{{Short description|Swedish music software company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Toontrack | former_name = | logo = | logo_caption = | type = Private | industry = Music software<br /> Virtual instrument software | predecessor = <!-- or: predecessors = --> | founded = {{Start date and age|1999}} in Umeå, Sweden | founder = Andreas Sundgren, Mattias Eklund | defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | fate = | successor = <!-- or: successors = --> | hq_location_city = Umeå | hq_location_country = Sweden | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Peter Knutsson, CEO | products = Superior Drummer<br /> EZdrummer<br /> EZmix<br /> EZkeys<br /> EZbass | owner = <!-- or: owners = --> | num_employees = 40 | num_employees_year = 2018<ref name="KVRMay2018">{{cite web|title=The beat of a different drummer: An interview with Mattias Eklund from Toontrack|url=https://www.kvraudio.com/interviews/the-beat-of-a-different-drummer-an-interview-with-mattias-eklund-from-toontrack-39564|website=KVR|date=29 May 2018|access-date=29 January 2025}}</ref> | parent = | website = {{url|toontrack.com}} }} '''Toontrack''' is a music software company, based in Umeå, Sweden. Founded in 1997, it develops virtual instruments and audio plug-ins, including Superior Drummer, EZdrummer, EZkeys, EZbass, and EZmix. Still headquartered in Umeå, Toontrack now has branches in the US, UK, and Germany.
==History== The origin of the company was initially a project for co-founders Mattias Eklund and Henke Kjellberg's own music production for video games and film,<ref name="HughesR">{{cite web|last=Hughes|first=Russ|title=Behind The Brand: Toontrack|url=https://www.production-expert.com/production-expert-1/behind-the-brand-toontrack|website=Production Expert|date=24 October 2025|access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref> - including music for the video game soundtracks from the Umeå company Daydream Software, including ''Traitors Gate'' and ''Clusterball''.<ref name=toontrackint>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000608014133/http://www.traitorsgate.com/articles/interview_toontrack.html | url=http://www.traitorsgate.com:80/articles/interview_toontrack.html | title=Toontrack Interview | archive-date=8 June 2000 | publisher=Daydream Software | url-status=dead | access-date=21 November 2021}}</ref><ref name=macgate>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991004150535/http://www.macgate.torget.se/articles/interviews/Traitorsgate/ | url=http://www.macgate.torget.se:80/articles/interviews/Traitorsgate/ | title=Interview with Nigel Papworth on ''Traitors Gate'' | date=May 8, 1999 | author=Unland, Brice | work=Mac Game Gate | archive-date=October 4, 1999 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 21, 2021}}</ref> When Eklund and Andreas Sundgren weren't able to find the kind of drum sounds that they needed, they decided to record their own with Tomas Haake, the drummer of local Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah. They named the resulting drum sample library ''Drumkit From Hell'',<ref name=HughesR/> and began selling it as a product in 2000.<ref name="SOSSep2008">{{cite web|last=Poyser|first=Debbie|title=Behind The Groove: Virtual Drum Instrument Developers' Round Table|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/people/behind-groove|website=Sound On Sound|date=September 2008|access-date=29 January 2025}}</ref>
In 2001 Toontrack began developing Drumkit From Hell into a virtual instrument, releasing DFH Superior in 2004.<ref name="SOSMar2005">{{cite web|last=White|first=Paul|title=Toontrack DFH Superior|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-dfh-superior|website=Sound On Sound|date=March 2005|access-date=14 November 2025}}</ref> From 2005, the software was further developed into two products, the simpler EZdrummer and the more fully-featured Superior Drummer. The company later expanded its product line with EZmix audio mixing software, and EZkeys, and EZbass virtual instrument software.
Toontrack also produces other expansion packs for its software, including music genre or application-specific sample packs of different instrument models, often recorded in a notable recording studio, MIDI files of riffs, often performed by notable musicians, and signal chains of notable engineers or producers.
