MEET YOUR NEW DRUMMER

OPERATION MANUAL

Mac, OS X and Audio Units are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other
countries. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. VST is a trademark of Steinberg
Media Technology AG. RTAS and AAX are trademarks of Avid Corp. Overloud is a trademark
of Almateq srl. All other trademarks held by their respective owners.

This manual is copyright Toontrack Music AB.

No duplication or copying permitted without written permission.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 4
INSTALLATION 5
System requirements

Installing EZdrummer 2 on your PC

Installing EZdrummer 2 on your Mac

GETTING STARTED

Adding a groove to the Song Track

18

RECORDING

18

Quick tutorial

18

Saving/opening a project

19

THE SONG TRACK

20

Elements of the Song Track

20

Setting the Song Position

21

Start playback at bar 1 or 0

22

Adding fills

32

Show in Browser

33

The Replace function

33

USER MIDI

34

Showing/hiding 34
Adding User MIDI

35

USING THE MIXER

35

Instrument Volume vs Microphone Volume

35

About using EZdrummer 2

Zooming 22

The channel strips

35

Launching the standalone

Song Block operations

22

Selecting channels

36

Authorizing EZdrummer 2 online

Copy-pasting instrument parts

25

Using the Effects

36

Authorizing EZdrummer 2 offline

Exporting MIDI/audio

26

Resetting values

37

Using MIDI controllers

37

Using multiple outputs

38

OVERVIEW 8

EDIT PLAY STYLE

26

Drums tab

Opening 26

Browser tab

Closing 27

Search tab

Selecting instruments

Mixer tab

Undo/Redo 27

MIDI libraries

39

The Song Track

Add/Remove Hits

27

MIDI events

39

Main menu

Adjusting velocity

28

E-drums 40

10

Options menus

27

SETTINGS 38
General 38

Adding percussion

28

Sound engine

40

Tooltips 10

Cut MIDI

29

Audio/MIDI setup (standalone)

40

Context menus

Remove MIDI

29

Metronome settings (standalone)

41

Copying MIDI to other instruments

29

The Power Hand instrument

29

Opening Hit

30

Song Track

42

Changing instrument articulation

30

Edit Play Style

42

Quantizing individual instruments

30

Browser/User MIDI

42

Search/Song Creator

42

LIBRARY PRESETS

10

11

Selecting 11
Saving a Library User Preset

CONSTRUCTING CUSTOM KITS

Instrument Properties

11

12
12

SELECTING A GROOVE

14

Using the Browser tab

14

Using the Search tab

15

Using Tap2Find

17

THE SONG CREATOR

31

Showing/hiding 31
Specifying a source MIDI file

31

Using Song Structures

32

Saving a User Song Structure

32

SHORTCUTS 42

Mixer 42
Knobs and faders

42

INDEX 43

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
EZdrummer2 is the second generation of the worlds number one drum production tool.
With ground-breaking songwriting features and intuitive sound-shaping options, it will let
you finish an entire drum track without ever leaving the program.
With two separate drum libraries containing five individual drum kits and a host of extra
kicks and snares, EZdrummer2 is much more than a sound-generating virtual instrument,
its an indispensable songwriting tool. EZdrummer2 introduces several new features that
make finding and working with your MIDI grooves fast, easy and more intuitive than ever.
EZdrummer2 utilizes the latest and most advanced sound engine technology coupled
with a vast and fully-featured content. This means significantly faster loading times,
more individual hits per sample layer, real-time sample rate conversion and multiple hits
emulation for smoother sequenced hits. In short, great sound.
The EZdrummer2 Modern library was recorded using a state-of-the-art Neve 88 R
console and the classic EMI TG to deliver the thick and robust sound necessary for
modern drum production. The EZdrummer2 Vintage library, however, is a completely
separate recording that was made using the extremely rare EMI REDD.51 console,
which is widely known for its characteristic, saturated sound.

THE STUDIO

The Modern and Vintage core libraries were recorded at the legendary British Grove studios
in London by Grammy award-winning engineer Chuck Ainlay. Through combination of these
three consoles, the drum recordings and percussion provide the user with a production
arsenal ready to take on any musical genre or recording style.
By including a number of effect chain presets, we have taken out the complicated part of
mixing drums. The presets included cover anything from classic rock to disco and modern
metal, so you can instantly call up a starting point for your song and continue to customize
it into something completely new with each effect chains unique set of parameters.
Finally, EZdrummer2 breathes new life into the existing Toontrack EZdrummer Line. All
previously released EZdrummer expansion libraries can take advantage of the new features.
This means all-new graphics, optimized performance, and a selection of all-new custom
designed presets that make use of the wide range of effects in the EZdrummer2 mixer.
We hope you enjoy using EZdrummer 2 and find it an indispensable songwriting tool.
Thank you for your support and purchase!

THE ENGINEER

INTRODUCTION

INSTALLATION
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

INSTALLING EZDRUMMER 2 ON YOUR PC

Windows 7 or newer, Pentium 4 or Athlon processor with 2 GB RAM.

(32- and 64-bit hosts are supported)

Run the Installer included with the DVD or electronic download and follow the instructions.
Please make sure to read the additional instructions included in the Read me file as it may
contain important information not available at the time this manual was assembled. Please
ensure you can authenticate as administrator before proceeding.

OS X 10.6 or later, Intel-based Mac with 2 GB RAM.

(32- and 64-bit hosts are supported)
AU, VST, AAX or RTAS host application and professional sound card recommended

The installer will attempt to install the EZdrummer plug-in in the appropriate location for the
currently installed host program. You should, however, verify that this is the case and perform
a custom installation to change the destination if it is not adequate for your host program
(see your host manual for details).
If this is your first EZdrummer product, it is important that you decide where you would like
the sound libraries to be stored. This decision will apply to all expansion libraries you may
wish to install in the future so please take a moment to decide the most appropriate location
for the long term storage of your sounds.
If you change the location of your sound libraries after installation, EZdrummer2 will ask for
the new path. However, the sound libraries cannot be split up in different locations they
have to be in the same place.

INSTALLING EZDRUMMER 2 ON YOUR MAC

Run the Installer included with the DVD or electronic download and follow the instructions.
Please ensure you can authenticate as administrator before proceeding.
The EZdrummer plug-in will be installed in the default location for your operating system
and should not be moved to remain available to all users and programs.
If this is your first EZdrummer product, it is important that you decide where you would like
the sound libraries to be stored. This decision will apply to all expansion libraries you may
wish to install in the future so please take a moment to decide the most appropriate location
for the long term storage of your sounds.
If you change the location of your sound libraries after installation, EZdrummer2 will ask for
the new path. However, the sound libraries cannot be split up in different locations they
have to be in the same place.
THE ROOM

INSTALLATION

GETTING STARTED
ABOUT USING EZDRUMMER 2

LAUNCHING THE STANDALONE

EZdrummer2 is primarily designed as an instrument plug-in to be used in a compatible host

DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Instrument plug-ins are basically extensions of the host
application.

At the time of installation, the EZdrummer2 installer will have placed the standalone
application on your hard drive and provided a desktop shortcut (Windows only). Mac users
will find the application in a folder named Toontrack located inside the main Applications
folder. Drag it to the dock for easy access.

As a plug-in, EZdrummer2 can be used in several different ways:

As a pure sound source, taking advantage of the pristine quality and mixing control of
the recorded instruments but using the MIDI sequencing facilities of the host application.

After launching the program, you should ensure that your system is configured for basic
audio and MIDI playback. Please refer to Audio/MIDI setup (standalone) on page 40.

As a sound source and groove generator, using the supplied MIDI grooves as a basis for
the drum track but still using your host application sequencer.
Or you can utilize the the powerful built-in Song Track features in EZdrummer2 to create
your drum track by using it as a slave device where the EZdrummer2 transport follows
the host device. You can at any time transfer the contents of the drum track to the host
application to continue working on it.
As EZdrummer2 can also function 100% as a standalone device without any need for a
host application, you can create drum tracks quickly and intuitively and later connect them
to a host program.
For information how to use plug-ins in a specific host application, please refer to the
operation manual provided with that host.

