Recording - January 2017 - 50

Soundware Showcase
Toontrack EZX Expansions:
Big Rock Drums and Dream Pop
by Mike Metlay

By now, most of our readers have at least heard of EZdrummer 2,
Toontrack's incredible rhythm toolkit for use in any DAW (or standalone,
played from drum triggers). It combines tweakable, beautifully-sampled
drum kits with a huge collection of groove templates and a simple songstructure-based timeline editor with onboard mixing and effects. Put all of
this together, and you have a way to create drum tracks that are realistic
and have an original sonic stamp to them, all presented in a way that's
simple to master.
One of the keys to EZdrummer 2's ongoing popularity is that
Toontrack never rests on its laurels when it comes to providing cool new
content-new kits and new collections of MIDI grooves keep the
EZdrummer 2 library growing, and you can pick and choose the material that you need for your own sessions.
This month, we're reviewing the two newest EZX Expansions, and they
couldn't be more different... but they're both an utter blast.
Big Rock Drums
Bonzo. If that one word doesn't call up mental images of John
Bonham wailing on an undamped, roaring drum kit for tracks like
"When The Levee Breaks" and "Moby Dick", then go back to Square
One and listen to the Zep catalog, now!
Back in the Seventies, before noise gates and drum sample replacement and fake reverb slapped on drums recorded in rooms that were
deader than dead, rock drums were-there was no other word for it-
big. No muffling, tuned to perfection, recorded in rooms that let them
breathe and speak with authority. Toontrack cites not only Led Zeppelin
but other essential bands of the era like Black Sabbath and Deep
Purple... bands with drums that kicked you in the chest and sat you on
your tail.
Big Rock Drums was recorded in Nashville with Michael Miley, drummer for Rival Sons, on the skins, and Grammy-winning engineer Dave
Cobb at the faders. This EZX brings you not one, not three, but five different kits, each with its own distinct character but all with that big
boomy bountiful sound that made classic rock hits such classics.
Some names will be familiar to almost any music aficionado: there's a
reissued Gretsch Broadkaster kit and a Ludwig Superclassic. Other kits
will only be known to drummers and drum fans: I admit I had never
heard of Camco, but the Oaklawn kit available here was my favorite of
the five, with the other two less-known kits-a C&C Player Date II and a
Mayer Brothers-close behind.
Most of the kicks are smaller than you'd expect for this genre, but
because of the way they're tuned and recorded (and because of their
relatively light and resonant shells), they boom like kicks that are considerably larger. There's a huge selection of snares, with a preference
toward big, loose, and punchy. One rack tom, one floor tom... all you
need, right? This isn't prog, folks.
There's not a lot more to say... this EZX is a perfect snapshot in time of a
drumming sound and style that's never lost its appeal and is coming back
into popularity with some bands. There are EZdrummer 2 kits with more
drums and bigger drums, but few with more bombast. An instant favorite!
Dream Pop
One of the hallmarks of modern pop production is that a lot of the
best creators are willing to throw pretty much anything into the mix. The
sky's the limit-anything that makes noise is welcome, as long as it
serves the song.
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RECORDING JANUARY 2017

That's the essence of Dream Pop. The "kit" is a
room full of stuff you can hit-not only a mishmash of acoustic and electronic drums, but a wall
of triggers, a synthesizer, bass pedals (yes, there
are some chromatic instruments!) and several
sources for sound effects: you can hit the chair,
the desk, even the dead potted plant in the corner. You get Gretsch drums, percussion, all kinds
of electronics, and shakers and hits made from
natural objects... well over 200 sounds in all, presented in 29 unique kits to get you started.
Every kit is wildly different, and there's a nice
selection of grooves that take advantage of each
kit's special elements. These grooves are just a
starting point; anyone who uses this kit will be
designing his or her own percussion tracks for
sure, just to get the most out of these bizarre
sound sources. It's hard to pick favorites, but I
really love the massive low end and skittery highs
of Anchorwood, the aptly-named Stomp, and the
absolutely huge drums of Jessie.
Whether you're looking for a pitch-perfect historical snapshot or a completely mind-blowing collection of insane possibilities, these EZX
Expansions will remind you all over again of why
EZdrummer 2 is the rhythm builder to beat. Check
them out.
Prices: $89 each
More from: Toontrack, www.toontrack.com

http://www.toontrack.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - January 2017