[Tony Shaffer]

I do hear what y’all are saying. I’m coming from a different perspective. To start, I have EZkeys and I have Scaler and I have been programming midi since 5-pin DINs were put in place with the promise that “someday, we’ll actually use all five pins.”

But I am a player first and foremost, a recordist second, even though, these days, recording is a bigger chunk of my income than playing gigs. And in all that I do, I want to get past the tech part to the making music part as quickly as possible.

Toontrack is capable of amazing things, proven by SD3 and EZ bass and their constant development of new options/sounds. Something I appreciate greatly is the compatibility of these programs. I not only use them directly in recording projects, also to write, arrange, and create practice tracks for me ‘n’ my guitar. I also like to set up guide tracks for recording songs, something that I know will later be replaced with live tracks, but for now give me something basic that I can edit for transposing, changing tempo, or testing ideas.

Besides all the midi grooves that come with these programs, I have a library of grooves that I made from whatever project I was working on. When I record drummers, I can turn sections of their playing into midi to use for editing, replacement, or building new tracks, plus I sample their drums for the same reasons (they are fully aware and paid for their work, or they are buddies I do favors for in return).

I can do something similar with EZBass grooves, which is really nice: my rhythm section has “live player” DNA baked into it. And with drums, it is nice to be able to edit using samples and grooves from the player who recorded them: the playing, the dynamics, the instruments, the hands.

So, imagine what kind of hog heaven I’d be in if I could do the same thing with keyboards.

EZKeys does have its limitations. ‘Nuff said. You know it, I know it, Toontrack knows it. What I’d hope for is that enough of us would express our interest and support for “bringing EZKeys into the family,” so Toontrack finds enough reason to pick up on developing it to the same level as its siblings.

Reply To: When will the plugin be finished? version: 1.3.2
Operating system: Windows 10

[Tony Shaffer]

I take the point about “meeting a child where he is developmentally,” but the point is to “meet” there as a starting point for making solid developmental gains.
I’d also add that in the arts, no work is ever truly “finished,” just abandoned…and we call it “done.”

I guess I’m not ready to call this developmentally “finished” or “done.”

Toontrack does listen, and there was discussion about EZB Upright for a good while before it appeared, but it got here, so I like to think enough of us have to have faith and encourage Toontrack to bring EZK up to the amazing standards of SD3 and EZBass, both of which are, as far as I (and a lot of others) feel are the best programs of their kind on the planet.

There are a gazillion key/midi programs around, but the reason I prefer EZK is that it does things the others don’t, and I think it could be the “best of its kind on the planet” for a bunch of us. Toontrack has proven what they can do with SD3 and EZB. We’d just like to see that same kind of development applied to EZK.

I understand Toontrack’s position: development is costly, and there has to be a market for something to justify spending the money for development.

I think the path to EZKeys 2 is enough of us being willing to pony up our own dollars for a “new” keyboard program, much like moving from EZDrums to SD3: new interface, new functions, new midi capabilities, new thinking. Because I know Toontrack can do that, and I wouldn’t expect them to “fix” the old program just to meet my expectations.

I’d say the market for keyboard programs is glutted…but I also believe that enough people would leap on the opportunity to have “the best program of its kind on the planet” to make it worth developing – and right now, “the best” – in my opinion – would be EZKeys 2 with capabilities on a par with SD3 and EZBass.

Of course, I’d really like for the cost to be closer to EZBass than SD3, but if enough of us support the idea and encourage Toontrack, maybe it can work out decently for everyone concerned…as in they can afford to develop it and we can afford to buy it.

I know I would…in the blink of an eye.

Reply To: When will the plugin be finished? version: 1.3.2
Operating system: Windows 10

[Tony Shaffer]

This news made my day! Thanks, Toontrack!
And all y’all masses that supported the idea.

[Tony Shaffer]

It does, if a fretless bass does the job for you.
I checked with Support, and the long glides/slides are separate (midi) notes, like the original EZBass, so it doesn’t do that kind of upright technique (yet).

I’m still hoping for a genuine EZBass Upright.

Something with a smooth Ray Brown tone and a Rockabilly sound and technique and some slaps and thumps and maybe some bowing…while I’m wishing away.

And I’ll buy it the day it comes out too!

[Tony Shaffer]

I’d like to add my encouragement to the thought of having an upright expansion for EZBass.

And I’d like to mention that I reeeeeealy love the Tracker capability for injecting “my DNA” into my midi bass tracks, along with articulations. I have already been converting my P-Bass tracks in EZBass with great results, and I’ve done a bit of that with some upright bass VSTs as well, capturing time and dynamics and phrasing nicely – everything but upright articulations (and “noises”).

So, my hope would be for an upright expansion that can capture some of the significant articulations of my P-Bass audio in Tracker and apply them to an EZBass Upright Expansion. Some thumps and slaps and pops and noise would be very nice indeed. A little buzz on the open strings.

Reply To: EZ Bass as an upright??? version: 1.0.4
Operating system: Windows 10

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Thanked by: Stephan Katmarian and donskills

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