GETTING STARTED

AUTHORIZING EZDRUMMER 2 ONLINE

AUTHORIZING EZDRUMMER 2 OFFLINE

Upon the first time you launch EZdrummer2 from within your host application (or the
standalone EZdrummer application), you will be presented with an authorization screen.
If your computer is connected to the Internet, simply follow the instructions presented
to you:

Upon the first time you launch EZdrummer 2 from within your host application (or the
standalone EZdrummer application), you will be presented with an authorization screen.
If your computer is not connected to the Internet, click the Offline button and follow
the instructions presented to you:

1. Copy the computer ID to a text file or write it down.

1. Type your Toontrack login and password. If you do not yet have a Toontrack account,
click Create Account and follow the instructions. Otherwise simply click Log In and
Continue.
2. Type or paste in the serial number found on the DVD packaging or paper/electronic
receipt for your purchase. The serial number starts with EZxx followed by 4 groups
of digits and/or capital letters.
3. Add a suitable description for your computer. This can be anything you like, for example
Studio B computer.
4. Click Authorize.
You should receive a message telling you that your EZdrummer product has been
authorized successfully. Should the authorization process fail for whatever reason,
please review the authorization FAQ located at http://www.toontrack.com/faq
If you are still unable to authorize your Toontrack product, please use the support
contact link embedded in the FAQ, making sure to specify your serial number and
the computer ID found on the Offline screen (see the directions on opposite page).

2. Using a different computer or a smart phone, go to http://www.toontrack.com/register.

If you do not yet have a Toontrack account you must create one before moving on.
After registering your product, type your computer ID and a short description for your
computer for easy identification at a later date. This can be anything you like, for example
Studio B computer.
3. After generating the authorization code at the Toontrack site, like in the step-by-step
instructions outlined on the website, you will need to download a file containing the
authorization code. Download this to a USB stick or a similar transferable memory
device.
4. In EZdrummer2, load this file by using the Select button on the Offline authorization
screen.
5. Click Authorize.
You should receive a message telling you that your EZdrummer product has been
authorized successfully. Should the authorization process fail for whatever reason, please
review the authorization FAQ located at http://www.toontrack.com/faq
If you are still unable to authorize your Toontrack product, please use the support
contact link embedded in the FAQ, making sure to specify your serial number and your
computer ID.

GETTING STARTED

OVERVIEW
EZdrummer2 uses a single-window, fixed-size interface comprising four main view modes,
or tabs. You use the buttons at the top of the window to switch between tabs. Always
present at the bottom of the window is the Song Track. Here follows a brief description of
the main elements of EZdrummer2.

BROWSER TAB

DRUMS TAB

This is where you can browse for grooves from all your installed EZdrummer libraries. From
a selected library, you can select a category, each with grooves in various time signatures
and playing styles. Here you can also save and access your own MIDI files.

SEARCH TAB
This is the main window where you can audition and tweak the individual components in the
selected sound library.
EZdrummer2 ships with two sound libraries; Modern and Vintage, and an assortment of
presets for each. Both libraries can be customized by selecting different drums for each
position see Instrument Properties on page 12. This gives you 5 drumkits in total plus
3 percussion slots.

EZdrummer2 ships with a generous selection of grooves, covering a wide range of musical
styles and time signatures, for both drums and the included percussion instruments.
When inspiration strikes, however, you need to be able to find the perfect groove fast and
efficiently.
The Search tab is designed to give you the ability to communicate with the software and let
EZdrummer2 present you with the perfect selection of grooves as fast as possible.

OVERVIEW

MIXER TAB

Edit Play Style

A powerful feature of the Song Track is Edit Play Style. It allows you to add percussion,
change articulation, copy MIDI between kit instruments, add hits to instruments or remove
hits, and much more.

The Mixer tab allows you to control the overall balance of the selected Library Preset.
Amongst other things, it allows you to tweak levels, mute or solo individual channels, adjust
effects and set output routing. The number of channels in the Mixer is dynamic and varies
with the selected Preset.

THE SONG TRACK

Song Creator
The Song Creator can be used to create a complete drum track based on a groove.

The Song Track allows you to assemble your grooves into a song structure. The grooves
can be cut to any desired length, copied along the Track, deleted or tagged as a specific
Song Part.

OVERVIEW

MAIN MENU

TOOLTIPS

The main menu is accessed from the top right corner and contains various settings and
information.

Most items and parameters will show a tooltip when you hover over it with the mouse
cursor.

CONTEXT MENUS
OPTIONS MENUS
The Song Track and the Browser, Search and Mixer tabs each has an options menu that
contains items specific to the selected tab or the Song Track.

Right-clicking controls and other items will bring up a context menu with various options for
the selected control/item. If you are using a Mac and dont have a right mouse button, you
can use ctrl-click as an alternative.

OVERVIEW

10

LIBRARY PRESETS
SELECTING

SAVING A LIBRARY USER PRESET

A Library Preset consists of a drumkit together with associated mixer settings that include
effects. The sound library of EZdrummer2 features both a modern and a vintage setup as
well as a percussion selection.

If youve made modifications to a preset, EZdrummer 2 will display a star (*) next to the name
of the preset in the orange library preset display. If you wish to save this preset for use in other
projects, it can be saved as a Library User Preset. This is also done using the Preset selector.

At the top of the EZdrummer 2 interface, the Library Preset selector allows you to load any
of the installed presets. Click the preset selector and make the desired selection from the dropdown menu. The orange library/preset selector will always display the sound library that is
currently loaded with the selected library preset name below.

Click the Preset selector and make the desired selection from the drop-down menu. The
selected Library Preset will appear in bold below the Sound Library name in the orange
Library display.

A Library User Preset will be available for any project. To load a saved Library User Preset,
select it from the Preset menu User Presets submenu.
Note that selecting a Library Preset not only makes changes to the individual drums, but it
also changes available channels in the mixer and the unique effect controls that make up
the Preset.
Library Presets are built from a complex network of sends, busses, channels and sound
processors that are merged into a few simple-to-use controls.

LIBRARY PRESETS

11

CONSTRUCTING CUSTOM KITS

INSTRUMENT PROPERTIES
EZdrummer2 features an Instrument Properties window accessible directly from the Drums
tab where you can, amongst other things, switch what instrument sample is used for a
given position. This means you can build your own custom kit directly in EZdrummer2 and
later save it either as a Library User Preset or a Kit User Preset.
To set properties for an instrument, proceed as follows:
1. Click on the Drums tab.
2. Click the arrow button for the instrument you wish to set properties for (or alternatively
right-click the instrument).

You can audition the selected instrument at any velocity level by clicking horizontally in
the preview pad at the bottom of the window.

The overall volume and pitch for the selected instrument can also be adjusted using the
respective knobs.
Clicking the Details button opens a side window where you can view and audition all
articulations for the selected kit instrument. In addition, the MIDI Note numbers or Key
names for the articulations are shown (you switch between Key or Note using the button
in the top right corner). At the bottom of the Details window, the Note number or Key
name of any incoming MIDI is shown.

At the top you have a library selector where you can select between libraries installed on
your system.
Below is a list of all drums available for the instrument in the selected library. Clicking on
one selects it. There are Previous/Next arrow buttons which also can be used to switch
between instruments.

CONSTRUCTING CUSTOM KITS

12

 The Kits button opens a menu where you can select between the Kit Presets available
for the current Library Preset.

About Kit User Presets

Via the Kits menu you can save the modified kit as a Kit User Preset:
Select Save As... from the Kits menu. This opens a save dialog where you can enter a
name for the Preset.

By using this general method for other instruments, you can build your own custom kit and
then lastly save it as a Library User Preset (see Saving a Library User Preset on page 11),
or you can save it as a Kit User Preset see below.

A saved User Kit Preset can be used with other Library Presets.
The following applies:
To recall a User Kit Preset, select User Presets from the Kits menu and select the
saved Preset from the submenu.
If a User Kit Preset was originally saved when the Modern library was loaded you can
only access it when the Modern library is loaded.
A Library Preset always overrides a Kit Preset. When you change the Library Preset this
will change the Kit as well as the Mixer settings. You can however load the saved Kit
User Preset after changing the Library Preset (given it belongs to same Library as stated
in the point above).

