KORG Gadget 3 adds new instrument gadgets, effects, a new browser, and a Play page. But what has everyone most excited is that on iOS, you can now use gadgets as separate AUv3 plug-ins in other hosts. (The desktop Gadget Plugins already had this ability, but not iOS.) Gadgets are also on a discount at the moment.
From KORG, there’s a whole lot in this update:
- Gadget Instrument Collection with a total over 6,000 sound programs
- New gadgets: Santa Ana (Guitar) and Sydney (Sampler)
- A genre select function that allows you to create songs from your favorite patterns
- 5 new IFX including an 8-Band EQ, Stereo Imager, Transient Shaper, and more
- The Play page: easy arpeggiator use and chord entry
- A whole new sound browser that lets you select gadgets by the timbre you want
- AUv3 support on iOS, allowing gadgets to be used in other music apps like Garageband
VST3 and AUv3 are also now supported on desktop, plus you’ll see UI improvements across various pages. The desktop release already had plug-in support – v2 even added NKS support for easy control via Native Instruments plugins – but now you get much-needed VST3, too.
The city names continue. Santa Ana is a guitar for non-guitarists: pull up rhythm guitar patterns and play from touch or a keyboard. That’s not a new concept, but of course it’s a good fit for iOS, and Korg’s offering has some styles and playing techniques you can’t find in something like rival GarageBand. This one also comes with a new built-in amp and effects.
Sydney, I expect, is going to be the big draw for CDM readers. You get six tracks into which you can load your own samples, then apply tempo-synced time stretching – even with long samples. They’ve also added Lo-Fi effects to this one.
So, wouldn’t it be great to get Sydney in another host? Now you can. AUv3 support on iOS means individual gadgets now appear in any host you want, opening up all those great mixers, pattern makers, and other tools. For those of us who loved Korg’s instrument and effect ingenuity but never quite got into Gadget’s workflow, this is a huge deal. (On macOS and Windows, Gadget already shipped as a plug-in.)
And yeah – you’re excited. This is all over my feed, but one example:
The list of gadgets now is formidable:
If you want to stock up, now is a good time: it looks like all the gadgets are on sale. I’m sure I’m not the only one who wishes some of these were hardware; hey, KORG, isn’t is about time to launch a digital reboot of the volca series? But meanwhile, these are good fun, and there’s no new physical thing to buy.
Some notes on the iOS version:
- You’ll still see “Gadget 2,” not Gadget 3, on the App Store. But that is how to get Gadget 3; it’s a free update.
- Not all the gadgets are supported. Those that rely on external apps – like the iMS-20 – don’t work (and to be fair, that’d make less sense anyway)
More, across all versions:
Even though it’s not as advanced, I’m still fond of the oft-overlooked Nintendo Switch version; there’s just something about having the gamepad access and some fun game sound instruments. More on that separately; it’s a good winter weather companion.
One note: I see one reader report that says, while this is a free update, some previously bundled instruments are now In App Purchases. I’ll try to get more info on this.
