EZdrummer 3: New Features, Key Functions & Awesome Tips

EZdrummer 3 is a game-changing drum software that can take your music production to new heights. 

It can simplify the process of creating drum tracks, lets you manipulate drum sounds all day, and integrate seamlessly with any DAW. 

Plus, it helps you build realistic drum grooves, tweak drum kits however you’d like, and make sure your tracks have the punch and clarity they need to really stand out. 

That’s why we’re breaking down everything you need to know about EZdrummer 3, like:

• Key features and what’s new ✓
• Setup and installation steps ✓
• Navigating the interface ✓
• Using the advanced drum kit designer ✓
• Exploring EZX expansions and MIDI packs ✓
• Creating songs with the song creator ✓
• Using the grid editor for MIDI editing ✓
• Optimizing your mixes with built-in effects ✓
• Real-time performance features and tips ✓
• Advanced techniques for mastering EZdrummer 3 ✓
• Expanding capabilities with add-ons and integrations ✓
• Much more ✓

After this article, you’ll know everything there is to know about EZdrummer 3 so you can create polished, professional-sounding drum tracks with confidence/precision.

 

Plus, you’ll be able to tweak every drum pattern, choose the perfect sounds, and utilize advanced features like a true professional.

This way, your drum tracks always sound top-notch.

And don’t forget to scroll all the way to see the most mind-blowing new drum plugin in the game (even better than EZdrummer 3, believe it or not).

So, let’s dive in…

What Exactly is EZdrummer & What’s New in Version 3?

EZdrummer 3 is a powerful drum software designed for producers who want authentic, high-quality drum sounds in their tracks. 

Building on the success of its predecessor, EZdrummer 3 introduces some impressive new features that elevate it to the next level. 

From the expanded sounds comprehensive MIDI library and seven drum kits to the updated grid editor and song creator, this version packs a serious punch.

It’s easier than ever to lay down realistic, expressive drum tracks all day.

With Michael Libert and other professional drummers lending their talents to the sound library, EZdrummer 3 offers drum grooves for every playing style, from rock to hip-hop.

Plus the fully resizable interface also provides a more user-friendly experience 一 ensuring everything you need is right at your fingertips.

Don’t worry, we’ll be breaking down everything in detail so you really get the full picture.

Getting Started with EZdrummer 3

Setting up EZdrummer 3 is pretty straightforward, but there are some key points we wanted to cover so you can get to creating great drum tracks right away and not have to worry about the minor hassles. So, let’s get into it.

• Installing and Setting Up EZdrummer 3

Setting up EZdrummer 3 starts with downloading the installer from the Toontrack website and making sure your system meets the minimum system requirements. 

Keep in mind that the installation process can take a bit of time due to the large sound library and seven kits that are super high-quality.

So just make sure you have enough space on your hard drive and a good internet connection. 

After installation, you’ll need to authorize the software using your Toontrack account.

Then you’re all set to explore the vast MIDI library, EZX expansions, and customizable drum sounds that EZdrummer 3 has to offer 一 it’s that simple.

• Main Interface Overview 

The main interface of EZdrummer 3 is clean and intuitive, featuring a: 

• Drum kit view
• Mixer
• Song track panel

The fully resizable interface lets you customize the layout to suit your style. 

At the top, you’ll find the browser, search, and filter functions to easily navigate the sounds comprehensive MIDI library and find grooves that are the best matches for your song.

The intuitive design makes it easy to create and adjust drum patterns to fit any music genre; again, very straightforward.

NOTE: One standout element is the Bandmate feature (shown above), which lets you drag and drop your own MIDI files or audio files, and it instantly suggests grooves and fills that match.

• Browser, Search, and Filter Functions

EZdrummer 3’s browser is where you’ll find all your: 

• MIDI packs
• EZX expansions
• MIDI library files

The search and filter functions make it simple to find grooves and MIDI patterns that fit your song or production needs. 

You can filter results by drummer, groove, tempo, or even the playing style, giving you total control over your choices. 

This streamlined workflow helps you get right to the grooves that inspire you (and it’s great for beating beatblock also).

• Drum Kit View

The drum kit view provides a visual representation of the current kit you’re working with, including individual pieces like snares, kicks, and cymbals. 

Each drum kit piece can be customized, from the head tuning to selecting additional snares or cymbals. 

EZdrummer 3 allows you to swap out drum sounds with add-ons and mix-ready presets (above) 一 making it easy to adapt the drum kits to your specific needs. 

This feature is perfect for switching between different music styles like rock, metal, or pop.