==Products== ===Superior Drummer=== The first version of Toontrack's virtual drum software was DFH Superior, which originated with the ''Drumkit From Hell'' sample library, which was developed with the help of Tomas Haake, the drummer of local Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah.<ref name="Sonor">{{cite web|title=Artists: Tomas Haake|url=https://www.sonor.com/drums/artists/artists-detail/tomas-haake|website=Sonor|access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="GilkesonK">{{cite web|last=Gilkeson|first=Kyle|title=Guest Spots: Meshuggah on the Drumkit from Hell|url=https://alarm-magazine.com/2011/guest-spots-meshuggah-on-the-drumkit-from-hell/|website=Alarm Magazine|date=24 January 2011|access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref> The second version, renamed Superior Drummer,<ref name="SOSDec2008">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack Superior Drummer 2.0|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-superior-drummer-20|website=Sound On Sound|date=December 2008|access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref> established itself as one of the most popular virtual drummer programs available.<ref name="SOSOct2017">{{cite web|last1=Walden|first1=John|last2=Gordon|first2=Mark|title=Toontrack Superior Drummer 3|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-superior-drummer-3|website=Sound On Sound|date=October 2017|access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref>
The latest version of the software is based on over 230GB of samples of acoustic drum kits and electronic drum sounds, recorded at Galaxy Studios under the supervision of Grammy award-winning engineer George Massenburg.<ref name=SOSOct2017/> Also included is a library of MIDI drum loops, and a mixer that allows the user to adjust the independent volumes of each of the microphones on the drum kit or add effects.<ref name=SOSOct2017/>
Superior Drummer is expandable with numerous SDX or EZX drum sample expansions and Drum MIDI expansions.
===EZdrummer=== EZdrummer, a simplified version of Superior Drummer designed specifically for songwriters, was first introduced in 2006,<ref name="SOSMay2014">{{cite web|last=White|first=Paul|title=Toontrack EZdrummer 2|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-ezdrummer-2|website=Sound On Sound|date=May 2014|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> and, like Superior Drummer, has become one of the most popular drum VIs.<ref name="SOSJun2022">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack EZdrummer 3|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-ezdrummer-3|website=Sound On Sound|date=June 2022|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> The virtual drum instrument is expandable with EZX drum sample expansions and Drum MIDI expansions.
===EZmix=== Toontrack introduced EZmix, a plug-in for mixing and mastering, in 2010.<ref name="SOSDec2013">{{cite web|last=White|first=Paul|title=Toontrack Emix 2|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-ezmix-2|website=Sound On Sound|date=December 2013|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> EZmix 2, introduced in 2013, added guitar amplifier and cabinet modeling, and the latest version added AI-assisted functionality.<ref name="SOSNov2024">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack EZmix 3|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-ezmix-3|website=Sound On Sound|date=November 2024|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> The plug-in is expandable with EZmix Packs, many which were developed with notable recording engineers, including Chuck Ainlay and Mark Needham.<ref name=SOSDec2013/>
===EZkeys=== In 2013, the company introduced EZkeys, a virtual piano instrument.<ref name="SOSJan2013">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack EZkeys|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-ezkeys|website=Sound On Sound|date=January 2013|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> Expandable via genre- and keyboard instrument-specific EZX sample expansions and EZkey MIDI expansions, version 2 was released in 2023.<ref name="SOSAug2023">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack EZkeys 2|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-ezkeys-2|website=Sound On Sound|date=August 2023|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>
===EZbass=== EZbass, a virtal bass guitar instrument, was introduced in 2020. Similar to EZdrummer and EZkeys, EZbass combines a sample library of bass guitar sounds with MIDI bass grooves, and amplifier, cabinet, and effects modeling. EZbass is expandable via genre- and bass instrument-specific EBX sample expansions and Bass MIDI expansions.<ref name="SOSJul2020">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack EZbass|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-ezbass|website=Sound On Sound|date=July 2020|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>
==Collaborations== Keeping with the company's origins in collaborations with members of Meshuggah, Toontrack has collaborated with many notable musicians, producers, engineers and recording studios to create sample libraries and MIDI expansions for the company's virtual instruments.
