I think there are a few step sequencer plug-ins you can use to trigger EZdrummer over midi.
You should understand the EZX Electronic is slightly unusual in the Super/Ezdrummer line-up.
Virtually the whole product range has been built to simulate the dynamics and feel of a real drummer playing real drums. That’s why the libraries usually feature midi files recorded by real drummers.
I’ve been using EZX: Electronic as a plug in inside NI Maschine. That’s an elaborate (and quite fantastic) step sequencer.
Anyway, google ‘step seqeuncer plug in’ and see if you can find a cheap one that will spit ouyt midi.
I think there are companies that supply midi files you can use with products like Trillian.
There are also loop libraries you can buy.
The one down side is that any pre-produced melodic midi is going to determine the direction of your music. Drum midi files work because drums usually perform a supportive role. There are a few dozen standard drum grooves that are the foundation of many, many songs. So using drum midi doesn’t really tie you into any specific direction in your composition.
However, Beatstation offers REX files in melodic instruments (bass, keyboards, guitar etc), as does Apple loops I think.
That’s what I would think but McCartney played drums on that track and I don’t know if his style would be worthy of duplicating. Not that it was bad, but it lacked style and technique.
WOAH!!!
‘Band On The Run’ is one of my favourite drum albums.
FWIW, we aren’t talking ‘The Classic’ with these descriptions.
Just doubt that they can be bothered in these days of electronic stiff music…they seem to gravitate more towards that market
How so?
I think the simple fact is it’s easy to come up with numerous great ideas for EZX’s and SDX’s, but it’s expensive and time consuming to develop them.
Percussion, cinematic percussion, world percussion etc are all no brainer ideas. As is a reggae EZX/SDX and the Jazz SDX of course. I think it would be fairer and not a little realistic to assume the costs involved, grabbing and scheduling the right personnel, and the time it takes to record, edit and format for the platform are the reasons expansions seem to take a while to appear. Not that Toontrack ‘can’t be bothered’.
I’ve done ‘train beats’ in both my midi libraries, however they don’t sound anything like rolls, or military rolls.
Sounds like something you’d hear in a New Orleans style groove library.
You can program performances yourself using a midi controller, like a keyboard or dedicated percussion controller.
You keep saying “hitting the drum once” somewhat humorously, but just to be clear, each kit piece (drum or cymbal) is sampled hundreds of times to make up a realistic response to the drum or cymbal being played back by EZDrummer – – similar to microscopically sampled pianos.
EZdrummer comes with midi grooves that have live feel. Most are performed by real drummers.
However, you do need a basic daw that can handle midi and software plug-ins.
Yeah, I agree on all of your factors, however I feel the player is an equal major factor.
In my humble opinion, all of the virtual drum products have improved markedly since drummers with a sound and vision have been employed.
I honestly think that’s why many people don’t do it.
It’s anti musical. A guy who can get well paid for expressing themselves with the planet’s top songwriters is not going to be enthusiastic about hitting single drums for hours for less money.
I’m amazed someone persuaded Neil Peart, although I’m not sure he hit every drum that ended up in the product.
Most of the people doing it are in it because they believe in the technology or have uses for it themselves – Nir-Z and Peter Erskine would be prime examples.
Keltner has certainly embraced new technology over the years, so there’s a chance there.