CONSTRUCTING CUSTOM KITS

13

SELECTING A GROOVE
There are several methods you can use to find the right groove. Depending on the situation, you might be looking for something very specific or merely be searching for inspiration.
Whatever the situation, EZdrummer2 will provide a quick and easy way to help you along.

Preview Original Tempo

If Preview Original Tempo is activated, this means that when you audition a selected
groove, it will play back in the tempo it was recorded at, not the tempo set in EZdrummer2
or in your host program.

USING THE BROWSER TAB

Tempo factor

The Browser tab is divided into columns where you can browse (from left to right) a main
Library, a Style/Time Signature category, a groove folder for the selected category and lastly
a Play Variation groove, which can be auditioned.
For the Modern/Vintage library, the grooves are organized in folders relating to what Song
Part they belong to (Intro/Verse/Chorus, etc.). This is an important part of the Song Creator
function, which is described in a separate chapter.
After selecting a groove, you can audition it by using the Preview function.

Both the Browser and Search tabs let you preview grooves in a variety of different tempo
alterations. In the tempo drop-down menu, you can select between 1/2 tempo, normal 1x
tempo, and 2x (double) tempo. Having this option in the Browser allows you to preview all
grooves at an alteration of the tempo before they are dragged to the Song Track or to your
host application. If a change is made to the tempo of a MIDI groove, EZdrummer 2 will display a star (*) to the left of the name of the groove and a header will appear at the top of the
Browser section, providing the option to Reset the tempo and other changed parameters.
It is also possible to select 2/3x and 3/2x tempo. 2/3x slows the tempo of a groove by 1/3
so that a 4/4 groove could be used in a 6/8 time signature song. 3/2 speeds up the tempo
by a factor of 1.5.
Its important to mention that the 2/3x and 3/2x options simply slow down or speed up the
chosen MIDI file, they do not change the performance. A practical way to demonstrate how
these alterations work is to slow down a 4/4 file using the 2/3 option, then drag this file to
the song track and engage the metronome. With the metronome on, you will hear how 6/8
can be counted over a 4/4 groove that has been slowed down appropriately.
Any changes in tempo that are previewed in the Browser or Search tab are applied to the
groove once it has been dragged and dropped to the EZdrummer 2 Song Track or a MIDI
track in your recording application.
Note that changes in tempo do not effect the master version of the EZdrummer 2 MIDI
library, they only apply to the copied MIDI groove that has been dragged from the Browser
or Search tab.

SELECTING A GROOVE

14

Velocity slider

The velocity slider will increase or decrease the global velocity of any MIDI file in the Browser
or Search tab. Changes in velocity that are previewed in the Browser or Search tab are
applied globally to all MIDI grooves in the Browser or Search tab. Just as with the tempo
transformations, MIDI grooves retain any velocity changes when dragged and dropped to
the EZdrummer 2 Song Track or a MIDI track in your recording application.
Note that changes in velocity do not effect the master version of your MIDI library, they only
apply to the copied MIDI groove that has been dragged from the Browser or Search tab.

Switching between Browser states

You can use the arrow buttons in the top left corner to switch between previous Browser
states. This works much like most Undo/Redo functions and memorizes multiple steps.

Adding custom MIDI

There are two different ways to add custom MIDI to the Browser:

USING THE SEARCH TAB

Just as in the Browser tab, the tempo transforming options are available in the Search tab.
Accordng to what you select all grooves will play back at 1/2 tempo, 1x (normal) tempo, 2x
(double) tempo, 2/3x tempo, or 3/2x tempo. This allows you to preview any groove in any one
of the tempo transformations before you drag it to the Song Track or your host application.
When a tempo transformation is active a header is shown above the individual grooves, noting
the tempo change and providing the option to reset the tempo transformation. The tempo
transformation will apply to any groove that is dragged from EZdrummer 2 to the Song Track
or your host.
The Search tab allows you to specify a number of search criteria to quickly find a suitable
groove. The top half of the Search tab is divided into the Tap2Find function and MIDI drop
zone to the left and a number of filter columns relating to the specifics of the grooves.
The lower half is where search results are listed. When you first open the Search tab, all
available grooves are shown in the result list.
Activating one or more filters will affect the search result in the lower half of the window.
In this example, three filters have been selected; a MIDI Library (Modern/Vintage) and
4/4 and 6/8 time signatures.

1. If you already have folders with MIDI that are sorted to your liking, you can mount those
folders in the Browser. To do this, select Manage MIDI Libraries... from the Browser
options menu in the top right of the Browser window. That will open the Settings dialog,
where the button Add Folder to User Libraries... allows you to select a MIDI folder to
add. See MIDI libraries on page 39 for more information about this.
2. MIDI created from within EZdrummer 2 can easily be saved and accessed in the User
MIDI section. See Adding User MIDI on page 34.

SELECTING A GROOVE

15

 In any column, you can select more than one option. The search results can be previewed
by selecting a groove and clicking the Play button to the left. You can delete all filters
from a column by clicking the orange box above it. To remove all filters, click the orange
Total filters box.

You can also exclude any category by clicking the arrow button to the right of the
column item. In the example below Ending is being excluded. Excluded categories are
shown in red.

MIDI drop zone

If you find a groove you like, you can use the MIDI drop zone of the Search tab to find similar
grooves. Simply select and drag a groove from the onto the drop zone. The search result
will now list matching grooves in your installed libraries, sorted by how well they match.

Web Shop MIDI

EZdrummer2 will also let you search and preview matches among the entire groove library
of packs commercially available from the Toontrack web shop. To do this, simply engage
the Show Web Shop MIDI button above the Tap2Find and filtering area.

The Star column

In the search results window, clicking on a column header changes how the results are
sorted. Clicking once on the Name column header will sort the results alphabetically.
Clicking it again will reverse the sorting order. Clicking it a third time removes alphabetical sorting.

The leftmost Star column in the search result window is used to mark grooves you find
useful for the project or wish to check out further. If you go through many results simply tick
the star for grooves you are interested in. You can then later click the Star column header to
display only the marked files.

You can modify which colums are shown by right-clicking a column header or by using
the Search Options menu.

SELECTING A GROOVE

16

USING TAP2FIND
The Tap2Find feature allows you to tap in your desired rhythm directly into the interface, or
by using a connected MIDI controller. EZdrummer2 will then automatically quantize your
performance and display all the similar grooves in the MIDI library, taking a loose idea to a
concrete selection of professionally played grooves in a matter of seconds.

1. Using the Quantize menu, you can also change the quantize value applied to the
recorded notes while the loop is playing.

1. If necessary, set a Time Signature in the transport controls.

2. Click the Tap2Find button to open its window. Here the selected drum kit is shown
together with a Tempo knob, a Quantize drop-down menu and a beat display. The
metronome is on and a 2-bar record loop is active. By default, Quantize is on and set
to 1/8-notes but by using the menu, this can be freely changed.

2. When you are done, click Show Results. The Tap2Find window will close and display
the search results. The rhythm you just recorded is now shown in the MIDI drop zone.
The results are sorted according to the closeness of the match. Clicking a result allows
you to preview it.

3. Tap the desired rhythm, either by clicking on the instruments or by using a MIDI controller.
Everything you play will be added to the loop so you can record one drum at a time for
each pass of the loop. If you make a mistake, you can either erase the whole recording by clicking the orange X button to the right of the beat display to restart, or you can
erase any individual drum by using the drop-down menu below it.

SELECTING A GROOVE

17

3. You can also use the context menu (right-click) to use any selected MIDI groove from the
Browser or Search tabs as reference in Tap2Find. This can also be done by dragging a
MIDI file onto the MIDI drop zone.

