Toontrack Modern Retro EZX

This EZX for EZdrummer 3 and Superior Drummer 3 features a collection of unique kits from the mid-1900s era, each handpicked to create the best mix of earthy, organic, resonant and vivid sounds for anything from acoustic pop to edgy soul, R&B and any tight-sounding pocket-style beats. It was recorded by engineer/producer/mixer Christoffer Berg (Depeche Mode, The Knife, Fever Ray) and drummer Christopher Cantillo (Carly Rae Jepsen, Mayer Hawthorne, Dina Ögon) at the famed Svenska Grammofonstudion (SGS) in Gothenburg, Sweden. With its main live room boasting an impressive 10-meter ceiling height but still with a very contained ambience, it was the perfect choice for an EZX that set out to capture drums tight enough for any contemporary beats but still projecting enough air in the room to retain that natural timeless vintage timbre of the drums. The kits were recorded using the obligatory close mics as well as two different mid/side configurations – one featuring all-ribbon mics and one where only tube mics were used. To enhance the vintage flair and period-correct vibes of the kits themselves even more, prominently calf- and cowskin heads were used, giving you that uniquely thick, lush, warm, yet-ringy, old-school sound unlike that of any modern-day alternatives.

In addition to the kits, a wealth of presets are included. These showcase anything from raw and naturally organic kit mixes to absolute contrasting ones involving complex chains of saturation, distortion, compression and more. This all, in combination with the basic library of drum grooves and fills that are provided, will give you all the tools you need to instantly get going producing drum parts that span anything from the tangibly authentic and retro-flavored to the all-out edgy- and bordering-on-electronic-sounding.

Remember: Vintage never gets old, it's always timelessly trendy. If you're looking to add the ultimate retro-meets-modern EZX to your songwriting toolbox, here it is.

FEATURE SPOTLIGHT

- Vintage, resonant and unique-sounding drums ideal for pop, soul, R&B and any pocket-style beats
- Features three unique kits (out of which two were recorded in wires off or toweled configurations)
- Recorded at Svenska Grammofonstudion in Gothenburg, Sweden
- Engineered by Christoffer Berg (Depeche Mode, The Knife, Fever Ray)
- Sampled by drummer Christopher Cantillo (Carly Rae Jepsen, Mayer Hawthorne, Dina Ögon)
- Features mix-ready presets for a broad range of sounds
- Includes a basic library of MIDI unique to the product

In a 17th-century brick building on an old factory compound nestled in the trendy Vasastan area of central Gothenburg, you'll find Svenska Grammofonstudion. The name is Swedish and directly translates to “The Swedish Gramophone Studio.” Since it was launched in the beginning of the 2000s and to this day, an endless stream of Nordic as well as international acts have recorded seminal works here.

THE DRUMS
The kits in this EZX are all extremely rare gems from the mid-1900s era. Primarily equipped with calf- and cowskin heads for extra period-correct and earthy tones, expect a collection of unique-sounding kits with a palpable vintage flair but an overall modern approach to how they were recorded.

THE MIXER & THE PRESETS
This library was recorded using he obligatory close mics as well as two different mid/side configurations – one featuring all-ribbon mics and one where only tube mics were used. Listen to examples above!

BANDSTAND KIT


MOTOR TOWN


TRANSATLANTIC KIT


ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENTS


THE MIDI
The included MIDI was performed by sampling drummer Christopher Cantillo and designed to provide a palette of grooves and fills tailored specifically for the included kits. The content in each “song” was inspired by anything from laid-back and mellow singer-songwriter material to more beat-centric and contemporary types of beats. This MIDI will give you great starting points when previewing the kits as well as sourcing inspiration for where to take your next song.