Musicians contributing riffs for Toontrack MIDI pack expansions include John "Jabo" Starks, Clyde Stubblefield,<ref name="SOSMay2009">{{cite web|last=White|first=Paul|title=Toontrack Funkmasters EZX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-funkmasters-ezx|website=Sound On Sound|date=May 2009|access-date=18 November 2025}}</ref> Nir Z,<ref name=SOSAug2013/> Ash Soan,<ref name="SOSJun2018">{{cite web|last=White|first=Paul|title=Toontrack UK Pop EZX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-uk-pop-ezx|website=Sound On Sound|date=June 2018|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> Chris Adler,<ref name="SOSFeb2019">{{cite web|last=White|first=Paul|title=Toontrack Drums Of Destruction EZX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-drums-destruction-ezx|website=Sound On Sound|date=February 2019|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> and John Tempesta.<ref name="MandMNov2011">{{cite web|title=Toontrack Metal Machine EZX Expansion Pack|url=https://mmusicmag.com/m/2012/03/toontrack-metal-machine-ezx-expansion-pack/|website=M Music & Musicians|date=November 2011|access-date=18 November 2025}}</ref>
Producers and engineers who have contributed to Toontrack products and expansion packs include Al Schmitt,<ref name="SOSDec2019">{{cite web|last=Gordon|first=Mark|title=Toontrack Decades SDX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-decades-sdx|website=Sound On Sound|date=December 2019|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref><ref name=SOSOct2017/> Steve Albini,<ref name="SOSMay2017">{{cite web|last=White|first=Paul|title=Toontrack Alt-Rock EZX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-alt-rock-ezx|website=Sound On Sound|date=May 2017|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> Neil Dorfsman,<ref name="SOSAug2013">{{cite web|title=Toontrack New York Studios Vol 3 SDX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-new-york-studios-vol-3-sdx|website=Sound On Sound|date=August 2013|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> Hugh Padgham,<ref name="SOSDec2022">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack Hitmaker SDX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-hitmaker-sdx|website=Sound On Sound|date=December 2022|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> Eddie Kramer,<ref name="SOSSep2020">{{cite web|title=Eddie Kramer SDX unveiled by Toontrack|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/news/eddie-kramer-sdx-unveiled-toontrack|website=Sound On Sound|date=9 September 2020|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> Tom Dalgety,<ref name="SOSJan2022">{{cite web|last=Gordon|first=Mark|title=Toontrack Fields Of Rock SDX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-fields-rock-sdx|website=Sound On Sound|date=January 2022|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> and others, capturing instruments in the ambience of recording studios including Capitol Studios,<ref name=SOSDec2019/> British Grove Studios,<ref name=SOSDec2022/> AIR Studios,<ref name=SOSSep2020/> Rockfield Studios,<ref name=SOSJan2022/> Sunset Sound,<ref name="SOSMay2023">{{cite web|title=Michael Ilbert Signature EZX from Toontrack|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/news/michael-ilbert-signature-ezx-toontrack|website=Sound On Sound|date=31 May 2023|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> and Real World Studios.<ref name="SOSNov2025">{{cite web|last=Walden|first=John|title=Toontrack Real To Reel SDX|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/toontrack-real-reel-sdx|website=Sound On Sound|date=November 2025|access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>
==In use== Toontrack software has been used to produce a variety of albums, most notably Devin Townsend's 2007 concept album ''Ziltoid the Omniscient''<ref name="UGSep2020">{{cite web|last=Kiryushkin|first=Alexander|title=6 Albums You Probably Didn't Know Had Programmed Drums|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/6_albums_you_probably_didnt_know_had_programmed_drums-111509|website=Ultimate Guitar|date=29 September 2020|access-date=18 November 2025}}</ref> and Meshuggah's album ''Catch Thirtythree''.<ref name=GilkesonK/><ref name="Revolver">{{cite web|last=Bennett|first=J.|title=Meshuggah: Tomas Haake Weighs In On Djent Godfathers' Classic Albums|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/meshuggah-tomas-haake-weighs-djent-godfathers-classic-albums/|website=Revolver|date=13 July 2022|access-date=18 November 2025}}</ref> It's also been used by Dethklok (for episodes of ''Metalocalypse'' season 2), and Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan before the band hired drummer Gil Sharone.<ref name="SonorTH">{{cite web|title=Artists: Tomas Haake|url=https://www.sonor.com/drums/artists/artists-detail/tomas-haake|website=Sonor|access-date=18 November 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjnVxyk_q34 The Toontrack story: 20-year anniversary video on YouTube]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Software companies established in 1999 Category:Swedish companies established in 1999 Category:Companies based in Västerbotten County Category:Software companies of Sweden Category:Software synthesizers Category:Audio software companies