RECORDING
QUICK TUTORIAL
The following describes one way of using the Song Track in EZdrummer2 to record a user
groove. Editing in the Song Track is described in a separate chapter see The Song Track
on page 20. Note that this tutorial is based on using EZdrummer2 in standalone mode.
User grooves can of course be recorded live directly in EZdrummer2 either by using edrums or some other MIDI controller. Another method you can use is to loop record and
build up a groove gradually. In this tutorial, the latter method is described.
The following description also assumes that you start with an empty Song Track. To record
a groove from scratch, proceed as follows:

ADDING A GROOVE TO THE SONG TRACK

1. The first thing to do is to set a suitable tempo (and possibly a time signature). Set the
tempo according to what you feel is right using the Tempo slider. You can also use the
button connected to the Tempo slider to tap in the tempo you have in mind or click in
the Tempo field and type in a value directly.

From the Browser or the Search tab you can add a groove directly to the Song Track by drag
and drop. A Song Block is created and will automatically snap to the closest bar grid position.

2. Activate Click on the transport panel. This means that you will hear a metronome when
the recording starts. Note that this feature is only available when EZdrummer 2 is used in
standalone mode.

Once you have added a groove to the Song Track, the tempo and time signature is automatically set to the inherent tempo/time signature of the groove. This only applies to the first
groove added. The tempo is of course still freely adjustable and you can add grooves with
different inherent tempos, although these will adapt to the set song tempo.

3. Set a loop range where the groove should be recorded. To do this, press the mouse
button in the Time Line of the Song Track and drag horizontally to select a number of
bars. In this example a 4-bar loop is set. Specifying a loop range automatically activates
looping in the Song Track.

You can use the same general method to continue to add grooves and build a complete
drum track. See The Song Track on page 20 for more detailed explanations.
Or you can use the powerful Song Creator feature to instantly create a complete drum song
structure see The Song Creator on page 31.

RECORDING

18

4. Click the Record button so that it lights up and the Play button starts flashing.

You can also quantize individual instruments using Edit Play Style see Quantizing
individual instruments on page 30.
Once you are done recording, you can save the groove as a User MIDI file for use in other
EZdrummer2 projects if you like. See User MIDI on page 34.

5. Start playback to activate recording. The metronome click indicates where the downbeat is.

SAVING/OPENING A PROJECT

EZdrummer2 will now record every note you play, merging notes for each pass of the loop,
and a Song Block is created on the track. Record one drum at a time if you like.

Saving a project saves everything in one go. Any changes you have made to the Library
Preset and any arrangement/editing made in the Song Track will be saved with the project.
To save a project, you can use standard procedure Save or Save As from the File menu
(standalone only), or you can use the main menu in the top right corner.

If you make a mistake, just stop recording and do one of the following:
Erase the recording by using the Undo button and start over.

If the groove is nearly right but the timing is off, use the Quantize function. Select the
Song Block you just recorded by clicking on it and then select Quantize from the Track
Options menu and a suitable quantize value from the submenu. The notes will now be
quantized according to the chosen value. Quantize is also available from the context
menu (right-click the Song Block).

Project files are saved with the extension .ezdp.

To open a project, select Open from the File menu (standalone only) or Load Project...
from the main menu and navigate to the folder where you saved the project.
If you use EZdrummer2 as a plug-in, everything is saved inside the project that you save in
your host program. However, you can still use the main menu in EZdrummer2 to save/load
EZdrummer 2 projects separately, independent of host programs.

RECORDING

19

THE SONG TRACK

This chapter describes basic Song Track functions and procedures. Two important Song
Track features, Edit Play Style (see Edit Play Style on page 26) and Song Creator (see
The Song Creator on page 31) are described in separate chapters.

Tempo slider and tap tempo button

ELEMENTS OF THE SONG TRACK

Track area

Click once on the tempo value to bring out the tempo slider and the tap tempo button.
Double-clicking the tempo field allows you to type in a BPM value directly.

Time Signature
Here you can set a time signature for the song by using the drop-down menu.
This is where your added/recorded grooves are shown as Song Blocks and can be worked
with in various ways. At the top, the Time Line shows the position in bars. The Time Line
also shows any looped region of the Song Track.
The playhead shows the current song position as a line across the Song Track. You can
drag the handle to change the song position. When moving blocks, they will snap to the
closest bar grid position. The grid resolution is linked to the Zoom level; zooming in will
increase the resolution.

Track Overview
Directly below the Song Track is the Track Overview, which shows the Song Blocks on the
track as miniature strips along with a scroll bar handle that represents the area currently in view.

Click button

The scroll bar can be used to change which part of the song is shown along the Time Line
by dragging the handle. If you drag the edges of the scroll bar handle, you can also zoom
the Song Track in or out.

Transport controls

The Click button turns the metronome click on or off. This is only present in standalone
mode. When EZdrummer2 is used as a plug-in you instead use the metronome in the host
application.

Follow Host button

The main transport controls are, from left to right: Loop On/Off, Stop song playback, Play/
Pause song Playback, Record. You can enter recording mode while playing back, but if you
click the Record button in stop mode, recording will start after you click Play.

This replaces the Click button when EZdrummer2 is used as a plug-in in a host application. When activated, the EZdrummer2 transport will follow the host and adjust the tempo
accordingly.

THE SONG TRACK

20

If you copy the contents of the Song Track to a track in your host program, Follow Host
should be deactivated. Otherwise, each note would be triggered twice, once by the host
application and again by EZdrummer2.

Volume slider

Undo/Redo buttons
This can be used to change the overall volume of EZdrummer2.

MIDI indicators
These indicate any incoming or outgoing MIDI activity.

These buttons allow you to undo or redo any operation performed in the Song Track or in
Edit Play Style, in any number of steps. By pointing the mouse cursor on these buttons a
tooltip is shown, specifying exactly what action will be undone or redone.

Arrow/Split tools

Song Creator Show/Hide button

This is used to open the Song Creator window see The Song Creator on page 31.
The default Arrow tool is used for most actions, such as selecting, moving or resizing Song
Blocks. The Split tool is used for splitting a Song Block into smaller blocks.

Track Options menu

SETTING THE SONG POSITION

To set from where in the song playback or recording will commence, click in the grid area
below the Time Line. The playhead will move to the position where you click. You can also
drag the handle of the playhead.

When you stop playback/recording, the song position will automatically move back to where
the playback/recording was started. Clicking Stop a second time sets the position to the
beginning of the track (or to the beginning of the loop area, if active). If you click Play while
playing back, the song position pointer will pause exactly where it is.

This menu is used to perform various operations on selected Song Blocks or the track as a whole.

THE SONG TRACK

21

START PLAYBACK AT BAR 1 OR 0

Further, right-clicking the grid area where the playback head is located allows you to select
the starting bar of the timeline, either bar 1 or 0. The bar number change is only visual,
created for the purpose of matching the DAWs starting number (0 or 1). This option can
also be selected from the Track Options menu.

ZOOMING
You can zoom the Song Track view in or out using the Zoom buttons.

You can select all blocks by choosing Select All from the Track Options menu.

Moving
To move a block, simply click-hold and drag it to where you wish to place it.

You can also zoom using a mouse scroll wheel in the track area or by dragging the edges of
the Track Overview scroll bar handle.
Note that the zoom level also affects the Song Track grid resolution and thus where Song
Blocks may be positioned. With maximum zoom, each bar or measure will be split into 8
divisions, if a 4/4 time signature is used.

SONG BLOCK OPERATIONS

Selecting
Most Song Track operations affect selected Song Blocks. Clicking on a block selects it,
which is indicated by a highlighted name.

When you are moving a block, it will snap to the closest bar grid position. Note that the
zoom level determines the grid resolution.
Several selected blocks can be moved in the same way.
If the starting point of a block is placed partly over another block, the underlying block
will be resized by the overlapping block. If the starting point is placed before the starting
point of a underlying block, the moved block will be resized. See Resizing on page 24.

Removing
To select more than one block, press Shift and click. If you use this method to select a
block not adjacent to the first, all blocks in-between will also be selected.

To remove a selected block, right-click to open the context menu and select Remove.
Remove is also available from the Track Options menu.

