We are long enough in the music technology tooth to remember when multisampled drum kit plugins such as BFD cost an arm and a leg, so we find it slightly amazing to be telling you that you can now have a version of the software for nothing. How times change.
Derived from the full version of BFD 3, this includes a 5.2GB of drum kits that were recorded in a professional setting. There are 340 MIDI grooves, too, all ready to be dragged into your DAW’s timeline. These are categorised by the likes of genre, tempo and leading hand, which should make finding the beats you’re looking for that little bit easier.
There’s also a built-in mixer – while beginners can simply load up one of the kit-specific presets, those who want more control over their sound can adjust it in a variety of ways. Various routing options, meanwhile, enable you to process your sounds with your existing plugins.
BFD Player can be downloaded for free and used without restriction, but if you want more kits, grooves and mix setups, you can get them via purchasing the dedicated expansion packs. Two of these – London 70s and Dark Mahogany – are already available, priced at $30/£30 each, and more are on the way.
BFD was originally developed by FXpansion, and the first version was released way back in 2003. The software was acquired by ROLI in 2016, and then sold to InMusic – its current owner – in 2020.
You can download BFD Player now. It runs on PC and Mac, both standalone and as a VST/AU/AAX plugin.
Arturia has introduced the MiniLab 3 Alpine White Special Edition – an all-white version of the portable control keyboard.
This redesigned version of our keyboard controller bestseller comes with Analog Lab Intro, Ableton Live Lite, Native Instruments “The Gentleman”, UVI Model D, a 2-month subscription to Loopcloud, and 40 free lessons on Melodics.
Features:
Premium Keybed quality
25 high quality note velocity-sensitive slim keyboard
Pads & controls
2 banks of 8 velocity & pressure sensitive pads with RGB backlighting
8 rotary encoders
4 sliders
2 capacitive touch sensors for pitch bend and modulation wheel
Display control
Mini display & clickable browsing knob
Real-time feedback on tweaks and controls
Smart features
Built-in arpeggiator
Chord mode
Hold function
Octave up and down buttons
Semitone transpose
Software integration
Seamless integration with Arturia software instruments, including Analog Lab: select sounds, browse presets and smart-assigned controls
1 DAW preset for automatic integration with any major DAWs
DAW Transport Control with MCU protocol for every other DAWs
Up to 5 user presets for a totally customizable experience
Connectivity
USB-C connects to computers and iPad
MIDI 5-pin DIN output for connection to external instruments, gear
Control input for pedal: sustain, expression, or footswitch
USB powered
The Alpine White Arturia MiniLab 3 is available now to preorder for $149 and will begin shipping October 19.
Today, Waldorf has introduced the Iridium Core, a compact synthesizer that they say puts the full Iridium synth engine into a compact desktop synth with 12-voice polyphony.
Waldorf’s Iridium synth began life as a desktop module, then turned into a keyboard, and has now risen in a desktop format once again. Known as Iridium Core, this new 12-voice version contains the full Iridium sound engine, and enables you to access it via a supposedly easy-to-use interface.
The Iridium Core is compact enough to fit into laptop bags and in carry-on luggage, but still features 5 synthesis engines: Wavetable, Multi- & Granular-Sampling, Waveform, Kernel FM and Resonator. Combined with a broad selection of digital filter and processing options, Iridium Core lets you explore a huge range of electronic sound.
Why the need for it, though? “Many performing musicians have asked us for a more compact and portable form factor for the incredible Iridium sound engine to pack into their travel bags or allow already densely-packed studio environments to more easily accommodate another hardware instrument,” explains Waldorf Music CTO Rolf Wöhrmann.
“Inspired by their feedback, we came up with the Iridium Core concept, and are very proud of the finished result,” he adds. “Indeed, it’s a thing of beauty, ready to be taken anywhere, and we can’t wait to hear all the music made with Iridium Core!”
Iridium Core shares the same software platform as Quantum, Iridium Desktop & Iridium Keyboard. All instruments are powered by the Waldorf synthesizer OS and will receive joint updates.
Iridium engine features three oscillators, five synthesis models (wavetable, multisample/granular, waveform, resonator and kernel), filters, a 40-slot mod matrix with LFOs and envelopes, effects, an audio recorder and more. As on previous iterations of the synth, these features can be accessed from a combination of a touchscreen, buttons and knobs.
These controls include six assignable macro buttons for performance control, and four user-definable knobs that work on either a patch or global basis. There are 1,700 factory presets, and patch compatibility with not only the other members of the Iridium family, but also Waldorf’s Quantum and Quantum MK2.
Connectivity includes mini-jack MIDI I/O, CV, Clock, audio I/O and a MicroSD slot.
Specifications:
Compatible with the Waldorf Quantum synth engine
Software: Waldorf Synthesis Platform OS
Oscillators
3 Oscillators each capable of 5 synthesis modes:
Wavetable
Waveform (VA)
Particle (Sampling and Granular Sampling)
Resonator
Kernels (up to 6 sub-oscillators which can be interlinked through FM, AM or Wavetable-position at audio rate)
Dual Stereo Filters per voice
True stereo pathDual Digital Filter with independent modes:
12/24dB LP/HP/BP in all combinations
Nave, Largo, PPG, Quantum and State Variable models
Analyzer displayed in Filter view
Filter curve animation when modulated (optional)
Sophisticated filter routing options with modulatable panning and levels
Digital Former
Filter models like State Variable, Waldorf Nave, Largo and PPG in HP/LP/BP/Notch
Comb filters, Bit-Crusher, various Drives, Ring-Modulation
Modulators
6 Envelopes
6 LFOs
Komplex Modulator (LFO/Envelope combination with user-definable shape and morphing)
Mod Matrix
40 slots
Fast assign mode
One additional control amount per slot
Identical Sources and Destinations can be used multiple times until the matrix is full
