{"id":22223,"date":"2023-01-24T09:00:11","date_gmt":"2023-01-24T09:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/?p=22223"},"modified":"2023-01-24T10:47:52","modified_gmt":"2023-01-24T10:47:52","slug":"alesis-and-bfd-drums-the-power-of-a-free-drum-vst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/alesis-and-bfd-drums-the-power-of-a-free-drum-vst\/","title":{"rendered":"Alesis and BFD Drums \u2013 The Power of a Free Drum VST!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/alesis-and-bfd-drums-the-power-of-a-free-drum-vst\/#What_is_a_Drum_VST\" >What is a Drum VST?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/alesis-and-bfd-drums-the-power-of-a-free-drum-vst\/#Why_are_VSTs_so_popular\" >Why are VSTs so popular?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/alesis-and-bfd-drums-the-power-of-a-free-drum-vst\/#What_can_I_do_with_a_VST\" >What can I do with a VST?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/alesis-and-bfd-drums-the-power-of-a-free-drum-vst\/#So_whats_next\" >So, what\u2019s next?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Intro&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>What happens when two of electronic drums&#8217; longest and most prestigious companies collide? Let&#8217;s say&#8230; <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Electronic_Drum_Kit\/Alesis.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alesis Drums<\/a><\/strong> and BFD?<\/p>\n<p>These are two titans of electronic and virtual drums.<\/p>\n<p>Alesis have been in the electronic drum game since the launch of the original Alesis DM5 in 1995 (an all-time best-selling electronic drumkit). They&#8217;ve grown into an electric kit monolith, with highlights such as the Nitro Mesh, Turbo Mesh, and Strike Pro Special Edition.<\/p>\n<p>BFD, on the other hand, have a 20-year history of producing some of the finest quality virtual drum sounds and software available on the market.<\/p>\n<p>So, when Alesis\u2019 parent company, inMusic Brands, acquired BFD in 2020 there was bound to be some sort of crossover between the two brands.<\/p>\n<p>Now we see the first sign of a <em>free VST<\/em> with the launch of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Drums-and-Percussion\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit\/58JV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alesis Surge Special Edition<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Drums-and-Percussion\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit\/58JX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alesis Command Special Edition<\/a><\/strong>! To our knowledge, this is also the first time any drum manufacturer has given away a <em>free<\/em> VST plugin with an electric drumkit!<\/p>\n<p>But why is this game-changing, and what does it mean?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/47qTE2w7QSQ\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;What is a Drum VST?&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{%22gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f%22:%91%22border_color_top%22%93}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_Drum_VST\"><\/span>What is a Drum VST?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-22374 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alesis Command Mesh Special Edition Electronic Drum Kit\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-1080x1080.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-980x980.jpg 980w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-480x480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>First things first, what is a Drum VST?<\/p>\n<p>VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology, an audio plugin that can be used in your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) or on its own to replicate a specific instrument.<\/p>\n<p>This can range from bespoke piano tones and synthesizers to drum machines and drum kits.<\/p>\n<p>BFD have been making VST drum kits and sounds since 2003.<\/p>\n<p>These allow you to load a drum kit into your DAW and trigger it using MIDI notation to play BFD&#8217;s meticulously recorded acoustic samples.<\/p>\n<p>The samples have been recorded at varying velocities (how hard the instrument is hit) so you can get accurate, dynamic, and incredibly real-sounding drums.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Why are VSTs so popular?&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{%22gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f%22:%91%22border_color_top%22%93}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_are_VSTs_so_popular\"><\/span>Why are VSTs so popular?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-22375 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alesis Surge Mesh Special Edition Electronic Drum Kit\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-1080x1080.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-980x980.jpg 980w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-480x480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>VSTs are now standard in contemporary music production across all genres and stylistics.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s a wealth of huge benefits in having a drum VST, let alone a <i>free <\/i>VST like the one included in the Alesis Surge Special Edition and the Alesis Command Special Edition.<\/p>\n<p>The most obvious reason to use a VST is the sounds.<\/p>\n<p>BFD have crafted genre-specific packs, giving you the choice of expansive rock kits from the \u201970s, with monster 26\u201d kicks drenched in natural room reverb, funkier disco kits with sharp snares, heavily processed toms for total groove, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Each shell, cymbal, microphone, and room in these packs was chosen and crafted specifically with a sound in mind. You can choose one free expansion pack when purchasing an Alesis Command Surge Special Edition.