Pro Tools Users/Advice Thread

nero0410

Well, I need some advice and hoping you can help. Hopefully other Pro Tools users will use the thread to ask and give advice on plugins and what not too

I am far from being a pro but I started using my gaming laptop in my 'studio', as I'd saved up for Pro Tools 12 perpeptual and bought that. It had this iLok3 usb thingy with it that stores licences, so I got all my plugins I used with mixcraft on that as well as Pro Tools licence.

Now to use the software on other systems, you have to deactivate the software/plugins (even the free ones), then reactivate them on another system. So I thought it'd be easier and less hassel just using my laptop and taking that into the front room and round my sisters etc.... than to have to go through all that all the time.

I love the software, I find it much better than mixcraft, even with just free plugins!! I'd love to get Amplitube Max and something like EZDrummer 2 for it, as I've been through demos of most and those two seem great. I'll have to wait to see what I get for Christmas and how much they are at the time though, as they are pretty good prices on sale at the moment.

I have started writing songs again, and really want to try and make a go of it. Ampliutube Max will give me pretty much every tone I'll ever need I presume, but I learn/play the guitar and not drums, so something like EXDrummer seems to be the best out there for me as you can 'tap your rhythm' and it'll find some loops that match or near match it from their database which seems ideal. I have a pad on my midi keyboard, so putting in some extra beats should be ok I imagine too.

Anyone else 'gone through the motions' and have any advice?
There are a fair few packs of drums for EXDrummer2, I'm planning on getting the Indie/Folk pack and likely the Rock! one. Any more to consider?

tris

KungFuPro

Can't help with Pro Tools but original EZDrummer came bundled with a midi controller, upgraded to EZDrummer 2 a while back when it was on offer (keep checking their website, they often have sales).

Great piece of software, used to build drumbeats from scratch using FLStudio then remap, but the midi preset drum loops that come with it are pretty good. You can drag/drop preset beats into timeline without having to manually map every beat, add fills, etc.

If you are looking at buying packs be wary that MIDI packs are just presets, you don't get the soundpack of the drums, EZDrummer1 only came with pop/rock drum sound where as 2 has a variety of sounds so it doesn't matter as much.

If you want to test a free drum VST, get some practice in, MT Powerdrumkit is pretty good
MT Power Drum Kit AU VST Drums Sampler Plugin Instrument

You have to register to get a code but it's free. Has MIDI preset beats to get started, can drag/drop a simple verse/chorus with fills using a timeline thing at bottom, drop it into DAW multitrack, change project tempo to alter speed.
                                Not sure how you change tempo in Pro Tools but there's usually a click on/off button next to bpm for fixed/track.

Axl

I use MT Power Drumkit.  Very easy to create and edit beats.

nero0410

I'll give MT drum kit a go, can't complain if it's free

I found EXDrummer 2 cheapest here:
EZdrummer 2   FREE EZX Expansion, EZdrummer 2   FREE EZX Expansion plugin, buy EZdrummer 2   FREE EZX Expansion, download EZdrummer 2   FREE EZX Expansion trial, Toontrack EZdrummer 2   FREE EZX Expansion

Till the 31st of January it comes with a free expansion, I'd get Rock! or Indie/Folk, one free the other is half price anyway
Indie Folk EZX, Indie Folk EZX plugin, buy Indie Folk EZX, download Indie Folk EZX trial, Toontrack Indie Folk EZX
Rock! EZX , Rock! EZX  plugin, buy Rock! EZX , download Rock! EZX  trial, Toontrack Rock! EZX

They say on the product page that they come with extra drum kits, 3 for indie/folk and 8 for Rock! If they are only presets, does that mean that somewhere around the net there's likely to be someone posting up a preset file to basically get these packs free by means of presets?

I was under the impression that they added more drums to the EZDrummer 2 software?

Looking at them, the Pop set seems to be presets:
Pop! EZX, Pop! EZX plugin, buy Pop! EZX, download Pop! EZX trial, Toontrack Pop! EZX

....whereas the other ones that I'm interested in seem to have more to add?

