FXpansion’s BFD Acquired by inMusic

[RogerN]

2nd post to allow PMs

[midisticks]

Hi I have a couple of quick questions.

I'm still running BFD2 on an old iMac running 10.11 (El Capitan). It's basically an 'archived' machine that I use like hardware. I never upgraded to BFD3 and have been out of the loop re: the company being sold etc.

I'm considering updating the machine from 10.11 to 10.13 (High Sierra) so I can update some other software on it (which requires 10.13). My questions are:

1. Will BFD2 run OK on 10.13 (High Sierra)?
2. If I had to upgrade to BFD3 (I'd rather not) how painful is the re-authorization of old expansion packs and factory content? I've only skim read this thread but there seems to be issues with the older BFD 1/2 expansion packs and tech support...?
3. Is BFD3 still being developed/ updated? What's the deal?

Sorry if these are lazy questions. I spent a while searching for answers online but I got nowhere.

Cheers for any replies!

[dlandis]

Hi I have a couple of quick questions.

I'm still running BFD2 on an old iMac running 10.11 (El Capitan). It's basically an 'archived' machine that I use like hardware. I never upgraded to BFD3 and have been out of the loop re: the company being sold etc.

I'm considering updating the machine from 10.11 to 10.13 (High Sierra) so I can update some other software on it (which requires 10.13). My questions are:

1. Will BFD2 run OK on 10.13 (High Sierra)?
2. If I had to upgrade to BFD3 (I'd rather not) how painful is the re-authorization of old expansion packs and factory content? I've only skim read this thread but there seems to be issues with the older BFD 1/2 expansion packs and tech support...?
3. Is BFD3 still being developed/ updated? What's the deal?

Sorry if these are lazy questions. I spent a while searching for answers online but I got nowhere.

Cheers for any replies!

Questions answered in order (to the extent that I am able):

1) This one I can't answer (as I am on a PC.)
2) I don't think there are many, if any issues now. At the very beginning after the change for a couple of weeks or so, we did have to wait to get the equivalent factory content, but they are available currently. I am unaware of any issue with expansions (and I own a bunch of them.) Literally, the only thing that did not carry for me was the Manu Katche Signature Snare. Tech support has been responsive for me when I did have questions and the last time I had one was a couple years ago. Once the factory content issues were taken care of, I haven't had a need for much tech support.
3) There was talk of an upgrade to BFD4, but it's been pretty quiet on that issue for a while (though there's still an open thread on the forum, FWIW.) I believe that there have been a couple of upgrades for BFD3 over the years, but the last was a while ago as well. You may want to check the website and/or forum if you haven't already.

I hope this helps.

[Mr Arkadin]

1. Again, PC here so can't say.

2. It's a bit odd when you do the initial FXpansion to inMusic transfer, I did figure it out so it's not impossible. You'll have to PM Drew (Amberience on KvR) on BFD Drums forum to have the BFD2 library replaced with London Sessions (which is the BFD3 version). Note that the new licence manager requires you to re-authorise BFD3 and any expansions every 90-days or nothing will work, so that machine will have to be able to be online. Personally I left BFD because of this, it may not be an issue to you. Drew is pretty good, but inMusic support is generally terrible.

3. On the BFD forum, Drew (the product owner) said something about 2024 being the earliest BFD4 will arrive. I believe there is an M1 beta available soon though.

[jancivil]

1. Will BFD2 run OK on 10.13 (High Sierra)?

It should. This is one of if not the last Mac OS it will even install on.
Initially I thought it was at this juncture, but my PMs here show me asking Drew for London Sessions in June 2020, meaning I tried to install BFD2 to get that content on my machine, and no; so it was Catalina for me. I didn’t use Mojave, so 10.13 or 10.14 spelled the end.

2. If I had to upgrade to BFD3 (I'd rather not) how painful is the re-authorization of old expansion packs and factory content?

This depends on how clean/organized your system is. If you’ve ad hoc installed this over here, that over there, and the other thing somewhere else, well there are horror stories galore you can read at BFD Drums forum. It wants a single top directory, under which each library product is installed as a new directory, ie., you tell the installation to install eg., London Sessions & it finds no such folder extant and asks do you want to create this folder - under the parent, we can call it BFD - you agree to this, and Bob’s your uncle. IME most problems are avoided here.

I've only skim read this thread but there seems to be issues with the older BFD 1/2 expansion packs and tech support...?

