'BFD is a really deep piece of kit, the amount of control you have over all aspects of the sound combined with the system's flexibility is breathtaking. It means there are as many ways of using BFD as there are projects to use it on.

I use BFD as a plug-in within Logic 7.2 and love the way I can treat it like any other plug in, play the sounds via my controller keyboard and record a pattern in MIDI so easily. Then experiment with different kits or kit pieces, each of which have an enormous amount of control over velocity range, quantization feel and hit type. Then by using the unique selection of direct and 'live' mic outputs create a mix that fits perfectly with the vibe of the track you're producing.


Today we have so many options as far as establishing a groove goes; sequencers playing samples, programmable drum machines, step sequencers and loops in any combination, or we consider having a bloke play drums! The important thing to remember is what each solution will add to the track. A scratchy old loop will give you atmosphere where as a programmed groove may be very mechanical but be perfect for a dance tune. A live drummer gives you not only the ideas and talent of the drummer, but when recorded by an experienced engineer a "Real" live, drum sound. That's where BFD comes in; if that 'real' live drum sound is what would best suit your track but you don't have the luxury of a great drummer or a top flight recording studio and engineer the ideal solution is without doubt BFD. With it's superbly recorded and range of kits, combined with total editing control of the mix (of direct and ambient sound) BFD is practically indistinguishable from recorded drums. I have been astonished at, with relatively little effort just how life like BFD sounds. Spend time tweaking the end result and you will find it hard to distinguish between BFD and a good session drummer recorded in an excellent live room, it really is that good.

If you just want to get a groove from the extensive library, load up a kit and hit play. It’s almost like jamming with a real drummer whilst working on writing a new song. Then once you know more precisely what you want, BFD gives you more than enough control over the sound of each individual 'hit', the relationship of the kit elements and the final mix to allow you to fine tune the end product until it's absolutely spot on.

In my experience there is nothing else out there better at offering a genuine alternative to using a real drummer and not just any old drummer but a superb one. (Even if you program your own beats, the hits are still consistent and believable. Many inexperienced drummers fail to hit the 'sweet spot' more than once a bar!) With a selection of good kits, all recorded in an interesting live room by an experienced engineer with the best selection of mics you could ever hope to find in a top studio. Factor in the expandability of the BFD system with more kits and individual percussion pieces and you really have the ultimate "one stop" drum solution that makes most plug-in drum synths seem limited and outdated.

Finally, perhaps the most surprising aspect of BFD is that if you want to load up a weird, eclectic kit expansion packs like "8 Bit Kit" with its selection of classic 80's drum machine hits and processed kit parts allows you to do so. Meaning you can make electronic dance tracks just as easily as traditional rock or any genre with acoustic 'real' drums. So, like the very best drummer, with BFD you can play what's most appropriate for the track you're working on!