Just got EZ Drummer, help me decide on expansion.

[Lach Rae Dawn]

I am looking at these
Metal Heads expansion.
Metal Expansion.
Metal Machine expansion.

I would like if I could get some opinions on these 3, which would be better to start with etc?

was also considering Drumkit from hell, but I have read mixed things about it. Although I love Ziltoid!

 

[PlumbTheDerps]

METAL MACHINE. Everything else pales by comparison.

 

[Lach Rae Dawn]

METAL MACHINE. Everything else pales by comparison.

Does it come with any midi programing too?

I see the other two come with midi programming/recordings/loops.

Metal Machine does not say if it does or not.

 

[SpaceDock]

Metal Machine is great, I really like using the rock solid midi with the metal heads drums for slow crushing grooves.

 

[Thrawn]

Metal Machine is a great kit and all the other 'metal' kits pale in comparison! It does have some midi from John Tempesta's career like WHite Zombie's 'More Human Than Human' but I would would invest in the Library of the Extreme and Rock Solid Midi packs to compliment the Metal Machine kits.

Audiodeluxe have their Black Friday sale at the moment and are doing 3 midi-groove packs of your choice for $90. Well worth it!

http://http://audiodeluxe.com/products/toontrack-midi-3-pack-ad-bundle

 

[Lach Rae Dawn]

To be honest. After hearing on the Toontrack website.

I like the Metal machine.
But I honestly like the Metal Heads more
But surprisingly I think I liked the sound of the Metal! EXP the most.

I know some of you say others pale in comparison to Metal Machine (even though Metal! just came out) What is the basis for this?
On the Toontrack website (to me) the examples didn't sound as good as the examples from the Metal!, and the Metal heads.
Is there a particular reason, or just the sounds you like? For instance does it sit better in the mix or something to that extent, more flexible?

Unfortunately I have to skimp on my EZ drummer starting out. As I got some other gifts and software as well.
But if I were going to do midi packs as well, I would do the $99 for six from sweetwater. I will more than likely get all three expansions at some point.
But as of now I am leaning more towards the Metal! exp.

 

[PlumbTheDerps]

Does it come with any midi programing too?

I see the other two come with midi programming/recordings/loops.

Metal Machine does not say if it does or not.

Yes, but it's not very good. The loops are kind of weird and not very useful, svae for maybe 5ish ones at the upper end of the tempo spectrum.

 

[Ericjutsu]

metal machine just comes with MIDI from various songs John Tempesta has done over the years which is neat but isn't very useful for songwriting. Drumkit from hell expansion has the best MIDI programming out of all the expansions for metal since it just comes with a bunch of generic beats and fills and not ones from pre existing songs. I would buy either metal machine or the new Metal! expansion. Those are by far the best sounding. I would then buy some MIDI packs if you want help making your drum beats. Metal Machine is great because it has its own bus for the hi hat and ride and also has reverb. I think it has the best routing options and sounds great.

 

[Thrawn]

To be honest. After hearing on the Toontrack website.

I like the Metal machine.
But I honestly like the Metal Heads more
But surprisingly I think I liked the sound of the Metal! EXP the most.

I know some of you say others pale in comparison to Metal Machine (even though Metal! just came out) What is the basis for this?
On the Toontrack website (to me) the examples didn't sound as good as the examples from the Metal!, and the Metal heads.
Is there a particular reason, or just the sounds you like? For instance does it sit better in the mix or something to that extent, more flexible?

Unfortunately I have to skimp on my EZ drummer starting out. As I got some other gifts and software as well.
But if I were going to do midi packs as well, I would do the $99 for six from sweetwater. I will more than likely get all three expansions at some point.
But as of now I am leaning more towards the Metal! exp.

Metal! is the latest pack and you are right that it sounds great, I can't wait to get my hands on it. If you want a modern metal drumkit then that is the one to buy to get you up and running. The reason I said Metal Machine is that after also trying Drumkit from Hell and Metalheads, MM is far better suited to a variety of hard styles of music due to the variety of drums used. For example the snares in this pack are awesome such as the Black Beauty and his signature snare.

So I'd recommend buying Metal!, Library of the Extreme 1 & 2 which covers blasts and then other death/thrash grooves and maybe the Rock Solid pack which will give you some cool beats and grooves to mix it up with.

That $99 for 6 midi packs is a great deal. I'll have to check that out.

 

[Lach Rae Dawn]

Metal! is the latest pack and you are right that it sounds great, I can't wait to get my hands on it. If you want a modern metal drumkit then that is the one to buy to get you up and running. The reason I said Metal Machine is that after also trying Drumkit from Hell and Metalheads, MM is far better suited to a variety of hard styles of music due to the variety of drums used. For example the snares in this pack are awesome such as the Black Beauty and his signature snare.

