User manual FXPANSION BFD

[. . . ] 4 The BFD concept: 4 Multiple microphone positions 5 Hyper-realistic kits 6 Easy compilation of new kits 6 Flexible play modes: introducing the Groove Librarian 6 Endless variety of sound and feel 7 Potential uses for BFD 7 A note about the manual 7 Technical Support and Updates 8 3. INSTALLATION AND GETTING STARTED 9 System Requirements 9 Installation 10 USING BFD IN YOUR SEQUENCER OR HOST 11 Using BFD in Steinberg Cubase SX and Cubase VST 11 Using BFD in Emagic Logic Audio 12 Using BFD in Digidesign Pro Tools 13 Using BFD in Image-Line FL Studio 13 Using BFD in Sonic Foundry Acid 4. 0 14 Using BFD in Cakewalk Project 5 14 Using BFD in Cakewalk Sonar 15 Using BFD with ReWire 16 4. REFERENCE 33 INTRODUCTION TO BFD's INTERFACE 33 LOADING KITS AND KIT-PIECES 33 MIXER SECTION 37 GROOVE LIBRARIAN 43 QUANTIZATION PANEL 47 HUMANIZATION PANELS 48 PLAY OPTIONS PANEL 50 AUTO GROOVE REPEAT BUTTONS 53 OPTIONS PANEL 54 TRIGGER KEYS PANEL 56 TEMPO DISPLAY 56 LOADING AND SAVING PRESETS 57 OTHER FILE TYPES USED IN BFD 58 MISCELLANEOUS FUNCTIONS 59 DRUM RECORDING NOTES 60 BFD's LIBRARY OF GROOVES 62 6. We hope you will agree that the painstaking effort of putting it together has resulted in the most realistic acoustic drum machine ever. CREDITS Lead Programmer: SKoT McDonald (www. vellocet. com) Audio Engineering: Steve Duda Additional Programming: Angus Hewlett Design and Graphics: Adam Ferns (www. raresense. co. uk) Project Management: Rhiannon Bankston-Thomas Manual and Groove Engineering: Mayur Maha Session Drumming: Chris Dagley With thanks to: Andy Simper, Matt Hooper, Swedish Moose, Tom Santamera, Bat, Simon Allen, Monkey, Shane Chambers, Lighthouse Guy for watching over us, WonderBorg, The Cove Pasty Shop, and of course our Long Suffering Significant Others. [. . . ] There are a number of different Swing Templates, which you access using the Template pull-down menu. Each has a different set of 'rules' to modify the feel of the Groove, which result in a different character to the timing. The funky opposing 'Groove Dudes' are a graphical representation of the two quantization parameters. In addition to the versatile Quantization panel, BFD offers a further two functions to vary the expressive character of its output. The Humanize Timing panel allows you to introduce a controlled amount of variation to the timing of the Grooves. When you click on the icon, a popup graph panel is displayed, which represents the probability distribution of random timing variations: the x-axis represents the deviation from the original timing, while the y-axis indicates the probability that a certain time deviation will occur. 30 Move the mouse over the graph to see how it reacts. You will find that the curve changes shape according to mouse movements, while clicking the mouse button 'sets' the shape. With a graphical shape similar to that shown in here, the randomization is quite extreme. Effectively, the graph is showing you that there is the highest probability of large timing displacements. With the graph shape shown here, there will be a reasonable amount of randomization: most notes will have a slight timing deviation, but there will be the odd note which is displaced to a more extreme degree. When the graph looks like that shown here, there will be no randomization of timing: the graph is showing that there is an equal probability of no timing deviations occurring. The Humanize Velocity panel, works in the same way except that, this time, the x-axis represents velocity. The randomization causes changes in velocity which emulate the non-linear way in which a drummer would play. 31 · important note : The Humanize Velocity panel is unique among BFD's humanization functions in that it not only applies to the Groove Librarian, but also when using the plugin as a sound module: in other words, using the host's sequencing functions to trigger BFD's sounds as single hits. Part Four : USING YOUR HOST'S MIXING CAPABILITIES As mentioned at the beginning of the tutorial, there are three different versions of the BFD plugin: BFD Stereo: Stereo Master output only. This version mixes all microphone buses together with the Direct signals inside the plugin, outputting a stereo pair. The Master output fader controls the overall output volume of the plugin. This version outputs each stereo microphone group as an independent stereo output. Therefore, output pair 1-2 is the Direct Master bus, 3-4 is the Overhead bus, 5-6 is the Room bus and 7-8 is the PZM bus. The Master output fader affects the volume of all buses in a relative manner. This is the same as BFD Groups but, instead of a stereo mix of the Direct signals, each individual Kit-Piece has its own output. Therefore, kick in, kick out, snare bottom, snare top, hihat, low, medium and high toms, and cymbals 1-3 each have an independent output, starting at output 7. The Master output fader affects the volume of all buses in a relative manner. If you are using Logic Audio, please see the Logic Quickstart guide, as the BFD All plugin works slightly differently when it detects Logic as the host. So far, you have been working with the Master output version, which mixes all signals together. This version is obviously very limited if you want to fully utilize your sequencer's multi-output mixing capabilities, if it has them, which are vital for processing each part of the drumkit with unique EQ, dynamics and effects settings in real time. 32 Save your kit changes if you have made any modifications you would like to use again, and load the BFD All plugin in place of the BFD Stereo you have been using, and reload a kit. [. . . ] Also, many sequencers (such as Logic) require you to record-enable a MIDI track, or enable live MIDI input in order to get MIDI input to it. · There is a noticeable delay between pressing a key on my MIDI keyboard and hearing the sound. This is a symptom of latency, something which all CPU-based processing suffers from. Latency can be reduced by using a better soundcard with well-written drivers. [. . . ]