You can also use Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac) to select non-adjacent blocks.
Another way to select multiple blocks is to draw a selection rectangle. Click and hold in
an empty area of the track and drag the rectangle over the blocks you wish to select and
release the mouse button.

THE SONG TRACK

22

Remove Notes

Looping
A loop range can be set for selected block(s) by selecting Set Loop Area from the context
menu or the Track Options menu. Alternatively, you can click-hold and drag in the Time Line
to set a region to be looped.
Looping is enabled automatically when a range is set. To deactivate looping, click the Loop
button or just click in the Loop area.

This function is available from the context menu or Track Options menu and can be used to
remove the notes of individual instruments from selected blocks.

Using Copy
To copy a selected block to the clipboard, open the context menu and select Copy.

If you open the Track Options menu and then the Track submenu, you have the option to
select Always Loop Selected. If activated, any selected Song Block(s) will automatically be
looped.

Merging
The Merge function, available from the context and Track Options menus, allows you to
merge two (or more) adjacent selected blocks to create a single block.

You can also press Alt (Win)/Option (Mac) and drag a block to copy (duplicate) it directly on
the track without using the clipboard.

Using Paste
To paste the copied MIDI, right-click in the track where you wish the copied block to appear
and select Paste. On the Paste submenu, you have the option of pasting the entire contents
of the clipboard (All), or any separate instrument from the copied block. Separate instruments
can be merged into other blocks see Copy-pasting instrument parts on page 25.

THE SONG TRACK

23

Splitting

Changing tempo

By selecting the Split Song Block tool, you can split a single block into two. The block does
not have to be selected for Split to be used. The bar grid determines the position of the split.
A keyboard shortcut for this tool is to use Ctrl + Alt (Win)/Cmd + Option (Mac).

Right-clicking on a song block also gives the option to change the tempo of the groove after it
has been positioned on the Song Track. These are the same tempo alteration options that are
available in the Browser and Search tabs. They are available in the right-click menu to give you
the option to change the tempo of a groove after the groove has been dragged and dropped
to the Song Track. These tempo options can also be found in the Track Options menu.

Muting

Resizing
A block can be resized. Move the mouse pointer over the left or right edge of a block so that
the pointer changes to a Resize symbol. Click and drag to resize the block. A block cannot
be extended beyond its original length.

You can mute any song block or all of the song blocks on the time line by selecting them,
right-clicking, and then selecting mute or it can also be accomplished by turning off Follow
Host. This is a useful option if you prefer to build your drum sequence on the Song Track in
EZdrummer 2 and then drag it to your host once its completed. Muting the song blocks in
EZdrummer 2 allows you to keep a reference copy of the entire sequence in case any additional changes in EZdrummer 2 are desired at a later time. It also avoids sending a duplicate
version of the MIDI sequence to the EZdrummer 2 sound engine.

Song Part tagging

When adding a groove to the Song Track, EZdrummer 2 tries to determine what type of
groove it is (verse/chorus, etc.) This is based upon an internal database or the folder structure the groove is found in. To change the type of a selected Song Block, use the context
menu and select Song Part.

Show Straight/Show Triplets

A resized block is indicated by a flap at the lower corner of the block. Resized blocks can
always be restored back to the original length by using the same method. Any overlapping
blocks will automatically be resized.

This Track Option is found on the Track submenu. It sets whether to show a straight or triplet
grid in the Time Line. A triplet grid divides every bar into three instead of two at normal
zoom resolution and using a 4/4 time signature. Switching between these modes will not
alter the position of any blocks on the track.

Quantizing
Quantize is an important function for correcting timing errors in user-recorded grooves.
To apply the function, you basically select the block(s) you wish to quantize, right-click and
select Quantize plus a value from the context menu. Quantize is also available from the
Track Options menu. Obviously, EZdrummer2 grooves or grooves from other MIDI packs
do not need to be quantized (or in fact shouldnt be, as this could destroy the feel of the
grooves). Quantizing affects all instruments in a Song Block if applied in this way. However,
by using Edit Play Style, you can quantize separate instruments see Quantizing individual
instruments on page 30.

THE SONG TRACK

24

COPY-PASTING INSTRUMENT PARTS

A neat way to create custom grooves and generally experiment is to copy instrument MIDI
parts from one groove and paste them into another.
1. Select a Song Block (or any groove in the library in the Browser or Search tabs or in
the Song Creator) and open the context menu by right-clicking the file.
2. Select Copy from the menu.
3. Right-click a block in the track and select Paste.
4. From the Paste submenu, select one of the instruments.

Lets say you wish to add a single cymbal crescendo swell from the library to the last bar of
the Pre Chorus, to build up tension towards the chorus:
1. As youre not sure exactly what cymbal swell to use, open the Search tab.
2. In the Search tab, select Cymbal Swell in the Play Style column. Now all cymbal swells
in the library are shown in the result list so you can audition them. As the song in this
example is in 4/4, select this filter option in the Search tab as well, to exclude other time
signatures.
3. As you want the swell to cover one bar, you can click the Bars column header so that all
results are sorted according to number of bars, to further ease finding the right swell.

The following applies:

If the selected instrument is present in the block you paste into, it will be replaced by the
copied part.
If the selected instrument isnt present in the block you paste into, the copied part will be
merged into the block.
You can also copy MIDI from one instrument to another using Edit Play Style see Copying
MIDI to other instruments on page 29.

Example: Adding a cymbal swel

4. When you have found a suitable swell to use, right-click it and select Copy from the
context menu.
The next step is to paste the copied cymbal swell to merge it into the Pre Chorus block on
the Song Track.
However, if we would do so at this stage, the 1-bar cymbal swell would be added 8 times across
the 8-bar Pre Chorus block, which isnt what we want. The solution is to first split the block.
1. Select the Split Song Block tool and split the block 1 bar from the end. Alternatively, use
the key command Ctrl + Alt (Win)/Cmd + Option (Mac).

Lets look at a practical example that illustrates how copy-paste and other Song Track
functions can interact. In this example, well use two 8-bar Song Blocks on the Song Track,
a Pre Chorus and a Chorus.

THE SONG TRACK

25

2. Select the Arrow tool (not necessary if you used the key command) and right-click the
newly created block and select Paste. Although the swell is only one instrument, you have
to use the instrument option when pasting (not All as this will create a separate block).

EDIT PLAY STYLE

Edit Play Style is a powerful feature that can be used to modify how individual instruments
in grooves added to the Song Track play back. Any single instrument or the whole kit can
be affected by Edit Play Style.
Using this feature, you can amongst other things:
Control the number and intensity of hits in real time.
Change the velocity.

3. Now the swell is added to the end of the Pre Chorus. If you want, you can use the Merge
function (see Merging on page 23) to join the split blocks together again.

Add percussion.
Change the leading instrument (Power Hand).
Change articulation for instruments.

EXPORTING MIDI/AUDIO
You can export the Song Track as a MIDI or audio (.wav) file for use in other programs. This
is done from the Track Options Track submenu.

Quantize individual instruments.

OPENING
To open Edit Play Style for a block, double-click it or click the arrow button in the top left
corner of the Song Block. Edit Play Style is also available from both the Track Options and
context menus.

When either of these menu items is selected, a standard Save As dialog opens, allowing
you to select a location and a name for the exported file. When exporting audio you also
have the choice of selecting Export bit depth (16-bit or 24-bit).

The feature is primarily intended to be applied to single blocks to create variation, but it is
entirely possible to use Edit Play Style for several selected blocks, either by selecting them
in the Song Track after you opened Edit Play Style or by using the menu items or the arrow

EDIT PLAY STYLE

26

button to open the window. Double-clicking, however, will always open Edit Play Style for
the single block you double-click.
When the Edit Play Style window is open, recording is not possible.

CLOSING
To close the Edit Play Style window, click the X in the upper right corner.

UNDO/REDO
Any action performed using Edit Play Style can be undone/redone using the Song Track
Undo/Redo buttons.

