That's mean
Maybe someone on here could buy it for us and post it over
and we could pay them?  Any offers?
Just a thought :)

Steve

I understand it uses C/R for licensing: does anyone happen to know if this can be done from a machine other than the DAW where it's installed?   No DAW internet connection here...
 
This seems like a really good deal, but I want to make sure I'd actually be able to use it.   
 

If anyone here has a paypal account and is prepared to post to the UK I will reimburse them in full and love them for ever :)
I am serious guys so no funny wise cracks

Steve

Yup, killer deal and can ya have too many drums???

Ok,  from the faqs section, read all of the FAQS about BFD ECO.  Keep in mind that it is a cut down version of BFD and not BFD itself. 
 
 
General Information
What is BFD Eco?
BFD Eco is a streamlined software instrument that delivers great-sounding acoustic drum sounds. It is based on the BFD2 engine and can be used with BFD2-compatible expansion libraries.
 

Can you explain more about the BFD Eco concept?
BFD Eco is a software instrument that presents multi-channel (captured with multiple microphones), multi-articulation (different ways of hitting a drum/hihat/cymbal) drum samples in an efficient, dedicated way. It is capable of playing drum patterns (Grooves) with these sounds, or responding to incoming MIDI in the same way as any MIDI-compatible instrument or sampler.
 

Tell me more about the multiple microphones and articulations.
As well as direct, close microphones for each part of the kit, two sets of 'ambience' microphones further away from the kit capture the projection and spacial characteristics of the kit within the recording room, by picking up natural reflections and reverberation. Each kit-piece can be played in a number of ways - sidesticks, rims and drag-rolls on the snare, for example, or various positions between open and closed, played on the top surface (tip) and edge (shank) of a hihat. Each of these ways of playing a kit-piece is called an articulation.
 

What are the differences between BFD Eco and BFD2?
BFD Eco has less detailed sounds and is less feature-packed than BFD2, but it emphasizes ease of use and still contains an immense amount of functionality for the price, especially compared to rival products in a similar price range.
 

How many different sounds are provided?
There are 5 kicks, 6 snares, 12 toms, 3 hihats and 11 cymbals taken from the BFD2 library, as well as a selection of percussion from the BFD Percussion expansion pack. Over 40 mix-ready presets are provided, each of which features a carefully chosen kit constructed from the available kit-pieces, along with lovingly applied additional tweaking and processing.
 

Can I use my own samples in BFD Eco?
No, this function is only available in BFD2.
 

Is there any latency built into BFD Eco?
No, BFD Eco does not add any latency, which is entirely due to the size of the audio buffers used by your audio interface/host application, inherent MIDI latency, and so on.
 

Can I use BFD Eco without a host?
Yes. BFD Eco is supplied with a standalone version as well as VST, AU and RTAS plugin versions. To get the most out of BFD Eco, however, you should use a host which allows you to synchronize the BFD Eco plugin within a project and use multiple outputs for further processing.
 

Does BFD Eco support languages other than English?
BFD Eco works in multilanguage operating systems.

The BFD Eco manual will, in time, be translated into other languages. The first translation is likely to be the Japanese version, which is being provided by our Japanese distributor, Media Integration.
 

What plug-in formats does BFD Eco support?
Presently BFD Eco supports:
- VST 2.3/2.4 and RTAS on Windows
- VST 2.3/2.4, Audio Units and RTAS on Mac OSX

BFD Eco will also run as stand-alone on both Windows and Mac OSX operating systems.
Pricing & availability, licensing and copy protection
 
What is the copy protection scheme used in BFD Eco?
BFD Eco, and all expansion libraries for use with it, must be authorized via a challenge-response method, with three installs on your own machines allowed simultaneously.
You do NOT need to have an internet connection on the computer on which you install BFD Eco.
You must, however, authorize BFD Eco before it can be used - there is no 'grace period' after installation.
We have tried very hard to make the authorization procedure as pain-free as possible. Please understand that it is necessary for safeguarding your investment in future development and user support for BFD Eco.
BFD Eco does not use iLok or any other unified protection scheme. We do not believe in such systems' security, and would rather not pass on their high cost to our customers.
 

