Black Friday 2016 - Music Gear Deals

andrushkiwt said:
I didn't know. So what's the diff? Why do they specify EZ and SD as far as packs?
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Yeah, as others have said...EZX packs just have less sample options...like you don't get 10 different room/amb choices per drums...stuff like that...
...but I rarely use those samples anyway in my SDX packs. In fact, I never bother installing them, I always just do the basic install with the SDX stuff. If I ever need it, I can always install it then...but why dump 10GB of ambient mic samples on my drive if I'm going to add my own ambience when I do the the final mixes...rather than adding ambience to the drums when I'm just working on the drums.
Of course...some people like to do that stuff differently...so your choice about doing the full installation with all amb/room samples.

Anyway...some of the EZX packs were done from scratch...recorded on their own, just for that purpose...while other EZX packs might be siblings created from the bigger SDX samples. Like the Nashville EZX is actually from the Music City SDX...only with the EZX, you just get one of the kits, while the SDX has two, and a lot more optional samples.
Also...some of the EZX packs are cobbled together and created only in the digital domain as "kits"...IOW....they take samples from a variety of their record drum libraries and create something like the POP pack, as opposed to actually going into a studio and specifically recording for that.
Still...many of the EZX packs have great drum samples...so you have to just audition them on the Toontrack site and find the ones that add to your drum sample collection.

I've often created kits in SD using a base kit from an SDX pack...and then adding individual drums from EZX packs to get what I want.....or sometimes vice versa.

So...don't overlook the EZX packs...not to mention, they're cheaper, and right now, $39 for many of them at many retailers (don't buy direct from Toontrack) :)

Oh...and this is why Superior Drummer is the better choice/deal (though I do understand why EZD2 appeals to the basic songwriters, for eas of use)...because you can use both EZX and SDX sample packs.
Right now...you can upgrade from EZD2 to SD for only $99...for anyone looking for more options than EZD2 gives you.
 
I wish sites would take 50% off an American Les Paul instead of a Chinese toaster. :/
 
While I still check prices on software it would have to be an incredible deal for me to buy it. I figure if I can't make a good recording with the plugs I have now, I'll never be able to.

I think this is a great deal at $299, but I already have one.

I might get a ukulele with a pickup if I find the right deal, other than that I'll wait for something that's so cheap I can't afford not to buy it even though I don't need it.
 
Cheesehead1 said:
I'll wait for something that's so cheap I can't afford not to buy it even though I don't need it.
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That's how I feel. 15% off just doesn't get me excited, and that's what most sites are running on the stuff I'm interested in.
 
Nola said:
That's how I feel. 15% off just doesn't get me excited, and that's what most sites are running on the stuff I'm interested in.
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If I could get 15% off on a couple of specific items I would pull the trigger, but Musician's Friend limits it's deals to certain items.:mad:
 
Cheesehead1 said:
... if I can't make a good recording with the plugs I have now, I'll never be able to.

.......

I might get a ukulele with a pickup
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Well...how's the uke going to help then? :D ;)

Cheesehead1 said:
If I could get 15% off on a couple of specific items I would pull the trigger, but Musician's Friend limits it's deals to certain items.:mad:
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MF is OK...but there's deals at other places...and don't ignore the bay, there's always good deals there.
I scored a pair of guitars that regularly sell at about $1300-$1500 each, new...for $750 total, for the pair, and one with case! :)
I wasn't really looking for more guitars...but like you said...
...they were so cheap, I couldn't afford not to buy them even though I didn't need them. :facepalm: :laughings:

AFA "plugs"...yeah, I'm kinda all full-up on plugs. I don't need another software comp or EQ or whatever.
I was just grabbing a few more drum packs to round out my Toontrack collection...but I think I'm going back to buying more hardware from this point on....I don't see myslef buying any more plugs, unless it's something totally fresh.
If I hadn't pulled the trigger on the two guitars, I probably would have grabbed another dual-channel preamp or a mic or something like that...because that stuff tends to hold value, so one day you can sell it for a decent price, and then go get something different. Try doing that with your plugs...once you buy them, they're yours for life...people just don't buy used plugs.
 
miroslav said:
Well...how's the uke going to help then? :D ;)
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I've already got two ukes but neither has a pickup. I could install one myself and possibly fuck it up or I could pay someone else, but that would cost a good amount making buying a whole new one a viable option. I really haven't been recording at all lately, but I have been playing live regularly and I've been wanting to play a uke set.