ADD/REMOVE HITS

SELECTING INSTRUMENTS

Edit Play Style allows you to dynamically add to or lessen the number of hits played in a
groove for all or individual instruments. This feature utilizes a smart algorithm that calculates
the probabilities of where a real drummer would add or remove hits in a groove. In other
words, it does not arbitrarily add or subtract hits but uses information gathered from thousands
of real drum performances to change the groove while keeping a natural feel.

As with Song Track operations, most functions affect only what is currently selected.

Proceed as follows:

When you open the Edit Play Style window, all instruments used in the selected block(s)
are by default highlighted with an orange outline, and instruments not used are greyed out.
Clicking an instrument will select it and deselect all others. You can also click the Selected
button to open a menu where all instruments are listed and the instruments used in the
groove are marked with a green square. Select one or choose one of the grouped options
All Playing Drums, All Toms or All Crashes.

1. Select the instrument you wish to change the number of hits for.
Note that you can also use this feature to add hits for instruments not used in the
original groove.
2. Start song playback so you can hear the results directly.
If you want to listen to only the selected instrument(s), click the Solo Selected button.
3. Use the Amount knob to either remove hits (turn counter-clockwise) or add hits (turn
clockwise).

In the Song Block, notes belonging to the selected instrument(s) are also highlighted for
better visual feedback of your actions to the individual notes (or hits).

EDIT PLAY STYLE

27

 To reset the Amount to its original value, use the drop-down menu to the right of the
Amount knob. (You can also press Cmd (Mac)/Ctrl (Win) and click on the knob to reset.)

2. Start playback to hear the results. Depending on the nature of the groove (time signature, style, etc.), an appropriate percussion groove is already selected for the instrument.
The percussion part is also added to the Song Block and is highlighted.
3. By using the Amount knob, you can now switch between different percussion grooves
from the percussion library for the selected percussion instrument.

ADJUSTING VELOCITY
You can change the velocity levels for notes in a groove.
1. Select the instrument you wish to adjust velocity for.
2. Start playback to hear the results.
3. Use the Velocity knob to raise or lower the velocity values for the notes played. The relative balance between velocity values in the groove will be retained.

From the Drums tab, you can make changes regarding what percussion instrument
or variation each pad plays, by clicking the arrow to open the Instrument Properties
window.

ADDING PERCUSSION
When your song needs that extra rhythmic touch, adding percussion can do just the trick.
In Edit Play Style, you have three percussion pads: One Shot (claps/snaps/cowbell), Shaker/
Maracas and Tambourine, each with an On/Off button, which activates or deactivates the
percussion for the respective pad.
To add percussion, proceed as follows:
1. Activate the percussion pad you wish to use by clicking the On/Off button in the upper
left corner of the pad. This will also automatically select the pad.

EDIT PLAY STYLE

28

CUT MIDI

COPYING MIDI TO OTHER INSTRUMENTS

This will cut all notes from one or several selected instruments and move them to the clipboard.

You can copy notes from a selected instrument (or from several instrument and paste them
onto another instrument using Edit Play Style:

1. Select the instrument(s) you wish to cut MIDI from.

2. Right-click a selected instrument and select Cut MIDI from the context menu.

1. Select the instrument and right-click it to open the context menu.

2. Select Copy MIDI from the menu to copy the notes to the clipboard.

REMOVE MIDI
This command can be used to remove all notes played by one or several instruments.
Remove MIDI will not place anything in the clipboard but will reduce the number of hits
to zero. You can later use the Amount knob to restore the removed hits.
1. Select the instrument(s) you wish to remove MIDI from.
2. Right-click a selected instrument and select remove MIDI from the context menu.

3. Right-click on another instrument in the kit and from the Paste submenu, select the
instrument you copied. The instrument you paste notes to can be any kit instrument,
even one that was not used in the original block. Any notes previously played by the
instrument you paste to will be replaced by the copied notes.
If you use this method to copy and paste within the same Song Block, you will have
two instruments playing the same notes which maybe isnt what you want. In that
case instead use Cut MIDI from the context menu in step 2.

THE POWER HAND INSTRUMENT

All EZdrummer2 grooves have a Power Hand instrument assigned and Song Blocks on the
Song Track are also automatically named after what instrument the Power Hand is. Power
Hand defines the leading instrument the groove is driven by. In most cases this will be a
hi-hat or a ride cymbal.

However, you can change the Power Hand instrument to any other kit instrument by simply
dragging the Power Hand handle to any other kit instrument.

EDIT PLAY STYLE

29

CHANGING INSTRUMENT ARTICULATION

Edit Play Style allows you to set what articulation any kit instrument plays:
For the Opening Hit and Power Hand, articulation is available directly from a menu
opened by clicking the handle.

It works as follows:
Any MIDI notes that the original Power Hand instrument played will now be played by
the new instrument.
If the new Power Hand instrument was already playing notes in the Song Block, these
will be merged with the notes played by the original Power Hand instrument.

OPENING HIT
The Opening Hit adds a single hit to the beginning of the Song Block.
Just like the Power Hand, the Opening Hit can be moved to any instrument in the drum kit
by dragging the handle. You can activate or deactivate it by clicking the On/Off button.

For other instruments it is set from the context menu. This only works when a single
instrument is selected.

QUANTIZING INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENTS

You can quantize notes played by individual instruments using Edit Play Style:
1. Select the instrument(s) you wish to quantize.
2. Right-click to open the context menu and select a value from the Quantize submenu.

EDIT PLAY STYLE

30

THE SONG CREATOR

The Song Creator enables you to create a complete drum track based on one groove with
just a few mouse clicks.

SHOWING/HIDING
To open the Song Creator window, click the Song Creator button below the Song Track.
The Song Creator window opens as an extension of the Song Track.

To hide the window, click the down arrow in the upper right corner.

SPECIFYING A SOURCE MIDI FILE

The Song Creator works by analyzing a given groove, or Source MIDI, and, based on that,
instantly presents groove variations categorized into song parts. To specify which groove to
use as Source MIDI, you can drag it to the MIDI drop zone from the Song Track, Browser or
Search tabs. It is also possible to right-click any MIDI file and choose Use with Song Creator.

When you have specified a source file you will be presented with groove variations divided into
columns sorted by Song Part (Intro, Verse, Chorus etc.), all based on the selected groove.
You can audition any groove by selecting it in the Song Creator. If its suitable, drag it to the
Song Track. Using this method you can quickly build up a complete drum track.

THE SONG CREATOR

31

USING SONG STRUCTURES

Instead of dragging groove by groove from the Song Creator columns to the Song Track,
you can complete an entire drum track even more quickly by using Song Structures.

When you save a User Song Structure you can enter a name. You can later rename it by
using the context menu.

Several premade Song Structures are available from the list on the left in the Song Creator
window.

The User Song Structure will now be available in other projects.

These are based on commonly used song structures where A, B and C represent verse,
chorus and bridge, respectively. Additional song elements such as intro, ending and pre
chorus may also be part of a structure.
You can load a Song Structure to the Song Track by using the context menu or by simply
dragging it onto the Song Track.

ADDING FILLS
Fills suited to the selected groove are available in a separate column. For example, lets
say you have an eight-bar verse leading up to a pre chorus and you want to add a fill on
the last bar.

SAVING A USER SONG STRUCTURE

If you have built a complete drum track, for example by having dragged grooves from
the Song Creator columns to the Song Track, you can save its structure as a User Song
Structure by using the Song Structures menu. Note that no MIDI is saved by this function,
only the order and lengths of the song elements. The structure can then be used with any
Source MIDI file to create new songs.

THE SONG CREATOR

32

Simply drag it to the track and drop it at the end of the verse. The verse Song Block will be
automatically resized to make room for the fill.

SHOW IN BROWSER
This context menu item will reveal any selected Song Part variation in the Browser. This is
helpful for quickly finding more play variations in the same style.

THE REPLACE FUNCTION

The Song Creator allows you to replace all Song Blocks of a certain category (Verse/Chorus,
etc.) with another groove.
Open the context menu for the Song Part variation you wish to use and select Replace
All (selected Song Part) on Track.

If theres already a gap between the Song Blocks, the fill will automatically be resized
to fit the gap.

