The go-tos of Latin and Cuban percussion.
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The go-tos of Latin and Cuban percussion.
| ADD TO CARTThe Latin Cuban Percussion EZX was envisioned as a percussive complement to the Latin Cuban Drums EZX and features a collection of the most common percussion instruments used in the wealth of music sorted under ‘Latin’: congas, timbales, bongos, guiros, shakers, woodblocks, cowbells and more. It was recorded alongside its EZX counterpart at New York’s renowned Sear Sound Studios by Grammy Award-winning and Emmy-nominated engineer Dave Kowalski and sampled by undoubtedly one of the world’s most in-demand percussionists, Richie Flores. Richie, Brooklyn-born but raised in Puerto Rico, embarked on his journey as a professional percussionist already at the age of 13 and was the youngest musician to ever travel with a band outside Puerto Rico. Since then, he has played with some of the most celebrated artists in Latin music, performed on several Grammy Award-winning records and continued to perfect his musical voice.
If the drums paint the bigger picture and act as the rhythmic heartbeat, percussion is what fills in the blanks and makes sure all the glaring colors and hallmark Latin accents indefinitely shine through. Simply put, in Latin music, percussion is just as essential to the groove as the groove itself. Welcome to your new go-to collection, handpicked by one of today’s number-one performers and captured in stunning detail – encapsulated by the iconic aura of the Sear Sound room.
In Latin music, drums and percussion are one. For the complete experience, check out the Latin Cuban Drums EZX – recorded during the same session!
LATIN CUBAN DRUMS EZXMeet the team and get a glimpse of what happened behind the scenes during the session!
The Latin Cuban Percussion EZX features a must-have selection of instruments for anything from traditional to modern productions – all handpicked by percussionist Richie Flores.
1. CONGAS
(Three different sets to choose from)
a. Conga
b. Quinto
c. Tumbadora
2. TIMBALES
(Two different sets to choose from)
a. Macho
b. Hembra
c. ChaCha Bell
d. Mambo Bell
e. Woodblock
d. Cymbal
3. BONGOS
(Two different sets to choose from)
a. Macho
b. Hembra
4. CAJON
5. WOODBLOCKS
(Two different sets to choose from – sticks or mallets)
a. low
b. mid
c. high
6. HAND COWBELLS
(Three different ones to choose from – low/med/high)
7. SHEKERES
(Two different ones to choose from – med/high)
Future Hit instrument + classic one-shots with articulations
8. CLAVES
(Two different ones to choose from – med/high)
9. SHAKERS
(Five different ones to choose from)
Future Hit instrument + classic one-shots with articulations
10. MARACAS
(Three different ones to choose from – low/med/high)
Future Hit instrument + classic one-shots with articulations
11. TAMBOURINES
(Three different ones to choose from)
Future Hit instrument + classic one-shots with articulations
12. TRIANGLES
(Three different ones to choose from – low/med/high)
13. VIBRASLAPS
(Two different ones to choose from)
14. CHIMES
15. GUIROS
(Three different ones to choose from)
16. CABASAS
(Two different ones to choose from)
17. RAINSTICKS
You started playing percussion already at the age of four. How did you discover your passion for these instruments and at that young age?
I discovered my passion in the field of percussion thanks to my father, Saúl Flores, who taught me and bought me records by conguero masters such as Ray Barreto, Mongo Santamaría, Tata Guine among others. From there, I was dedicated to study the instrument daily.
You embarked on your professional carrier already at age eight. Tell us more about what that was like!
I started playing with local bands in Puerto Rico at the age of eight with the Batacumbele group, at 13 with the Roberto Roena band and then with the piano master Eddie Palmieri – and started traveling around the world!
By age 13 you traveled to New York to perform, making you one of the youngest musicians to travel with a band outside of Puerto Rico. That must have been quite a journey for a young and aspiring musician?
That was my first trip outside of Puerto Rico. It was for me one of the most important experiences of my career where I had the opportunity to play on the most important stages in the city of New York. This is also where also the most important company in the world discovered me, Latin Percussion, who signed me at that age. Thanks to Martín Cohen for giving me the opportunity.
Since then, you have played all over the world with some of the most renowned artists, done clinic tours and performed on Grammy Award-winning albums. What are some of your personal milestones along the way?
I had the opportunity and the blessing to record and share platforms with different artists, some of whom are Celia Cruz – one of the most important singers in Cuba, bassist Israel Lopez Cachao, who is also Cuban, as well as timpani king Tito Puente. I have traveled the world with many other artists and acquired invaluable experiences.
You also played when President Clinton was inaugurated in 1998. What was that like?
To meet President Clinton and his wife Hillary was and will be a very important experience in my career as a musician. When I was called to belong to a chosen few of great musicians and play at the second inauguration of the President and play at home. Blanca, uuffff, I couldn’t believe it!
To you, why is percussion such a pivotal instrument and if you had to boil it down to the essentials, what is it that makes you love playing it so much?
