BFD 3.5 – The Drum Plugin Gets Bigger and Better!
Things Just Got Effin' Bigger!
4,5 / 5,0 | 
BFD 3.5 · Source: inMusic
BFD 3.5 · Source: inMusic
BFD 3.5 · Source: inMusic
BFD 3.5 FX · Source: inMusic
BFD 3.5 Groove Editor · Source: inMusic
BFD gets a healthy update to version 3.5, but can it cut it against the other big drum plugin kids?
It’s fair to say that BFD has had to endure some turbulent times in recent years. First, the original developer, FXpansion, was acquired by ROLI in 2016. Then, after that incarnation of ROLI went under, inMusic stepped in and acquired the BFD brand and, presumably, the code, IP and developers.
BFD was always a favourite amongst drum sample plugin users, but this passing of the proverbial hot potato meant that it slipped somewhat behind its competition when it came to “keeping up with the Jones’s”. It suffered mostly from a messy UI that looked lost on today’s big screens.
BFD – Not Lost inMusic
inMusic was definitely committed to making BFD great again and it is obvious why they took it on. Their Alesis e-Drum brands lacked a decent software companion and, if we are completely honest, their internal module sounds fell far, far short of their rivals. Implementing its library in their hardware was a key factor in their acquisition, I am certain.
BFD Player was a sign of things to come. A free, lightweight, but useful drum plugin that came with a small library but could be expanded with additional, low cost libraries. Think EZDrummer. In fact, Toontrack’s EZDrummer and Superior Drummer products, market leaders in this field, must have been inspiration for inMusic and the direction in which to take their new acquisition.
BFD 3.5 – A New Era
And here we have version 3.5. A full-fat, pro-grade drum sample plugin that can now compete on a much more even playing field with the likes of Superior Drummer and XLN Audio’s Addictive Drums. So, what’s new and why should you be interested? Let’s take a look…
Firstly, as mentioned before, version 3.5 features a fully scalable UI so now we’re no longer squinting at what can be very intricate details on our computer. There’s even a dark mode to reduce glare. The workflow has been redesigned and is much more intuitive than previous versions.
It comes with 51 kit collections to use right out of the box, each with a wide range of drum samples so that you can tweak or build your own kits easily. If presets are your thing, there are 60 preset kits available which have been configured to be, as inMusic says, “mix ready”.
But if you really want to get in the weeds, you can edit each drum with things like tuning, damping and mic placement to get the sound you want, and quickly. There’s a wide range of effects built in too, some of them hailing from fellow inMusic brand AIR. I’ve always love how inMusic brands are allowed to cross-pollinate.
What Do We Think?
Put simply, everything in BFD just got a whole lot more configurable, useful and easier to use whilst retaining quality and depth. And it also now becomes compatible with today’s computers and operating systems. Apple Silicon is supported, and the plugin version is now available as AAX and VST3, as well as VST2 and AU.
It is a very welcome, very decent upgrade to an old favourite. Sure, it eschews the gorgeous graphics of Superior Drummer (which is still my go-to), but it definitely gives it a run for its money in the tweakability stakes. For those who just want a great-sounding acoustic drum plugin, with a decent set of grooves that can be fully customised, BFD 3.5 will be great. For e-Drummers like me, it’s equally good but maybe not quite SD3 level yet.
More Information
So how much for this significant upgrade? Well, BFD 3.5 is available for just £50 GBP/€60 EUR/$53 USD as an introductory offer until April 3rd 2025. Whilst there is no specific upgrade offer, the intro price is effectively that anyway. I don’t think BFD 3 users will grumble too much. So if you ARE upgrading, do it in the next few weeks!
P.S. All expansion packs are on sale for a limited time with some reduced by as much as 50%!
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