Mixing And Matching EZD2 and SD2.

[TurboPablo]

How do the two programs interface? I know kits and grooves can be migrated between programs. But, is SD2 more of a sound generator and mixer? While EZD2 is the groove maker?

I just started messing with SD2 this afternoon. So newb question will be rifled off.

[Markdude]

You could definitely use the EZDrummer song generator thing and then just use that completed MIDI file to trigger SD2.

The main difference between them is that EZDrummer stuff is already pre-mixed and doesn't really need much post-processing to sit in most mixes. SD2 kits are totally raw samples and are designed for people who want to mix the tracks from the ground up. If you load an EZD2 kit into SD2, it's still going to sound exactly the same as with EZDrummer, but a lot of the EZD2 kits have corresponding SD2 kits (called SDXes) that you can buy if you want to work with the raw samples from those recording sessions (although they're a lot more expensive than EZD kits).

[TurboPablo]

Awesome. Thanks Mark!!!

I started digging into the SD2 user manual last night. Reading and following directions is not usually my thing

[Ruiner]

You could definitely use the EZDrummer song generator thing and then just use that completed MIDI file to trigger SD2.

The main difference between them is that EZDrummer stuff is already pre-mixed and doesn't really need much post-processing to sit in most mixes. SD2 kits are totally raw samples and are designed for people who want to mix the tracks from the ground up. If you load an EZD2 kit into SD2, it's still going to sound exactly the same as with EZDrummer, but a lot of the EZD2 kits have corresponding SD2 kits (called SDXes) that you can buy if you want to work with the raw samples from those recording sessions (although they're a lot more expensive than EZD kits).

I don't know if that's necessarily true. I use SD2 and almost all the kits I use are pre-mixed and track ready. Maybe the standard kit is unmixed but there are tons of kits you can choose from that are specific to a certain style and already have compression, reverb in some cases, and sit very well in the track. Every recording i've ever posted is just one of those kits with maybe a little plug-in compression and reverb on them to taste.

The EZD2 midi files work within the Grooves section of SD2 so you can create songs there just by dragging and dropping into your interface.

[Markdude]

You could definitely use the EZDrummer song generator thing and then just use that completed MIDI file to trigger SD2.

The main difference between them is that EZDrummer stuff is already pre-mixed and doesn't really need much post-processing to sit in most mixes. SD2 kits are totally raw samples and are designed for people who want to mix the tracks from the ground up. If you load an EZD2 kit into SD2, it's still going to sound exactly the same as with EZDrummer, but a lot of the EZD2 kits have corresponding SD2 kits (called SDXes) that you can buy if you want to work with the raw samples from those recording sessions (although they're a lot more expensive than EZD kits).

I don't know if that's necessarily true. I use SD2 and almost all the kits I use are pre-mixed and track ready. Maybe the standard kit is unmixed but there are tons of kits you can choose from that are specific to a certain style and already have compression, reverb in some cases, and sit very well in the track. Every recording i've ever posted is just one of those kits with maybe a little plug-in compression and reverb on them to taste.

The EZD2 midi files work within the Grooves section of SD2 so you can create songs there just by dragging and dropping into your interface.

I think some of the SDX kits maybe have some compression and EQ on the way straight into the console with world class hardware units, but they're definitely less processed than the EZX stuff. Part of it is also that a great kit in a great room recorded with great gear and great mic positioning really isn't that hard to mix and sounds pretty dang good in a mix already. SD2 is definitely designed with the more hands-on tinkerer in mind and EZD is designed for the guy who wants shit to just be good to go right off the bat. Of couse SD2 kits also come with lots of presets which already utilize EQ/comp/verb/gate/etc too. None of the SD2 kits have any artificial reverb though (without using the built-in reverb plugin), that would have to be from the room mics or reverb chamber mics.