How do I make custom drum patterns?

[AloneWolf]

I’ve watched the tutorial videos and searched around a lot, but can’t quite find out how to do this..

I’ve been trying out the Ezdrummer demo, and it’s not hard to get to grips with. But I sometimes I want to change the patterns of one or two drums in a pre-programmed beat to something specific. I made a midi file of the snare pattern I wanted, but I can’t figure out how to actually paste that onto the snare drum in Ezdrummer and not affect anything else (how does that “paste midi” function actually work for external midi files?).

I don’t know how to go in and edit the midi patterns of any of the built in beats either.

The program seems really good apart from this issue. I’m considering buying it. But I really need to get round these problems first. Hopefully someone can help..

I’m using FL Studio x64 (latest stable) on W7 x64.

Thanks

1

Thanked by: reneGado90

Topic

[Scott Eshleman]

In this quick tip video, Toontrack’s Mike Sanfilipp walks you through creating a custom kick drum pattern in EZdrummer 2
and uses Copy-and-Paste from other grooves in the library to add all of the other instruments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru1nBo1CsK8

In this quick tip video, Toontrack’s Mike Sanfilipp shows you how to record a basic beat in EZdrummer 2
and use Edit Play Style to turn it into a realistic, custom groove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Yv_ElNC5E

This is a short tutorial by Ola Englund showing how he programs drum parts with Toontrack EZ Drummer 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEJH3WM6Oz8

1

Thanked by: Glam Gloom

[John]

Hi,

if you want to change e.g. the Snare in a 4 Bar groove, you can open it in Edit Play Style and try moving the ‘Amount’ knob in either direction to see if it’s what you’re after.
Or you right-click the Snare and click ‘Remove MIDI’, then exit Edit Play Style and record a new Snare by clicking the Snare in the interface or using a keyboard.
When done, you can return to Edit Play Style and Quantize the Snare by right-clicking it and select your quantize resolution.
It also possible to copy a Snare from another groove that you like and paste it into the groove where you removed the Snare MIDI.

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[AloneWolf]

Thanks guys Johns answer was what I was looking for. I recorded a custom snare pattern separately from the pre programmed beat I had chosen, then copied the midi pattern in. But, when I copied it in, it started playing it with a different groove, so I had to quantize it again. A couple times when I quantized the snare, it removed the rest of the drums from the beat. Not really sure what happened there.. Luckily the undo button was there for that.

Anyway, that’s the main issue sorted. I think I can experiment a bit more and try out some of the other features now. Thanks again

[todez_1]

Hello,
I have several questions even after having watched the videos you listed above, a comparison video of EZD vs SD2, and another video about using the EZD2 mixer. I will purchase one of the 2 products, but I have some doubts as to which one at this time.
1. I understand that I can record all of my custom groves using EZ Drummer 2 or Superior Drummer, just as I would using my Boss Drum Sequencer. Is that correct? Unfortunately, I never find a groove that is close enough to what I want when using the search function.

2. If I were to make a mistake in the placement of a snare hit while recording a custom grove, for example, how would I correct it? Would I be able to delete all snare hits that were made and start again without wiping out the kick drum, and then record only the snare part once again? Or would I have to start all over with everything?

3. Can I manipulate the sound of each individual drum in EZD2 & SD, say having a snare drum roll start quietly and getting loader to the end of a measure, or I do I not have that kind of control? How would I do something like that? Would it be done in your program, or would I have to use the automation in my DAW (Studio One)?

4. Does Superior Drummer come with Latin Percussion Instruments, or would I need to purchase the EZX Pack?

5. I am not an engineer and do not understand the technical points of SD, but I do want the highest quality sound, and SD has that with its 64-bit library. Would Superior Drummer be “too much” or “confusing” to me? Or will the presets allow me to work creatively as those on EZD would?

6. How many presets does SD have as compared to EZD2? Are the 80’s, Dance, Etc presets for the kits the same in both?

7. Do both EZD2 & SD have the same kit presets, such as 80’s, Dance, Distorted, etc?

Thank you for taking the time to answer me. They will help me determine which version is best for me!
Sincerely,

Todez

[Henrik]

1. You can record MIDI straight into EZdrummer 2. If you use Superior Drummer 2 you’ll have record the MIDI into a host.

2. In EZdrummer 2, you can right click on a MIDI block on the song track and chose to only remove one instrument from Remove Notes/Snare for example.
If you want to edit single notes it’s easier to record the MIDI straight into a host (Cubase, Logic etc) since they have more tools to manipulate individual notes.

3. This kind of operation is also best to do in a host, since you’ll have to edit the drum rolls individual notes’ velocity values. In EZdrummer 2, you can cut up, say the first beat, of a MIDI file and decrease (or increase) the velocity of the entire block.

4. Superior Drummer 2 doesn’t contain latin percussion, so if you need a variety of percussion that’s the pack to get. EZdrummer 2 comes with some shakers, tambourines, claps etc. You’ll find more under the EZdrummer 2 page on http://www.toontrack.com/product/ezdrummer-2/

5. Superior Drummer 2 has lots of editing possibilities and it’s the right choice for you if you want full control over the sounds. EZdrummer 2 has its’ strength in song writing. The sounds EZdrummer 2 are pre-mixed, meaning you don’t have to worry about mixing too much and can focus on the song writing instead.

6. The way the drum libraries sound is mostly depending on the loaded library/EZX/SDX. You should listen to some demos from the different products to find the sound you are after. Superior Drummer 2 has Preset Packs that you can get for each individual SDX where the drum sound has been tweaked by a producer, ready to use for you.