Damn they are confusing

tris

KungFuPro

They're full packs, MIDI presets PLUS the matching drum pack/sounds as it lists the kits;

    1961 Gretsch Round Badge
    Kick: 14 x 22". Head: Powerstroke 3, Ambassador Bass
    Snare: 5 x 14". Head: Vintage A Coated, Ambassador Clear
    Racktom: 9 x 12". Head: Ambassador Coated, Ambassador Clear
    Floortom: 16 x 16". Head: Ambassador Coated, Ambassador Clear
    Recorded with both sticks and mallets

etc...

MIDI packs on their own would be cheaper and no mention of Kick, Snare et al. like this,
Indie Folk MIDI | Toontrack

They'll have their own drum sound (indie/folk) that you can use as well as the stock EZDrummer2 sounds.

nero0410

So, from what I understand:

Using the Indie/Folk pack's as an example;

The Indie/Folk exz is:
New drum kits/gear that I could 'play' with my midi keyboard
and
Midi, erm, loops, samples? using the new 3 kits/sounds that can be customised?

The Indie/Folk midi pack is:
Midi, erm, loops, samples? using the new 3 kits/sounds that can be changed/customised?

Like most the time I may be having a brain fart, please feel free to fill (no pun intended ) me in.

I think I may be getting confused as to what a midi file is..

tris

KungFuPro

The Expansion Packs you linked to are new drumkit sounds, you'll have new kits to choose from using a dropdown in EZDrummer2.

This would be just the midi pack on it's own, no drumkit
Indie Folk MIDI, Indie Folk MIDI plugin, buy Indie Folk MIDI, download Indie Folk MIDI trial, Toontrack Indie Folk MIDI

MIDI packs are preset loop info for the drumkits, 8th beat verse, swing beat chorus, etc. You don't need them at all, they're just a bonus/easy way of building a drumbeat without recording/mapping one with a keyboard/midi controller.

nero0410

Ahh, I get you, thank you

At the moment I'd get an expansion free anyway, and the full packs on Plugin Boutique are only an extra £3 at the moment. I'd only be getting the Indie/Folk one and the Rock! one, so it wont work out too bad, I would like to play some myself using my drum pad, so the software plus those packs, will keep me going for some time I expect

In the future, when they are not on sale, I'd certainly opt for the midi packs over the full packs as the difference in price is a fair bit more than £3. The offer is on for a while, so I have some time to play with.

In the mean time, there is a trial of EXDrummer 2, so I can grab that and get a feel for it.

I'll work out what plugins I have installed and list them in the thread soon, Pro Tool's is a great piece of software so far. I used to use Fruity Loops when I was in my teens for trancey type stuff, now I'm playing, recording and choking a ca.... erm 'singing', PT is great for me.

tris

KungFuPro

Yeah, the expansion packs come with the same MIDI presets you can buy separately, at that price it's worth it for the full kit with presets.

I bought the Metal Machine MIDI pack on it's own (by mistake), works fine using stock EZD2 kits but some midi presets are suited to the kit, i.e. Latin expansion pack came free with EZD1; has presets for bongos, shakers, percussive sounds. Using the Latin kit with Metal Machine midi presets produces interesting results.

Used to love playing about with Fruity Loops about 10 years ago. Had given up guitar and was trying my hand at D&B et al. A lot easier making music inputting notes via piano roll than practicing guitar!

Made a soundcloud account just for FLStudio compositions TheKungFuProfessor, with the intention of redoing/completing unfinished tunes. I'll get round to it one of these days/years!

As well as the midi pack presets, you can also use any midi drumbeat and remap to EZD (that's my plan with those FL Compositions).

If you have Guitar Pro/TUX Guitar you can export to midi, open it in Pro Tools and send the drum track to EZD2. This guide is using FLStudio and Addictive Drums but the same idea will work with your setup.
How to Create a Guitar Backing Track | Guitar Lessons @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

duncfunk

BOOM is a handy drum plugin for ProTools. We have it at college so I assume it's free and possibly bundled already? It has a load of preset kits with pre-programmed patterns if you just want to get something up and running in no time