)

3

Thanked by: Scott Eshleman, Broutte and Doug

[Mick Avoidant]

There’s a drop menu in the Drums tab, top right. I think it’s in that tab.

1

Thanked by: Doug

[Doug]

Thanks Mick & Brad.

I really don’t want to add a DAW to my rig (at least I don’t see a any other reason to).

I did make some progress, though:
Once I located the toggle for “Allow MIDI PC”, I was able to poke & prod my EZD3 from my DTX until I sussed out how it was reacting to the PC messages.

I managed to figure out that EZD3 responds to MIDI Program Changes like this:

PCxxx -(1-127) > maps to the list of Library Presets for the current Library
This list varies, depending on the Library selected (see MSB)

MSB xxx (0-127) -> maps to the list of Libraries in my system like this

• 000=”EZdrummer 2 Modern”,
• 001=”EZdrummer 2 Vintage”
• 002=”EZ drummer 3 Bright Room”,
• 003=”EZdrummer 3 Main Room”
• 004=”EZdrummer3 Tight Room”

What I *still* cannot figure out is

1. How to access my *user presets* via MIDI PC
2. What affect (if any) LSB xxx has in that process.

Any idea how to access my User Presets?

[John]

Hi,

how it worked with EZdrummer 2 (if memory serves me right) was that you used the Bank MSB (0-127) to select the library and the Program Change (0-127) to select the preset from the currently loaded library. The exact numbers depended on how many EZX libraries you had installed. The User Presets “library” was the last one, i.e. if you had 26 EZX:s installed, library 27 should be selected and then the preset in question.

I don’t think this works exactly the same with EZdrummer 3 but if you start with selecting a User Preset, then send Program changes, it should work. Bear in mind that your first preset will be ‘0’,, your fifth preset ‘4’, etc.

LSB has no significance.

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

1

Thanked by: Doug

[Doug]

Thanks, John.
What you described is exactly how my EZD3 install behaved, with one problematic exception:  Once I incremented PC to the last Library, it never incremented to anything in my User Presets library.

Is EZD3 not finding or just not checking for my user presets location ?  If it’s the former, then I can experiment my moving my Presets library to another folder/drive.  If the latter then I don’t see there’s anything else I can try.

Regards

/doug

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: Windows 11

[Doug]

Just for anyone else following on this topic:

I did drop a line to the support group.  They said that “yes, this  seems like it could be a bug,” with no workaround that they could identity. They also said they had reported it to development.

At this point, I don’t know where this sits in their release priority. However, I’m really hoping it’ll get fixed in the next EZD3 update, as I want to use this as part of my live rig, and I really need to use MIDI to switch between my *User* presets — not just the system presets.

/doug

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: Windows 11

1

Thanked by: Broutte

[Doug]

I did get a follow-up from someone in support a couple of weeks back and they did provide a solution/workaround.
(It’s a 2-step process, so a little clunky, and might be prone to automation timing issues. Hopefully they’ll clean this to a single PC in a future release.)

The workaround:

1.  Use Bank Select (cc0) to select the value *one* greater than your current # of libraries. (This explicitly tells EZD3 to select your “User Presets” library.
2.  Use MIDI Program Change to indicate the index of your desired User Preset.

I was finally able to make this work fairly reliably with OnSong song changes invoking the correct kit. (There were some ‘ignored’ changes, but I’m not sure it if was an intermitten OnSong or MIDI timing issue.)

 

For Example:

In my EZD3 config I have 5 EZX libraries and 3 user presets (“foo”, “foo2”, “foo3′).

MSB xxx (0-127) -> maps to the list of Libraries in my system like this

• 000=”EZdrummer 2 Modern”,
• 001=”EZdrummer 2 Vintage”
• 002=”EZ drummer 3 Bright Room”,
• 003=”EZdrummer 3 Main Room”
• 004=”EZdrummer3 Tight Room”

This is what the MIDI automation line in my OnSong meta data section files looks like to call up kit “foo”:

MIDI: CC0:5-0, 6:0

For a song that calls up kit foo3:

MIDI: CC0:5-0, 6:2

 

I hope this helps anyone else who sees this issue.

And I hope that Toontracks will make this a one-step process in the next release.

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: Windows 11

[Luc Tanguay]

Hi.

I’m using EZD 3 version 3.0.6.  I have the following libraries (format is CC#00_value:name):

0:Claustrophobic
1:EZdrummer 2 Modern
2:EZdrummer 2 Vintage
3:EZdrummer 3 BrightRoom
4:EZdrummer 3 MainRoom
5:EZdrummer 3 TightRoom
6:The Classic
7:The Classic 4Mic

And then I have a few user presets. (see attached file)

To get the first user preset I have to send CC#00 9, then send Program Change 0.

So the user preset “library” is 2 above the last library.

In the file I also show the PG as a Patch tuple (as used in certain MIDI program).

Hope this help,

Luc

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: Windows 10

[Broutte]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for your efforts to try to solve this problem of changing the presets via midi. My problem is that I own as interface an old Yamaha DTX 2 module.

I’ve never worked so far with any program or control change… And thought I have the manual with more or less detailed explanation, I don’t know what to change, where in the MIDI pages…

Well, I’m lost !!!

When I turn the jog wheel, on few drum kits, it does change the preset in EZD3. But not all. And I don’t know which value changes in the module set up ( hope you understand, I’m French !! )

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: macOS Sonoma (14)

[Broutte]

Thanks Brad. GigPerformer looks very interesting and powerful !

I may chose this solution, not only to change the presets, but also to give them different audio treatments with my plugins…!

I think I’ll quickly give a try, instead of losing my nerves with the DTX2 module and EZD3.

EZdrummer version: 3.0.6
Operating system: macOS Sonoma (14)

[Author]

Replies