Comparison

BK Partner vs VB3

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

Head to head
About

BK Partner

Control your Roland BK-series instrument's sounds and accompaniments from your iPad. It mirrors the instrument's front panel for quick access to functions, tones, and rhythms. Supports Core MIDI and Roland Wireless Connection.

Highlights
  • Browse and select instrument tones
  • Control musical accompaniments
  • Duplicate instrument's front control panel on iPad
  • Fast visual access to main functions
  • Support for Core MIDI
  • Support for Roland Wireless Connection
Read full description

This software application for iPad let you browse, select, and control the sounds ("Tones") and musical accompaniments ("Rhythms") of your Roland BK-series instrument. When using BK Partner you can: - Play your BK-series instrument while using your iPad as a duplication of its front control panel. This provides fast visual access to the BK's main functions, Tones, and Rhythms. Work with Core MIDI or Roland Wireless Connection (if supported by BK Instrument) *Note: The BK Partner can only display English texts.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BK Partner at 4.0 against VB3's 3.5. BK Partner also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (61% vs 50%). On price, ratings volume 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

Both are free to download. VB3 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. BK Partner asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BK Partner holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of BK Partner's written reviews are positive against 50% of VB3's.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
BK Partner versus VB3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBK PartnerVB3
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (6 ratings) — better3.5 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews60.9% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings616 — better
Update frequencyEvery 12 months—
AdsNo—
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPad — better—
Requires iOS8.1 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRoland CorporationGenuine Soundware

Customer experience

BK Partner

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive60.9%
Neutral13.0%
Negative26.1%

VB3

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

BK Partner

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

VB3

One-time2
  • Log-in to your GSi account$0.99
  • Unlock All Pro Features$99.99

Questions

Is BK Partner free?
BK Partner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VB3 free?
VB3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BK Partner or VB3?
BK Partner is rated higher. BK Partner averages 4.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while VB3 averages 3.5 from 16 ratings.

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