Adding EQ & FX to Ezdrummer in Sonar 8

[Newysurfer]

Hi guys

Does anyone know how to add EQ & FX (like reverb) to Ezdrummer tracks in Sonar 8 ? Need some indiot proof instructions please cause I can't work out how to do it.

thx

[Metaltyme]

Originally Posted by Newysurfer

Hi guys

Does anyone know how to add EQ & FX (like reverb) to Ezdrummer tracks in Sonar 8 ? Need some indiot proof instructions please cause I can't work out how to do it.

thx

This would probably be very tedious for some people, but it works for me...if I need to add effects, that is. Basically, when I get the drum submix just the way I want it, I'll render the drum submix to a .WAV file. I only do this, of course, if I intend on adding effects to the entire drum mix. Once, that's done, you can add any effect(s) of your choice to that new .WAV file of the drums, once you import this newly rendered .WAV file back into Sonar.

However, if I ever want to add effects to only one particular portion of the drums (like a little compression on just the kick and the snare, but not on the rest of the drums), I basically make a copy of the MIDI drum track within the track-view of Sonar, then, I double click on the copied track to pull up the piano roll (where you see all the drum notes). Next, I use the arrow tool to highlight the notes that I want to exclude for the effect(s), and then hit delete. Since we're doing this, it is necessary to do the opposite on the the other MIDI drum track from which you copied. In other words, you'll want to eliminate the notes from the original MIDI drum track that you intend to apply effects to. That way, you won't hear any note redundancy (unless that's what you want). When you have that done, render the file to a .WAV file so that you can import it back in and apply effects.

If any of this doesn't make sense Newy, please, let me know. I'll be happy to simplify if needed.

Cheers,

[BudmanRocks]

There is a easier way to do want you want to do. I need to know how you load EZ drummer into Sonar. When you 1st start sonar you want to load the template called blank. Then across the top goto insert. Go down the list to soft synths. To vst plugins. There you should see EZ Drummer. Click on it. Now another box pops up. This should be "Insert soft synth options"...Now you can choose your EZ options.... In the first box you will see 2 options i always use "All synth audio outputs" if you use stereo you will get 8 tracks of EZ in stereo and if you choose mono you will get 16 tracks of EZ drummer... after you do that and its loaded add a midi track and make sure its output is going to EZ..... after you drag your midi file from EZ into the midi track it will play... go to the EZ drummer mixer and choose multi-track where each drum output is listed.. now all 8 tracks should be working....if you chose stereo 8 track mode kick is allways 1 and snare is always 2 and maybe 3 (top and bottom mics) you can add your effects right there and it will work just fine..... any thing else or if i didn't explain enough get back to me

[Metaltyme]

Originally Posted by BudmanRocks

There is a easier way to do want you want to do. I need to know how you load EZ drummer into Sonar. When you 1st start sonar you want to load the template called blank. Then across the top goto insert. Go down the list to soft synths. To vst plugins. There you should see EZ Drummer. Click on it. Now another box pops up. This should be "Insert soft synth options"...Now you can choose your EZ options.... In the first box you will see 2 options i always use "All synth audio outputs" if you use stereo you will get 8 tracks of EZ in stereo and if you choose mono you will get 16 tracks of EZ drummer... after you do that and its loaded add a midi track and make sure its output is going to EZ..... after you drag your midi file from EZ into the midi track it will play... go to the EZ drummer mixer and choose multi-track where each drum output is listed.. now all 8 tracks should be working....if you chose stereo 8 track mode kick is allways 1 and snare is always 2 and maybe 3 (top and bottom mics) you can add your effects right there and it will work just fine..... any thing else or if i didn't explain enough get back to me

Absolutely Budman Rocks, that is definitely another way to do roughly the same thing. I rarely have a need for this, but when I do, it's usually to separate one or two pieces from the rest of the kit, and in that case, my method is faster for me to work with. The reason is that I NEVER have a desire to add effects on each of the separate sub-tracks of a drum performance. If the situation does arise to employ that method (the one you mention), it's quite a nice feature to be able to use.

Cheers,

[BudmanRocks]

Originally Posted by Metaltyme

Absolutely Budman Rocks, that is definitely another way to do roughly the same thing. I rarely have a need for this, but when I do, it's usually to separate one or two pieces from the rest of the kit, and in that case, my method is faster for me to work with. The reason is that I NEVER have a desire to add effects on each of the separate sub-tracks of a drum performance. If the situation does arise to employ that method (the one you mention), it's quite a nice feature to be able to use.

Cheers,

You will find that loading it as soft synth insread of a vst plugin it sounds better. Also i only use effects on the kick and snare. nothing on the toms or overheads. they always seem to sound good by them selves. I made a template for my own songs i work on. That way it loads EZ by it self with my effects and everything is all ready to go.

Originally Posted by Metaltyme

This would probably be very tedious for some people, but it works for me...if I need to add effects, that is. Basically, when I get the drum submix just the way I want it, I'll render the drum submix to a .WAV file. I only do this, of course, if I intend on adding effects to the entire drum mix. Once, that's done, you can add any effect(s) of your choice to that new .WAV file of the drums, once you import this newly rendered .WAV file back into Sonar.

As you stated above : I don't under stand why you turm them into wave files just to add effects. If you load as softsynth you get 8 stereo track and you can add all your effects right there. I used to beleive that freezing them into wave files made them sound better but it does not. My old computer could not handle running all that stuff. My new one I biult runns all and everything.

[Metaltyme]

I don't under stand why you turm them into wave files just to add effects. If you load as softsynth you get 8 stereo track and you can add all your effects right there. I used to beleive that freezing them into wave files made them sound better but it does not. My old computer could not handle running all that stuff. My new one I biult runns all and everything.

No one's steppin on any toes here . The way I described is the method to my madness. I prefer to render to a .WAV first, because I kinda like the artifacts that mixing down brings into the equation. So, when I apply the effect(s) to the .WAV file, it seems to come out more organic and natural sounding than it does when I add the effects straight onto the soft-synths. That extra step brings into the equation a certain behaviour from the effects that doesn't occur when placing them on the un-exported soft-synthed MIDI. Why that is? I have no idea...but that's how it comes out on my DAW.

Like I said...to each their own...there's more than one way to skin a cat, right? It's just something that I've tested many times, and it's always consistent. I don't care how it happens...I just like it. It's part of my workflow. I have Sonar 8 Power! by Scott Garrigus. It's a great companion with Sonar. However, if I were to only stick to the confines within the scope of "Sonar 8 Power!," I'd be bored. Experimenting with subtleties like this are what become known, sometimes, to be tricks of the trade. I'm always observing everything I encounter so I can maybe add to the pool of these "tricks." The cool thing about this thread though, is that Newysurfer now has a few options from which to take his pick.

Cheers,