• Mixer

The mixer in EZdrummer 3 is another awesome feature that has a bunch of tools for tweaking the drums and getting them to sit perfectly in your track. 

It offers multiple channel strips (each representing a different drum element) with effects slots for inserting EQ, compression, and reverb. 

The built-in effects help to shape the sound of each drum individually or as a whole, depending on what your track needs, of course.

The bleed control gives a more realistic drum sound by allowing mic bleed from one drum to affect others, just like in a real recording environment, which is dope. 

You can even route channels to individual outputs 一 giving you more flexibility for mixing in your DAW like Pro Tools.

• Customizing the Interface Layout 

EZdrummer 3 allows you to fully customize its interface layout to match your workflow needs so you have quick access to the features you use most. 

You can resize panels like the grid editor, mixer, and song creator to focus on what’s important at any moment. 

For example, if you’re deep into editing MIDI patterns or working with the step sequencer, you can expand those sections while minimizing others. 

You can also save your custom layouts as presets.

So, whether you’re creating intricate drum patterns or fine-tuning your mix with effects, everything is set up just the way you like it (which is super useful).

Standout Features of EZdrummer 3

EZdrummer 3 comes packed with a range of features that set it apart from other drum software. From the advanced drum kit designer to the intuitive song creator, let’s break down the features that make this plugin a must-have for any music producer.

• Advanced Drum Kit Designer

The advanced drum kit designer in EZdrummer 3 is where the magic really happens. 

It allows you to build fully custom kits by selecting individual drum sounds, cymbals, and additional snares from the huge sound library. 

With just a few clicks, you can mix and match elements from the seven drum kits or even import new MIDI packs and EZX expansions for endless variety. 

For each drum piece, you can adjust the:

• Tuning
• Volume
• Mic position

It’ll give you full control over the character and tone of your kit. 

Plus, the designer lets you layer multiple drum sounds on a single pad 一 creating richer and more complex textures.

This is perfect for more experimental styles or adding depth to traditional genres like rock, pop, or metal. 

The best part?… You can save these custom presets for quick recall in future sessions, which is a game-changer for speeding up your workflow. 

Whether you’re designing a signature sound or adapting a kit for a specific playing style, the advanced drum kit designer makes it all possible.

• EZX Expansions and MIDI Pack

One of the standout features of EZdrummer 3 is its extensive compatibility with EZX expansions and MIDI packs.

This actually gives it a little bit of an edge over Addictive Drums and Superior Drummer.

These expansions give you access to epic drum sounds captured by professional drummers in iconic studios like Hansa Studios.

Each EZX expansion provides a distinct set of drum kits, cymbals, and additional snares, so you can get crazy and play around with different genres and styles.

The MIDI packs take things even further by offering a variety of pre-recorded MIDI patterns that you can easily drag and drop into the song creator or fine-tune in the grid editor. 

This feature lets you quickly access a diverse collection of grooves and fills, from tight classic rock beats to laid-back hip-hop rhythms, all tweaked to specific styles. 

On top of that, these expansions and MIDI packs come with mix-ready presets to help you get professional-sounding drum tracks without extensive tweaking. 

• Mix-Ready Presets

EZdrummer 3’s percussion mix-ready presets are another standout feature, allowing you to achieve polished drum tracks without spending hours on mixing. 

This is such a huge time-saver.

These presets are designed by industry professionals and include a wide range of styles, from funk to jazz, each crafted to frikkin’ perfection.

NOTE: You can easily adjust these mix-ready presets to fit your track’s needs 一 adding your own flavor to the mix. 

This feature is perfect for producers who want to create a quality sound quickly without diving deep into manual adjustments. 

The mix-ready presets take care of the heavy lifting, letting you focus on the creative process, which is actually a huge plus.

• Song Creator and Song Track Features

The song creator in EZdrummer 3 revolutionizes the way you’ll handle MIDI editing by offering a smart, intuitive way to build drum parts from scratch. 

It analyzes your selected groove and suggests complementary grooves and fills 一 helping you knock out cohesive and dynamic drum tracks without the guesswork. 

This makes it insanely easy to create natural-sounding drum arrangements that match with the rest of your song perfectly.

You can also drag and drop MIDI patterns directly into the song track.

This allows for a quick and intuitive workflow when arranging different sections of your track 一 from intros and choruses to bridges and outros. 

NOTE: The song creator works hand-in-hand with the grid editor, providing detailed control over every MIDI note for precise edits and customizations.

It’s perfect for tweaking the playing style, adding dynamic variations, or creating complex transitions between parts, so definitely play around with that.

• Grid Editor and Advanced MIDI Editing

The grid editor in EZdrummer 3 is the place where you’re going to customize your MIDI and drum patterns for some epic results.

