Bringing drum machine sounds and synth soundscapes in one place, Toontrack’s EZdrummer and EZkeys get the 80’s treatment with Synthwave sounds. We take it for a spin to see if it really can inject some late-twentieth century electronic edge.
In Summary
Synthwave EZX expansion for EZdrummer and EZkeys Synthwave bring 80’s infusions for players, non-instrumentalists, and engineers alike. Where song creation takes precedent over micro-control over endless parameters, the producing engineer has a lot to like in Toontrack’s latest offering.
Going Deeper
Synthwave EZX
Keeping EZdrummer fresh have been its EZX expansion packs. These come in the form of add-ons bringing extra kits, and genre-appropriate MIDI for composers to summon from the comfort of EZdrummer itself. While earlier offerings saw a gamut of acoustic drum sounds across corresponding genres, increasingly expansions have also taken in some of the electronic sounds enjoyed by Superior Drummer users. Wisely, Toontrack have made EZX products cross-compatible for those using both versions 2 and 3 of EZdrummer.
Covering twenty kits, Synthwave EZX is described by Toontrack as “tailored for synthwave-inspired modern pop production”. These have been created using the now-familiar EZdrummer MO where all the complexities of achieving high qualities sounds are baked-in by pros capturing what Toontrack describe as “individually engineered source sounds”. These are achieved using mixed and matched layers of organic and electronic drums, percussion, and textured effects.
EZkeys Synthwave
A new addition to the band came with Toontrack’s EZkeys line, following on from founder member EZdrummer. This follows the same MO, with studio-quality sounds available even to those wearing boxing gloves thanks to its chord selector and MIDI. Rather than being expandable like EZdrummer, EZkeys instruments land as whole sonic entities. MIDI expansions are, however, available.
Billed by Toontrack as a “collection of ’80s-inspired synth sounds for modern pop songwriting”, EZkeys Synthwave can of course be employed in any production in need of inspiration from the late-twentieth century. Categorised in banks of instrument or type (bass, keys, lead, pads, etc), its 140 or so individually designed sounds were produced by Grammy Award-nominated Belgian DJ, producer and composer Timofey Reznikov (David Guetta, Regi, Dimitri Vegas).
Synthwave Features and Sound
See and hear Synthwave in action for yourself as we slot it into our production that is crying out for its 80’s signature sounds. We programme drums using Synthwave EZX, plus three synth instances using EZkeys Synthwave’s expertly-curated MIDI as well as a played-in top line. Having explored some of its sounds, we treat ourselves to some period-perfect touches complete with more-than-generous reverb, and MIDI-merged fills over the top of the beat.
Toontrack On Synthwave
EZkeys Synthwave
Designed to offer an all-you-need take on the era-defining instruments and sounds that the synthwave genre originally stems from and what it is today, this EZkeys library includes round about 140 individually mixed, layered, saturated and complexly engineered presets. They are categorized in seven main banks (‘Bass,’ ‘Keys,’ ‘Lead,’ ‘Guitar,’ ‘Plucks,’ ‘Pads’ and ‘FX’), so dialing up exactly what you’re looking for will be as easy as it will be inspiring to quickly flip through the many alternatives.
Approx. 140 individually designed textures of sound.
Produced by Grammy Award-nominated Belgian DJ, producer and composer Timofey Reznikov (David Guetta, Regi, Dimitri Vegas).
Inspired by the classic synths and sounds predominant during the ’80s.
Ideal for anything from ’80s-inspired modern pop to creative sound design and soundscapes.
Categorised in banks of instrument/type (bass, keys, lead, pads and more).
Synthwave EZX
Based on a total of some 440 individually engineered source sounds, this EZX brings you 20 kits curated to offer one unique and mix-ready sound each. The kits were built around the quintessential drum machines of the era, but mixed, matched and layered to offer new and unique takes without infringing the slightest on authenticity. Frankly, each and every instrument in this collection screams that typically dark, gritty and futuristically dystopian synthwave vibe from the very onset. In addition to the sounds, each kit also has its corresponding basic pool of MIDI grooves, allowing you to hit the ground running on the way to your next idea.
20 mix-ready kits tailored for synthwave-inspired modern pop music.
Based on approx. 440 individually engineered source sounds.
Produced by Grammy Award-nominated Belgian DJ, producer and composer Timofey Reznikov (David Guetta, Regi, Dimitri Vegas).
Mixed and matched layers of organic and electronic drums, classic percussion and textured effects.
Comes with a curated collection of MIDI designed to match the style of each kit.
A Word About This Article
As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.