The Everything "EZDrummer" and "Superior Drums" thread.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chili
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Not following you....
How are you loading the Roots expansion pack if you didn't get the initial EZD/Avatar stuff to load....?
IOW....you would need the basic app loaded before you start adding expansion packs.

SD2 loaded right up. Then I tried to load the Avatar library and it failed. It loaded partially. I can see the file but the files won't play. SD couldn't find them at all and had to be pointed at them. When I try to use the uninstaller I get an error message that there are no files in the file. Instead of a file that says "SL-Avatar" my files are simply "soundsb1", "soundsb2", etc.

So I decided to try loading the Roots pack and while it took about 2 hours to load all 5 disks it worked and the samples are really great. After it loaded SD found the path to the Roots files and all the kits play.

I had read about folks having problems with the upgrade. Gonna call Sweetwater next week and see if they can send out another set of disks with the Avatar files or how they have been addressing this problem.
 
Hmmmmm.....


When I got my SD upgrade, I never got past the 2nd disk, as I didn't have the space on my system drive for all the extra files, and seeing that the last 3 disks where just a lot of different room/ambient mic options, I decided I didn't really need them, since I'm going to go with the relatively dry kit sounds 99.99% of the time and just add my amb/room during mixdown...so I didn't even load those files to any of my audio drives.

To load those extra three disks, you needed about another 15 GB of space. Since you were able to load the Roots afterward, it must mean you had the space....but then, maybe it was a corrupt set of disks you got...???


I also got my SD upgrade from Sweetwater....and no issues, but again, I only loaded the initial 2 disks, and never even tried the rest.
Maybe you might try uninstalling it and do what I did, just loading the initial two disks, which will give the SD app and the basic Avatar kit with close OH/room mics...sans the last 3 disks with the "more distant OH/Room mics" libraries.
 
I tried to do a partial install and it still failed during the first soundbank. I think the install disk is kaput.

Between EZ, SD, Dimension Pro, and Sonar loops I have something like 100gigs of samples on C:\ now!
 
....I have something like 100gigs of samples on C:\ now!

Picking a a good drum kit sound ought to be easy....

...just might take a couple of days! :laughings:


;)


Naa...it's good to have choices when working with samples. With a real kit, you set it up, get it to sound as best as you can, position your mics....and that's it. I mean, you might change out the snare, or even try different heads...but in the end, it's pretty much the one kit, so you're good to go what you have.
With samples, you get spoiled a bit, and you have all these great sounding drums, so picking the one that works best takes more time, and most people get caught up with that...dialing in, etc....but it's better having the choices than not.

I'm setting up my "go to" kit for each of the EZD/SD sound packs I have, and they will be my 4-5 go-to drum kits.
All the packs have good sounds, but they also have drum/cymbal sounds I just plain don't care for...so I'm not going to bother auditioning them every time I need a kit for a song.
That's kinda why I didn't bother installing all the extra OH/room samples for SD....I'm always going to go for a more dry kit, and then add ambiance in the mix...so there was no need to clutter my drives with all those additional sample...but they are there if I ever need them.

Anyway...get Sweetwater to send you a new package if you can...or Toontrack.
 
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When I open the step sequencer (Sonar X1) in SD 2.0 it just displays notes? Like C#2 and the like. How do I get it to list the drums?
 
Not sure where you do it in Sonar (haven't used it in a long time)...but most MIDI editors have a few different views, and there should be an icon or pull-down option that lets you switch from one view to another (Piano Roll, List, Drum, etc)....and there should also be a drum map editor within the drum edit view that lets you arrange how your samples get mapped out...to which key/note they are assigned.
 
I'm doing the exact same thing, inserting a soft synth, but when I use session drummer (stock in Sonar) it show the drums in the sequencer. I've tried using the drum map thing and I can't get it to work. I have little patience for those things. I need a real drummer.
 
Contacted Sweetwater and they are sending new install disks.

Have been watching all the EZ Keys vids and that is a really versatile program. Kindofa high-end cheat I reckon but what a quick way for somebody that isn't a keyboard player to lay down chord and even arpeggio progressions. I wonder how long until they release a EZ Keys B3?

Anybody used these MIDI files?

http://www.prosonic-studios.com/
 
I have a complete set of these! (seriously ..... I do :) ) something like a dozen records or so.

VERY easy learning curve.
:D
 

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:eek: That is... amazing..
they were before drum machines. Well .... at the time I knew someone who had a Linn Drum machine but it sounded like .... well, a very early drum machine .... not that good. And they were expensive.
These, of course, sounded like real drums.

