EZX SINGER-WRITER

A broad collection of drums – tailored for acoustic pop, Americana, folk and more

Toontrack Singer-Songwriter EZX for EZdrummer 2 (and Superior Drummer 3) is a consummate collection of organic, full-bodied and warm-sounding drums for laid-back train beats, smooth brushed pocket grooves or any steady backbeat. 

The Singer-Songwriter EZX was recorded in a choice room, relatively small and transparent to ensure minimum ambient saturation. In total, it includes five full kits recorded with sticks as well as one configuration and several additional instruments sampled with brushes.

To paint the broadest picture possible, each kit was handpicked for its contrasting qualities, character and tonal complexity. Seeking to deliver the most homogeneously composed kits, the selective process was scrutinized in extreme detail – from the matching of heads with tuning and cymbal sizes with drum timbres down to the delicacy of the drummer’s stroke.

Some productions don’t call for big reverbs, pumping side-chain compression or excessive amounts of saturation, just the bare, unscripted and acoustic truth. Presenting a collection of nuanced, sparse, mellow and mature-sounding kits, the Singer-Songwriter EZX is an homage to just that. Welcome to the epitome of a bespoke drum library for any selective songwriter who considers the raw, unbridled voice of a drum kit as much of a storyteller as the song itself.

Let touch, tone and timbre define the backbone of the rhythm section on your next Americana, folk, acoustic pop or other track filed under the amazing width of the singer-songwriter genre.

TOONTRACK SINGER-SONGWRITER EZX KEY FEATURES:

• A collection of drum kits tailored for acoustic pop, rock, indie, folk and any style associated with the singer-songwriter genre.
• Five full drum kits sampled with sticks
• One full kit configuration as well as several snares and cymbals sampled with brushes.
• Four full cymbal setups, four hi-hats and 14 snares in total
• One hi-hat-mounted tambourine as well as three handheld, three shakers, hand claps and more
• Includes presets for a wide range of mix-ready drum tones
• Comes with a basic collection of MIDI tailored for each kit

THE MELLOW BACKBEAT KIT

“Small in size, but big in character. This kit is the definition of how less definitely can be more.”

Brand: Ludwig
Model: Downbeat
Era: 1960s
Shell construction: Three-ply mahogany/poplar/mahogany
Shell finish: Sky Blue Pearl
Tool recorded: Wincent 7A XL drumsticks

KICK
Size: 14×20″
Batter head: Aquarian Modern Vintage II
Resonance head: Ludwig Original

RACK TOM
Size: 8×12″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Coated

FLOOR TOM
Size: 14×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Coated

SNARE
Brand: Ludwig
Model: Acrolite
Shell construction: Aluminum
Shell finish: Aluminum
Size: 5×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Snare Side

THE SOFT ROCK KIT

“Soft and mellow but with still with tons of attitude. Also has probably the coolest finish I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

Brand: Ludwig
Model: Hollywood
Era: 1970s
Shell construction: Three-ply mahogany/poplar/maple
Shell finish: Citrus Mod
Tool recorded: Wincent 7A XL drumsticks

KICK
Size: 14×22″
Batter head: Remo Weatherking Powerstroke 3 Bass
Resonance head: Ludwig WeatherMaster Heavy

RACK TOM
Size: 9×13″
Batter head: Remo Emperor Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Coated

FLOOR TOM
Size: 16×16″
Batter head: Remo Emperor Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Coated

SNARE
Brand: Ludwig
Model: Supraphonic 1965 Keystone badge
Shell construction: Aluminum
Shell finish: Aluminum
Size: 5×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Ludwig WeatherMaster Snare Head Clear

THE ACOUSTIC INDIE KIT

“A superbly balanced and natural-sounding kit that just sits effortlessly in any mix.”

Brand: C&C
Model: Custom
Era: 2010s
Shell construction: Five-ply walnut/poplar/walnut with maple rings
Shell finish: Walnut
Tool recorded: Wincent 7A XL drumsticks

KICK
Size: 14×22″
Batter head: Aquarian Deep Vintage II
Resonance head: Evans Level 360 EQ3 Resonant

RACK TOM
Size: 9×13″
Batter head: Aquarian Performance II
Resonance head: Aquarian Super 2

FLOOR TOM
Size: 16×16″
Batter head: Aquarian Performance II
Resonance head: Aquarian Super 2

SNARE
Brand: C&C
Model: Custom
Shell construction: Walnut/poplar/walnut with maple rings
Shell finish: Walnut
Size: 4×14″
Batter head: Evans Level 360 HD Dry
Resonance head: Remo C&C Custom Clear

THE SMALL POP KIT

“We chose to sample this one in two in different sizes and with both sticks and brushes since it’s one of those workhorse-type of kits you never can go wrong with.”

