Frequently Asked Questions
- What is BFD Sphere?
- What are the system requirements?
- What is included?
- What articulations are included?
- Who produced BFD Sphere?
- What equipment was used for the recordings?
- What kinds of treatments were applied to the processed versions of the kits?
- What detail levels are present in the recordings?
- Do you allow license transfers?
What is BFD Sphere?
BFD Sphere is an expansion pack for BFD3. It features drum sounds geared towards hard rock and modern metal styles, recorded and produced in Sphere Studios in London.
What are the system requirements?
| Windows | MAC |
|---|---|
| BFD 3 License Required | BFD 3 License Required |
| Windows 10 version 1909 and above | MacOS 12 Monterey and above |
| 1.65GB free disk space required | 1.65GB free disk space required |
| 8GB DDR3 RAM and above | 8GB DDR3 RAM and above |
| Intel Core i5 3.0 GHz and above or | Intel Core i5 3.0 GHz and above or |
| AMD Ryzen 3 (2017) and above | Apple Silicon M1 and above |
| This software requires an internet connection to authorize | This software requires an internet connection to authorize |
| Supported formats: VST2, VST3, AAX | Supported formats: VST2, VST3, AAX, AU (Intel and ARM - Rosetta is not required) |
What is included?
- DW VLT 20x20 Kick
- DW 8", 10", 12", 14" Toms
- Vibe 24x18 Kick
- Vibe 10", 13", 16", 18" Toms
- Ludwig Black Beauty 5.5" Snare
Please note that no hihats or cymbals are included - However, the pack comes with kit presets in BFD3 using factory cymbals and hihats.
What articulations are included?
- Kick: Hit
- Toms: Hit
- Snare: Hit & Rimshot only
Who produced BFD Sphere?
BFD Sphere was produced at Sphere Studios in London by:
- Francesco Cameli (Bullet For My Valentine, Queen, Phil Collins, New Model Army and more)
- Acle Kahney (founder of Tesseract and 4D Sounds)
Additional personnel:
- Drum technician: Martin Oldham (Maroon 5, Keane, Elton John, Killing Joke, Razorlight and more)
- Drumming: Jamie Postones (Tesseract), Mike Malyan (Monuments)
- Engineering for additional processed versions: Mike Bugh
What equipment was used for the recordings?
The DW kit is recorded with clean and punchy Neve 88RS console preamps, while the warmer 1093 and 1081 preamps were chosen to complement the character of the lower-tuned Vibe kit.
The following mics were used:
- Kick In: Audio Technica AT25
- Kick In2: Audix D6
- Kick Out: Neumann U47
- Snare Top: SM57
- Snare Bottom: SM57
- Toms: Audio Technica 251/LE
- Overheads: AKG C12 (Stereo)
- Close Room: Royer SF12 (Stereo)
- Far Room: Telefunken ELAM 251 (Stereo)
What kinds of treatments were applied to the processed versions of the kits?
The processed versions are designed to be ready to use in hard-rock and metal-oriented genres. These versions were compressed to add weight and punch and EQ'd for snap and clarity within a mix. In addition, some envelope shaping and saturation were used for increased tightness and volume.
What detail levels are present in the recordings?
Kicks and the snare are recorded with approx. 100 velocity layers, while toms feature approx. 40-50 velocity layers.
Do you allow license transfers?
Yes, however:
- 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.
- Review copies, NFRs (Not For Resale copies, sometimes used for in-store demos), etc., cannot be transferred under any circumstances.
- We reserve the right to refuse a license transfer request.
Once a transfer is authorized 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.