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, the BFD player sound samples have been recorded in a world-class studio, with vintage and contemporary microphones, and produced by professional engineers and producers with decades of experience.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t have to worry about phasing issues, gain stage problems, or peaks and pops. If you want a wider stereo overhead, you have the option to do that. If you want to make the room size smaller, you can. All the details are of pristine quality, made to enhance your productions.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, adaptability. Not only do you get incredible drum sounds, but various effect plugins are built into the interface, specifically tailored to each drum pack sound. These are incredibly easy to use, with just a single knob to control things such as compression, room ambience, kit reverb, delays, envelope, attack, and sustain, amongst a host of other effects.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;What can I do with a VST?&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{%22gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f%22:%91%22border_color_top%22%93}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_can_I_do_with_a_VST\"><\/span>What can I do with a VST?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-22383 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/BFD-Player-503x300.jpg\" alt=\"BFD Player\" width=\"503\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/BFD-Player-503x300.jpg 503w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/BFD-Player-768x458.jpg 768w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/BFD-Player-480x286.jpg 480w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/BFD-Player.jpg 838w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 503px) 100vw, 503px\" \/>The first thing you\u2019re able to do with the free BFD player is plug your new Surge SE or Command SE into your laptop or computer via a single USB cable.<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;ll then have your BFD sound mapped perfectly to your Alesis kit.<\/p>\n<p>Mapping your VST instruments to hardware can sometimes be a very fiddly process. The BFD player has solved this issue.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s mapped with all Alesis kits, so all you need to do is plug in and your Alesis drum kit will trigger the exact sounds it\u2019s meant to.<\/p>\n<p>So, immediately alongside the hundreds of sounds included in the module, you have an additional suite of world-class drum sounds to play with!<\/p>\n<p>BFD player can also be used as a standalone tool. You&#8217;re no longer forced to open a DAW, go through your channels, and assign a BFD plugin to play; you can just open the player, connect your USB cable, and you\u2019re ready to jam out!<\/p>\n<p>But if you do want to open BFD in your DAW, you can play your kit directly into the DAW and track your real-time movements.<\/p>\n<p>And that&#8217;s not all.<\/p>\n<p>You can also program your drums via MIDI. If you\u2019re on the move and need to make some edits, just open a MIDI roll, tap in your drums, and make amendments to the MIDI you\u2019ve already recorded, all without having to plug the Alesis kit into your computer!<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;So, what\u2019s next?&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{%22gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f%22:%91%22border_color_top%22%93}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_whats_next\"><\/span>So, what\u2019s next?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Well, we don\u2019t know yet. This is the first time we\u2019ve seen Alesis and BFD collaborate, and it\u2019s a phenomenal start to a, hopefully, blossoming relationship.<\/p>\n<p>Will we see more BFD players for all Alesis kits or will we see BFD sounds directly imported into Alesis modules? With the incredible Alesis hardware and triggering combined with BFD&#8217;s wonderfully deep and powerful sounds, the idea is very exciting!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Electronic_Drum_Kit\/Alesis.html?page=1&#8243; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;SHOP ALESIS DRUM KITS&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;e6ee07a9-4e60-40b4-a547-e1aa0a89644a&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text_size=&#8221;14px&#8221; button_text_color=&#8221;gcid-a3f0e0c4-68cb-4983-969e-b86a5466020b&#8221; button_border_color=&#8221;gcid-45928375-1fd3-4d7e-b1f0-0adee316b54f&#8221; 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Let&#8217;s say&#8230; Alesis Drums and BFD? These are two titans of electronic and virtual drums. Alesis have been in the electronic drum game since the launch of the original Alesis DM5 in 1995 (an all-time best-selling electronic drumkit). They&#8217;ve grown into an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<p><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-22374 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alesis Command Mesh Special Edition Electronic Drum Kit\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/>What happens when two of electronic drums' longest and most prestigious companies collide?<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Electronic_Drum_Kit\/Alesis.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alesis Drums<\/a><\/strong> and BFD are two titans of electronic drums and virtual drums.<\/p><p>Alesis have been in the electronic drum game since the launch of the original Alesis DM5 in 1995 (an all-time best-selling electronic drumkit).<\/p><p>They've grown into an electric kit monolith, with highlights such as the Nitro Mesh, Turbo Mesh, and Strike Pro Special Edition.<\/p><p>BFD, on the other hand, have a 20-year history of producing some of the finest quality virtual drum sounds and software available on the market.<\/p><p>So, when Alesis\u2019 parent company, inMusic Brands, acquired BFD in 2020 there was bound to be some sort of crossover between the two brands.