TOONTRACK BACKBEATS MIDI

Righteous grooves—and plenty of ’em

Toontrack’s latest expansion pack offering, Backbeats MIDI does not disappoint. Session drummer Stephen Belans accomplished his goal of creating an infectious set of beats and fills to equip classic rock, pop and country songwriters and producers. “I based this purely on what a songwriter might need,” says Belans. The 500-plus files are grouped in rhythmic styles and broken down into arrangement sections with multiple variations. What impressed us most was how well it shifted as we switched among our collection of EZDrummer kits. If you’re a songwriter working with loops, you’ll find plenty to love here.

–Doug Doppler