Korg Gadget 3 is a major update of its beginner-friendly music production software featuring two new Gadgets, effects, and iOS AUv3 support.
The Japanese developer Korg makes both hardware and software. The company has a lot of support for its iOS apps. Korg Gadget is particularly popular. It’s a simplified form of a DAW that allows anyone to make music using a wide range of sweetspot gadgetized synths, drum machines, and effects.
A longstanding weakness of Gadget is the lack of AUv3 support on iOS. A format that is becoming a must-have on iOS and allows musicians to use plugins from other developers in DAWs. With the introduction of Logic Pro on iOS and Cubasis, AUv3 has become indispensable for mobile musicians.
It took a long time. Korg Gadget 3 is out now, and oh, wonder, with AUv3 support.
Korg Gadget 3
NAMM 2024 is around the corner, and it’s the music tech show at which Korg always shows new products. The first is Korg Gadget 3. It is a major update for the iOS, macOS, and Windows versions. However, the Windows version still only consists of the plugins. No standalone app.
Gadget in version 3 remains true to the popular concept. A simplified form of a DAW packed with small synthesizers, effects, etc., better known as gadgets.
Version 3 introduces two new gadgets. Santa Ana is a new sample-based rhythm guitar virtual instrument, and Sydney is a flexible loop sampler with time stretch. Then, you work with five new effects (IFX), including 8-band EQ, transient shaper, stereo image, auto pumper, and a pitch shifter.
The biggest news for iOS users is AUv3 support. This major new feature unlocks the Gadgets instruments from the Gadget ecosystem and makes them available in other apps.
For example, owners of all Gadgets will get 40+ new virtual instruments that they can now use not only in KG3 but also in apps such as Logic Pro, AUM, and others. That’s a big step forward.
Korg also promises that the new Gadget 3 workflow is easier and more intuitive, thanks to optimizations. A new Play page also brings an easy-to-use arpeggiator and a chord function.
Besides this, you can explore a new sound browser that lets you select Gadgets by the timbre you want. If you unlocked the complete Gadget Instrument collection it gives you access to over 6000 sound programs.
Further, you get a new genre-select function that allows you to create songs from your favorite patterns. So, basically, it is a song mode that is built in now Gadget 3. A great addition, making it more flexible for composing.
First Impression
Finally, it took a long time for Korg to release the next app with AUv3 support. Hope this is the start of updates to your other popular synth apps. The new Gadget 3 update has many nice additions, especially the new effects are good to see.
The new gadgets look interesting. But they don’t trigger the purchase button directly for me. Either way, a nice update for Gadget. Glad to see the project continues. One downer, the update price from Gadget 2 on Mac/PC is perhaps a bit too high.
Availability
Korg Gadget 3 is available now for an introductory price of $249 instead of $299. It runs on macOS. The Gadget 3 plugins are available for an intro price of $149 instead of $199 and run on macOS and Windows. Upgrades are available for $99 for existing Korg Gadget 2 and plugin users.
The iOS version of Korg Gadget 3 is available now for an intro price of $19,99. The new instruments are available via an in-app purchase for an intro price of $9,99. The update from 2.0 to 3.0 is free of charge for existing users on iOS.
More information here: Korg
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