For me it’s like the perfect relationship – to give everything, to love with all the passion. It is also a musical language for the world that is incorporated with other musical genres – and we transmit love, happiness and joy to the world.
Finally, this was your first time sampling percussion. Tell us your thoughts on the process.
When they called me for this great project, thanks to my little brother Robby Ameen, I could not believe it. As for the experience, I did it with my total dedication so that all musicians in the world can get real sound, very well done – and all of you will also have my soul in your homes virtually, hahahaha! Thanks to Toontrack, which in my personal opinion is the best company in the world. They take things very seriously.
Sear Sound is one of – if not the – oldest recording studios in New York City. It was founded by Walter Edmond Sear (1930-2010), inventor, composer, film producer and out-and-out audiophile with a deep passion for gear and technology. He built his studio around the philosophy of having musicians capturing their music live at the studio and through the shortest possible signal paths of the highest possible quality. Over the years, literally everyone has recorded here – from John Zorn to Björk, David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, Yoko Ono, Steely Dan, Lou Reed, Wayne Shorter and Norah Jones, to name just a few. Simply put: Sear Sound is a hugely influential puzzle piece of our collective music history. We are happy to bring you two pivotal cornerstones for your songs captured in this magical aura: drums and percussion.
The audio for these videos was recorded live at Sear Sound Studios on the last day of the EZX sessions. The live drum, percussion and bass multi-track files were then converted to MIDI using Superior Drummer 3 and EZbass. The piano was retracked using a MIDI controller. The final mix features the sounds of the Latin Cuban Drums EZX, Latin Cuban Percussion EZX, EZbass and EZkeys Vintage Upright.
How did you get started in the music business and how come you found your home on the producer’s side of the glass? Was sound and production something that always interested you?
I was a working musician before I started getting serious with audio and production but always managed to have a way to record, and at the earliest, that would be tape. While the band would be out partying, I’d be tinkering with the recordings I made of the gig! It was as much a passion as was playing and I developed my skills the same way as a guitarist…practice, make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, do better next time! I got started the business end of it when my bandmates and I opened our own studio and began dealing with other artists. We were known for working with many of the seminal hip-hop and R&B acts of the ‘80s and ‘90s, like Rob Base, Salt-N-Pepa, Guy, Blackstreet, Naughty by Nature and many others. Lots of jazz as well since we had a great Bösendorfer piano.
You have been making records since the early 1980s. Looking back on the entire journey up until now, what are some of your personal milestones?
Well, the first major project that I recorded and mixed was “It Takes Two” by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. Having my nose to the grindstone in those days, I didn’t even know it had gone big until it was brought to my attention by others. That one went on to multi-platinum status and is still popular today. I have been honored to receive a few Grammy Awards for two Spanish Harlem Orchestra albums and an Emmy nomination for a Billy Strayhorn documentary. Through the years, I’ve worked with artists of all genres, everything from Tony Bennett, Ruben Blades, Paquito D’Rivera, Bruce Hornsby to Freddie Hubbard, Duke Narvaez, Paul Simon and many others. There have been many milestones but, more importantly, just to have the opportunity to work with these greats and others and make a living at it is all I could ever ask for.
You’ve recorded anything from hip-hop to pop and rock but become somewhat specialized in jazz and Latin. How come, you think, and do you have a different approach to a Latin as opposed to, say, a rock project?
Absolutely, there are differences in approach and they come as much from traditional placement in a mix as well as the sonic considerations as, for instance, in the blend of a three-person salsa rhythm section (congas, timbales and bongo/bell) vs. a single Latin jazz drummer.
You’re active in all fields of production: engineering, producing, mixing, writing and mastering. Is there one you prefer over the other?
Sorry for the short answer, but no, I love it all!
In a mix, where do you usually start: the drums, guitars, vocals or something else?
Actually, before doing any intricate adjustments I prefer to bring the whole band up, no EQ or reverb, and get a general balance. I find that if I start trying to make each instrument sound perfect by itself, the result is that there can be lots of redundant overlapping frequencies that in a mix are unnecessary in the big picture. Sometimes it’s just one little characteristic that makes an instrument speak in a mix, and that’s why I go for the full overview to start.
Is there any instrument you generally struggle with more than any other in a mix?
Probably the low end as there are so many listening environments these days. You want to try your best to get something to speak with as much clarity and range on speakers as you would on earbuds.
Do you have any mix “trick” you generally fall back on?
No, not really a “trick” per se, but I will often trigger a drum and mix it with a natural acoustic recorded sound if needed, mostly to enhance a poor recording.
If you had to describe your philosophy of sound, how would you put it? What is the most important thing according to you that makes or breaks a production?
A good song or composition can shine even through a poor recording or mix, but no amount of production can make a lousy tune any better.
You just started working with Latin Drums and Latin Percussion EZX sounds for the presets. Listening back to what you recorded and putting the sounds to use, what are your thoughts?
