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[Tom]

Yeah, thanks for the Ainlay mixpack. As a Mark Knopfler wannabe since 1978 I have waited a long time for this.

… Now I am just waiting for Toontrack to sample Pick Withers’ drumkit from back then:

http://www.eddieryancustomdrums.co.uk/famous-customers.htm

Should have been in C&V-

Yes, I know Ainlay didn’t mix Dire Straits back then, so maybe there is even an idea for yet another mixpack too.

[Tom]

ORIGINAL: Scott

I think we should put both camps (pro iLok and against iLok) in a room and let them fight it out!

Not necessary. Celemony at one stage gave you a choice between challenge/response and iLok. You could do that too.

[Tom]

ORIGINAL: mikespike

If you guys ever start requiring a dongle I will take all my Toontrack disks outside and chop them into little pieces. Just sayin.

Dongle=ILOK

I would love an iLok. The current Toontrack authorization is a mess. Mine is dependent on what wireless usb device I plug in. Completely stupid. Come on Toontrack skip any dependence on external devices for authorization.

With an iLok I don’t have to depend on online authorizations of a lot of products. I can just install them, insert the iLok and fly. But if you absolutely want some kind of online authorization, then have a look at the Native Instruments’ Service Center. I severely love the way NI’s Service Center keeps track of updates for me.

[Tom]

The Toontrack authorization system is crazy. If you swap an external unit like a usb wireless adaptor, you will have to use yet another authorization.,

Why make it so difficult for legal users?

[Tom]

You don’t answer my question: Why does Toontrack have such a crazy authorisation system that making smaller changes to your hardware makes you lose authorisations? Why???

Yes, I can remove my two active Superior 2 authorisations myself. One is for my old DAW-pc, the other for my current DAW-pc with a borrowed usb wireless device. Doing that I will have two left: one for my own use wireless device and one if someone runs off with it or it just dies as some of these things do.

Now you make me even more worried, telling me I have authorised NY vol. 2 twice yesterday. I am not aware of having done that. It was authorised with my old DAW-pc long ago and once with the new one about a month ago. So what is going on. Are my possible authorisations just disappearing, even behind my back?

You have two choices:

1. Two active authorisations that can be removed making it possible to reinstall on other hardware. But no upper limit to how many times this can be done. Not 4 as it says now. That is ridiculous given my story above.

2. Give us an iLok alternative. The iLok haters can choose the above mess if the prefer. Celemony had a choice like this at one stage for Melodyne.

[Tom]

And if you add an x-drum? No such lists?

I believe this can be done with drop downs in drop downs, leading you to the kit for where you want the kit part.

I am sure Toontrack can find a way, like an option in preferences, for those of us who don’t care too much if the different parts were recorded in the same room.

[Tom]

I have never liked the x-drum thing. As an example it would have been better, if I could just load any snare directly into the snare slot.

Yes, I know different rooms and mics etc. But there should be a way to get around this, graying out maybe, adding a mixer channels for bastard ambience or whatever. Fair enough if you want the same room sound on all drums, but on the other hand I see famous mixing engineers putting completely diffent reverb and other effects on individual kiit parts. So what is so sacred about having a sinlge room for the whole kit. Let me have all snares available in the same snare slot. You can put a little red cross on those that you don’t think belong there, the orphans, the bad boys …

[Tom]

Spent the afternoon testing out EZmix. I have to conclude that it gets me 90% of the way the Waves Artist Signature plugs do. So it’s the old story: Pay 10 times more to get only 10% extra quality.

[Tom]

I like the principle oif EZMix very much. I now also have two of the Waves Artist Signature sets (CLA and JJP) in 10-20 times the price range of EZMix stuff. Nevertheless I just bought the EZMix pop/rock add-on today. Haven’t tested it yet, maybe won’t even use it, but I like to hear how experienced mixing engineers suggest things should sound.

That said, I still think EZMix needs some improvement of the GUI. Looks like a prototype. Put on some different colors. Why have flexible names for the controls instead of the fixed “shape” and “blend”? For some presets these names make no sense, so make it variable with names like punch, compress, attack, presence etc. as appropriate for the preset.

[Tom]

I bought the Joe Barresi one when it was half price at the beginning of this summer. Still, I think C&V is my number one.

[Tom]

It’s the upgrade version of C&V that has the midi, played by Withen.

[Tom]

Not blown away by Songwriter’s pack either. The midi that comes with C&V suits me better.

Anyway, I tend to end up with Jamstix. Get started with some midi loop for the song. Then let Jamstix read it and add variation and fills.

[Tom]

Yes, those presets also made me wonder if it is any idea having more than Avatar (I got Allaire and C&V too). With some clever presets you could make almost any drumkit fit any style.

Still I would like to see the presets ported to other SDX too.

[Author]

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