rebrecsI just want to put this here for anyone who might be in the same boat as I am.
If you were raised on BFD, and suddenly find yourself facing a need to replace it, you will likely feel like you just got your arm chopped off. Feeling lost, like what else could I trust.
IMO, It is OK to choose EZD. The first thing you will likely notice is the drums in the grooves are more processed out the ‘chute. Secondly, rather than selecting different variations on the grooves (from a list) EZD is more oriented toward using humanization controls on the drummer – to play alternative versions of the same groove. But, you can also edit the midi files to change the grooves too. Toontrack is like apple operating systems in that they do you a lot of favors to save you time. I have not yet found anything resembling the drum detail that is customary in BFD. It may be there, and I have not found it. But, they come “out of the ‘chute” sounding really good –
In fact, when I look at the effects chains, they do most of the same things I would have done- so ,
I reiterate- I understand your loss, but this is OK. Really, it is.
GranitzaAlso an ex-BFD3 user. Just switched to EZD3 last week. A few thoughts so far:
JohnHi Granitza,
while the drums in EZX libraries are not completely “raw” -they are recorded and produced with a basic processing typical for the producer of the EZX- the ‘Original Mix’ Presets do not have any internal Mixer effects applied.
BR,
John
John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor
Bear-Faced CowI do miss the BFD3 control over all the individual and unprocessed drum sound details (eg, drum damping, mic placement, number of mics, etc)
I don’t! Never did as soon as I got the Platinum Samples Andy Johns pack. It taught me very quickly what well recorded drums should sound like. It’s a crying shame that is is one guy that we will never get the pleasure of having a real SDX/EZX from. It was my go-to before the Bob Rock and Eddie Kramer libraries.
FXP never really listened to what we were asking for and their business model only worked for people wanting a drum machine like sound out of BFD. Not to mention that their model asked for a lot and offered little by comparison to what TT offers. As well, everything sounds and feels more coherent and like a drum on a holistic level in EZD/SD3.
The “mic placement” was really nothing more than IR manipulation. If anything, I found myself having to complete room replacement with BFD in order to get something salvageable. EZD/SD drums are recorded in various studios worldwide, many famous such as AIR London and Sunset Sound. And they sound amazing (totally hooked not the Mike Ilbert Signatures EZX – in many cases, I can use it right out of the box).
The first thing you will likely notice is the drums in the grooves are more processed out the ‘chute.
No, they are recorded through the real recording gear as opposed to simply wiring up a mic to a digital console and feeding it directly to a computer, leaving the user to try to hopefully re-create what a real world producer would do. There’s a big different going through a Neve, Helios or Trident console with the addition of a couple of real 1176’s and Pultec EQs, and sometimes captured by 2″ tape units. Yes, you can add plug-ins, but you will not sound like Mike Ilbert or Eddie Kramer.
BFD’s fine if you want to play drum engineer. I prefer to have someone who is known for getting great drums record my drums for me so I can write and mix music.
Secondly, rather than selecting different variations on the grooves (from a list) EZD is more oriented toward using humanization controls on the drummer – to play alternative versions of the same groove. But, you can also edit the midi files to change the grooves too.
Once Edit Play Styles came out in 2014, I never looked back. Far better than anything BFD had to offer as far as grooves go. Groove Parts and Replace MIDI take it even further.
Toontrack is like apple operating systems in that they do you a lot of favors to save you time.
Considering you bought a product is by design meant to provide mix ready drums out of the box, the above is quite unfounded and more a case of lack of prior research. If you want more control, that’s what SD3 is for as it more a drum designer platform and does more than BFD.
I like writing all my drums from scratch, and I’ve found the Grid Editor in EZD3 to be very friendly for efficient workflow now that I’ve spent a little time with it. The Song Track feature is super intuitive and well designed.
From one who has programmed drums for over 4 decades, I will tell you not to underestimate the available groove packs. They are grooves from real humans. That’s the goal here. If they have the groove I’m looking for, it would not nothing more than a case of ego to try to reinvent the wheel to come out as if Darby Todd or Kenny Aronoff would have played it.
jord
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