Getting Started With Toontrack: Ezdrummer, Ezbass And Ezkeys

Learning EZDrummer 3, EZBass and EZKeys

What you'll learn
Users of Toontrack programs.
EZDrummer 3 will be investigated.
EZBass will be investigated.
EZKeys will be investigated.
Requirements
A casual understanding of the EZ line of Toontrack products is useful.
Description
Throughout this course, learners will receive a great getting started guide to the Toontrack trilogy of EZ programs EZBass, EZDrummer and EZKeys.The concept of Toontrack's EZ Line of products has been clear since day one: to give you, the songwriter, not only products that make your music sound great, but also the tools you need in order to create music. Creativity is the hallmark at the front and centre of the EZ Line design. EZbass, of course, is no different.EZdrummer 3 reinvents the role a piece of drum production software can play in a songwriting context. It gives you the creative reins to a comprehensive set of easy-to-use features that allow you to create full-fledged drum tracks without ever leaving the software.EZkeys is more than a piano or keyboard instrument – it’s a powerful songwriting tool. It comes packed with intuitive functionality that will make it a breeze adding creative layers of music to your songs or writing custom pieces from scratch.Welcome to this Musical Notes getting started course on Toontrack’s EZDrummer 3, EZBass and EZKeys.Musical Notes - We make the notes. You make the music.Though this course is designed for absolute beginners to Toontrack software, I feel existing or established users will still get insight in to the software too.So, if you’ve used previous versions of the software, it’s likely you’ll still gain useful information about the software.But the course is really designed for anyone totally new to Toontrack's software.As always with ‘Musical Notes’ courses, we don't assume all of you have complete understanding of every aspect of the software being explored.Yes, a number of existing users will already know every parameter and menu function.But, you’ll understand it’s our job to ensure nobody is left behind.It’s for that reason I make an apology now to more established users.I’m sorry that what could be regarded to some of you as ‘simple functions’ are explained as we progress.It’s just that brand new users have no idea about those ‘simple functions’ and would need them explained; albeit briefly.Anyway, with that in mind, for pretty much each tutorial in this course, I’ll split them into an initial brief overview explanation of the particular function being shown, before the particular function explained will be seen in action.For example, I’ll explain how EZDrummer offers the opportunity to customise individual drums from any loaded and running kit - and why customisation might be useful to you; prior to showing you how it’s done and subsequently providing examples.I’ve chosen to do it this way, having the explanation of the function first, because it allows the examples that follow to be clearer and make more sense.Now, as an aside, it must be noted that EZDrummer 3 is related, of course, to Toontrack’s flagship drum software - Superior Drummer.When at version 2, EZDrummer was very much regarded as being inferior to Superior Drummer. And, there was a big price difference to underpin that.But, now EZDrummer has reached version 3, it does remain different enough to Superior Drummer - but is pretty much as good.In multiple ways, there are considerable overlaps between EZDrummer and Superior Drummer.As a result of the overlaps, many users ask why they should buy the more expensive Superior Drummer if, as it’s claimed, EZDrummer is very similar?I’ll explain one of the main differences.One of the fundamental differences between the two softwares is EZDrummer loads drum kits that are pretty much mixed and balanced and effected and EQ’d ready for immediate use.EZDrummer 3 installs with a number of kits to get you started.But, for extra creativity, Toontrack sells further kits for you to buy.The extra kits are referred to as expansions.Arguably, Toontrack's success has been built upon three fundamental elements.First of all, it provides very high‑quality, multi sample drum, bass and keyboard  sounds that form the various expansion libraries.EZDrummer 3 ships with some great kits.With them, we get related patterns that have been specifically designed to run with the associated kits.However, you are not restricted to only using the provided patterns with their related kit.You can mix and match any patterns with any kit so that the upmost flexibility is offered.Furthermore, you can buy extra midi drum patterns - the expansion packs I mentioned earlier - to drive particular drum kits.These extra patterns obviously do tie up with their related kits - but they can just as easily be used with any of the kits you have.So, while you can obviously create your own drum, bass and keyboard patterns using your preferred sequencer, Toontrack does provide us with excellent (and expandable) collections of genre‑based MIDI grooves that can easily be arranged into a song format.So, if you’re not really a drummer, bass player or keyboardist and would prefer professionals to have programmed and played stunning drum patterns, it’s as well to take advantage of the multitude of patterns provided.

Overview

Section 1: EZDrummer

Lecture 1 Introduction

Lecture 2 Product Manager Introduction

Lecture 3 Product Manager In Action

Lecture 4 Editor Views

Lecture 5 File Menu Options

Lecture 6 Grooves View

Lecture 7 Filtering Grooves

Lecture 8 Building A Song

Lecture 9 Trimming Patterns

Lecture 10 Adapting Time Signatures

Lecture 11 Adapting Patterns

Lecture 12 MIDI Map Notes

Lecture 13 Manually Creating Patterns

Lecture 14 Grid Editor Viewing

Lecture 15 Tempo Adjustments

Lecture 16 Snap and Resolution

Lecture 17 Information About Realism

Lecture 18 Humanize Rhythms

Lecture 19 Tap to Find Controls

Lecture 20 Tap To Find In Action

Lecture 21 Adding and Duplicating Tracks

Lecture 22 Quantising Timing

Lecture 23 Creating Breakdowns

Lecture 24 Song Creator

Lecture 25 Grid Editing Options

Lecture 26 Swapping Song Parts

Lecture 27 Mixer View

Lecture 28 DAW Sync

Lecture 29 Edit Play Style

Lecture 30 Bandmate

Section 2: EZKeys

Lecture 31 UI Overview

Lecture 32 UI Further Functionality

Lecture 33 Creating Chord Progressions

Lecture 34 Extra Chord Options

Lecture 35 DAW Editing

Lecture 36 Using Multiple Patterns

Lecture 37 Folders and Favourites

Lecture 38 Midi Import Options

Lecture 39 Randomizing Chords

Lecture 40 Adapting Properties

Section 3: EZBass

Lecture 41 First Look

Lecture 42 Exploring Presets

Lecture 43 Adding Patterns

Lecture 44 Audio Tracker 1

Lecture 45 Audio Tracker 2

Lecture 46 Grid Editor

Lecture 47 Articulations

Lecture 48 Importing EZKeys Projects

Lecture 49 Adapting Pitch and Vibrato

Lecture 50 Drums and Keys

Lecture 51 Drums and Keys 2

Lecture 52 Keyswitching and Cubase

Beginner Toontrack users.