My two items I would buy if I got the right price would be the Boss VE8 or the EH C9.
 
miroslav said:
...but why dump 10GB of ambient mic samples on my drive if I'm going to add my own ambience when I do the the final mixes...
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i want more samples though, since i usually only like 2-3 snares out of the 10 with each pack, for example. so if SDX's have more options (kit pieces), I think i'll stick with those. that one kick that is missing might be the one I like best.
 
andrushkiwt said:
i want more samples though, since i usually only like 2-3 snares out of the 10 with each pack, for example. so if SDX's have more options (kit pieces), I think i'll stick with those. that one kick that is missing might be the one I like best.
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SDX have more kits/drums...but what I'm talking about are the additional amb/room samples you get with most SDX packs.

For example...you could do the *basic* installation of an SDX pack without all the extra amb/room samples...and you would get ALL the snares/drums/etc with that *basic* installation. So with a typical 12-15GB SDX...the basic install is like maybe 4-6GB...and the remaining GBs are just those amb/room samples.
They recorded like 10 different room mic positions and amb mic positions...and those long tails in the samples suck up a lot of GB space.
So unless you really need those amb/room samples...you can just not install them and save the HD space.
I mean...how often do you need or would want to add 5-6 additional amb/room tracks to your drums when you create a typical kit...?
You usually get like 1-2 amb/room tracks anyway, even with the basic install, and those are the closer mics...which I find are the ones I use 99% of the time anyway...or I go dry, and add all the ambience later one during mixing.

They just wanted to make the SDX packs much more extensive...so they give you a LOT of extra amb/rooom tracks, that I would bet most people don't use, in most of their songs. I mean, they just make the kits extremely wet...but I'm sure there's the odd case where you might want that.

Anyway...even with the EZX packs, you still get 1-2 amb/room tracks...the closer mic stuff, that is more usable...so you are not really missing out on anything over the SDX packs AFA that is concerned.
What you do miss out on are the many extra drums they provide in most of the SDX packs...and the complete kits.
So an EZX pack might have 2-3 full kits...and maybe a half dozen snares and kicks...where an SDX might have 5 full kits and 8-10 snares and kicks...etc...but the real key is how do they sound.
The one ore two kits and 2-3 snares in an EZX pack could be perfect...while the extra 2-3 kits and 4-5 snares and kicks in an SDX might be just filler that you would rarely use.

I'm not trying to talk you into buying the EZX...just saying that you could be missing out on some nice sounding sample packs if you only consider the SDX stuff and ignore all the EZX.

I just bought the Southern Soul and Post Rock EZX packs...and the drums in them are sweet...and give me another bunch of options.

The only thing I still want from the SDX packs is the Progressive sample library...but the fuckers are keeping that pack at full price. I will however be getting the Indiependant SDX later today...which is at half price. :)

---------- Update ----------

blaumph2cool said:
I pulled the trigger on Superior Drummer 2...upgrading from EZD 1.
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HUGE difference in tool capability/fucntionality...you'll not go back to EZ1.
 
Dear retailers,
you are not trying hard enough. I'm going to be generous and give you another chance to spend my money. Please try harder.

Thanks,

cheesehead
 
Cheesehead1 said:
Dear retailers,
you are not trying hard enough. I'm going to be generous and give you another chance to spend my money. Please try harder.

Thanks,

cheesehead
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But let's be clear....this will be their last chance to make it right....until the big sale!
 
I went to Guitar center yesterday and bought 2 guitar stands for $5 a piece and a pair of Tascam TH-200X headphones for $19.
 
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