Comparison

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin vs Overdrive Special

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin

This app generates MIDI note data to simulate guitar strumming and picking. It includes a soundfont player, definable chord pads, and a pattern editor for creating custom strumming and picking sequences. You can also chain patterns into songs and apply various audio effects.

Highlights
  • Simulate guitar strumming and picking
  • Generate MIDI note data
  • Import and use soundfonts (.SF2, .DLS)
  • 16 definable chord pads
  • Pattern editor for creating sequences
  • Song mode to chain patterns
  • 6 and 12 string emulation
  • Built-in audio effects
Features
Read full description

MIDI Strummer is an AUv3 plugin designed to simulate guitar strumming and picking techniques. It can used to generate MIDI note data which can be sent to either an external synth of choice or the internal soundfont engine.  The inbuilt soundfont player allows you to import all your favourite .SF2 and .DLS soundfonts and use them as a sound source. MIDI strummer has a set of 16 definable chord pads that can hold a series of chords, which in turn can be triggered remotely via MIDI messages or by tapping the pads. Use the pattern editor to create a series of picking or strumming patterns that can be tranposed to the selected chord pad.  Song mode allows you to chain these chord patterns together to form songs combining both picking and strumming patterns within the same song. Enable 6/12 string on a particular part to emphesize a pert by adding depth. Strummer also features a number of audio effects that can be used to enhance the audio from the soundfont player. These include overdrive, distortion, tremolo, chorus, phaser, graphic EQ, digital delay and reverb. Key Features: • 6 and 12 string emulations. • Simulate strum up/down with variable speeds. • Create patterns up to 64 steps in length. • Load up to 6 pattern variations. • Ramdomize and rotate options. • Songs can be up to 255 steps in length. • Built in ARP function. • Import your own soundfonts. • 8 different effect types (reverb, delay, phaser, chorus, overdrive, distortion, tremelo and EQ). • Paramter Automation from your DAW using MIDI. • Built in Sampler. • Comprehensive Help pages included. Please Note: This version is now compatible with GarageBand running on iOS14.

About

Overdrive Special

This guitar amplifier plugin emulates a classic Dumble schematic, offering clean and cascading overdrive channels. It features a 3-band EQ, individual gain controls, and a built-in noise gate. Works as a standalone app or audio effect.

Highlights
  • Clean and overdrive channels
  • Cascading gain stages
  • 3-band equalizer
  • Individual gain controls per channel
  • Harmonic gain change
  • Noise gate circuit
  • Standalone, AUv3, and IAA support
Features
Read full description

Nembrini Audio Overdrive Special Guitar Amplifier plugin is based on a Overdrive Special By Dumble* schematic #124. Nembrini Audio Overdrive Special s a two channel amplifier, which includes a clean channel and an “overdrive”channel. The overdrive channel is described as “cascading” from the first channel into, at least, one additional gain stage in the overdrive channel. This means that the clean channel’s tone stack and gain stages will “cascade” into the gain stage of the overdrive channel, causing the clean channel to become “overdriven". Nembrini Audio Overdrive Special features a 3-band equalizer and one volume control for both channels, but each channel has its own gain control. The gain controls LEVEL and RATIO interact when the overdrive channel is engaged to allow a harmonic change in gain. The Overdrive Special guitar amplifier plugin includes a complete recording chain emulation and our custom design noise gate circuit. Works as a standalone app, AudioUnit v3 effect, or Inter-App Audio effect Legal Disclaimer: Overdrive Special By Dumble is a registered trademark of Dumble. Nembrini Audio Overdrive Special was developed by Nembrini Audio SRL based on its own modelling techniques. Dumble has not endorsed nor sponsored the Nembrini Audio Overdrive Special in any manner, nor licensed any intellectual property for use in this product.

Screenshots

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin4 screens
Overdrive Special2 screens

Verdict

The call

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin and Overdrive Special both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin's written reviews are positive against 0% of Overdrive Special's. MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 26 months) and ratings volume (51 vs 8). Overdrive Special's advantage is price ($9.99 vs $12.99). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin costs $12.99 and Overdrive Special $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin against 4.3 for Overdrive Special. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin has 51 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin's written reviews are positive against 0% of Overdrive Special's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin ships an update every 6 weeks, Overdrive Special every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin versus Overdrive Special: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI Strummer AUv3 PluginOverdrive Special
Price$12.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.3 (51 ratings) — better4.3 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews75.4% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings51 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 26 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615 — better
Further details — not scored
Size386 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer4Pockets.comNembrini Audio

Customer experience

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin

All ratings51 ratings
Positive80.4%
Neutral9.8%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive75.4%
Neutral11.5%
Negative13.1%

Overdrive Special

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • App support is not opening
  • App support website is gone/suspicious
  • App keeps crashing when hosted in AUM
  • Plugin corrupts entire track and makes project impossible to open
  • Crashes constantly when used in AUM
Show 10 more
  • Latest update causes failed to load in IMPC pro 2 and standalone
  • App crashes and help function doesn't work
  • Audio unit extension quit messages
  • Crashes when selecting a preset
  • Soundfonts not working when loaded as an instrument in AUM
  • Sometimes stops all internal sounds
  • Pop up menus not accessible for VoiceOver
  • MIDI channel out returns to default on every startup
  • Chords bug out and change half the chord in latch mode
  • Preset/chords would not save in AUM

Requested features

34 requests
  • Include pattern lengths of 3, 5, 7
  • Piano to guitar chords and manual strumming
  • Offset notes in pattern editor for swing/triplet tempos
  • Add swing/humanize to patterns
  • Functionality for capo or real-time key change with MIDI
Show 29 more
  • Pattern latch function in real-time with MIDI
  • More guitar sounds and strum patterns
  • Optimize for M1 Macs
  • Save and export patterns to MIDI
  • Tap or strum patterns manually and record
  • Interface similar to Helium for saving/exporting MIDI
  • Interface reminiscent of Guitarism
  • Stronger colors for chosen/played chords
  • Modulation in song creation (change key)
  • Access MIDI parameters in Piano to Guitar mode
  • More detailed documentation on chord formation
  • Ability to reorder saved settings
  • MIDI learn for CC messages
  • Add more layers of pads for chords (7ths, sus, etc.)
  • Double size pad page for more chords
  • MIDI in functionality
  • Ability to touch fretboard for custom chords/voicings
  • Construct chords from scratch
  • Control over pedal damping
  • Add open tunings
  • Change chords on every half and quarter beat
  • Display current preset name at the top
  • Add bend of notes and note sustain
  • Improve interface for ARP/strum grid to match guitar tabs
  • Save chord chains, chord pads, and custom strumming patterns separately
  • Include custom chords in future versions
  • More Soundfont files
  • More presets
  • Faster BPM adjustment

Overdrive Special

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin

No in-app purchases

None

Overdrive Special

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin free?
MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Overdrive Special free?
Overdrive Special costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin or Overdrive Special?
MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin is rated higher. MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin averages 4.3 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Overdrive Special averages 4.3 from 8 ratings.
Do MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin or Overdrive Special have ads?
Neither MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin nor Overdrive Special shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin or Overdrive Special?
MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin ships an update every 6 weeks, and Overdrive Special every 26 months. Most recently, MIDI Strummer AUv3 Plugin was updated on November 7, 2026 and Overdrive Special on November 11, 2026.

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