How many computers can I use BFD Eco on?
You can install on up to 3 machines as long as only 1 is running it at any one time. Site / volume licensing is also available, POA.
 

Does BFD Eco use a dongle?
No, but it must be authorized online before it can be used. You can do this directly if your machine is connected to the Internet, or via another machine with Internet connectivity by moving a small key file between the two machines (a USB memory key or CDRW can be used for this).
 

Do I need to re-authorize when installing the OS again or upgrading the OS/hardware?
 
A new major operating system version is enough of a change that the authorization system will require reauthing BFD Eco; point releases should be fine. Likewise, a significant hardware change will also require re-authorization. We will be monitoring the situation closely and adjusting the flexibility of the authorization system to get the best balance of copy protection and annoyance levels.

If reinstalling an existing OS without changing any hardware, you will be able to save the auth file and simply re-import it when authorizing BFD Eco again.
 

Do you allow license transfers?
Yes, however:

1. If you're the seller, you must contact us in advance of the sale. If you're the prospective second-hand buyer, you must check that the seller is cleared to sell. If in doubt, contact us.

2. There is a flat $50 fee per product for a license transfer, which can be purchased from our online shop.

3. Review copies, NFRs (Not For Resale copies, sometimes used for in-store demos), etc., cannot be sold or transferred under any circumstances.

4. We reserve the right to refuse a license transfer request.

Once a transfer is authorised and the fee has been paid, the new owner is entitled to exactly the same upgrade paths and technical support resources as if they had bought the product new.
Sounds, kits and content
How detailed are the built-in library sounds?
 
Each kit-piece features a maximum of 24 velocity layers, at 16-bit resolution, for each of its articulations. Any expansion pack kit-pieces are also reduced to this detail level when loading them within BFD Eco.
 

Are there any brushes, mallets, hotrods etc. in BFD Eco?
No, the included kit-pieces are played by sticks only. Several expansion packs are available which include brush, mallet and hotrod sounds.
 

How many kit-pieces can be loaded into an instance of BFD Eco?
BFD Eco allows you to load the following at once:

- kick
- snare
- hihat
- 3 toms
- 3 cymbals
- 3 percussion

The 3 percussion slots allow you to load cymbal and tom kit-pieces as well as percussion.
 

Are there any promotional 'demo' kit-pieces included from any expansion packs?
The BFD Eco library includes a small selection of percussion kit-pieces from the BFD Percussion expansion pack.
 

How will BFD Eco work with FXpansion and 3rd-party expansion packs?
BFD Eco can load kit-pieces from any expansion kit or pack. However, they are loaded as 16-bit sounds with a maximum of 24 velocity layers for each articulation.

In most cases, it is not possible to load BFD2 preset files or kit files, since the difference in architecture between BFD Eco and BFD2 is quite large, and many BFD2 permutations are not possible within BFD Eco. For example, the Sonica JTP pack's kit/preset files cannot be loaded within BFD2, as this would require freely-configurable slots, and more slots than are available within BFD Eco.
 

Does BFD Eco include bleed?
Yes, but only in certain channels to reduce data size and corresponding resource usage. The kick in mic contains bleed from snares, and the snare bottom mic contains bleed from toms. All bleed from expansion packs is reduced to these channels.

For the uninitiated, bleed involves close, 'direct' microphones only, and is a term used to describe when a drum's sound is picked up by a mic intended for another part of the kit. For example, when the toms are picked up in the snare mic, or when the snare is picked up in the kick mic.

