Toontrack EZkeys for macOS

Description

Tap2Find is the quickest way to an idea. You tap a rhythm on your desk, hum a few notes, and EZkeys suggests a full accompaniment from its MIDI library. It turns a vague notion into something you can work with, fast.

Good for

• Songwriters who need a piano part without playing a note. The MIDI library was recorded by pro pianists across genres. You audition, drag and drop.
• Dialling in a sound quickly. Mix-ready presets cover everything from felt-treated uprights to bright grands. No tweaking required.
• Standalone use. EZkeys runs as its own application. Useful when you just want to practise or sketch before opening a DAW.

Keep in mind

• It needs macOS 10.13 or later. Works on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
• Songwriting Scales is included, but the core sound library is not a modelled piano. It is sample-based, so disk space matters.
• Tap2Find works best with clear rhythmic input. Mumbled humming gets mumbled results.

What changed in everyday use

Version 2.1.5 brought a few quiet fixes that affect daily work more than the patch notes suggest. The most noticeable is the multi-core CPU improvement, particularly on Mac. If you run EZkeys inside a busy Logic or Ableton session, the plugin now spreads its load better across cores. In practice that means fewer clicks and pops when the track count climbs, and a snappier response when auditioning MIDI grooves while the transport is running.

Support for the Transistor Organ EKX arrived in the same update. If you own that expansion, it now appears in the instrument controls with a dedicated expression pedal knob in the Keys tab. The change is small, but it means you can shape organ swells without mapping a hardware pedal first. Less menu diving, more playing.

On the cosmetic side, the standalone icon and project icon were updated to match macOS Tahoe styling. It does nothing for your mix, but it stops the app looking like a relic in the Dock. Small mercies.

Snags you might run into

MIDI packs don't show up

EZkeys MIDI packs need a working installation of EZkeys 1 or EZkeys 2. If you downloaded a pack and it refuses to appear in the browser, the usual culprit is that the core application was moved after installation. Run the standalone app once and let it scan its library folders. If that fails, reinstall the MIDI pack while EZkeys is closed, then launch again.

Tap2Find gives you nonsense

Tap2Find needs a steady tempo in your input. If you tap a rhythm that drifts, the engine guesses and often guesses wrong. The fix is boring but reliable: use the metronome click, keep your taps deliberate, and give it at least four bars. Hummed melodies fare better when they are simple. Complex chromatic lines confuse the matching algorithm.

High CPU on older Intel Macs

Even with the 2.1.5 improvements, EZkeys can still spike on older Intel machines when you stack multiple microphone perspectives. Switching to the close-mic preset and disabling the room ambience channel brings CPU down considerably. You can always add reverb in the DAW later.

Questions that come up before installing

Does it work without a MIDI keyboard?

Yes. You can compose entirely by dragging MIDI blocks from the library onto the Song Track. Tap2Find and Bandmate both accept audio input, so humming or tapping a rhythm works. A keyboard helps for editing chords, but it is not required to get a usable piano part down.

Can I use my own piano sounds with it?

The EZkeys MIDI engine outputs standard MIDI, so you can route it to any virtual instrument in your DAW. The core Fazioli library stays within EZkeys itself, but the songwriting tools, Chord Wheel and pattern browser all function independently of the built-in sounds.

How big is the download?

The core sound library is sample-based and substantial. You will want at least 4 GB of free disk space for the base installation, more if you add EKX expansions. It is not a small utility, but it earns its footprint if piano is central to your writing.

What is the difference between EZkeys and EZkeys 2?

EZkeys 2 is the newer line with a redesigned interface and additional features. This version, EZkeys 2.1.5, includes Bandmate, Tap2Find, the resizable interface and the updated multi-core handling. If you see references to "EZkeys 1" online, that is the older generation. MIDI packs work across both, but the core application features differ significantly.

What’s new

Adds support for Transistor Organ EKX. Fixes the standalone and project icons for the macOS Tahoe style. Improves CPU performance with multiple cores, especially on Mac.

Requirements

• macOS 10.13 or later
• Apple Silicon or Intel 64-bit processor