Should I stay or should I go now?

BFD3 General Discussion
1

Please you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go? :innocent:

Trying to figure out if I should give the new InMusic version of BFD another try. I tried it out a long time back, but for whatever reason (I can’t recall) I quickly returned to the pre InMusic version I was using (3.2.3.3) and there I have remained.

I read a bit of these forums every day, and I must say it’s not something that fills your heart with hope. As I see it I have 3 choices,

  1. Stay as I am, and keep on keeping on.
  2. Give it another try and see how it goes.
  3. Move on to SD3. (again)

Number 1, well that’s comfortable and safe, until something happens to make me move forward, hardware failure etc, something causing to make me change OS etc. It could happen, it’s a possibility, I backups of all my hard drives etc, and supposedly can recover to different hardware. But apart from some catastrophe I think I would have a good few years as is. I’ve stopped Windows 10 from updating itself, I’m still on Windows 10 v 1909, and I can stay there for the foreseeable future.

Number 2, well I really don’t want to waste my time if it’s going to give me grief. I’d like it just to work, that would be nice, not bothered about any 3 monthly check in or whatever it is, but I have something like 54 or 55 expansions, I don’t want to loose any of them, and I don’t want to be spending endless hours trying to get them all to work, don’t want to be chasing companies around trying to get new serial numbers, this all should already be done by InMusic or whoever, so as the consumer just does his/her thing and Bob’s your Uncle.

Number 3, I purchased SD3 on release to check it out. The UI, the looks are certainly nice, it has some nice features. But when it comes to the main, most important part, the sound, to me it is inferior to BFD3, so after a month or 2 I sold it. But if wasn’t that bad, it just wasn’t as good as BFD3 IMO,. I could certainly work with it, and after some time using it exclusively I’d could forget about the things that now aren’t as good as BFD to me. Oh, but buying something twice, I’d feel like hitting my head against a post, but that to I would get over.

Is it safe to jump in the InMusic water without any hassle or loss? :face_with_peeking_eye: :roll_eyes:

2

You can always have both installed and run side by side to test. The only caveat being you have to have separate installs/location for the sound content and user documents files. And if you have legacy products like BFD/BFD2, you’ll have to request replacement serial #'s, add them to the LM and download/install that content to the new location for BFD Drums.

I myself, have no issues currently, though I’m on an older macOS version and Intel machine. It’s been well over 3 months for me and I haven’t had call home that I can tell, or been deauthorized.

An issue you may run into, is with the LM reverting to the previous version. When you download the current LM 3.0.5.3 and then install BFD3, I believe it reverts the LM back to 3.0.5.2? So after you install/update BFD3, you need to install the LM 3.0.5.3 once again from the BFD Drums LM download link.

3

The BFD/BFD2 stuff is no problem, I purchased both of them as they were released, would make things easier if I ever had to reinstall was my thinking then, no need to install or drag stuff of the disks.

Thanks for your response and advice, the side by side thing sounds interesting, I was unaware of that, as long as it doesn’t want me to download all 54 or 55 expansions. I’ll ponder on it for a bit and see. I’ve got all my drives backed up with Acronis TI, so worse thing that could happen is I have to do a restore I guess. Just don’t want to waste a lot of time, or have stuff go missing, and have to deal with that. I’m getting to old for that shit.

Do you know if all the expansions will change over automatically without issue?
I have all the FXP ones (except the marching band stuff) they should be OK, and
Sonic Reality
Drum Drops
Platinum Samples
Chocolate Audio

Thanks again :+1:

4

No issues here, haven’t even had to re-licence my library since the last build back in October.

I’m on windows 11 and liking it a lot.

Steve

5

I’m saying, if you want to use BFD/BFD2 libraries with the new BFD3 version, you need to request new serials for their expansion equivalents: Eldorado/London Sessions. You can’t use the old sound content from the disks. Those are legacy products that can’t be migrated over as-is.