From the same context menu, you can also choose to replace blocks that are selected on
the track.
In both cases, if the selected Song Part variation is shorter or longer than a block it replaces,
it will be automatically resized to fit the song structure.

THE SONG CREATOR

33

USER MIDI
Your recorded or edited grooves may be saved as User MIDI for use in other projects or in
other programs. The grooves will be saved as separate MIDI files on your hard drive, accessible
directly from within EZdrummer2 in any project or from Finder/Explorer.

ADDING USER MIDI

To save a Song Block as a User MIDI file, simply drag it to the User MIDI pane. It will now be
available from within any project and also available as a MIDI file on your computer drive.

SHOWING/HIDING
User MIDI is available from the Browser tab. To show User MIDI, click the Show/Hide button
in the top right corner.

The User MIDI area is shown as a separate pane in the Browser. To hide User MIDI, use the
same button (now in the upper left corner of the pane).
The User MIDI pane is divided into an upper and a lower area, separated by a movable divider.
The upper area contains the main User MIDI folder, which is always present, although
subfolders can be added. The lower area shows the contents of a selected folder the
MIDI files.

To find a User MIDI file in Finder/Explorer, right-click the file to open the context menu and
select Show in Finder (Mac)/Show in Explorer (Windows).
You can also add a MIDI file to User MIDI by right-clicking a file and choosing Add to User MIDI.

USER MIDI

34

Adding Folders
The Add Folder item on the User MIDI context menu will create a subfolder within the User
MIDI folder. You can have any number of nested folders (i.e., folders within folders) within the
structure. To add Song Blocks to a subfolder, drag them to the folder from the Song Track.
Alternatively, first select the subfolder and then use Add to User MIDI from the Song Block
context menu.

USING THE MIXER

In the Mixer tab you have depending on the selected Library Preset a set number of
channels with various standard controls and pre-configured effects. The channels are basically a representation of what was used during recording and subsequent mixing down as
the Library Presets was created.
The Mixer allows control over microphone volume, pan, solo and mute as well as the specially
tailored effects. Each Library Preset has of course been carefully balanced to sound as
good as possible, but feel free to experiment. You can save any changes made in the Mixer
with the project or you can save your own Library User Presets, available for any project.
See Saving a Library User Preset on page 11.

INSTRUMENT VOLUME VS MICROPHONE VOLUME

You can also add MIDI files from Finder/Explorer:
Locate the file in Finder/Explorer and simply drag it to the User MIDI area.

In the Mixer you have a number of channels. Some channels allow you to adjust the microphone volume for specific instruments such as Kick, Snare, Percussion or Hi-Hat. Other
channels control the relative volume of the whole kit as picked up by microphones such as
Overhead (OH) or Room Ambience (Amb).
Instrument Volume, found in Instrument Properties (see page 12), is the volume that the
specific Instrument is played with, that is, the relative level of the sound that the instrument
will produce in all microphones.
Microphone Volume, found here in the Mixer, is the volume that a specific microphone will
produce, that is, the relative level of sound that all instruments will produce in that microphone.

THE CHANNEL STRIPS

A channel in the mixer can be either stereo or mono.
The available controls for a channel are (from the top down) as follows:

Pan
Pan sets the position in the left-right stereo field for the instrument/mic
configured to a channel. For stereo channels you have two pan sliders which
are normally set to hard left and right to preserve the stereo picture.
On the Mixer Options menu you have two items that relate to pan: Drummer
Perspective and Audience Perspective. These items simply determine if
instruments panned left or right are heard from the drummers perspective or

USER MIDI

35

from the front of the kit. For mixing drums, the drummer perspective is generally more common and this is also the default.

Solo/Mute buttons
Solo (S) will solo the channel, which means that all other channels are silenced. Several
channels can be soloed at the same time. Mute (M) will silence the channel. Again, several
channels can be muted.

USING THE EFFECTS

Every Library Preset has its own set of effects and effect parameters. Examples of effects
are delay, reverb, EQ, mic bleed, compression and tape drive. (Make sure the Song Creator
window is hidden to enable you to see the effects.)
To find out what an effect parameter governs, move the cursor over the control to bring up
the tooltip.

Volume fader
This sets the volume for the channel. The set volume is shown below the fader. You can also
click in this field to type in a numerical value (in dB).

Output channel
This opens a menu where you can select the output channel. By default, this is set to 1
(main stereo output). See Using multiple outputs on page 38.

You can also find out which channels are affected by a parameter by clicking the control.
Affected channels will be highlighted in the mixer.

SELECTING CHANNELS
You can select a channel by clicking anywhere in it where there is no control, for example
on the name. By holding Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac), you can select several channels. Shift-click
also works to select a range of channels. Selected channels will be grouped so that moving the volume fader for one channel will also move the fader for other selected channels,
while retaining the relative balance between them.

Apart from the volume fader, also Solo/Mute status and output channel are grouped for
selected channels. Clicking on a selected channel again deselects it (and all other channels

In a Library Preset, effects are hard-wired to specific channels and you cannot remove or
add effects, but you can usually change to what degree an effect is used and also set other
parameters.

that were selected).

USING THE MIXER

36

Some terms may need explaining. Bleed or Mic Bleed refers to to what degree a specific
microphone channel picks up other instruments in the kit, which in turn changes the overall
sound. Tape Drive is a saturation effect emulating how the sound changes the harder the
recording level is pushed when recording on analog tape.

RESETTING VALUES
To reset the original value for a parameter in the Preset, press Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac) and
click on the parameter. To reset all mixer settings for a Preset, select Reset Mixer from the
Mixer menu.

3. Select an appropriate button, knob or fader on the control surface and press/turn/move
it. The selected parameter is now controlled from the MIDI control surface.
The MIDI Learn Reversed context menu item simply reverses the polarity of the
control, i.e., if you assign to control a mixer volume fader with a knob using MIDI Learn
Reversed, turning the knob clockwise will lower the volume rather than raise it.

Removing
To remove an assignment of a MIDI controller, select Remove from the context menu.

USING MIDI CONTROLLERS

You can use a MIDI control surface to control the various Mixer parameters (as well as the
transport controls). This assumes that you have a MIDI keyboard or control surface with
assignable controls ready and properly set up.

Saving User MIDI Learn Presets

By using the same general method, you can to assign controllers for all parameters you wish to
remote control from the MIDI device and lastly save these assignments as a MIDI Learn Preset
from the context menu. Once saved, it will be selectable from the User Presets submenu.

Typically, MIDI control surfaces have various buttons, knobs and/or sliders which can be
assigned to control parameters in another device via MIDI. Buttons are used to switch
between two values (Off/On) and knobs and faders are used to control linear values like
volume.

Assigning
To assign a knob, slider or button on your MIDI control surface to control a Mixer parameter,
proceed as follows:
1. Right-click the Mixer parameter that you wish to control.
2. From the context menu, select MIDI Learn. When you release the mouse button, the
parameter will be highlighted and the rest of the Mixer window will be greyed out.

USING THE MIXER

37

USING MULTIPLE OUTPUTS

EZdrummer2 routes into your host on one stereo track by default. You can, however, route
any Mixer channel to any of the 16 available stereo outputs of EZdrummer2.
As a starting point, click the output selector and select Multichannel.

SETTINGS
Most of the settings for the EZdrummer 2 plug-in are available in the Settings dialog. You
can open the dialog via the main menu by selecting any of the items from the Settings
submenu. Each of those items corresponds to a tab in the dialog.

GENERAL

This will route the channels to appropriate outputs for the current Library Preset, grouping
certain channels together and assigning others to separate outputs.
Your host application has to be set up accordingly to capture these separate outputs. See
the manual of your host application for details.
The Multichannel preset is only a suggestion and you are free to assign channels to the
output of your choice by selecting the appropriate entry in the output menu for each of the
individual channels.

Knob mode
Here you can choose how you would like knob controls to behave, whether you want to
change their value by dragging vertically or by using circular movements. The default is to
use the same mode that the host application uses for its knobs.

Host stops
The setting Stop All on Host Stop determines whether MIDI previewing in EZdrummer 2
should stop whenever the transport in your host application stops.

