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After EZ Drummer 2 I thought I'd give EZ Keys a try. Same price, about $170 bucks, download.
If you aren't the best keys player, this is the bomb.
How do the keys sound? I started off with the Grand Piano version. There are electrics, uprights and a mellotron sold separately, about 80 bucks each. MIDI packs with additional MIDI tracks are available in a variety of genres.
The basic thing comes with a variety of grand piano sounds, including a distorted amped type of sound that's very useable. The straight piano sounds are very good. They have a non-existent noise floor, so you can mix them how you like and get them to sparkle in a mix. Sampled well, good sustain. Inbuilt FX that you can tweak, sound good.
I use it in standalone mode, and import it to the VS. You can also use it in a host programme of course.
You make up n arrangement from the suggestions from the browser; intros, verses, bridges, choruses etc. You drag them into the arrangement block below, like EZ Drummer. Unlike EZ Drummer 2, it doesn't make an entire song for you, you must arrange your own. No trouble to drag the supplied variations and try them in an arrangement, but the EZ Drummer option to create a whole song quickly isn't there.
Each verse, chorus etc can be manipulated to bring up a Circle of 5ths box where you can change the key, octave, invert, randomise, add variations such as 6th, 7ths, sus, 9ths or whatever; quite comprehensive. The available fills and trills are quite comprehensive, and the additional MIDI packs of the various genres give you even more. The MIDI packs set you back 30-odd bucks. Quite impressive. Unless I haven't found it yet, there appears to be no avenue to turn a straight chord into an arpeggio; must chase that up with Toontrack, as their support service is very good - they follow up enquiries quickly, and can actually string a sentence together (a rarity these days, you usually get template responses that don't answer what you are actually asking mostly these days).
You can export the song into the VS as a WAV file as always.
If you synch up the tempos with an arrangement from EZ Drummer, happy days; keys done! You computer recording guys could do a lot more with it in your host programme, but I just want to use the EZ Keys and Drummer straight into the 2480 on separate tracks of imported WAV files.
It is as 'Easy' as EZ Drummer 2. It sounds good, and it's reasonably priced. Another winner, at least for me, from Toontrack. BTW, I have no affiliation with them, no barrow to push, this is a genuine review from someone who was cynical that it would be as 'easy' as they said it was to operate. And it is.
Hope that may help someone, and regards to all, Graeme
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