Getting Started With Toontrack: EZDrummer, EZBass and EZKeys

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.