Disclaimer: This section assumes you have legally obtained the collection or are using it for educational archive purposes. Always support the original developers, Toontrack, if you profit from your music.
Step 1: The Hard Drive You need a dedicated SSD with at least 100GB free. Do not install this on a mechanical drive; the sample loading times will destroy your workflow.
Step 2: Unpacking the Beast FTF96 usually packages the collection in 15–20 RAR files. Use WinRAR or The Unarchiver to extract everything into one master folder. Keep the folder structure exactly as provided—do not rename the parent folder, or EZdrummer will lose the path. EZ DRUMMER COMPLETE COLLECTION by FTF96
Step 3: DAW Integration
Pro Tip: FTF96 often includes a custom "Songwriter" preset in the user folder. Load this first. It mixes the "Modern Rock" kick, "Vintage Ludwig" snare, and "Jazz Ride" cymbal into a unique hybrid kit. Disclaimer: This section assumes you have legally obtained
Before we look at the contents, we have to address the creator. In the underground scene of sampled instruments, FTF96 has a reputation akin to a digital Indiana Jones. While traditional distribution models restrict users to one license per purchase, FTF96 focuses on preservation.
The "Complete Collection" moniker is not used lightly. Many uploaders claim to have a "full pack," but they often miss rare expansions like the “EZdrummer 2 Latin Percussion EZX” or the discontinued “Drumkit from Hell” variants. FTF96 is known for cross-referencing release logs, finding out-of-print libraries, and ensuring that every file uses the proper file structure (no missing samples, no corrupted NCW files). Pro Tip: FTF96 often includes a custom "Songwriter"
Furthermore, FTF96 includes detailed installation walkthroughs, often solving the compatibility headaches of running older EZX expansions inside the modern EZdrummer 3 engine. This attention to detail is why the "FTF96" tag has become a seal of quality.
Standard bundles rarely include these:
| Problem | Solution |
|---------|----------|
| “Missing samples” error | Run EZdrummer_Repair.exe (included in Tools/ folder) |
| MIDI browser empty | Delete MIDI.db in Toontrack/Database/, restart DAW |
| Doublelisted kits | Go to Settings → “Rescan folders” → manually remove duplicate path |
| Drumkit from Hell no sound | That beta kit needs Drumagog to trigger — not a bug, just ancient format |