Have you done the migration process from Fxpansion to BFD Drums/inMusic? Most of those 3rd party expansions you have should be able to be ported over. It basically gives you new serials to be used with inMusic from your Fxpansion account. You just have to make sure you’re using the same email address for your Fxpansion and inMusic accounts. See this article:

The link to start the migration process will be under your Fxpansion Account Overview section, where your products are listed.

All that said, I might suggest just getting the BFD3 core library up and running with the new LM first before tackling all of your other libraries.

6

Yeah, I did the migration process way back when I first switched over to the InMusic BFD, but like I said above I switched back fairly quickly for whatever reason.

7

So what were the issues you encountered, ‘back then’?

No one can really advise as to whether those issues will be there for you or not if you don’t tell us what they were. All you have said was, ‘for whatever reason’

Steve

8

There is apparently a new beta on the way, I’d maybe wait till thats out, but either way, the chances of it being a ball ache to get working are an unknown.

Personally, I havent had any issues except the authorisation issues and those are gone on my system.

On point 3, I’m not sure many people posting here and checking threads are going to say “go somewhere else”, most of us are here because we’re all in to the product :slight_smile:

As @Steve63 says, detail what your issues were last time and someone might be able to advise if those issues are still something to be wary of, or if there are fixes should those issues crop up again.

9

Yeah, I honestly can’t recall what the issue was back then, I have no idea, all I know is it was enough to make me switch back fairly quickly.

I’ve been with BFD since the beginning, from the original BFD right on through, have acquired 54 or 55 expansion packs, so I’m pretty much into it. I have purchased other Drum stuff along the way, most that I know of, but apart from just checking out, testing, never really used any of them, only BFD, it’s always been the best IMO.

All my serials on the InMusic site seem to have been changed over, so I think I’m good to go.

So once more into the fray I go, see ya on the other side.

1 Like
10

I would advise starting from scratch rather than using the migration process as a lot of people had issues with going down that road. Just make sure you install the latest LM (Downloads and Documentation | BFD) and then the latest version of BFD3 via the LM.

You will need new serials for BFD1&2 libraries and maybe some others since you have so many expansions. Some of those expansions have also been dropped by BFD Drums for some inexplicable reasons so they could cause issues ahead if you need to download them again.
Don’t delete any of your old libraries until you have a working replacement would be my advice.

Steve

To make absolutely certain you have removed all the old fxpansion stuff that might get left behind @BFD_Drew posted this earlier today that might be useful.

To your issue; it sounds like something has gone wrong during the install (ie; upgrade) scenario. Are you on Windows or Mac?

DELETE OLD FXpansion FILES

OSX
Delete - Mac HD/Users/ USERNAME /Library/Application Support/FXpansion/BFD3/
Delete - Mac HD/Library/Application Support/FXpansion/BFD3/
Delete - Mac HD/Applications/BFD3.app
Delete - Mac HD/Applications/FX License Manager.app
Make sure you also delete the audio unit from here: Mac HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
and the VST from here: Mac HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST

WINDOWS
Delete - C:\ProgramData\FXpansion\BFD3
Delete - C:\Program Files (x86)\FXpansion\BFD3
Delete - C:\Program Files\FXpansion\BFD3
Delete - C:\users\ USERNAME \appData\Roaming\FXpansion\BFD3
Make sure you also delete **BFD3.dll ** from wherever you installed the VSTplugin (usually C:\Program Files\Steinberg\vstplugins or C:\Program Files\vstplugins).
11

Per my post in another thread, there’s still some undefined issues with the timing for “reauthorization”. Gave it another go this week and had BFD completely deauthorized 3 times (all expansions). There was a mention of system cfg but without any details that might be proactively managed. It was easy enough to “reauthorize” for the rackmount but still a showstopper for any location work.

It’s been a year.

12

Hi, In my account on the InMusic site, all my products have been given new serials, they are not the same serials as the original, all begin with BF. BFD1&2 work fine. In the LM they all show as Authorized, however not all are selectable in BFD3 via Kit or Preset.

BFD3 itself seems to work fine other than the above, however it’s not acceptable to me the way it is.