BFD Eco's 'Bleed' parameter allows you to vary the level of kick in/snare bottom bleed channels, or turn them off completely.
Effects & mixing engine
 
Does BFD Eco feature multiple outputs?
The plugin version of BFD Eco features the following multiple outputs:

1-2 Master: Any signals routed to the Master channel
3-4 OH: Stereo OverHead mic signal � amount of each kit-piece in this channel is set by its channel�s OH Send control
5-6 Room: Stereo Room mic signal � amount of each kit-piece in this channel is set by its channel�s Room Send control
7-8 Aux1: Contents of Aux1 channel
9-10 Aux2: Contents of Aux2 channel
11-12 Kick: The direct output of the Kick kit-piece channel
13-14 Snare: The direct output of the Snare kit-piece channel
15-16 Hihat: The direct output of the Hihat kit-piece channel
17-18 Toms: The direct output of the Toms kit-piece channels (Floor Tom, Mid Tom, Hi Tom)
19-20 Cyms: The direct output of the Cymbals kit-piece channels (Crash, Cymbal, Ride)
21-22 Perc: The direct output of the Percussion kit-piece channels (Perc1, Perc2, Perc3)

 

Can BFD Eco's effects be used outside it?
No, the included effects are part of BFD Eco and only work within BFD Eco itself.
 

Can VST or AU plugins be used inside BFD Eco?
No, BFD Eco does not include hosting for VST/AU plugins. However, as the plugin version of BFD Eco features direct outputs from each mixer channel, you can apply further processing on individual channels in your host's mixer.
 

Is there a built-in artificial reverb as well as the channels of recorded natural ambience?
Yes. BFD Eco includes the high quality Overloud Breverb plate algorithm, as well as TinCanVerb, an emulation of a low-fi trashy reverb.
 

Can separate EQ and compression be applied to each part of the kit?
Yes. Each drum sound's mixer channel features a built-in EQ and 2 freely-assignable FX slots. These FX slots can be used for any of the included FX, including compression and gating.
 

I see the DCAM logo on some of the effects. What's that all about?
DCAM is our proprietary analogue circuit modeling technology, and stands for "Discrete Component Analogue Modeling". DCAM enables us to build virtualized electronic circuits in code, the results of which are superbly authentic. You'll already have heard some of the filtering and distortion modelling if you've tried DCAM: Synth Squad or the free Orca synthesizer. The compressors in BFD Eco are very realistic models of 2 of the most well-known studio compressors ever, and sound great even at extreme settings.

 
How is the BFD Eco mixer laid out?
The mixer architecture is fixed and optimized for ease-of-use, with 12 kit-piece channels, 2 stereo ambience channels, 2 stereo aux channels for parallel processing sends or sub-grouping, and a master stereo output channel, with each channel featuring its own 4-band EQ and 2 FX slots. In the plugin version, each channel can be routed to its own direct output for processing individual channels in your DAW�s mixer. Alternatively, channels can be routed to aux channels or the master channel for mixing internally within BFD Eco.
 

What is the full list of included FX?
Gain
EQ (with DCAM-modelled filters)
Comp Chan (DCAM-modelled on a well-known limiting amplifier)
Comp Bus (DCAM-modelled on a well-known large format console compressor)
Delay (versatile stereo 2-tap delay line with a 'swing' control for a variety of delay feels)
Filter (simple high and low pass filters)
Flanger
Filter Mod (versatile DCAM-modelled multi-mode filter with envelope follower and audio-rate modulation)
Drive (versatile DCAM-modelled drive unit with 4 distortion models)
Bitcrusher (digital distortion based on sample-rate and bit-depth reduction)
RingMod
EnvShaper
Overloud Breverb Plate
TinCanVerb (artificial sounding trashy reverb unit)
Noise Gate
Import & Export
 
Does BFD Eco support drag+drop of grooves to hosts' MIDI tracks?
Yes.
 

Does BFD Eco's Groove engine support MIDI files as Grooves?
No but you can use MIDI files to trigger BFD Eco when running as a plugin in a host, by using the MIDI files on a host MIDI track routed to the BFD Eco plugin.
 

