iMIDIPatchbay vs VB3
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iMIDIPatchbay
Organize your entire MIDI setup from a central point. Easily create split and layer configurations, send program changes, and filter controller data for external sound devices. Store and recall configurations as songs, and manage setlists for performances.
- Create split and layer configurations
- Send Program Changes and control changes
- Transpose sounds and rig
- Filter controller data
- Store and recall configurations as songs
- Create setlists for performances
- Link PDF documents to songs
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iMIDIPatchbay lets you organize your whole MIDI setup from one central point. Do you often divide your keyboards into zones to assign different sounds which might come from external sound expanders? Do you need to send Program Changes to your MIDI equipment? Do you want to integrate your music making apps into your live gear? Well, then iMIDIPatchbay is definitely the right tool for you! LIST OF FEATURES - Create split and layer configurations very easily - Support for up to 4 master keyboards (In-App Purchase) - Send volume and other control changes (reverb, chorus, pan) to your sound devices - Send Program Changes to your sound devices - Transpose sounds in octave steps - Transpose the hole rig in half-tone steps - Filter controller data (sustain, pitch-bend, modulation, expression, aftertouch) - Store configurations as songs for later recall - Switch song of iMIDIPatchbay from another app or MIDI device via Program Changes - Switch songs while holding down keys or holding e.g. the sustain pedal without getting stuck notes - Play all your sounds even if you don't have all your master keyboards with you: "master switches" allow you to make another master act as a substitute for it (advanced feature!) - Create setlists to arrange songs for your performances (In-App Purchase) - Link multiple PDF documents (e.g. sheet music or notes) from Dropbox to each song (In-App Purchase) - Backup settings to Dropbox - UI which is optimized for live usage WHAT EXACTLY CAN I DO WITH iMIDIPatchbay? As a keyboard player, you most probably know about splitting and layering sounds. While this can be done relatively easy on professional keyboards, it becomes more complex if your gear consists of multiple keyboards and sound expanders. iMIDIPatchbay makes building such configurations a lot easier than it has ever been before. After connecting your keyboards and other MIDI devices to the iPad, you can easily create split zones and assign sounds of your MIDI devices to them. It's also possible to route the MIDI data to other apps if they have a virtual MIDI port. Furthermore, you can filter out controllers which is great if you want e.g. pitch bend or sustain to affect only a subset of the active sounds. WHAT DO I NEED TO GET STARTED? You need a CoreMIDI interface to connect your keyboards and sound expanders to the iPad. WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE? Go to iMIDIPatchbay's website in order to find a more detailed description of the app. If you encounter problems, please let me help you (you find the mail address on the website and on the info screen within the app). Please note that there is no way to respond to you if you post a review on the App Store instead. Always email me first! If you like the app, let others know by submitting a good review on the App Store. And feel free to send me suggestions for further releases.
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 price: VB3 at Free against iMIDIPatchbay's $14.99. iMIDIPatchbay's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.5) and review sentiment (67% vs 50%). On ratings volume, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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; iMIDIPatchbay costs $14.99 up front. iMIDIPatchbay sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and VB3 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
iMIDIPatchbay holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of iMIDIPatchbay's written reviews are positive against 50% of VB3's.
| Parameter | iMIDIPatchbay | VB3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (18 ratings) — better | 3.5 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 67.2% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 18 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Ads | No | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | — |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Johannes Doerr | Genuine Soundware |
Customer experience
iMIDIPatchbay
VB3
In-app purchases
iMIDIPatchbay
- Multiple masters$9.99
- Setlists$9.99
VB3
- Log-in to your GSi account$0.99
- Unlock All Pro Features$99.99









