Tempted by EzKeys2

bosone said:

I'm tempted by EzKeys 2. I see that right now there is a "sale" on which you are given one EZX expansion for free. I'm not really interested in additional sounds, indeed i'm not even interested in the stock EzKeys 2 piano samples because i have already plenty of sounds (komplete, EW composer cloud, IK multimedia...)
i'm wondering if this sale has sense for me or if it better to go directly for a bundlet EzKeys2+6 midi expansion pack - even at higher price, but you get 6 MIDI packs for 70€ more, which seems far more interesting.

any comment?? are 6 midi expansions worth this price or are "useless"?!
how exactly midi expansions are used??
thanks!

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EzKeys 2 comes with way more Grooves compared to EZK1, regarding the midi packs if you can afford them are always a great addition, but any 3rd party midi pack will work too so you could look around for other ones that either suit you better, or cheaper or comes more, etc...

But the core EZK2 yes or yes. The grand piano is quite nice and remember that only a few new sampled keyboards have been added, all the others are from EZk1.

Check Bestservice price, I bet is cheaper as long as you don't have to pay VAT. Otherwise dig Audiodeluxe and JRR Shop.

I had high hopes on EZKeys 2.

But the workflow killer for me was that you cant easyly drag and drop the inside generated chordprogressionideas (dont know how exactly it was called, but in general great idea) to your daw or even to the midi track inside EZkeys 2. I had a ticket on support, they confirmed that there is no way for what I intended so my version just takes dust know.

So it might be good to checkout it your intended workflow will work in general before getting into it.

KarlHeinz said:

I had high hopes on EZKeys 2.

But the workflow killer for me was that you cant easyly drag and drop the inside generated chordprogressionideas (dont know how exactly it was called, but in general great idea) to your daw or even to the midi track inside EZkeys 2. I had a ticket on support, they confirmed that there is no way for what I intended so my version just takes dust know.

So it might be good to checkout it your intended workflow will work in general before getting into it.

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Yup, from the Editor to the DAW you can, from the DAW to the Editor you can't. There's a dedicated User Folder where you have your 3rd party personal midi files, which can be loaded in the editor.

Here's an illustration, hope it clarifies.

View attachment 2023-11-23 16-55-39.mp4

My problem was a little more complicated and as it is some time ago, not sure if I can explain really.

My problem was INSIDE Ezkeys to get "generated" stuff (not sure on this if it was in bandmate or wherever, kind of "hidden") which produces really good chorprogression ideas (I think even stylebased) from inside Ezkeys INTO this Editor/Track from where you can drag to the DAW.

And if the support had understood my question right the answer was simply: NO (maybe someday, but if you look how long Ezkeys 2 took for happening....).

And that leaves me a little speachless and since that time it just covers dust. Maybe I was the only one who needs this for his workflow but if you create these great ideas in general and it fails to transport INSIDE your own application.....

KarlHeinz said:

My problem was a little more complicated and as it is some time ago, not sure if I can explain really.

My problem was INSIDE Ezkeys to get "generated" stuff (not sure on this if it was in bandmate or wherever, kind of "hidden") which produces really good chorprogression ideas (I think even stylebased) from inside Ezkeys INTO this Editor/Track from where you can drag to the DAW.

And if the support had understood my question right the answer was simply: NO (maybe someday, but if you look how long Ezkeys 2 took for happening....).

And that leaves me a little speachless and since that time it just covers dust. Maybe I was the only one who needs this for his workflow but if you create these great ideas in general and it fails to transport INSIDE your own application.....

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Yeah I totally understand that I don't understand your problem but I understand your grievances.

Lemme see if I can explain if this is the main difference on why some people don't get affected by it and you needed that to work. Your DAW, but let's see if there's a workaround.

I use Studio One, which is all based in Drag & Drop, so one of the Tabs in S1 is the Files Folder. That files folder has the folders I created and also you can add the 3rd party midi folder in that Files System.

So, The Bandmate indeed doesn't allow from DAW to Bandmate just like the Editor. But from the Files folder You can, here we go. Name of the file on DAW is the same on folder just to show the consistency.

