Old 01-28-2013, 06:09 PM   #1
hotjams
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Default Jamstixx or EZ Drummer?

....? Which is better?
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Old 01-28-2013, 06:24 PM   #2
Lucian
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Tough Call and I have both. I like EZdrummer's expansion kits and they come with a nice amount of midi drum lines. Jamstix is good if you want more original drum lines as it attempts to compose them based on your music which can be cool and also quirky in a good way but it takes some time to get Jamstix to do what you want.

For me, it just became easier to buy an Alesis Control Pad and use midi files for drums and overwrite the hihat or whatever is needed by playing it.

Jamstix can use midi too and can alter it which is cool, it is kind of like explaining to a real drummer what to do in parts but it takes time.

Ezdrummer sounds alot better to me but I have most of the expansion packs, it is quicker to use as you can just drag and drop midi files into reaper and play immediately. Midi can sound alittle sterile if you don't make edits.

Too be honest I never really got the hang of Jamstix (when things go wrong, it can be bad and my frustration kicks in) so consequently my preference is EZdrummer. I love the idea of Jamstix but do not have the patience.

Either way, editing is involved at some point. My original intent was to have Jamstix create the midi and then play it in EZdrummer. I might get there some day but it is easier for me now to just play the edits I need.
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Old 01-28-2013, 06:50 PM   #3
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Better? To my simple mind, EZD sounds better (richer, fuller sound). Jamstix is close.

But there's a caveat. They are two completely different variations on a theme.

EZD has loops & libraries & kits 'n stuff. I use it a lot & love it.

Jamstix 3...I'm still coming to grips with it. It has intelligence in that it will create patterns based on what song structure you tell it, kit, style, 'drummer' etc. And it is wickedly configurable in the fine tuning dept. It will create a drum track for you. It's like Reaper: it does 'simple', but there's a lot under the hood that you have to spend some quality time with in order to fully utilize it's capabilities. And it does complex really well.

Both will send you into GAS hell as they have different expansion packs that will bleed your savings dry. And it doesn't help the budget at all that these two play really, really well together (like taking a EZD track & running it thru Jamstix to change the piece up quite a bit).
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Old 01-28-2013, 07:19 PM   #4
KevinW
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gdownie View Post
Better? To my simple mind, EZD sounds better (richer, fuller sound). Jamstix is close.

But there's a caveat. They are two completely different variations on a theme.

EZD has loops & libraries & kits 'n stuff. I use it a lot & love it.

Jamstix 3...I'm still coming to grips with it. It has intelligence in that it will create patterns based on what song structure you tell it, kit, style, 'drummer' etc. And it is wickedly configurable in the fine tuning dept. It will create a drum track for you. It's like Reaper: it does 'simple', but there's a lot under the hood that you have to spend some quality time with in order to fully utilize it's capabilities. And it does complex really well.

Both will send you into GAS hell as they have different expansion packs that will bleed your savings dry. And it doesn't help the budget at all that these two play really, really well together (like taking a EZD track & running it thru Jamstix to change the piece up quite a bit).
+1 to all this, plus if you prefer the sounds of EZD but like the "brain" of JS, you can route JS into EZD, and have the best of both worlds.
But don't assume you will understand JS intuitively. It is too complex for that. Spend some time with the manual, watch the videos, etc. it's just a different animal. But I highly recommend it. I kind of like the JS kits as well, but mmv. I also have and use Addictive Drums, and I think the JS sounds are a bit less polished (I do like AD as well.)
If I had to pick one, I'd keep JS.
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Old 01-28-2013, 09:56 PM   #5
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For me - the best is Superior Drummer - but, I just acquired BFD2 from FXpansion and am liking that. EZD was my first foray into Toontrack products - really glad I went that route. I've also been down the XLN Addictive Drums route, and a variety of things like Native Instruments Abbey Road drums, many others. When I'm in a rush and want as close to a live sound as I can get quickly, I go straight to SD.
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Old 01-28-2013, 10:05 PM   #6
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Default Both very good, but

...they are two very different programs.
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Old 01-29-2013, 02:19 AM   #7
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Jamstix is like Band in a Box for drums and Ezd/Superior are actual drum romplers.

If you want omeone else (or rather something else) deciding how your drum track should be played, Jamstix is great but if you have a definite idea of exactly what you want played or can play stuff in yourself, the Toontrack stuff or Steven Slate Drums or Battery or BFD are all good. I own all of them plus a good few others and they ALL have their uses.

Do look at Big Mono (free) and Splitsticks Popsticks etc from anaaloguedrums.com - cheap and really really good little kits.
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Old 01-29-2013, 07:20 AM   #8
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I think EZ drummer sounds better (and Superior drummer sounds even better). So you have a nice upgrade path if you go with EZ.

I've demo'd jamstix twice. I liked it, but i went with EZ/Superior b/c it sound better. I've also started using grooves rather than manually playing in parts which makes a big difference IMO.
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