Can MIDI files be exported directly from BFD Eco?
You can drag & drop a Groove to the desktop or any other OS folder, where it is exported as a MIDI file.

 
Is there a built-in audio export function?
It is possible to export a stereo mix of the Groove engine's Drum Track playing BFD Eco's sounds.

 
Can BFD Eco import samples?
No, this function is only available in BFD2.
Other features
Can I tweak individual drum sounds for dynamics, damping and tuning in BFD Eco? [top]
Yes.
 

What other tweaking functions exist for the sounds? [top]
You can adjust the inside/outside mic balance for kicks, the top/bottom mic balance for snares, and the amount of tightening for closed hihats. It is also possible to adjust the amount of each kit-piece in the ambience channels (overhead and room), and invert the stereo field of its ambience. Lastly, you can adjust the perceived distance and width of the ambience mics relative to the kit.
 

Does BFD Eco include layering of kit-pieces?
No, this feature is only possible in BFD2.

 
 
Peace

Is there a list of the kits and pieces included in ECO somwhere??
I can't find it in their website

Thanks

twaddle


If anyone here has a paypal account and is prepared to post to the UK I will reimburse them in full and love them for ever :)
I am serious guys so no funny wise cracks

Steve

Count me in!
 
Seeing as Steve & I live in the same city, whoever snaps these up for us can send them to the same address. Me & Steve can easily work something out upon arrival.
 
And yes, I do have a Paypal account.

I guess I shoulda asked first,  I hope it's ok for one of you west country guys to forward this to me...?  (If one of our colonial friends accepts the challenge..)

Thanks Steev,  I want it for the same reason as you, the expansion pack.

I'll go with whatever you're doing.

Ozz


I'm still wondering if you're limited to the grooves included with the software.

I have some groove monkee loops, as well as some Oddgrooves packages, and none of them list BFD. 

I'm no drum programmer, and I don't use e-drums, so I'd like to know that I won't have to alter all the mappings from the stuff I own to use them with this.

You can use any grooves formatted for BFD2 -- that includes GrooveMonkee and Platinum Samples grooves


http://www.platinumsample...teveFerroneGrooves.php



All BFD2 Expansion Packs also work with BFD Eco


http://www.platinumsample...coKits/EvilEcoKit1.php



Cheers,


Rail

So, any clue on the kits and pieces list??
I'd like to know what drums/cymbals are included in ECO.

Thanks

So I get my package tonight from Musicians Friend.  They didn't turn out to be too much of a friend.  Instead of sending me the BFD eco software they sent be a peterson tp-3 clip-on tuning pickup.  I was so pissed.  I guess that is why I never buy from them.  Should have went to guitar center as they have the same deal (without the flash drive).  Although they are not any better.  Now I have to wait for another package.

Just wanted to vent a little...

StimpySon


So I get my package tonight from Musicians Friend.  They didn't turn out to be too much of a friend.  Instead of sending me the BFD eco software they sent be a peterson tp-3 clip-on tuning pickup.  I was so pissed.  I guess that is why I never buy from them.  Should have went to guitar center as they have the same deal (without the flash drive).  Although they are not any better.  Now I have to wait for another package.

Just wanted to vent a little...

Sorry to hear it - MF has always processed my orders correctly in 10+ years.  But I feel for ya ...
- B

twaddle


Be glad to Kerrn
I have another cunning plan which has just come in to my head.
A friend of mine is in Boston right now visiting her brother so I might see
if she can order it and he can post it on.
I'm thinking of holding off for a few weeks because I'm only buying eco for the expansion pack, I'm thinking I might wait and see what BFD 3 will come with kit wise.

Steve

Steve, I don't know how far away BFD3 is - there are always threads running on the FXpansion site about a 64 bit version - I'm assuming this will in fact be BFD3?
 
But there has been no hint from FX about the new release, it could be weeks or many many months away yet.
 
 

Just got a "5" out of 5 rating in Electronic Musician Mag.