So I'd recommend buying Metal!, Library of the Extreme 1 & 2 which covers blasts and then other death/thrash grooves and maybe the Rock Solid pack which will give you some cool beats and grooves to mix it up with.

That $99 for 6 midi packs is a great deal. I'll have to check that out.

Thanks for the response, yeah I think I will go with Metal! as my first expansion. Unfortunately I have to hold off on the midi packs just a bit longer, running into the $$ ceiling, as I am sure most of you are familiar with lol.

 

[Thrawn]

I know that $$ ceiling all too well! Have fun with EZdrummer. There is an online course through creativeLIVE: Free Live Video Tutorials & Online Training Courses that was ran by Eyal Levi who works at Audiohammer Studios (the studio that designed the Metal! pack) and he goes through everything you need to know. It costs to watch right now as it's about 7 hours long but keep an eye out for free repeat broadcasts.

 

[Lach Rae Dawn]

I know that $$ ceiling all too well! Have fun with EZdrummer. There is an online course through creativeLIVE: Free Live Video Tutorials & Online Training Courses that was ran by Eyal Levi who works at Audiohammer Studios (the studio that designed the Metal! pack) and he goes through everything you need to know. It costs to watch right now as it's about 7 hours long but keep an eye out for free repeat broadcasts.

Will do thanks!

BTW the Metal! pack is $39 at musician's friend.

Although I prefer to get at sweetwater, Musician's friend has had some sales lately that I couldn't pass up. Like Peavey REvalver mkIII.V for $29. I also saw this EZ drummer for $29 there too, which I bought, before I realized that Ez Drummer is also $29 at sweetwater.

 

[Thrawn]

Thank you! Just bought the Metal! pack

I buy most of my plugins at Audiodeluxe as they usually have good deals. I always glance at Sweetwater and Musician's Friend but historically they haven't been quite as good.

 

[Lach Rae Dawn]

Thank you! Just bought the Metal! pack

I buy most of my plugins at Audiodeluxe as they usually have good deals. I always glance at Sweetwater and Musician's Friend but historically they haven't been quite as good.

No problem!
I will add Audiodeluxe to my online store arsenal.

 

[taysil11]

i'll be one to push for metal heads on here. i think they sound pretty punchy and come through for what i like to do - but you should go with the one that you hear and you just say "DAMN" to. that's the beauty of having options!

have you checked out the samples on their site?
Toontrack - EZdrummer Line

just click one of the products and look at the tracks in the upper right.

 

[Lach Rae Dawn]

Oh yeah I checked out the site, and went with the one that was like OMS.
Which was the Metal! EZX.

Though I do have a question.
If I buy the Metal! expansion pack, does it include the Metal! midi pack?
Or does the Metal! midi pack contain stuff that isn't in the Metal! expansion pack?

EDIT: I basically want to know if the Metal! exp comes with the Metal! midi pack?
NVM I found it on their site, it does come with the Metal! EZX. good to know, so all the EXP come with their appropriate midi packs.

 

[Maddiparker]

Not to steal anyone's question.
But if you buy metal! Does it come with backing tracks, or just drums? I'm just starting to get into recording, and I like the sound of like clean guitar, with a little delay and the sounds of the ocean in the background?

Are these completely different packs/ add ons?

 

[taysil11]

Not to steal anyone's question.
But if you buy metal! Does it come with backing tracks, or just drums? I'm just starting to get into recording, and I like the sound of like clean guitar, with a little delay and the sounds of the ocean in the background?

Are these completely different packs/ add ons?

i'm sure that EZ has some packs that have some cool backing tracks, but typically the drums only come with drums.

it sounds to me like you're looking for specific sounds that might be better created in a digital audio workstation (logic, protools, presonus, etc). what you're looking for is very specific, so maybe you could create it yourself using one!

 

[JEngelking]

Stupid question here: I'm planning on getting the EZDrummer + Metal Machine bundle from Audiodeluxe on the 'Bay, but this thread made me (potentially) overthink and get kinda paranoid:

EzDrummer/Metal Machine still allows for drum programming through mouse clicks in piano roll, it's not just Superior or other plugins that allow for that?

All the talk of loops and MIDI packs is what made me overthink that maybe you couldn't do piano roll programming.

 

[Lach Rae Dawn]

Stupid question here: I'm planning on getting the EZDrummer + Metal Machine bundle from Audiodeluxe on the 'Bay, but this thread made me (potentially) overthink and get kinda paranoid:

EzDrummer/Metal Machine still allows for drum programming through mouse clicks in piano roll, it's not just Superior or other plugins that allow for that?

All the talk of loops and MIDI packs is what made me overthink that maybe you couldn't do piano roll programming.

No let me confirm that EZ Drummer can be used with a piano roll. I just did this in FLS 11. It just has the added option of Midi packs that can help you in a pinch, inspire you or whatever.

But it is all still very much programmable with the piano roll of your DAW.

Sounds pretty damn good for the price I might add, just by loading the kits up.