OK, I'm not concerned at all about the header files, but still trying to figure out why this difference (just curiosity)
The places where you say there are header files in your collection - in this comment...

and what I got using EZX pack installers, which was pretty much header files in the midi from every EZX pack that I installed.
I'm still wondering whether its just a (irrelevant) difference between ezx pack installer and midi pack installer.
===
UPDATE - FORGET MY STUPIDITY - I CAN'T READ.
Your image shows the items 'without' header files - I was reading it as items 'with' header files

 

Last edited: Dec 21, 2019

Thanks @demha for all this work. It's a favor and group benefit, but i suspect it's probably also an obsessive-compulsive love-hate thing.

 

A wrinkle...(maybe)

These quotes as pre-amble...

extracts from @demha post

Some Toontrack midi packs clearly say something like "Please note that this is the same MIDI as included in the xxxx EZX"
and some midi pack descriptions use weazel words like "inspired by" or "derived from"

I wanted to know what that means. I don't have many candidates to explore but here's one that I did explore...

Metalheads Midi Pack - Described on Toontrack Website as...
"This MIDI pack is derived from the widely popular Metalheads EZX."

So what does 'derived from' mean?
- 'subset of' ?
- 'superset of' ?
- 'modified version of' ?

I installed on a fresh EZD2. First the EZX version, then the Midi Pack version.
I initially took precautions to ensure that the Midi Pack version did not overwite the EZX version.
But those precautions were totally unnecessary because the two versions get installed to separate folders and can definitely co-exist OK.
As shown here...


What's the difference between the EZX version and the Midi Pack version?
- Same number of midi files? - yes
- Same folders and midi file names? - yes
- Are the midi files the same? - no
They are musically the same patterns, but the kit items used are different.
Actually, from my brief checking it seems like it's just the cymbals that are different.
But that seems to be what 'derived from' means in this case; someone re-mapped the cymbals.
Do I care? - not really. They both sounded pretty good.
Do you care? - who knows.

Is this is a representative sample of what 'derived from' or 'inspired by' means with other midi packs?
I don't know.

 

Description From the toontrack website:
This MIDI pack is "derived" from the widely popular Metalheads EZX.
Twelve classic Meshuggah songs, captured flawlessly via MIDI by Tomas Haake himself, organized both as full songs as well as song parts so you can customize, dissect and use his drumming brilliance to create your own grand metal compositions!

Tricky way of describing an already created midi content (i think) and Yes I have seen the difference. Its just remapped to a different cymbal in the kit as if to show you can customize and dissect it the way you want. If that small change isnt there i dont think they can justify to sell the pack (if they purposely played with words). Anyways for many others its not a big problem to change a cymbal to your own prefered one and having less midi without (almost_duplicated) content, can be time/money saving to many users. In the end its Toontrack's business. They can do whatever they want with it. An YOU as a user have the choice to be very smart/resourceful before you buying anything.

Disclamer: If you prefer to keep those so called "duplicate packs" as defined by me, its totally cool and its up to you. But i personally did'nt want them since they are typically the same. (I do have those packs with me anyways, just not included in my main folder) I do need them to compare right? lol

Also some midi companies do the same if a newer version is released, heck some even make that small change/or fix and resell them to people who do not notice these tiny differences. Eg. Groove Monkee has had midi updates and upon comparing their files (old release vs new release), found out that the internal tempo was changed for the same pattern or files been renamed or remapped kits for the same midi file released before, if they found that the older version they released wasnt good enough or had an issue they do these changes. Some even decide to include or remove a pattern previously released.
Check this sample of two Groove Monkee METAL fills here to compare https://www120.zippyshare.com/v/4rIUYebf/file.html What folder do you think sounds right?

 

Last edited: Dec 21, 2019

I'm now reassured that when the packs say 'derived from', or 'inspired by', I'm not missing out on anything that matters.
- I have my 1st hand peek at metalheads (EZX vs MidiPack) that showed it's just remapped cymbals, confirmed by @demha
- We have @demha classifying 20 packs as being, either strict duplicates, or different only in ways that are as trivial as the metalheads example. (thanks @demha)

That's good enough for me.
I might personally choose to favour the midi pack versions on the grounds that 'maybe' the very tiny tweaks, if any, are TT's attempt to improve them, rather than just having extra stuff to market.