<\/p><p>Now we see the first sign of a <em>free VST<\/em> with the launch of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Drums-and-Percussion\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit\/58JV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alesis Surge Special Edition<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Drums-and-Percussion\/Alesis-Command-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit\/58JX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alesis Command Special Edition<\/a><\/strong>! To our knowledge, this is also the first time any drum manufacturer has given away a <em>free<\/em> VST plugin with an electric drumkit!<\/p><p>But why is that game-changing, and what does this mean?<\/p><hr \/><h3>What is a Drum VST?<\/h3><p>First things first, what is a Drum VST?<\/p><p>VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology, an audio plugin that can be used in your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) or on its own to replicate a specific instrument. This can range from bespoke piano tones and synthesizers to drum machines and drum kits.<\/p><p>BFD have been making VST drum kits and sounds since 2003. These allow you to load a drum kit into your DAW and trigger it using MIDI notation to play BFD's meticulously recorded acoustic samples.<\/p><p>The samples have been recorded at varying velocities (how hard the instrument is hit) so you can get accurate, dynamic, and incredibly real-sounding drums.<\/p><hr \/><h3>Why are VSTs so popular?<\/h3><p><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-22375 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/Alesis-Surge-Mesh-Special-Edition-Electronic-Drum-Kit-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alesis Surge Mesh Special Edition Electronic Drum Kit\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/>VSTs are now standard in contemporary music production across all genres and stylistics.<\/p><p>There's a wealth of huge benefits in having a drum VST, let alone a <i>free <\/i>VST like the one included in the Alesis Surge Special Edition and the Alesis Command Special Edition.<\/p><p>The most obvious reason to use a VST is the sounds.<\/p><p>BFD have crafted genre-specific packs, giving you the choice of expansive rock kits from the \u201970s, with monster 26\u201d kicks drenched in natural room reverb, funkier disco kits with sharp snares, heavily processed toms for total groove, and more.<\/p><p>Each shell, cymbal, microphone, and room in these packs was chosen and crafted specifically with a sound in mind. You can choose one free expansion pack when purchasing an Alesis Command Surge Special Edition.<\/p><p>Secondly, the BFD player sound samples have been recorded in a world-class studio, with vintage and contemporary microphones, and produced by professional engineers and producers with decades of experience.<\/p><p>You don\u2019t have to worry about phasing issues, gain stage problems, or peaks and pops. If you want a wider stereo overhead, you have the option to do that. If you want to make the room size smaller, you can. All the details are of pristine quality, made to enhance your productions.<\/p><p>Finally, adaptability. Not only do you get incredible drum sounds, but various effect plugins are built into the interface, specifically tailored to each drum pack sound. These are incredibly easy to use, with just a single knob to control things such as compression, room ambience, kit reverb, delays, envelope, attack, and sustain, amongst a host of other effects.<\/p><hr \/><h3>What can I do with a VST?<\/h3><p><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-22383 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2023\/01\/BFD-Player-503x300.jpg\" alt=\"BFD Player\" width=\"503\" height=\"300\" \/>The first thing you\u2019re able to do with the free BFD player is plug your new Surge SE or Command SE into your laptop or computer via a single USB cable.<\/p><p>You'll then have your BFD sound mapped perfectly to your Alesis kit.<\/p><p>Mapping your VST instruments to hardware can sometimes be a very fiddly process. The BFD player has solved this issue.<\/p><p>It's mapped with all Alesis kits, so all you need to do is plug in, and your Alesis drum kit will trigger the exact sounds it\u2019s meant to.<\/p><p>So, immediately alongside the hundreds of sounds included in the module, you have an additional suite of world-class drum sounds to play with!<\/p><p>BFD player can also be used as a standalone tool. You're no longer forced to open a DAW, go through your channels, and assign a BFD plugin to play; you can just open the player, connect your USB cable, and you\u2019re ready to jam out!<\/p><p>But if you do want to open BFD in your DAW, you can play your kit directly into the DAW and track your real-time movements.<\/p><p>And that's not all.<\/p><p>You can also program your drums via MIDI. If you\u2019re on the move and need to make some edits, just open a MIDI roll, tap in your drums, and make amendments to the MIDI you\u2019ve already recorded, all without having to plug the Alesis kit into your computer!<\/p><hr \/><h3>So, what\u2019s next?<\/h3><p>Well, we don\u2019t know yet. This is the first time we\u2019ve seen Alesis and BFD collaborate, and it\u2019s a phenomenal start to a, hopefully, blossoming relationship.<\/p><p>Will we see more BFD players for all Alesis kits or will we see BFD sounds directly imported into Alesis modules? With the incredible Alesis hardware and triggering combined BFD's incredibly deep and powerful sounds, the idea is incredibly exciting!<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[144,254],"tags":[140,165,554],"class_list":["post-22223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drums","category-drum-new-releases","tag-alesis","tag-drums","tag-new-launch"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Alesis and BFD Drums \u2013 The Power of a Free Drum VST!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A free VST is included with the Alesis Surge SE and Command SE! 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