View attachment 2023-11-23 17-25-20.mp4

Now, since it's all Drag & Drop, all midi or audio data you have made in a different instrument or yourself or plugin that you have in your DAW, you just drag and drop to a folder and then you drag and drop to the Bandmate.


View attachment 2023-11-23 17-33-02.mp4

I find that's pretty fluid in terms of workflow.

Did I get it right? Audio was muted, ma bad, still you get the idea.

Workaround for other Daws is being able to export and import that way, if you drag and drop from a Windows folder out of the DAW it also loads.

Sorry, I was afraid that it was getting hard to explain

I dont want to drag anything FROM my daw to EZkeys.

And evrything I have in the track editor (your first video) I am fine to drag into my daw, thats all I want.

Now the problem INSIDE EZkeys (and thats where my memory is not really clear as is EZkeys in its workflor/structure there):

- there is a part inside EZkeys where you can generate great chord progression ideas, style based I would think
- not sure if its the bandmate, I think it was somewhere else, but no matter, it is there (somewhere....)
- now the logic thing for me would be ANY way to get this chord progression from wherever it is inside EZkeys to this track view/editor from where I can edit it further or simply drag to my daw
- but: NO way to do this inside EZkeys
- so you generate wonderful ideas inside EZkeys but cant use them in your daw....

Hope that makes it a little clearer, thanks a lot for trying to understand but as support simply confirms: "no way"......

Thanks for all the answers!!!

But so... Better the midi at an higher price with the bundle or the extra ezx sound expansion? :-P

I understood it is possible to direct the midi out from eZkeys to another track in the daw, to use other sounds
Would it be possible to record the midi generated from ezkeys in a daw track, as a last solution?

KarlHeinz said:

Sorry, I was afraid that it was getting hard to explain

- so you generate wonderful ideas inside EZkeys but cant use them in your daw....

Hope that makes it a little clearer, thanks a lot for trying to understand but as support simply confirms: "no way"......

Click to expand...

Got it, or probably not. Lol. This is my last chance.

You mean the Songwriting Scales?



This is using the Standalone:


View attachment 2023-11-23 17-53-53.mp4

You drag and drop to the Editor, and then I suppose you can drag to the DAW if you want.

How about now?

My recommendation?

Get Scaler and open in the DAW together with EZKeys2, way more powerful use of progressions. Needs to rtfm though.

bosone said:

Thanks for all the answers!!!

But so... Better the midi at an higher price with the bundle or the extra ezx sound expansion? :-P

I understood it is possible to direct the midi out from eZkeys to another track in the daw, to use other sounds
Would it be possible to record the midi generated from ezkeys in a daw track, as a last solution?

Click to expand...

The Piano that comes is a beautiful sampled one. But if you have a Rhodes, a Wurly or Clavi or Upright piano that you like way more, just export the midi and use that instrument.

In EZbass I got the fretless because of how a fretless is played, so as an additional instrument try to buy that one you don't have or it's niche. But there are way better sampled Keys all around.

I'd use them as composition tools, also you can route out to another track with an instrument and play on EZKeys and listen the other instrument playing.

Btw, as complementary, Ujam Vogue is another tools (on sale). With grooves too, but way limited.

EanS said:

Got it, or probably not. Lol. This is my last chance.

You mean the Songwriting Scales?



This is using the Standalone:


View attachment 2023-11-23 17-53-53.mp4

You drag and drop to the Editor, and then I suppose you can drag to the DAW if you want.

How about now?

My recommendation?

Get Scaler and open in the DAW together with EZKeys2, way more powerful use of progressions. Needs to rtfm though.

Click to expand...

Getting closer

This was definitely one window I had in mind. Maybe I missed the dragging from there to the track (as your video shows it should be possible). But I think there was something else with whole progressions that could not be dragged, but please, dont worry, I am afraid its just not my workflow it seems .

