Comparison

Virtual Technician vs VB3

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

Head to head
About

Virtual Technician

This app allows musicians to digitally adjust the sound, touch, and tuning of their Kawai digital piano. Shape the piano's character in real-time with an intuitive interface, learning about acoustic piano adjustments.

Highlights
  • Adjust sound, touch, and tuning
  • Simulates professional piano technician refinements
  • Shape piano character to personal preferences
  • Regulate hammer and key release noises
  • Fine-tune string, lid, and damper resonances
  • Intuitive iPad app interface
  • Learn acoustic piano characteristics
Read full description

Adjust various sound, touch, and tuning characteristics of your Kawai digital piano, as if you were a professional concert tuner. The knowledge and skill of an experienced piano technician is essential to realise the full potential of a fine acoustic piano. In addition to meticulously tuning each note, the technician also performs numerous regulation and voicing adjustments that allow the instrument to truly sing. The Virtual Technician feature of Kawai digital pianos simulates these refinements digitally, allowing musicians to shape various aspects of the piano’s character to suit their personal preferences. Perform touch weight and voicing adjustments, regulate subtle hammer and key release noises, and fine-tune string, lid, and damper resonances – all in real-time, from the comfort of an intuitive iPad app. ・Attractive interface created by Kawai’s award-winning design group, following the same traditional philosophies expressed in our acoustic and digital pianos. ・Learn to adjust various acoustic piano characteristics through the app’s elegant graphical interface and detailed explanations. ・Use the app’s Preview function to hear a sample passage that demonstrates the current setting with the instrument’s piano sound. Compatible models: Kawai CN39/CN29/CN37/CN27/CN17/CN35/CN25/KDP110, CS11/CS8, ES110/ES8, CA58/CA48/CA28/CA97/CA67/CA17/CA33, CP1/CP2/CP3 * The ‘Lightning to USB Camera Adapter’ or ‘Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit’ accessory is required in order to connect an iPad to the Kawai digital piano using a USB cable. It is also possible to connect the iPad wirelessly using the Quicco Sound ‘mi.1’ Bluetooth MIDI device. * A software update may be required in order to utilise the Virtual Technician app with CN37, CA97/CA67 v1.05+ and CP Series (CP1/CP2/CP3 v1.04+) instruments. Please visit the support pages at www.kawai-global.com (CN37, CA97/CA67) and www.kawaius.com (CP Series) for further information. Compatibility: Requires iOS8.0 or later. Compatible with iPad.

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
Read full description

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: VB3 at 3.5 against Virtual Technician's 2.6. VB3 also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 39%). Virtual Technician's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). 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. Virtual Technician asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VB3 holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Virtual Technician's written reviews are positive against 50% of VB3's.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Virtual Technician versus VB3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVirtual TechnicianVB3
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (9 ratings)3.5 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews38.7% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings916 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 months—
AdsNo—
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPad — better—
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Genuine Soundware

Customer experience

Virtual Technician

All ratings9 ratings
Positive44.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative55.6%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive38.7%
Neutral3.2%
Negative58.1%

VB3

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

In-app purchases

None

Virtual Technician

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 Virtual Technician free?
Virtual Technician 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, Virtual Technician or VB3?
VB3 is rated higher. Virtual Technician averages 2.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while VB3 averages 3.5 from 16 ratings.

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