It gives you precise control over every since note and groove, offering advanced features like: 

• Quantization
• Humanization
• Dynamic velocity adjustments

You can easily create/edit your own grooves and layer multiple drum sounds to discover some seriously unique rhythms. 

And, like we just mentioned, the grid editor integrates with the song creator for a streamlined workflow 一 making it easier to find grooves that fit your track. 

This combination of flexibility and control is perfect for producers looking to push their drummer skills further (which I hope is you!).

• Step Sequencer

The step sequencer in EZdrummer 3 is perfect for creating detailed drum patterns, especially for styles that need precise timing, like hip-hop or electronic music. 

The grid is 16 steps wide by default but can be expanded so you can program drum grooves visually with easy-to-use steps and note placements. 

This feature is great for quickly: 

• Trying out different beats
• Adjusting swing
• Layering different drum sounds

It works smoothly with the grid editor and song creator 一 making it a super flexible tool for anyone looking to build drum tracks from scratch or refine their MIDI grooves. 

The step sequencer offers a super simple approach to sequencing that both beginners and advanced producers will appreciate.

EZdrummer: Mixing & Effects

Mixing is a crucial aspect of getting your drum tracks to stand out. EZdrummer 3 comes with an array of mixing tools and effects that let you shape your sounds to perfection.

• Overview of the Mixer Interface (Recap)

The mixer interface in EZdrummer 3 provides a comprehensive suite of tools for mixing your drums. 

With channels for each drum element, like snares, kicks, and cymbals, you can control (for each track) the: 

• Volume
• Panning
• Effects

The interface is highly intuitive and fully resizable, which gives you more flexibility to focus on specific elements. 

Remember, you can save your custom mix settings as presets, allowing for quick recall in future projects as we talked about easlier.

• Channel Strips and Effects Slots

Each channel in the mixer comes with multiple effects slots, where you can add EQ, compression, reverb, and more (which are all built-in).

This setup enables you to fine-tune each drum sound to fit perfectly in your track. 

You can even use third-party plugins in the effects slots 一 making EZdrummer 3 a highly versatile software for any producer. 

This level of control is essential for achieving a professional, polished mix.

• Using the Bleed Control for Realistic Sounds

The bleed control in EZdrummer 3 is a unique feature that mimics the natural bleed between microphones in a live drum recording. 

It adds a super authentic layer of realism to your drum tracks so you have a more cohesive, dynamic sound which will sound professional.

NOTE: Adjusting the bleed settings can drastically change how the drums interact with each other in the mix. 

It’s perfect if you’re looking to achieve that ‘real drums’ feel in your tracks.

• Pro Tip: Routing Channels to Individual Outputs

For those who prefer to mix in their DAW, EZdrummer 3 allows you to route channels to individual outputs. This feature enables you to apply external plugins and effects within your preferred DAW, giving you even more control over your drum tracks. It’s super useful for producers who use complex mixing setups in software like Pro Tools.

• Audio Export and MIDI Export Options

When it comes to exporting, EZdrummer 3 offers both audio and MIDI export options to cater to all different production needs. 

You can export drum tracks as individual stems or as a full mix to import directly into your DAW, so none of the effects and settings you’ve locked in are lost.

NOTE: For producers who prefer to manipulate MIDI, EZ drummer 3 allows for exporting MIDI files, giving you the flexibility to adjust drum patterns and different grooves in your DAW’s grid editor. 

These options provide a solid solution for ensuring your drum sounds fit perfectly within your overall song production vision.

• Performance and Integration Features

EZdrummer 3 is designed to perform smoothly whether used as a standalone program or integrated within a DAW. 

It offers:

• Minimal latency
• High quality audio output

This way, your drums will respond accurately to any input, guaranteed.

The software is compatible with most major DAWs, including Pro Tools, making it easy to incorporate into any existing workflow.

Real-Time Performance and Live Mode

For live performances, EZdrummer 3 offers features that make it an excellent choice for drummers and producers alike. 

The software supports real-time triggering, allowing you to connect E-Drum kits and MIDI controllers to play drum parts live. 

With customizable playing styles and instant access to the sounds impressive MIDI library, you can perform with a wide variety of drum kits at your fingertips. 

This live mode is a game-changer for those looking to blend the flexibility of digital drums with the expressiveness of a live performance.

Side note, if you want to learn how to use best MIDI controllers like a boss, we got you covered.

• Pro Tip: Using EZdrummer 3 with E-Drum Kits

When pairing EZ drummer 3 with E-Drum kits, there are several tricks to enhance the experience. 