The only reason I still have them is I have a quite large vinyl collection so I may as well have 'em.
But in the late 70's they were quite useful!
Each one would have 12-14 tracks of various styles. I got pretty good at using part of them and then recording part of another on my reel to reel and then combining the two to get fills where I wanted them.

:D
 
I've had Roots for a couple of weeks now and it's completely messed up my productivity.

It sounds so great that all I want to do is listen to the drums without any other instruments!

Roots is only for Superior, right? I don't see it in the list for EZD products... I read somewhere (maybe it was earlier in this thread) that all Superior products worked with EZD as well - one just wouldn't get the extra 'nuances' and stuff that Superior has, like the extra humanize options and whatnot. Maybe I'm wrong. *shrug*
 
So I picked up the NY Legacy Vol 2 SDX pack for EZ/SD and installed it last night. I just installed the basic samples for both the Allaire Studios and Hit Factory drums, and left all the extra ambient samples off...ain't got much use for them.

Only had a chance to run through the various sounds one time, but they sure sound nice, and really add to what you get with the basic SD application.

The price on this SDX pack has been steadily going up for some reason. You could find it on sale for $75 before XMas...then it went up to $89...then $119....and now $129 or $149 from most sellers.

I got it for $75 with free shipping from Audio Deluxe even though they are now selling it for $119 or $129, depending where you go...Amazon or direct from Audio Deluxe.
The way I got it for $75 was from their eBay sales...where they sell it for $129...BUT...if you look in all the Audio Deluxe items they offer, there is one listing for NY Vol2 pack that has a "Make Offer" option rather than a straight "Buy It Now".
I checked how much others got it for on previous offers, and there were some at $75 up to $95...so I offered them $75 and they accepted. :)
 
So I finally decided to pick up a new EZX and have mostly changed my mind about EZDrummer. The Nashville pack really gives the program some more useful sounds and it helps that I'm now using an e-kit to trigger the samples. It's a whole new ballgame for me, now. I think I may use this a lot more often.

It really bugs me though, that I can't pick and choose which kit pieces I want to use. This may be the definitive difference between EZD and Addictive Drums - If I continue going down this road, it's very likely that I'll just end up buying Addictive and using that exclusively.
 
Not following you....?

When you load a kit, click on the little arrow markers on each drum/cymbal...and you will get a pull-down that lets you choose alternatives.
There are usually a few different choices for each, so yeah, you can "build" your own kit from the available choices.
 
Not following you....?

When you load a kit, click on the little arrow markers on each drum/cymbal...and you will get a pull-down that lets you choose alternatives.
There are usually a few different choices for each, so yeah, you can "build" your own kit from the available choices.

"From the available choices" is exactly what I mean, Miro. That is to say, I cannot use the copper snare from the pop/rock kit with the dry ride from the Nashville kit, for example. This sucks, imo
I feel I should be allowed to mix and match as i please, like you can in addictive drums.
 
"From the available choices" is exactly what I mean, Miro. That is to say, I cannot use the copper snare from the pop/rock kit with the dry ride from the Nashville kit, for example. This sucks, imo
I feel I should be allowed to mix and match as i please, like you can in addictive drums.

Yeah, EZD is not 'Flexible ZD'. This was one one the reasons I moved on to Addictive. Many more reasons actually. EZD is way limited in other aspects as well.

It is inexpensive, and works for many. Easy, yes. Not so great IMO.
 
You can do that with SD....they have the "X-Drums" option which allows you to pull samples from any kit an place it anywhere in a custom built kit.
I think at the end of the day it's more about the quality of the actual samples.
With the choices I have in EZ and SD, and the few add-on packs I got....there's more choice than I need/want to make with every session. :D
I like to have 2-3 setups that I've customized and that's it. If you record a live drummer...how many different sets of bass drums, snares and cymbals does he bring along? ;)
Besides, AD comes with three kits....so again your are only choosing from what is "available".

Just get what you think will work best for you.
 
You can do that with SD....they have the "X-Drums" option which allows you to pull samples from any kit an place it anywhere in a custom built kit.
I think at the end of the day it's more about the quality of the actual samples.
With the choices I have in EZ and SD, and the few add-on packs I got....there's more choice than I need/want to make with every session. :D
I like to have 2-3 setups that I've customized and that's it. If you record a live drummer...how many different sets of bass drums, snares and cymbals does he bring along? ;)
Besides, AD comes with three kits....so again your are only choosing from what is "available".

Just get what you think will work best for you.

Very true Miro. In the end, I will almost always replace my AD drums with SS Trigger samples anyway. If actually being used for a finished product. It all comes down to the quality of the samples.

I have not heard the SD samples, so my opinion is not sound as far as that is concerned. EZD kits (I own most of them) do not cut it IMO. I do however use EZD for quick click tracks.
 
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