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BFD3 now supports Apple's "M-series" chips(Mac M1 + M2 ARM). No more need for Rosetta.
BFD3 is the third generation of the flagship software acoustic drum studio: new levels of realism and ground-breaking features in an intuitive redesigned engine.
With stunning new kits, mix-ready presets and modelling technology for tom resonance and cymbal swells, BFD3 delivers uncompromising detail. The revamped interface has a new mixer and sound browser for the easiest BFD experience yet:
Effortless Power
BFD3 is designed to sound great while offering as much depth as you need. Browse for entire presets, quickly compile custom kits or mould any drum sound you desire by retuning, damping and processing multiple mics with the powerful internal mixing engine.
The built-in Groove section offers a versatile range of session drummer performances alongside pattern editing and creation functions. Select from a wide range of musical drum rudiments and paint your own realistic parts.
New Sound Library
With detail levels of up to 80 velocity layers, rim-clicks and rim-shots for toms and bells and splashes for hihats, BFD3's sounds are more expressive than ever before. The library's 160GB of audio data is squeezed into 55GB thanks to BFD3's lossless compression system meaning less space usage and playback strain on your hard disk.
4 of the included kits are recorded in LA's Ocean Studios and feature additional mono room and hardware-compressed channels in addition to stereo overhead and room mics. The remaining 3 kits are stick, brush and mallet versions of a custom Mapleworks kit recorded in a tight but vibrant room at Omega Studios in Rockville, Maryland.
Augmented Realism
BFD3 introduces modelled tom resonance and bleed which provides a natural-sounding 'glue' which blends the sound of the kit together. The modelling varies with the characteristics and tuning of any combination of drums - something that cannot be achieved only by using samples. BFD3 also includes improved dynamics matching across drums and a swell-modelling algorithm for more realistic cymbal washes.
These features can be applied to your existing BFD libraries if you're upgrading (and to any expansion packs you buy in future).
Mixing and Exporting
The internal BFD3 mixing engine has DCAM-modelled compression, filtering and other effects alongside great-sounding EQ and algorithmic reverbs. You can even use an external signal as a compression sidechain source.
New workflow enhancements let you hide multiple drum and ambient mics for simpler mixing approaches and it's easy to route multiple channels to discrete outputs for processing with other plugins or outboard gear. BFD3 even provides multi-channel audio export direct to disk. Grooves can be exported using drag and drop - perfect for compiling loops.
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Reviewed By Wilsonsounds [all]
May 4th, 2026
Version reviewed: 3 on Mac
I personally have always liked BFD Drums. I have read some of the negative reviews and disagree. Yes for you it may need updating for the current climate of modern music but for myself, I find this appealing due to the nature of my work. I have to replicate old styles of music in my compositions and BFD does this for me.
I use many other drum software also, each has its place depending what I want to achieve.
I regret buying it - I've been disappointed by the sound and usability (and don't start me on the licensing stuff). I wish I'd saved my money and bought EZ Drummer 3 (which I will get now). It sounds old and needs a massive update to be in the same league as it's main competitors.
I love the program, I run it on a Mac and it runs great, I'm looking forward to 4, there should be more goodies and I like goodies. I think with this program, if you like to tweak and play, it's great, if you want it to do everything for you, , well maybe that's part of any issues. I'm a button turner so I dig it. Great Sounds!!! Love the DW stuff.
Reviewed By Mr Arkadin [all]
November 17th, 2022
Version reviewed: 3.4.4.31 on Windows
A once mighty piece of software has been decimated by long periods of no development. Sadly the future does not look bright with the take-over by inMusic.
The new licence manager for BFD3, for example, introduced a 90-day subscription-style reauthorisation system. Even though you buy a perpetual licence you have to reauthorise BFD3 online every 90 days. This was introduced with no new terms of agreement and it was the users that spotted this change with no announcement from inMusic. I do not believe the website has ever been updated to reflect this new system.
Perhaps you're OK with reauthorising every 90 days. Except the software is so buggy it may not let you do this, or may do it at a seemingly random time period other than 90 days. You will not be able to use BFD3 at all if this happens.
I state this facts so that potential customers know exactly what they're getting into as inMusic surely won't tell you.
I've used BFD for many years to get better sounds for my electronic drum setup. I mostly want the raw, unprocessed sounds as these make playing feel more realistic. Processed sounds are fun but can "muddy up" the feel of your playing quite a bit.
The transition to InMusicBrands has been a bit tough but I'm hoping that this will be resolved soon.
Yeah. I worry about the 90 authorization period. If the authorization server goes down (permanently) without a release of a version that doesn't require periodic authorization, that will be pretty bad.
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