Midi Poly Grid vs VB3
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Midi Poly Grid
This app functions solely as a MIDI controller, requiring a host application or DAW to produce sound. It offers intuitive pad controls for melodies and finger drumming, with advanced modulation options like MPE and polyphonic aftertouch. Connect virtually or via USB/Bluetooth to other devices and DAWs.
- Size-adjustable grid of pads
- MPE and polyphonic aftertouch modulation
- Custom grid creation
- Virtual MIDI connection
- Preset saving
- Multiple layouts and colors
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# Midi Poly Grid This App is Open Source. Access the code here: https://github.com/anzbert/beat_pads ## Important Disclaimer This App is **ONLY** usable as a Midi Controller. It does **NOT** produce any sound on its own and requires a host application or a second device with a DAW or other sound production app. ## Information Midi Poly Grid is a lightweight Midi Controller app for mobile phones and tablets for melodies and finger drumming at home and on the go. Connections can be made virtually to other apps via platform midi channels, or via USB or Bluetooth Midi to other devices. This app aims to be an easy-to-use pad input device featuring a variety of layouts, intuitive playability and modern modulation options, such as MPE and Polyphonic Aftertouch. It was designed for people that prefer pads to pianos! The focus of this app is not to be a jack-of-all-trades Midi swiss army knife, but instead to be a great at one thing: Intuitive and versatile pad controls. ## Features - A size-adjustable grid of pads for finger drumming and melody input - Various layouts and colors, inspired by the Ableton Push - Presets can be saved with different pad setups - Innovative MPE and polyphonic Aftertouch modulation with graphical feedback - Push Style MPE pitchbend and slide - Send Velocity by Y position on pad, randomly or with a fixed value - Usable as a standard MIDI device with any PC, Mac or other USB or Bluetooth device - Optional controls, such as Pitch Bend, Mod Wheel and Sustain - Highligh a large number of musical scales - Receives Midi Notes, making the pads usable like a Launchpad - Custom grid creation based on the note intervals on the X and Y Axis to create Grids inspired by the Harmonic Table, Wicki Hayden, MidiMech and others - Supports virtual Midi connection to other apps on your device - Built-In support for the popular finger drumming courses from XpressPads.com - And more... ## Feedback and Contributions Anyone is most welcome to contribute, report an issue or start a discussion in the Github repository. Thanks! ## Licence Licenced under GPL3. The code in this project is freely usable in any other open source project. Enjoy! ## iOS Specific Information Can be used with any Mac via USB, Bluetooth Midi or WiFi. Usage with PC is limited to WiFi with free third-party software (rtpMidi), and USB with third-party USB midi connectors, due to Apple's limited implementation of USB Midi on iOS. AUv3 is unfortunately not supported at this time, as it is currently impossible with Flutter. More info about that here: https://github.com/flutter/flutter/issues/16092
VB3
This app emulates a classic tonewheel organ, offering advanced sound modeling and effects. It includes a session recorder, audio player for backing tracks, and extensive MIDI control for live performance and production.
- Tonewheel engine and rotary simulator
- Ring Modulator and Delay effects
- Session Recorder (MIDI & WAV)
- Built-in Audio Player
- Extensive MIDI control and mapping
- Touch-friendly interface with drawbar views
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Released in 2023, this is the second version of GSi's most famous product: VB3-II Tonewheel Organ emulator. This marks 20 years of research and development of this instrument. New VB3-II 2023 edition features: - Added both the tonewheel engine and the rotary simulator from VB3 v.1.4 - The V1 rotary simulator features 3 variations, for a total of 4 different amplifiers - Added 1 new tonewheel generator - Added Ring Modulator and Delay effects (pre) - Added FET Limiter (post) - Sub-Presets for Rotary effect and Digital reverb sections - Session Recorder: silently records everything is played and imports/exports standard Midi Files and renders to WAV files - Built-in Audio Player plays the most common audio formats to add a backing track to your music - Octave transposers for upper and lower separately - New Program browser shows full list with move, swap, delete functions along with import/export of banks and single Programs - Built-in function to import/export from/to VB3-II 2018 (and Crumar Mojo Desktop) Program and Bank formats - New Midi Map with reverse, latch and lock functions for each parameter - Quick Midi Learn for main screen/performance controls, normal Midi Learn for all other parameters - New advanced Midi Javascript processor for custom event transformations (supports SysEx and RPN/NRPN) - Multiple outputs (Main + Organ Only) - Separate plugin for remote Audio and Midi input - includes the exclusive VoMidiCoder - New bigger touch-friendly interface - Four different drawbar view styles - On-screen keyboards with two different viewing styles - Random program generator - Added rotary effect speed control from Channel Aftertouch - Supports Midi Output, can send whole "snapshots" when loading and when changing Programs - Supports different curves for the Swell Pedal - Built-in Midi Monitor for monitoring incoming Midi messages - Free Cloud service for sharing Programs, Midi Maps and Midi Processor Scripts with other users Features already present in the 2018 edition: - Full polyphony (61 upper + 61 lower + 25 pedals = 147 notes) - 91 modeled tonewheels with accurate phase synchronization - Adjustable leakage noise and cross modulation between tonewheels - A total of 22 different tonewheel generators to choose from - Generator shaping for a total of 154 generator combinations - Adjustable global tuning from 430 to 450 Hz - Foldback on 16" deactivatable - Complex wheels - Resistor wiring with multiple options - Realistic "run" motor wow and flutter - Busbars and 9 key contact simulation - Two separate sets of drawbars per manual - Full "inverted octave" presets - String Bass with adjustable release time - Loudness "robbing" effect - Single triggered percussion with natural capacitor discharge/recharge - Adjustable Percussion Level and Decay - Vibrato/Chorus virtual scanner - Adjustable Vibrato Scanner depth and mix - Separated Upper and Lower V/C tablets with smooth switching - Dynamic tube overdrive simulation - Spring Reverb (pre) and Digital stereo reverb (post) - Rotary speaker simulation with virtual microphone positioning, tube overdrive, tube feedback - Rotors "Front Stop" brake position with adjustable preferred position - Very low CPU consumption - Advanced MIDI Learn function with import/export of custom mappings - Upper and Lower manuals SPLIT with adjustable split point - Supports pedal sustain - Custom programmer with import/export of Programs and Banks Available for iPad as standalone App with IAA support or AUv3 plugin, compatible with all plugin hosts.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Midi Poly Grid at 100% against VB3's 50%. Midi Poly Grid also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). VB3's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On ratings volume 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
VB3 is free to download; Midi Poly Grid costs $3.99 up front. VB3 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Midi Poly Grid asks for nothing beyond the download.
Midi Poly Grid holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Midi Poly Grid's written reviews are positive against 50% of VB3's.
| Parameter | Midi Poly Grid | VB3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better | 3.5 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 16 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | — |
| Ads | No | — |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | — |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Andreas Mueller | Genuine Soundware |
Customer experience
Midi Poly Grid
VB3
In-app purchases
Midi Poly Grid
No in-app purchases
VB3
- Log-in to your GSi account$0.99
- Unlock All Pro Features$99.99









