Xpack - Cakewalk - Bigtone EDM

The BigTone EDM expansion for Z3ta+ 2 includes 127 handcrafted presets by sound design professional, Nico Herz. Catering to the expert and fledgling producer, the BigTone Pack provides a characteristic set of building blocks for your next electronic production. The unmistakable flexibility of Z3TA+ 2’s synth engine is captured in Nico’s presentation of this legendary instrument. Mystical Pads, complex ARPs, ferocious Bass, and more are all available today in this one of kind expansion pack from Cakewalk Software.

Q&A with the Designer

Q: Are there any specific electronic genres that you had in mind when creating the new sounds?

A: The set is a kind of a basic cross section of some electronic based music styles, from techno to ambient, to 80's, etc. The special part is that i have tried to let zeta sound _not_ like you'd expect it to sound, if you know the synth. I tried to do stuff where you wouldn't think of that zeta is the source, in order to give a little more variety to it's typical behave.

Q: Do you have any suggestion for users on how they can incorporate these new sounds into projects?

A: The set is made at 125bpm. some sounds might work for other tempos too, but I would at least recommend for the user to try the sounds at 125 bpm first, in order to get the picture (important for the sounds that are based on a midi file). It is very important for the user to check the name, especially what's within the brackets, as that is mostly very important, to bring the sound to life. also there's the information if the sound mandatorily has to be played back by the host in order for some functions to work correctly.

I have no concrete plan on how to incorporate the sounds into a song - the sound creatively triggers me and leads me the way. your own imagination tells you naturally, what to do with it, and that's different for each person. so there' s no general way to go on this. at least not one i could possibly propose.

Q: Where do you like to start when working on a new track?

A: It depends. I mostly start either with the kick and the drum/rhythm stuff, then the bass. or some certain sound triggers me, Then it is that one that i start with. but it's not a strict rule.

“We were very excited to work again with Nico on the BigTone EDM pack. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to sound design and you can hear that in all the presets that he created.”
Lance Riley
Product Manager