EZKeys Needs to be able to Follow Logic 11 Global Chord Track

[brendan371]

Yes Toontrack did it first, you get kudos, but the new Logic release includes a Global Chord Track that is incredibly useful, despite a few bugs.

Chord editing in EZKeys has always been clunky and felt like a chore. Toontrack is probably a bit miffed that Apple just debuted their own take on EZKeys, EZBass, and their EZDrummer I’m sure has cut into sales of that software.

I’ve been a customer and user for years, but this is the inflection point. I’m going to use global chord tracks in Logic as part of my main writing/production workflow, and I imagine a lot of ofter people will too. EZKeys needs the option to follow the global chord track instead of using their own chord track exclusively. This will be a make-or-break feature for me; want to keep me and people like me as a customer, you gotta interface with the global chord track, or I’ll just use Apple’s inferior but easier to use Session Keys player.

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Thanked by: SKIPPY72

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[John]

Hi,

I haven’t used Global Track yet in Logic 11 but I don’t think the Global Track Chord changes are sent to plug-ins, much the same way Time Signature changes are not.

If they are not sent from the host to the plug-ins, I would suspect there isn’t much Toontrack could do about it. What you want to do is to use the EZkeys 2 songwriting and manipulating features for notes but get the Chords stipulated from Logic?

It’s the right place for a request, though.

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[brendan371]

Hi John, thanks for taking the time.

I’m operating under the assumption that global chord and signature track information is sent to plugins in 11, since Apple’s own plugins are referencing them. I am a coder myself, so I am not trying to understate the complexity, but objectively it doesn’t look like apple has given it’s own plugins any greater level of permissions or integration than a third party AU plugin.

Toontrack is surely feeling the heat since competitors to their flagship products are not included with Logic. I’ll grant that they’re not currently as good, but that global chord track makes is so easy when I’m throwing a demo together, I don’t even bother with the chord editor in EZKeys, which has always been finicky anyways.

I would have trouble believing the smart coders at Toontrack would have too much trouble finding a way to make using EZKeys as simple as using Logic Session Keys referencing the global chords. I do also think it’s a necessity for the viability of EZ* products going forward; my use of EZkeys has dropped like 80% since Logic 11 released, and to be perfectly honest, as much as I love EZKeys, I wouldn’t buy it today if I didn’t already own it, and as it stands I won’t be buying any more add-ons or upgrades unless this gets added, and I’m sure there’s a lot of folks like me who feel the same way.

Thanks!

-B

[Mark Styles]

Back in the 80s, six companies worked together to make the MIDI specs. MIDI has survived and prospered. Something like this needs to be done again with music software, DAW’s etc.  There are way too many musicians for this NOT to be done.  I can’t believe Apple put out Logic with this makeshift way to make a chord track.  My composing, producing, and songwriting friends use a handful of programs to do their work now. The current situation is just indicative of how far companies will go to force you to only use their family of programs and plug-ins.

I am fed up with it. It seems like I spend 1/3 of my time talking, emailing, and typing in those stupid little ‘chat’ boxes to get a simple process to work.

This is akin to an expensive car manufacturer. just to be special, decides to put a ‘brake button’ on the steering wheel, just so they are unique.  As each company wants to be more special, they make up their own different techniques.

• This post was modified 4 months, 1 week ago by Mark Styles.

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