By fine-tuning the MIDI mapping, you can ensure every drum sound responds naturally to your playing. 

Also, using the bleed control and other mixing tools can make your E-Drum performance sound even more like real drums, which is great.

Don’t forget to experiment with different percussion mix-ready presets to instantly adapt your drums for various genres like classic rock or pop.

Advanced Techniques and Tips To Master EZdrummer 3

For producers who want to push EZdrummer 3 to its limits, mastering some advanced techniques can make all the difference. Let’s explore ways to take your drum tracks from good to great.

• Creating Complex Drum Patterns

The step sequencer in EZdrummer 3 allows for the creation of highly complex and intricate drum patterns. 

By using the grid editor, you can build grooves with a high level of detail 一 layering multiple drum sounds and adding nuanced cymbals and ghost notes. 

This is super useful for genres that require detailed rhythmic elements, such as hip-hop or progressive rock. 

You can use the step sequencer to quickly try out new ideas and find grooves that match your creative vision. 

Pairing it with the song creator helps in structuring these different drum patterns into one legendary, cohesive track.

• Customizing Room and Mic Environments

Customizing the room and mic environments in EZdrummer 3 is key for achieving a realistic drum mix. 

You can adjust mic placements and room settings to emulate recording spaces like Hansa Studios 一 giving your drums a unique ambiance. 

This feature, combined with the bleed control, makes it possible to recreate the feel of real drums recorded in a professional studio environment.

• Layering EZdrummer Tracks with Live Drum Recordings

Layering EZdrummer tracks with live drum recordings can add depth and character to your music like you couldn’t imagine.

Use the audio export feature to export your EZ drummer tracks, then layer them with live-recorded drums for a fuller sound. 

Experimenting with different blends of digital and acoustic drum sounds can result in a unique drum track that stands out.

This technique is great for producers looking to add that extra layer of realism to their projects, which you all should, especially when using this plugin.

• Techniques for Mixing Punchy and Clear Drums

To mix punchy, clear, addictive drums in EZdrummer 3, start by using the channel strips and effects slots to apply EQ and compression. 

Using a combination of parallel compression and built-in effects, like transient shapers, can help the drums cut through the mix. 

And remember that fine-tuning the bleed control adds a sense of space and realism. 

Also, don’t forget to apply subtle reverb to your cymbals and snares because it can also enhance the depth and clarity of the overall drum sound.

• Pro Tip: Troubleshooting & Optimization

Encountering issues with EZ drummer 3?… 

Well, some common problems, like latency or system overloads, can be quickly resolved by adjusting the system requirements settings and buffer sizes. 

Regularly updating the software and ensuring all add-ons and MIDI packs are compatible can also help maintain stability. 

For more complex issues, the EZdrummer 3 user community and support forums are great resources, so don’t overlook them.

Bonus: Drum Monkey by Unison Audio

Drum Monkey by Unison Audio is a unique drum plugin that uses AI to generate fresh, high-quality drum loops across 30 different genres.

You’ll have trillions of possible combinations to play around with. 

Unlike EZdrummer 3 and other drum software that rely on pre-made MIDI packs and expansions, Drum Monkey provides instant inspiration with every click, using a built-in piano roll.

This enables easy customization of drum hits, velocity, and effects like saturation and ADSR shaping (which is legendary).

With over 3,000 samples crafted by professional producers and a Grammy-winning drummer, it delivers top-notch drum sounds that can be exported in both MIDI and audio formats.

Yes, either as full loops or separate stems for easier mixing in any DAW. 

Plus, its intuitive drag-and-drop functionality and minimal CPU usage make it a powerful and efficient tool for producers looking to quickly create unique drum patterns without relying on repetitive grooves. 

Given its versatility and user-friendly design, Drum Monkey stands as an insanely strong alternative to EZdrummer 3, Addictive Drums, and Superior Drummer.

Especially for those who need fast and customizable drums that can’t be matched.

Download Drum Monkey Now

EZdrummer 3: Final Thoughts

Bottom line, EZdrummer 3 offers a powerful and user-friendly platform for creating professional-level drum tracks that cater to any genre.

With its extensive sound library, advanced features like the song creator and grid editor, and compatibility with a wide range of EZX expansions and MIDI packs, it’s epic.

You’ll have endless creative possibilities to play around with, which is always great.

Whether you’re a beginner looking for easy-to-use software or an experienced producer looking for more control over your drum sounds, EZdrummer 3 can elevate your tracks.

So, go dive into its features, explore its potential, and you’ll be knocking out epic drum grooves like a pro in no time.

Until next time…