Scaler is of course THE one point for evrything. And the one time I invested time to get threw it worked (that time....) but as I usually have spare time after work and family for some music I mainly need some fun then and not much thinking

Ezkeys is that way in general but not in my case it seems. But as there are so many tools out there (gladly....) in all levels of difficulty I am fine with the other stuff I got.

But really appreciate your help

KarlHeinz said:

Getting closer

This was definitely one window I had in mind. Maybe I missed the dragging from there to the track (as your video shows it should be possible). But I think there was something else with whole progressions that could not be dragged, but please, dont worry, I am afraid its just not my workflow it seems .

Scaler is of course THE one point for evrything. And the one time I invested time to get threw it worked (that time....) but as I usually have spare time after work and family for some music I mainly need some fun then and not much thinking

Ezkeys is that way in general but not in my case it seems. But as there are so many tools out there (gladly....) in all levels of difficulty I am fine with the other stuff I got.

But really appreciate your help

Click to expand...

Yeah, all in all the idea was not to defend EZK2 it's just trying to find a way you can really use it without wasting time. Of course it's understood that little time we have is to make not read about, I have most of my day free and still I don't sit down to study . There's a video training on scaler now, I got it pretty cheap. Haven't watched yet, of course.

Which EzKeys2 expansion would suite best for metal/rock use?

The “songwriting“ engine is the reason to buy EZKeys2. Most people who buy it are very likely to have better sounding virtual piano instruments to use for the actual sounds. So my advice would be to not buy any additional instruments beyond the one that comes with it. However, I do like the MIDI packs and think they do expand the overall usefulness of EZKeys2, especially if you get them on sale.

Astronaut FX said:

The “songwriting“ engine is the reason to buy EZKeys2. Most people who buy it are very likely to have better sounding virtual piano instruments to use for the actual sounds. So my advice would be to not buy any additional instruments beyond the one that comes with it. However, I do like the MIDI packs and think they do expand the overall usefulness of EZKeys2, especially if you get them on sale.

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Thanks!
indeed I'm not interested in the EZX expansion, but it comes free with ezkeys2 purchase for the black Friday deal. The other option would be to give up this deal and go for the boundle with 6 midi packs, even if it will cost more.

I did some close listening to their expansions and i really liked the small upright. i only have EZK2 and am also considering it as a possible BF purchase. I need to look closer at the songwriting engine stuff.

KarlHeinz said:

My problem was a little more complicated and as it is some time ago, not sure if I can explain really.

My problem was INSIDE Ezkeys to get "generated" stuff (not sure on this if it was in bandmate or wherever, kind of "hidden") which produces really good chorprogression ideas (I think even stylebased) from inside Ezkeys INTO this Editor/Track from where you can drag to the DAW.

And if the support had understood my question right the answer was simply: NO (maybe someday, but if you look how long Ezkeys 2 took for happening....).

And that leaves me a little speachless and since that time it just covers dust. Maybe I was the only one who needs this for his workflow but if you create these great ideas in general and it fails to transport INSIDE your own application.....

Click to expand...

Not sure if its the same thing, but what I do with EZB is I just make a MIDI track, set it to record, and record the midi output from the EZB track which gives me the subtleties of the midi performances which I can then apply a different instrument to.

Still using v1 because of 2 missing features in v2.

Cannot separate tracks in imported midi files like v1

V2 doesn't let you choose the key of imported files in the case where it's built in detection is wrong (which is fairly often)

It looks like some EZkeys specialists are here.
I'm just trying to get to know the program and I'm generally very impressed.
What I can't do is put the USER Midi folder on an external hard drive. I have set everything correctly in the library path and it is also displayed. But every time I restart the program, the USER Midi folder is recreated and routed to my main hard drive. The folder is empty and I cannot access my saved files in the USER Midi folder on the external hard drive.
I've now figured out a way to work by dragging my personal midi files to a "linked folder", but is there no other solution?
Thank you very much if anyone has a tip!

EZ Keys 1/2 is great if you don’t play keys. Not much value in the sounds, though, neither the stock library nor the expansions. But you will want all the MIDI packs you can afford, as that hugely increases the flexibility of it. So go for the midi for sure.