Toontrack EZX Big Band

What Toontrack Big Band EZX Is For

Toontrack Big Band EZX is an EZX expansion dedicated to jazz, Swing, and Big Band productions, designed to provide a credible and expressive drum kit at the heart of your arrangements. It is aimed equally at film composers, beatmakers seeking an organic vintage color, and arrangers working on brass sections and "old school" orchestrations. The result targets playing realism and mix presence reminiscent of great recording sessions, with dynamics and response suited to the typical nuances of jazz.

Whether you program shuffle patterns, fast swing rhythms, intimate brushwork, or powerful big band passages, this jazz drum sound library emphasizes musicality: soft attack when needed, controlled sustain, and a character that allows the orchestration to breathe without losing the pulse.

Main Features

Two vintage drum kits, four configurations to cover the full spectrum

Big Band EZX offers 2 complete drum kits from the 1930s/1940s, available in 4 configurations to switch from a compact, round, and intimate kit to a wider, projected, and punchy setup. You have two strong identities based on classic pairings: Slingerland and Leedy on one side, Ludwig and Ludwig on the other. This duality allows you to quickly choose the right "texture" depending on the track, tempo, and arrangement density.

A typically jazz playing style: brushes, sticks, and snare off

In swing and big band styles, rhythmic intention often lies in the details: finesse of ghost notes, control of the hi-hat, ride cymbal breathing, and tom transitions that remain musical even at high levels. The expansion addresses these requirements with playing options tailored for the genre: brushes for soft atmospheres, sticks for projection, and a snare off option to recover certain very specific vintage colors or drier arrangement effects.

Mix-ready production: 15 "mix-ready" presets

To save time without sacrificing sonic coherence, 15 mixing presets are included. They allow you to quickly switch from a close, intimate, and warm aesthetic to a broader and energetic sound typical of a big band on stage. This is particularly effective for adapting the drums to the space left by brass, piano, double bass, or guitar, while maintaining the sought-after "live" feel in this repertoire.

Included MIDI for writing and arranging

The included MIDI files facilitate sketching a track, orchestrating breaks, verse-to-chorus variations, or building a chorus. You can start from an existing base and then refine accents, hi-hat openings, and dynamics to match the phrasing of your rhythm section.

Technical specifications