Hi

I have just installed the latest BFD3 v3.5 release and have properly activated it with the required tool, it has properly detected and installed the BFD core library etc

The question is: how do you install and/or activate third party BFD libraries like the ones by Platinum Samples and Sonic Reality?? i tried to add them through the menu, that didn't work at all.. why is that?

and i really don't want to go back to BFD2 just for those!

tia

 

Have the third party packs you mentioned been updated to support BFD3.5 yet?

Quoting from this page:
https://support.inmusicstore.com/en/support/solutions/articles/69000873210-bfd-3-5-release-notes

 

I have a mix of expansions and groove packs authorized. All are BFD3 releases from 2022.

Based on discussions here and on the sister site, anything older than that (pre BFD3) are not working in v3.5. Also seems to apply to older 3rd party releases.

 

damn! that really sucks so that means all Henri Hirsch and Billy Cobham libraries will not work! ... fuck that shit! i'll have to go back and install the BFD2 with the abysmal UI trash

 

Sorry man. Unless BFD3 versions appear on the sister site, that's the only way to use those releases.

 

lol already using that one ! that's why it won't work

 

R2R claims the inmusic activator will authorize the new 3.5x libraries. Just that there are no DL'able trials and there is another evil proprietary corporate downloader POS that governs access to those things. So unless R2R releases the lib's unaltered or legit users that have the updates release 'em it's gonna be rough-punkins until something happens with those.

In reality, all that are really needed are the new ones corresponding to those that are pre-BFD3.x. No idea how many that is...

 

Have you checked under the “Drums” tab? Some Sonic Reality libs only show up as drum parts and not under Presets and/or Kits.

 

Well, if you skip that activation step, you'll see that all of your kits are there. I got 29 libraries installed in total inc. the core lib, and I was getting activation errors etc, thinking that my libraries are messed up, but once I go to kits and pick random pieces from random libraries I saw that they all load up and work without any problem..

 

my bad! you are right!!, all drum kit pieces appear under "Drums" tab, - you have to create custom drumkits yourself! looks like they are all there (the ones by Platinum Samples and Sonic Reality)

 

What even does “BFD” stand for? Considering the size of the libraries it should be “BigFatDrum3” but maybe there’s an official definition of the anagram?

 

What does BFD stand for?
Whatever you want it to - but it's certainly big and it's certainly drums.
https://fxpansion.com/support/faq/bfd/

In April 2020, ROLI sold FXpansion instrument BFD to InMusic Brands.[

 

BFD (“Big Fucking Drums”) was originally developed by the London-based company FXpansion, founded in 1999, and released in 2003.

 

BFD is three syllables; the American band ZZ Top had spent a long time thinking about what to call themselves. ZZ Top was the result. It probably sounds better and sells better! Let's do the test: BF = BFD and Z Top = ZZ Top

 

Now we just need to be able to convert 24 bit BFD libraries to 16 bit ones like how Kontakt can do

 

https://internal.bfddrums.com/manuals/BFD30/index.html?bfdlactool.htm

older BFD 3 Builds had this included and it has been removed by InMusicBrands , just search for an older version and copy the files over and you just can still use it .

 

Last edited: Apr 24, 2026

Didn’t even know this existed, now we just need a comparison of how big it’s going to be with every library and every library but converted… we should be shrinking superior drummer next hehe