7. They don’t have the same presets since the presets are connected to the library/EZX/SDX (see the above note). Note that you can load EZX:s into Superior Drummer 2 but you can’t load SDX:s into EZdrummer 2, since Superior Drummer 2 is the “big brother” (technically speaking).

---

EZdrummer 2 has an MIDI out option, meaning that you can write the song parts in EZdrummer 2 and send the MIDI to Superior Drummer 2 (getting the best of the 2 worlds). This does, however, require you to have both programs. Many users starts out with EZdrummer 2 if they are relatively new to the drum edit market (or just in need for a song writing companion), and then crossgrade to Superior Drummer 2. The crossgrade is a deal Toontrack offers to Easy Drummer 2 owners to buy Superior Drummer 2 much cheaper than normal.

To sum it up:
* Superior is like sitting in a control room in a real studio with the drums miked up in the drum room in front of you (with full control of the entire mixer and all it’s channels, busses etc).
* EZdrummer 2 is the drummer in your band, whom you can ask to play “a little more hi-hat” or “add a fill there”. The sounds are really good (listen to the demos!), but not as tweak-able as in Superior Drummer 2.

Henrik Ekblom - User Experience Designer
Toontrack

1

Thanked by: Lyndon Wesley

[todez_1]

Thank you VERY MUCH for that detailed explanation, Mr. Ekblom. I now have a much better understanding of how each program works differently. I feel much better about getting the SD2 now that I do understand there ARE various presets in it as well, and I’m not so worried about “engineering” my own sounds and creating my own presets if I need to do so. I do plan on getting the Latin Percussion EZX.

I understand that the presets in SD2 are not the same as those in EZD2, but if I purchases EZD2 and then upgraded to SD2 would I be able to use the presets in both? Would there be any advantage to doing that?

I do understand I would have to do much of the tweaking (drum rolls augmenting, etc) in Studio One, but is it better to run EZD2/SD2 as a stand alone, or is it more beneficial to run it through the host (Studio One in my case)?

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions!

Sincerely,

Todez

[Henrik]

You can load an EZX (EZdrummer Expansion) in Superior Drummer 2, and you can load the presets in Superior Drummer 2 as well. You can change the routing in the mixer etc. on those presets and save as a custom preset. You can’t, however, save a preset in Superior Drummer 2 and open that, or any other Superior Drummer 2 presets, in EZdrummer2.

There are some benefits in using a host. If you use Superior Drummer 2 and want to create a track of several MIDI files, you’ll need a host. You can arrange a song with MIDI blocks in EZdrummer 2, but if you want to edit individual MIDI notes you should run a host for EZdrummer 2 as well!

Further, you can do mixing in Superior Drummer 2’s mixer, but if you want to use effects that aren’t included in SD2 you can route out all the channels to the host and add the effects there.

Not to mention the other advantages of hosts – adding more instruments – guitar, bass etc. Drums are nice but a song with only drums can be a bit boring

Henrik Ekblom - User Experience Designer
Toontrack

[todez_1]

Mr. Ekblom,

Thank you once again. I’m laughing at your comment about a song with only drums being kind of boring. I was hoping to start a new genre, and you’ve dashed my hopes! Just kidding, obviously. But seriously now, I come from 25 year-old technology and I thank you for taking the time to answer my doubts and questions!

Would you see any advantage in purchasing EZD2 and then getting the upgrade to SD2?

I’ll be purchasing one or the other (or both) in about a week.

Thank you!

Todez

[Henrik]

Since they both have different strengths I see a point in having them both. EZdrummer 2 is great for writing the drums for a song (with the Song Creator) and it has nice MIDI edit features such as Edit Play Style. It’s a joy to search for MIDI using the search tab with the filters and Tap2Find.

Superior Drummer 2 is the next step to take, since it offers full routing capabilities in the mixer, higher bit depth, more samples on the drums, more microphones recorded, options to change MIDI notes, create stacked drums etc. It’s the choice for professionals – and for those who aspire to sound like professionals

Henrik Ekblom - User Experience Designer
Toontrack

[todez_1]

Thank you Mr. Ekblom.

I would like to have both, but for right now it will have to be one or the other. I’m purchasing a large amount of things (too large really) to get a studio set up. And since I’m recording to sell, I will have to go with SD2 alone for now, due to it’s better quality, even if I might not understand many aspects of the engineering or be able to take advantage of it.

Thank you for all of your input. I truly appreciate your help!

Todez.

[ajp251]

I would like to know how to export a drum pattern in a more raw form. Example, no mixing done, no compression, no reverb, almost like how it sounds when tracked in the studio, so I can tweek it more to my liking. 🙂

Thanks, Mike

[todez_1]

@ajp251 said:

I would like to know how to export a drum pattern in a more raw form. Example, no mixing done, no compression, no reverb, almost like how it sounds when tracked in the studio, so I can tweek it more to my liking. 🙂

I’m sorry that I don’t know how to answer your question; too new to all of this yet. From what I’ve heard in SD2, nothing is really mixed or added. If it is, you can make any adjustments you need in the mixer section.

[hnoor0044]

I’m laughing at your comment about a song with only drums being kind of boring. I was hoping to start a new genre, and you’ve dashed my hopes! Just kidding, obviously.

== http://www.solitairechamp.net/ ==

NOOR

[AlWBass]

Not sure. What I am doing wrong but I can’t seem to make this work.

Is it because I just wanted to use a one bar hi hat count in clip and add a kick and snare hit?

I create the Kick/snare clip, copy the count in clip, select my kick / snare clip and paste just the hi hat, but I always lose my beats and just get left with the hi hats.

In this instance I ended up dragging the hi hat clip into the tap to search box, added my kick/snare and used that from the search box, which seemed to do the trick.

[Author]

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