Not per se at least with BFD2-era expansions. I don’t remember BFD1-era. Confer above clean folder structure. However, the BFD1 and BFD2 factory content can’t work in 1) BFD3 because it doesn’t, or 2) an OS past 10.13 or 14, as it won’t install. These are repurposed as El Dorado and London Sessions, which licensees of 1 & 2 are entitled to but are new serial numbers you get from Drew, via your fxpansion user name and SNs.

3. Is BFD3 still being developed/ updated? What's the deal?

Yes, but the last update I see at the forum was a disquietingly long time ago.

[anttimaatteri]

im all in for inmusic acquiring tremor fore a re release. but it looks like it will never happen.

[midisticks]

Thanks for all the help (late reply, sorry). That was really useful info.

I finally got BFD3 last week because it was so cheap (£49). I had no idea they'd imposed a 90 day license and that really put me off. But I figured it was still worth it just to migrate all my old packs in case BFD4 turns out to be a game changer. But I won't be upgrading any further unless they return to a normal license model though.

I do hope they keep BFD alive though. I remember BFD1 was a game changer. That was still the era of DVDs (DKFH!) and hardware samplers.... cue nostalgic reverie.... (mostly about being young).

Anyway thanks for the help!

[jinotsuh]

Yes, but the last update I see at the forum was a disquietingly long time ago.

May 12 isn't really that long ago, I guess if you're hang by your jewels from a tree it might seem to be, or sitting on a white hot poker

[Mr Arkadin]

But I won't be upgrading any further unless they return to a normal license model though.

They won't. A pity you gave them any money, they don't deserve it.

Oh, and BFD4 will be 2025, maybe 2024 Q4 if you're lucky. You can figure it out from what Drew has said on the BFD forum when I was still on there (sold all my BFD stuff now).

[Examigan]

Thanks for all the help (late reply, sorry). That was really useful info.

I finally got BFD3 last week because it was so cheap (£49).

Where did you find it for that price?

[midisticks]

Where did you find it for that price?

It's £49 for BFD2 owners (£99 without).

@ Mr Arkadin..... I hear you. I still have BFD2 fully installed (until my machine dies). I'm hedging my bets for the future (I have around 8 packs) ... and for a mere 50 quid I figure it's worth keeping it all current, plus I get some new kits to play with.

But if BFD4 uses the 90 day license I won't invest any further.

[jinotsuh]

Are your machines always offline or something? that can be the only issue I can see you may have with the 90 day thing, apart from just being the principle of the matter.

I've personally never had any issues with it, my machines are always online, don't even know it's there or happening, for all intents and purposes it may as well not be. It's business as usual.

[jinotsuh]

Hi I have a couple of quick questions.

2. If I had to upgrade to BFD3 (I'd rather not) how painful is the re-authorization of old expansion packs and factory content? I've only skim read this thread but there seems to be issues with the older BFD 1/2 expansion packs and tech support...?
3. Is BFD3 still being developed/ updated? What's the deal?

Sorry if these are lazy questions. I spent a while searching for answers online but I got nowhere.

Cheers for any replies!

Well I'm on Windows, I upgraded/updated whatever you like to call it from an already installed BFD3 to the new inMusic version way back, I didn't have any issues, just followed the instructions etc. I have about 62 expansion packs, all are fine, no problems.

If you follow the path and do it how it's supposed to be done, there really is no issue.

Yes, BFD3 is still being updated, the last update being around 12 weeks ago.

BFD4 is being worked on, and will get here when it gets here No need to rush, BFD3 is working fine and does everything needed, at least for me.

[Mr Arkadin]

Well that's nice for you. Not everyone's experience was like that, mine included.

So for me the issue was both technical and also the principle.

I don't like subscription models which is why I'll never bother with Roland Cloud etc. It seems doubly insulting to use a subscription model when I've paid for a perpetual licence.

Then factor in that your software might just refuse to launch after 90 days as mine and many others did and thats a no-go for me. Plus I'm not a fan of data harvesting.

Having experience inMusic's reaction personally (I wrote many times and had to threaten them with the data protection act before they would respond) I realise what type of company they are and how they will treat this product in the future and that they will not move on the 90-day nonsense

[DocAtlas]

What is this 90 day license thing I've seen mentioned? Is it simply a case where the program has to call in every 90 days? It doesn't seem to make sense that you would have to pay for a limited time license, and then have no access to the product.