I’ll give your tip about removing all the old FXP stuff a whirl shortly, but I can’t waste any more time on this after that, I’ll just restore the drive image to the one I made yesterday before starting this and be on my way.

I’m on Windows 10

I have multiple backups of all my BFD installation files, no worries there.

13

Well that went down like a lead balloon. Wasted far more time than I have on this, no more. Ended up with the standalone LM finding and Authorizing 53 expansions, while the thing that scans from within BFD found and authorized 27, while only about 5 were accessible from within BFD. anyway, that’s enough for me.

Currently restoring the System drive image, and hopefully back to normal. Just in case I purchased SD3 (again), currently downloading that.

Thanks everyone for trying to help, all the best to you all with everything. :+1:

14

It’s very likely that those kits that aren’t loading need updating.

Before you go back I’d suggest opening the LM, then click on each kit to see if there are updates to be downloaded. I’d try just doing one, then rescanning and seeing they load with the presets.

Steve

15

Well, I spent a couple of days with BFD3 v 3.2.3.3 after I restored my backup image, didn’t install SD3, it’s just sitting there in case. Anyway I got the jitters again and come up with an idea.

The idea was to uninstall everything BFD that could be uninstalled by the proper method, had to look around for a few which had the uninstall.exe in a folder somewhere, after that I just removed everything left relating to BFD, and then deleted all my expansions, 56 as it turned out, I have been dreading if the day ever came that I would have to install those again.

Anyway, I downloaded and installed the LM, installed the latest BFD3, placed the Core Library in my BFD Drums folder, then instead of using my older files, let the LM Download and install all 56 expansions, it took days, about 3 and a half, doing nothing but that, from 9am to midnight. Eventually I made it to the end, no dramas, couldn’t ask for a better experience, just a little manual work to get a few things to show up inside BFD.

Everything works fine, even my Drum Drops kits, I was a little worried about them, but they are fine, I had to use the old setup files for them and Choc Audio Contemporary Vintage. So I got myself a couple of presents to ease the pain of those days of monotony. I got 4 more expansions, old ones, Joe Barresi Evil Drums, Jim Scott Rock Drums Vol 1 and 2, and Henry Hirsch Manic Love. Evil Drums was fine, it had a new Serial, but the dude at Platinum Samples said I would have to get new serials for the others. A big thank you to @BFD_Drew for getting me the new serials so fast, less than 14 hours after I sent the Email and there they were.

All is well, and like I said, I couldn’t really wish for an easier experience, apart from the length of time it took, but all is well that ends well.

Thanks all

2 Likes
17

After months of mental torture with BFD, I had decided to revert to reinstalling the last FXP version of BFD 3. I have been through the same licencing nightmares that many here have, trying to integrate BFD 2 & 3 content.
I have a new PC and spurred on by the experiences of the OP, I will try again with the latest InMusic version.
Can anyone offer a brief run through or advise before I start?
I don’t own any 3rd party expansions and I have downloaded the BFD 1 replacements.
Thanks
Derm

18

Since it sounds like you’ve already done the migration process it should be a pretty simple install process.

There was an issue with one of the more recent BFD3 installers where it installed an older version of the LM but I think that;s fixed in the latest build. Just make sure you have the latest version of the LM and then download BFD3 from the LM.

If you have a drive that can be dedicated for drum samples I would definitely suggest doing that and I know you’re only installing the BFD3 core library but bad installation paths have been the downfall of many.

It’s worth creating a ‘Master’ folder and calling it something like ‘BFD Drums’ and then installing BFD3 into that folder. Then when if/when you do expand your library you can install those expansion kits into the BFD Drums folder.

Hope that makes sense.

Steve

1 Like
19

Thanks. Yes I’ve tried installing many times but there’s always an issue with BFD 2 content.
At what stage do I add BFD 2 content?
Or do I need to install V2 prior to V3?
Regards
Derm

20

Oh, BFD2 doesn’t run with BFD3, you need to message @BFD_Drew with your BFD2 serial number and log in details, he will then supply you with a serial for the London Session which is a repackaged version of the BFD2 library for BFD3.

Steve