I am extremely happy with the sound quality. Besides having all those classic microphones and that great Neve console at Sear Sound, it also reinforces the saying that “the way to get great drum sounds is to have a great drummer.” You cannot get any better than Robby and Richie, and their expert touch is the overall major contributor to the sound. The Toontrack products have such a natural “velocity to multi-level sample timbre“ algorithm that it keeps their incredible dynamics intact.
What did you try to cover with the presets you engineered?
I tried to get as much of a range of sound as would fit the genre and then a few others that go outside the “traditional.”
You are a user of Toontrack products in your daily work, how do you see yourself using these sounds that you recorded with Robby and Richie?
For anything and everything! Actually, I have been using EZkeys quite a bit. Since guitar is my main instrument, it helps me get my keyboard ideas across to a player very quickly. Looking forward to the upcoming bass version too!
Salt-N-Pepa “Very Neccessary” (1993)
Ray Anderson “Where Home is” (1999)
Phoebe Snow “Natural Wonder” (2003)
Don Friedman “Hot House” (2004)
John Beasley “Positootly!” (2009)
Tom Harrell “Roman Nights” (2010)
Spanish Harlem Orchestra “Viva La Tradición” (2010)
Spanish Harlem Orchestra “Viva La Tradición” (2004)
Andy Bey “American Song” (2004)
Terri Lyne Carrington “Waiting Game” (2019)
Crash
Istanbul* 14" Mehmet Traditional Crash
Bongos/Congas
LP* Generation Professional Macho
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Richie Flores Signature Tumbadora
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Richie Flores Signature Quinto
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Richie Flores Signature Conga
Bongos/Congas
LP* Generation Professional Hembra
Cowbell
JCR Percussion High
Cowbell
LP* Salsa Songo
Cowbell
LP* Salsa Timbale
FX
LP* Bar Chimes Large
FX
LP* Traditional Long
Percussion
Pearl* Mach 2
Percussion
LP* Super Plastic
Shakers
LP* Fiber Low
Shakers
Pearl* Traditional Natural Gourd Medium
Shakers
Pearl* Gatling Cabasa
Shakers
4" Pearl* Hex Ganza
Tambourine
Pearl* Double Row Steel Jingles
Timbale
LP* Tito Puento Signature Macho
Timbale
LP* Tito Puento Signature Hembra
Triangle
Pearl* Low
Vibraslap
Pearl* Medium
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert Low
Woodblock
LP* Traditional Medium
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert Medium
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert High
Woodblock
LP* Jam Block
Crash
Sabian* 18" AA El Sabor Crash
Bongos/Congas
LP* Generation Professional Macho
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Havana Conga
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Havana Quinto
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Havana Tumbadora
Bongos/Congas
LP* Generation Professional Hembra
Cowbell
Pearl* Elite Mambo
Cowbell
Pearl* Elite Cha Cha
Cowbell
JCR Percussion Low
FX
LP* Bar Chimes Large
FX
LP* Traditional Long
Percussion
Pearl* Mach 2
Percussion
LP* Torpedo Large
Shakers
Cuban Traditional High
Shakers
Pearl* Traditional Natural Gourd Medium
Shakers
LP* Standard Cabasa Wood
Shakers
Nino Rawhide Egg
Tambourine
Vintage 70s Tambourin
Timbale
Pearl* Marc Quiñones Signature Macho
Timbale
Pearl* Marc Quiñones Signature Hembra
Triangle
Pearl* High
Vibraslap
Pearl* Medium
Woodblock
Pearl* Clave Block
Woodblock
Pearl* Wood High
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert Low
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert Medium
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert High
Crash
Istanbul* 12" Xperience X-metal Splash
Bongos/Congas
LP* Giovanni Palladium Quinto
Bongos/Congas
LP* M. Cohen Tumbadora
Bongos/Congas
LP* Giovanni Palladium Conga
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Havana Macho
Bongos/Congas
Pearl* Havana Hembra
Cowbell
Pearl* Elite Mambo
Cowbell
Pearl* Elite Cha Cha
Cowbell
JCR Percussion Medium
FX
LP* Bar Chimes Large
FX
LP* Traditional Long
Percussion
Pearl* Fiber
Percussion
Pearl* Mach 2
Shakers
Pearl* Eggs
Shakers
LP* Standard Cabasa Wood
Shakers
LP* Professional Medium Plastic
Shakers
Pearl* Traditional Natural Gourd High
Tambourine
Vintage 70s Tambourin
Timbale
Pearl* Marc Quiñones Signature Macho
Timbale
Pearl* Marc Quiñones Signature Hembra
Triangle
Pearl* Medium
Vibraslap
LP* High
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert Low Felt
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert Medium Felt
Woodblock
Pearl* Elite Concert High Felt
Woodblock
Pearl* Wood High
Woodblock
Pearl* Clave Block
Shakers
Vintage Metal
Shakers
7.5" Pearl* Hex Ganza
Tambourine
Rhythm Tech Vintage
*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.
3 GB free disk space, 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended).
A working EZdrummer 2.1.8 or Superior Drummer 3.1.7 (or above) installation.
