I would highly recommend StylusRMX for contemporary beats that you can still manipulate more than most Acid type loops. If you want some great modern flava to be added to the EZ Drummer loops (don't forget some of their expansion packs, I'm a big fan of the percussion and Twisted Kit sounds), StylusRMX might be right up your street.

Sale on EZ Drummer expansion packs...
http://www.macmusic.org/news/view.php/lang/en/id/8317/

At the very least, I'd get the Percussion one, but if you have the moolah, load up on 'em, Larry

Thanks Diki!

That's $45 per EZDrummer expansion at Guitar Center stores. I think they're normally $79 aren't they?

I'll look into Stylus RMX. Is it pretty easy to use? I don't have time for a big learning curve.

Another question, why would you recommend the Latin Percussion for my type of songwriting? Wouldn't that be mostly a lot of merengues, salsas, cha cha chas, beguines, and bossa novas?

I'm probably going to buy the Twisted and the Nashville expansions.

Beakybird

Just because something might need a conga part, or some good shakers, or a little hand percussion doesn't mean it is a Latin song. Plenty of percussion of all kinds of genre's, Larry. Remember, they ain't loops, just kits (and some MIDI files to drive them). A well programmed cabasa or tambourine pattern can help lift a chorus, or allow for a more stripped down drum part...

Thing is, if you are replacing out the S900's drums with something more realistic, why not replace the latin perc too?