USING THE MIXER

38

MIDI LIBRARIES

By default, only original Toontrack MIDI libraries are included in the Search tab. If you have
other collections of MIDI files that you would like for example Tap2Find to show matching
results from, it is possible to configure that here. There are three types of MIDI libraries that
can be shown in the list view:
User MIDI. This library consists of all MIDI files that you have added to the User MIDI
pane in the Browser (see Adding User MIDI on page 34).
Third-party MIDI libraries. These are folders that are found next to the Toontrack MIDI
libraries on disk. Some third-party MIDI manufacturers provide installers that put their
libraries there.
User Libraries. You can add your own structured MIDI folders (or third-party MIDI libraries that are not installed among the Toontrack MIDI) to the Browser by using the Add
Folder to User Libraries... button on this Settings page. The selected folder will then
become accessible from the Browser under User Libraries.

To make any of these MIDI libraries available to the search functions in EZdrummer 2, tick
the respective checkboxes in the Include in Search column. Remember to click the OK
button when you are done.

What happens if a library that is included in Search is modified later on, for example by
having files added or removed? Well, the only library that can be modified from within
EZdrummer 2 is User MIDI and such changes are automatically and immediately reflected
in Search. Any external changes, though, either to User MIDI, third-party libraries or User
Libraries, will not be known to the search engine. To force a re-scan of a MIDI library that
has been modified outside of EZdrummer 2, right-click it and select Sync File Changes.

MIDI EVENTS
MIDI In Channel
From this drop-down menu you can select which MIDI channel EZdrummer 2 should listen
to. A reason for wanting to select a specific channel could be that you have several MIDI
devices connected but want only one of them to trigger the drums in EZdrummer 2. In that
case, you would have to configure that device to use a unique MIDI output channel and then
select the same channel number here.

MIDI Out
EZdrummer 2 includes a MIDI Out function, whereby it is possible to route the MIDI to your
host application in order to trigger the sounds of another virtual instrument, for example
Superior Drummer. Using this function, you can use the powerful writing tools of EZdrummer 2 and try different drum sounds, on-the-fly, without the need to drag the Song Blocks
to your host after each tweak.
To direct the MIDI information out of EZdrummer 2, tick the checkbox Enable MIDI Out
and press OK. You will then need to route the signal to a track inside your DAW where
Superior Drummer or another third-party sampler is instantiated. Please refer to your host
applications operation manual for instructions.
Note that the MIDI Out function is not supported by every host and is not available in the
EZdrummer 2 standalone. MIDI Out is also disabled when Web Shop MIDI is auditioned.

SETTINGS

39

MIDI Program Change

SOUND ENGINE

If Allow MIDI Program Change is checked, EZdrummer 2 will change Sound Library or
Library Preset according to any incoming Program Change MIDI messages.

Humanize
What makes a groove sound natural as opposed to mechanical? A very important factor is
that a groove played by a real drummer has natural variations in how each hit is played. The
opposite is the machine gun effect where every hit is the same.
This is where the Humanize feature comes in. Humanize will subtly vary each hit. This is not
merely random but is controlled by several different processes in the background to ensure
that the most appropriate sample is used in a given situation. Humanize emulates the natural
variations a real drummer would use. Important to note is that Humanize will not affect the
timing of the groove in any way.
All EZX sound libraries have built-in settings governing how Humanize should affect each
instrument and articulation. If EZX Optimized (Default) is selected, the instruments will use
these settings.
On means that the Humanize mechanism is on for all instruments, ignoring the settings in
the EZX sound library.

E-DRUMS
If you are using e-drums, you will need to set them up to trigger the right sounds.

If Off is selected, all hits with the same velocity on a drum will sound exactly the same,
which can cause the machine gun effect.

From the MIDI Mapping menu, select the manufacturer of your e-drums. If your manufacturer isnt listed, select Other or try the other manufacturers on the list to see what
works best.

AUDIO/MIDI SETUP (STANDALONE)

You can also select a pedal correction curve for the hi-hat. Check them out to see what
feels the most natural for your playing style.

The Audio/MIDI Setup dialog can be opened from the Settings menu in the menu bar of the
EZdrummer standalone application.

On the Audio Device panel, select the proper device type and output device from the dropdown menus. Windows users will also have access to the ASIO Control Panel to select the
buffer size.
If you are not using an ASIO device, you can select the buffer size in the drop-down menu
below the device selection menu. Generally, the lower the buffer size, the lower the latency,
but a low buffer size also puts more demand on your computer. If set too low, you may
experience audio stutters or glitches. In such a case, simply increase the buffer size.

SETTINGS

40

Note that only ASIO (Windows) and Core Audio (Mac) audio interfaces will guarantee optimum
performance for low latency real-time triggering.
The MIDI Device panel is used to select your MIDI interface. If several ports/devices are
available, tick the appropriate port to activate it.

METRONOME SETTINGS (STANDALONE)

Metronome Settings can be opened from the Settings menu in the menu bar of the
EZdrummer standalone application. Here you can customize how the Metronome plays
back in various ways. You can, for example, set what sounds to use for the first and other
beats and adjust the click volume for both.

SETTINGS

41

SHORTCUTS
The following key commands and click operations are available in EZdrummer2:

SEARCH/SONG CREATOR

SONG TRACK
Split Song Block

Alt+click (Win)

Play MIDI once

Double-click MIDI file

Option+Cmd+click (Mac)

Duplicate block(s)

Ctrl (Win)/Option (Mac)+drag

Select all blocks between two selected blocks

Shift+click two non-adjacent blocks

MIXER

Select multiple blocks

Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac)+click

Select multiple channels

Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac)+click channels

Open Edit Play Style

Double-click Song Block

Select all channels between selected channels

Shift+click two channels

Play/pause playback

Double-click Time Line

Select all channels

Double-click any channel

EDIT PLAY STYLE

Select multiple drums

Select all playing drums

KNOBS AND FADERS

Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac)+click drums

Reset to default value

Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac)+click

Shift+click multiple drums

Fine-tune values

Shift+drag

Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac)+double-click any drum

Shift+double-click any drum

BROWSER/USER MIDI
Select multiple files

Ctrl (Win)/Cmd (Mac)+click files

Select all files between selected files

Shift+click two files

Play MIDI once

Double-click MIDI file

SHORTCUTS

42

INDEX
A

Audio and MIDI

Follow Host

Settings 41

Multiple outputs

Using 14

41

Instrument Properties

Constructing 12

Individual instruments

Kit User Presets

Drummer/audience
perspective

About 13
36

E
28

Adjusting velocity

28

Changing instrument articulation 30

Using 32
30

R
Remove Notes

Library Presets

Search tab

Tap2Find

MIDI drop zone

Looping
Always Loop Selected

23

16

Metronome

30

Settings 41

Merging 23

Remove MIDI

29

Using 20

Moving 22

Solo/Mute

36

Song Blocks

MIDI indicators

21

Removing 23

MIDI Learn

37

Resizing 24

MIDI Out

40

Selecting 22
Song Part tagging

Mixer
Pan 36
Selecting channels

Follow Host

Tap2Find 16

30

26

Tempo

Show Straight/Show Triplets 24

Power Hand

Using 37

Using 17

Exclude 15

Opening Hit

Exporting MIDI/Audio

About 16

Effects

Zooming 22

23

29

Settings 40

Using 20

Star column

Copying MIDI

E-drums

Song Track

S
Selecting 11

32

Setting 21

Edit Play Style

Add/Remove Hits

Using Song Structures

Using 24

Selecting 13

Kit Presets

33

Song Structures

Quantize

32

Show in Browser

Song Position

Saving/opening 19
13

33

Saving a User Structure

Using 31

Projects

Kit Presets

Custom Kit

Percussion
Adding 27

Copy/Paste

Replace function

Details 12
Using 23

Using 38

21

H
Humanize

Browser tab

Song Creator

24

Splitting 24

21

Setting 20

Track Options menu

21

U
User Libraries
Adding 39

User MIDI
Adding files

34

Web Shop MIDI

16

36

INDEX

43