Recording - April 2020 - 50

Review by Pauk Vnuk Jr.

Songwriters Tools EZmix Pack
Need to get your song written and mixed quickly?
This plugin and add-on pack make it easy...
For a recording songwriter, the focus
should always be the song-to write,
arrange and record the song with as
little engineering fuss as possible.
If that resonates with your way of
thinking, then EZmix 2 by Toontrack
and the Songwriters Tools EZmix Pack
is aimed right at you.
EZmix 2 software (first reviewed in
October 2012) comprises a multi-effects
engine and pre-configured signal chains
loaded with task-specific processes and
effects chains that even include virtual
amp setups. It launches in your DAW
as a single window divided into three
sections. There's a preset browser with
choices of Instrument Group, Effect (such
as compressor, delay, EQ, distortion,
reverb, tape sim, etc.), Type (group bus
or channel insert), Genre, and Preset
Pack. Select from this menu to suit
your song, and then stylize at the next
level with more specific presets: Small
Room Male Voice, Soooo Vibey, Rock
Acoustic, Big Wet Strings, and so on.

The Workflow

As you click on various preset chains,
which are best auditioned as the song
plays, the virtual room on the right
shows a selection of audio processors,
effects units, amps, pedals, and tape
machines all in silhouette. As you scroll
through presets, various devices light up
and let you know which compressors,
equalizers, reverbs, and such are baked
into the selected preset.
Once you find the programs that work
best for your material, your choices
can be fined-tuned with four knobs
50 RECORDING April 2020

down in the lower section. The first two
are input and output controls, complete
with level meters. The final two large
silver dials are parameter controls that
vary functionally by preset. Essentially,
these are macro controls that adjust
parameters as simple as compression
level, or full chains such as 'EQ Mid/
High, Hall Reverb Wet/Dry' all with a
single knob turn.

Tools for the songwriter

Is it really this simple? Well, they don't
call it EZmix for nothin'!
There are currently 55 available EZmix Packs grouped as Guitar & Bass,
Effects & Soundscapes, Vocals, Mastering, Genre, Artist, and a miscellaneous
group which contains the Songwriters
Tools EZmix Pack.
Songwriters Tools is authored by songwriter/producer Mitch Allen, and his
goal with the pack is to provide preset
chains that can be quickly added to

your tracks to keep you in the creative
zone. This pack contains fifty custom
signal chains designed around the main
instruments/vocals used in modern pop
and rock songs.
While it's easy to pigeonhole songwriting into acoustic guitar, piano, and
vocals scenarios, this set also includes
selections for the modern songwriter
with choices of amped and distorted
vocals, aggressive drums, trippy guitars,
lush strings, and more.

Mix Ez

I used the Songwriters Tools EZmix
Pack on sessions as minimal as one
acoustic guitar and one vocalist. I did
an acoustic session of three acoustics,
DI bass, cajón, vocals, shakers and
tambourine, and I also did a live recording containing ten channels of
drums, bass, electric and acoustic guitars, keys (on a piano patch), and three
vocalists. In each instance, the plugin
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