EZdrummerquestions, suggestions and problems

[billkahler]

Now that I’ve been using EZdrummer for a long time and have purchased a bunch of expansion packs, some things are surfacing that I have questions about. So much of this software is really cool, but there are some things that are lacking in a big way, unless I just don’t have all the info.

1. When searching for a particular beat, it would make the search easier if there was a PDF or similar of the musical notaion instead of auditioning loop after loop.

2. The progression in numbers when auditioning beats is crazy sometimes. Often there is no order to the increasing complexity of the beats.

3. In Pro Tools, when a beat is finally chosen, the preset is not saved. The only way to save the groove is to paste the midi track.

4. In Pro Tools, the space bar only adds confusion when auditioning beats, and the user has to mouse click to start and stop EZdrummer. Alll other plug ins by other companies respond to the space bar when auditioning.

5. I found a beat I liked except for a tom. Muted the tom, but it still showed up in the overheads and room.

This software reminds me of an antique sports car. Really fun to drive when it runs.

Topic

[John]

Hi billkaher,

I’ll only comment on what I believe you have misunderstood, since the first two points are opinions.

ORIGINAL: billkahler
3. In Pro Tools, when a beat is finally chosen, the preset is not saved. The only way to save the groove is to paste the midi track.

You are supposed to work with the EZdrummer Groove Browser and your host of choice (e.g. Pro Tools) this way – you search for MIDI grooves you like in the EZdrummer Browser and then drag them to your Pro Tools EZdrummer Instrument Track/MIDI Track.

4. In Pro Tools, the space bar only adds confusion when auditioning beats, and the user has to mouse click to start and stop EZdrummer. Alll other plug ins by other companies respond to the space bar when auditioning.

Being a Pro Tools pro user since…well, at least 10 years, I can say that this is not a fact, since you control the Pro Tools Transport with the space bar. Very few would take control over the space bar when the GUI is open. Can only think of one manufacturer’s plugins ATM and then the space bar only is space for entering text.

5. I found a beat I liked except for a tom. Muted the tom, but it still showed up in the overheads and room.

If you wish to remove the Tom hits from a groove, you should drag it to your EZdrummer Instrument Track and Edit out the Tom hit.
If you wish to remove a particular Tom because you simply don’t want one in your song, you unload the Tom(s) in question.

If you have further question regarding the operation of EZdrummer, please post in the Support section and/or search the PDF Manual.

Best Regards,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Whitten]

Yep, all I can add is to clearly say the tom you don’t want is part of the groove… as in a midi note.
If you don’t like the tom hit, remove the midi note when it appears in the midi groove.
It’s basically the same as telling the drummer not to hit the tom, but all EZdrummer performances (grooves) are midi based.

[Bill.Holbrook]

I have an Alesis DM-10 studio electronic kit and would like to use it with ez drummer, I’m waiting for the software to come in the mail. will I be able to do this and will it show me how to connect . what I want to be able to do is get basic tracks from songwriters put it in my ipod play the kit with ez drummer, record it, and send back a finished drum track so they can do their overdubs

[Whitten]

For proper timing you should load the basic backing tracks from the songwriters into a DAW (you have Pro Tools?), create a click track, make sure the click and the backing track are in sync, then play your drums to that (recording the drums as midifiles, not audio).
This will yield the best results.

[Bill.Holbrook]

Thanks for getting back!!! I don’t have protools(yet). I have 40 years experience drumming, but none in technology, and this is all new to me. The only thing(Daw) that I have now is garage band that came with the mac, which I know nothing about. A friend of mine has protools, is that my best bet?

[Whitten]

You’re just never going to be able to match the timing between the songwriters original recording, your iPod playback, and your recording (drums).
It’s a sync nightmare, nothing to do with your obvious skill on the drums.

There is even evidence an mp3 dropped into a DAW like pro tools isn’t accurate timing-wise.
To successfully do remote* drumming, you need to all work to a click (strict tempo from a drum machine or loop), the songwriters need to tell you what tempo the song is in BPM.
Then you need to set up your drum recording (in something like Reaper or pro Tools) so that you play in time with the click.

*’Remote’, as in you aren’t in the same space as the other musicians recording the song.
Remote recording of drums is un-natural. Unless everyone recording their parts on the song record to a strict tempo guide, it’s going to sound exactly as it was constructed – four or five guys all playing on their own. Not a good result.

[Author]

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