This is pretty cool -
but I bet I can create those sounds easily with BFD using the onboard FX 
I created every sound here using only BFD3, sure it’s not as industrial sounding, but that wasn’t the mission. BFD is outstanding in all areas.
2 Likes
And you it without using any of the 8 bit or percussion kits.
Steve
1 Like
I only used the black album expansion.
I really like the look of that Dark Industrial EZX kit, I said before though, the look and design of a lot of these apps are ok, but secondary for me, I love the no nonsense get down to business feel of BFD3, if BFD4 integrates better graphics like they have done with BFD player, then all good. but it’s not a big thing for me, however, it will go a long way with a lot of users.
2 Likes
We all know that BFD4 will definitely have a GUI with a pretty, acoustic drum kit on the kit page. It’s just become something that the masses feel is important (not sure why?) in a drum sample instrument nowadays and come to expect.
For me it’s secondary as well. I don’t sit and stare at the drum kit all day thinking, wow, this looks so cool and it somehow makes it sound better too! I’m more interested in well-thought out parameter controls, for tweaking a kit. Something clean, that makes it easy to find what you need and that are smooth in their functionality. Even though modern computers can handle these type graphics well-enough, it’s really just something that’s going to require computer resources unnecessarily. I’d rather prefer an efficient audio engine that isn’t a RAM, or CPU hog over any graphics.
A smart move for BFD4, would be to have preferences, where you could turn off animations and glitz, so that the audio engine is never in danger of being compromised. BFD3 already has checkboxes for animations, but it could be taken a step further.
A GUI with funky graphics is cool for something like Freakshow Industries’ plugins, where it’s just a simple audio effect, but not so much for a drum sample instrument that has a lot going on under the hood.
1 Like
Not necessarily, actually. The design is not a huge reworking of the BFD3 layout currently. We don’t want to totally reinvent the wheel.
But even if we did, it is really minimal impact on the rest of the plugin, and practically no impact on the audio engine.
2 Likes
That’s great to hear. I guess I assumed it would for a few reasons, like the competition having it, users mostly asking for it and BFD Player sporting that style already.
I just fear that not having a nice visual drum kit, may hurt BFD4’s chances of really competing in the market. As I said, most people have come to expect this look by now and if its not there, it may not seem as attractive to purchase. Hope I’m wrong because the sound and workflow should be what people are impressed by in the end.
2 Likes
I like the idea of being able to turn the graphic on or off.
I remember how the new BFD3 graphic upset so many people who said they would abandon BFD3 because of it.
Whilst I thought at the time, and still do think, that those people were fools, sadly, they do make a sizeable portion of the user-base.
I used to really like the crazy graphic of Ohmboyz delay as it was unique at the time but it was of course, just eye candy.
You had the option of choosing which graphic you wanted on install but being able to switch once installed is definitely better.
Steve
I was one of them actually. The newer, “flat look” and abandonment of the BFD2 interface, kinda turned me off when it was released. I just continued to use BFD2 for as long as I could, even using a VST wrapper, to be able to run BFD2 inside Pro Tools 11, which had moved to AAX. It really wasn’t ideal and eventually I just moved onto SSD4 to try something different.
I didn’t give BFD3 a chance until 2021, when they offered it for $50 for existing BFD2 owners. It was too good of a price to pass up. In hindsight, now I feel kind of silly because it really only took me a couple of months to get used to BFD3’s interface and I’ve actually come to like it and ironically, more than BFD2’s interface. I’m not sure I was aware of it existing back then, but I probably should’ve taken advantage of the BFD3 demo version, to try it out. I think I would’ve seen enough to justify the upgrade back then.
1 Like
To be transparent, I am super pro-skeuomorphism when it comes to drum software. To me, it does make a big difference to the feel of the content and the user experience. It helps to make it feel like a proper drum kit and not just a collection of samples. I’m pretty sure it makes it sound better too. 
But the development timeline on BFD4 doesn’t allow for a full crossgrade to the Player kit UI system. BFD4 will almost certainly look and feel very different next to BFD Player, and that is intentional.
2 Likes
I had wanted to take the skeuomorphism to the next level and have the kit graphics change when you changed kit piece but I think I recall you saying that would take a lot of CPU.
C’est La Vie.
Steve
Here’s a tune I wrote when I was about 20 years old. I recorded it a couple of years later as part of an Album that actually got released with indie lable “Headline” (defunct now).
The whole thing was recorded on an old Akai 12 track tape machine (like a giant portastudio) at a friend’s house in 1996. I used an SM58 on everything, Marshall Valvestate amp, bass went straight into the desk and drums were done on an Alesis SR16 drum machine and keys on a Korg M1.
A few years ago, he brought the machine over to transfer some multi-track recordings to digital. So while we were at it, I took the opportunity to transfer the tapes for this album aswell. I’ve replaced the drums with BFD3 and used Cubase & various plug-ins to clean everything up and improve the sound as best I could. I’m no professional producer, but I’m really happy with this result. From the original, the difference is night & day!
3 Likes
Hey Lee, sounds really great. Tasty guitar solos. Second one reminds me of the late Gary Moore. I really like it.
Kind regards,
Living Room Rocker
1 Like
Nothing ATM.
The midi mapping is wrong.
My crashes are toms.
My hats are playing open when I am playing closed.
SD 2 does none of this.
I used the Dark Farm Mahogany kit on this production. A couple Steven Slate samples as well. All BFD processing done inside Pro Tools. I love this expansion, but it has so many ambient channels to choose from and use that it can be tough to choose. I wound up just going with the OH2, Room, Room2 and Mono1 mics. Still waiting on a detailed FAQ for this expansion going over the outboard gear used on the ambient channels.
3 Likes
The Dark Farm Expansion was recorded at MIDDLE FARM STUDIOS.
The Studio lists all of their gear ,Room Sizes,reverb measurement etc…etc…Including all Mics used if that helps any…you can pretty much figure out which Mic models went where.(and where the lamps came from in BFD Player …lol…)
Maybe Drew will chime in with more accurate details…maybe Peter Miles doesn’t want his Exact Recording Techniques shared.
1 Like
Thanks @CHASER. The main thing I wanted to know is how compressed the different ambient mic channels are. I mean I can usually tell when things have been crushed to death, it’s just that with this expansion in particular and how many ambient channels there are, it would be cool to know what the actual “role” is with some of them.
That’s some tasty guitar riffing!
Thanks Lee. I’ve been doing more metal-oriented stuff of late. It’s brought me back to my young days as a teen learning the guitar and being totally into heavy stuff.
1 Like
Hey, which snare did you use in here ? Sounds godly !
1 Like