 

Since the size is small and the cost is ... not an issue, I like to have them all
Some are redundant and for the "slimmest" MiDi library it seems like whichever MiDi is the most recent (by version #) would be the one to keep in the MIDI folder.
I will post a separate reply here regarding that, though...

At the moment I was going through my archive and adding MiDi version info in the RAR files of the full Expansion Packs.
Any Add-On Pack MiDi that I have the same or newer verison MiDi in the full EZX or SDX expansions, I am moving the Add-On MiDi packs archive to a "Redundant" folder (and removing them from my TT MIDI folder).

 

Wondering if anyone still uses EZD1 and why? This is just for your information about SOUND updates for older EZX's not EZX2's.

 

Thanks!
Question - I see you have "[email protected]_-_VOLUME_3".
I never found the midi included in the SDX packs. But I do have the Add-On Midi (and according to website it is the same).
For those like that I was going to rename the Add-On Midi folder to the appropriate EZX or SDX number. (Roots, Metal Machinery,Metal foundry).
I'd rather see the midi in the GUI in the appropriate EZX & SDX list.
So i thought to rename the Add-On folder ... is that what you did?

 

Last edited: Dec 22, 2019

No I had gotten the SDX Midi update from someone. But to tell you the truth the files are same only difference is the midiDB file and kitpiece from a similar SDX based midi. As a matter of fact the new update for NY3 (1.5) has just been posted on sister site by Talula. See your PM.

 

Last edited: Dec 23, 2019

Oh i forgot to mention one more thing about the duplicated similar MIDI libraries. Do you know another reason why it sounds slightly different? Eg-Just goto the midi folder "000343@METALHEADS" and "14@EZX_METALHEADS" and check out the "kitpieces" file. Open that file with notepad and notice that the midipacks are GM Extended based maps vs the Toontrack default maps. So to make sure no one renamed the midipack as a SDX midi you would easily know by looking at the first line or mapping structure.

 

Last edited: Dec 23, 2019

Ahh, well good to know the midiDB is different. Seems like that could muck things up!

 

Awesome thread! I've struggled so much with these Toontrack releases!! Thanks so much...will be following this closely

 

I guess this thread is dead then...too bad!
I was looking forward to demha sharing his neatly arranged collection!

 

Well maybe it is in a coma...
I think the idea of an upload on sister site was shelved due to some "technical concerns", but it may be that Demha would share via PM.

 

Whaaaaaaat happened???

 

i hope

 

Im still here..I just checked if all midis have been released on sister site and it is.
Keep this permalink as reference.
Release notes phase 1 - Toontrack based ones only.
Note this is all with original naming structure as toontrack intented (except for old DFH and Evil Drums the order according to release date). So phase one complete.

Heres the whole midi folder. (updated September 2020)
https://www49.zippyshare.com/v/ln4DEbpU/file.html

Before you use this just rename your old midi folder to something else and put this to a new folder "MIDI" and check if you are satisfied. Let me know if you come across any issue.

 

Last edited: Sep 25, 2020

@demha - your avatar doesn't have that authentic "I'll be back!" Terminator look, but your posts certainly do.
WONDERFUL update - thank you very much

 

The next one will be 3rd party libraries (remember it will take a lot more time, most need fixing/remapping). Didnt have time to check all midis yet. I think i will sort it out according to the Pack brand>Product name? Like Groove Monkee>Power Rock, Looplofts>Blues Drums, etc... and without affecting the toontrack library numbers: the best place to put all of them is "MY MIDIFILES" or should I create a new catergory called "21@_Others". So it will be something like this- eg: Others>Groove Monkee>Power Rock. What do you guys think?

 

In my much older and much tinier effort at doing something like this, I created a category like "21@_Others". I really did prefer that instead of using "My Midi" which I wanted to reserve for midi that I had actually written. The problem was always "What is a safe choice for a category like "21@_Others", something that would not conflict with later Toontrack choices? (The choices I made did actually end up conflicting with later TT releases). But maybe that doesn't matter, maybe the actual choice like "21@_Others" is still flexible enough to get a new edit later down the line and just get globally moved to something else if necessary.
Disclaimer: I know nothing about how these choices affect the same library being viewed in SD instead of EZD2