Brand: Yamaha
Model: 11000 Maple Custom
Era: 1990s
Shell construction: Maple
Shell finish: Black Maple
Tool recorded: Wincent 7A XL drumsticks

KICK
Size: 14×22″
Batter head: Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated
Resonance head: Yamaha Original

RACK TOM
Size: 8×12″
Batter head: Remo Emperor Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Clear

FLOOR TOM
Size: 14×14″
Batter head: Remo Emperor Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Clear

SNARE
Brand: Ludwig
Model: Auditorium
Shell construction: Mahogany
Shell finish: Mahogany Lacquer
Size: 8×15″
Batter head: Remo Skyntone
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Snare Side

Brand: Yamaha
Model: 11000 Maple Custom
Era: 1990s
Shell construction: Maple
Shell finish: Black Maple
Tool recorded: Headhunters Soft Corn brushes

KICK
Size: 16×24″
Batter head: Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated
Resonance head: Remo Fiberskyn 3 PA

RACK TOM
Size: 9×13″
Batter head: Remo Emperor Suede
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Clear

FLOOR TOM
Size: 16×16″
Batter head: Remo Emperor Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Clear

SNARE
Brand: Ludwig
Model: Acrolite
Shell construction: Aluminum
Shell finish: Aluminum
Size: 5×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Weatherking Ambassador Snare

THE HIGH AND LOW KIT

“With an extremely deep kick and high-tuned toms, this is a kit of contrasts. It really stands out and has a great personality.”

Brand: Yamaha
Model: 9000 Pre-Recording
Era: 1970s
Shell construction: Birch
Shell finish: Real Wood
Tools recorded: Wincent 7A XL drumsticks

KICK
Size: 14×26″
Batter head: Remo Emperor Coated
Resonance Head head: Remo Ambassador Coated

RACK TOM
Size: 9×13″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador X
Resonance Head head: Remo Ambassador Clear

FLOOR TOM
Size: 16×16″
Batter head: Evans UV 1 Coated
Resonance Head head: Evans Genera Resonant Clear

SNARE
Brand: Ludwig
Model: Supraphonic Keystone Badge 60s pre-serial
Shell construction: Chrome over brass
Shell finish: Chrome
Size: 5×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Snare Side

ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENT DETAILS:

CYMBALS

Hi-hats
14″ Zildjian New Beat 1960s
14″ Zildjian A – 1940s (recorded with brushes)
16″ Zildjian A – 1960s
16″ Istanbul Agop 30th Anniversary

Crashes
17″ Zildjian A 1960s
16″ Zildjian A Paper Thin 1960s (recorded with both sticks and brushes)
17″ Zildjian K Dark Crash EAK 1980s
18″ Zildjian A 1950s (recorded with both sticks and brushes)
19″ Zildjian K Sweet Crash

Rides
24″ Zildjian A 1940s
22″ Zildjian A 1950s (recorded with brushes)
20″ Zildjian K Jazz Ride EAK 1980s

ADDITIONAL SNARES

Brand: Ludwig
Model: Super Porto-Pak
Shell construction: Mahogany/poplar/mahogany
Shell finish: Sky Blue Pearl
Size: 5,5×13″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Ludwig Weather Master Clear

Brand: Ludwig
Model: Downbeat
Shell construction: Mahogany/poplar/mahogany
Shell finish: Silver Sparkle
Size: 4×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Snare Side
Sampled with both sticks and brushes

Brand: Yamaha
Model: MSD 14AF Custom – Anton Fig Signature
Shell construction: Maple
Shell finish: Black Laquer
Size: 6×14″
Batter head: Aquarian Texture Coated
Resonance head: Yamaha Snare Clear

Brand: Yamaha
Model: Recording Custom 9000 065MD
Shell construction: Steel
Shell finish: Chrome
Size: 6×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Snare Side

Brand: Ludwig
Model: Super Classic Symphonic
Shell construction: Mahogany/poplar/maple
Shell finish: Gold Sparkle
Size: 6.5×14″
Batter head: Remo Ambassador Coated
Resonance head: Remo Ambassador Snare Side
Sampled with both sticks and brushes

Brand: Yamaha
Model: Maple Custom
Shell construction: Maple
Shell finish: Black Maple
Size: 5.5×14″
Batter head: Remo Weatherking X14
Resonance head: Aquarian Classic Clear Snare Side

PERCUSSION AND EXTRAS

Tambourines
Latin Percussion Cyclops
Meinl TA2AB
Wood Tambourine

Shakers
Meinl Rawhide Maracas
Cabbage Shaker
Multi-Shaker

Misc.
Hand claps
Stick count
Hi-hat “ching-ring″ tambourine

CREDITS

Recorded at: Toontrack Studio, Umeå, Sweden
Lead engineers: Martin Kristoffersson, Daniel Berglund
Assistant engineers: Viktor Hansson, Ulf Edlund
Drums sampled by: Thomas Hedlund
Drum tech: Daniel Berglund
MIDI by: Norman Garschke

THE PRESETS

The preset library includes a collection of settings designed to bring out the raw, genuine and acoustic character of each kit. Don’t expect heavily saturated or compressed drum mixes – rather a collection of delicately engineered but still colorful kit presets intended to seamlessly work in any acoustic or organic-sounding production.

THE MIDI

The Singer-Songwriter EZX MIDI content includes a basic collection of laid-back, mellow and fundamental grooves, tailored for any style commonly associated with the genre. It also covers a selection of percussion patterns involving the included instruments, like hand claps and tambourines. Simply drag, drop, mix and match to map out entire organic-sounding performances. As always, with the ‘Edit Play Style’ feature – the creative possibilities are endless.

System Requirements 

• EZDRUMMER 2.2.1 (or above) or SUPERIOR DRUMMER 3.2.4 OR HIGHER required