IK Multimedia B3 on Android

[Lee Batchelor]

Hi team,

Has anyone used a B3 organ sound from IK Multimedia loaded on an Android to the Genos? A lot of their sounds are compatible with iPads but I wonder about Androids. I'm looking for a simple way to get better organs on the Genos. The stock ones are 👎 for the better part. Thanks....

[rodrigo.b]

I don't have an Android device but I searched the app on google and I can't find it so apparently it's only available for iOS. I also don't have a Genos, I have a CVP 809, a Clavinova that has the almost the same sounds of the Genos but honestly speaking I don't like the organ sounds.

[soryt]

I have an I Pad with the Galileo organ app , sound a lot better than standard Genos drawbars.
With the Ventilator II you got a very nice and good Hammond emulator and nice to use in real time.
Working with a display and drawbars isn't that nice to play a Hammond.

[Lee Batchelor]

Thanks for the replies folks.

I have considered adding a Neo Ventilator or Lester K. The prices are fairly high - high enough to kick myself if the Genos 2 has far better B3s. I bought an Android about three years ago for displaying my chord charts on a separate stand. It works well but doesn't exactly have a high number of supported apps.

Thanks again... .

[soryt]

I did buy my Vent II almost new from a guitarist, all most new and the foot switch of my Motion sound speaker( Pro 3)  works surprisingly on this unit 
In certain moment I like the drawbars sound on the Genos with the VII more than they sound on the YC keys . It depends on which song I play , you can't go wrong with the VII . In my opinion it has more  " the sound" than the Lester unit .

[Lee Batchelor]

Thanks Soryt,

I too have heard the Ventilator is better. I may look for a used one at my local store.

[pjd]

Hi Lee --

I'm in a similar place. I have a Lester K and I don't think it's up to the same level as the Ventilator. But, that darned Vent is beastly expensive. So, I sit here waiting -- for something! 

I am pulling together an iPad rig and I must say, the IK Multimedia B-3X is a monster. It's keeping me happy while I wait.

One could almost justify the cost of a cheap iPad+B-3X for what one pays for a new Vent (mini or full).

Cheers -- pj

[Lee Batchelor]

Good point, PJD.

It's a real toss-up to see about improving the dismal B3 sounds on the Genos by using a stop gap solution or blowing the wad on Genos 2, whenever that arrives! Darn, I wish Yamaha would talk to the people who are paying their salaries now and in the future. If Yamaha only marginally improves the pianos and B3s on Genos 2, I'll go your route and keep my Genos 1.

[overover]

Hi all,

I just discovered the virtual Hammond B3 app "VB3m" for Android by "GenuineSoundware". The app seems relatively professional to me, but reasonably priced at €14.99 / $13.99 / £12.49. I haven't bought the app yet, so I haven't tested it.

Has anyone of you already gained experience with the "VB3m" app?

>>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genuinesoundware.vb3m&hl=en&gl=UK
>>> https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vb3m+organ+android







Best regards,
Chris

[Lee Batchelor]

Thanks for this, Chris. I'll check it out. At that price, it would be a good bridge between now and if Yamaha adds quality organs to the Genos 2.

Okay, just listened to some demos. Interesting. How do I marry my Android Galaxy Tab A to the Genos? What cable? Thanks...

[overover]

Thanks for this, Chris. I'll check it out. At that price, it would be a good bridge between now and if Yamaha adds quality organs to the Genos 2.

Okay, just listened to some demos. Interesting. How do I marry my Android Galaxy Tab A to the Genos? What cable? Thanks...

Thanks for your feedback, Lee!

You need a USB type AB cable ("printer cable"), which you connect to the USB-to-HOST terminal of the Genos. You connect the USB A plug of this cable to the Android device using a so-called "OTG" cable/adapter (USB A socket to USB C or Micro USB plug, depending on the device). It must also be ensured that the Android device used supports "OTG" at all. It may also be necessary to activate this function in the settings.

When establishing the USB connection, a notification may appear on the Android device, where you have to confirm that MIDI data should be transferred.

Note: When using the internal sound chip (connection via the headphone jack) of the Android device, the latency (delay) may be too high to be able to play the app live. In this case you would have to use a suitable external audio interface on the Android device.


P.S.
On the Genos it must be ensured that the keyboard parts are transmitted via MIDI Port1. I recommend using the preset MIDI template "KBD & Style". The right hand is then transmitted via Port1 / Ch1 ("Upper" part) and the left hand via Port1 / Ch2 ("Lower" part).


Best regards,
Chris

[Lee Batchelor]

Thanks for the reply, Chris. It sounds like it isn't a viable solution for me if there's latency involved. I'm a stage player. I guess there's no free lunch 🤣.

[overover]

Thanks for the reply, Chris. It sounds like it isn't a viable solution for me if there's latency involved. I'm a stage player. I guess there's no free lunch 🤣.

Hi Lee,

Whether a noticeable latency occurs when using only the headphone jack depends on the Android device used. The only thing that helps is simply trying it out.

In some YT videos (which you can find via the link in my post above) it looks like you can play the VB3m app in real time with low latency (less than 10 ms) via the headphone jack.


Best regards,
Chris

[Lee Batchelor]

Okay, thanks Chris .

[jimlaing]

I use the IK Multimedia "B3-X" on an iPad Mini, along with my Genos.  Yes, MUCH better drawbar organ emulation than what's in the Genos.  Works very well.  I also used it (B3-X) with an added, 4-octave "upper" keyboard that I sometimes put above my Genos.  The 4-octave keyboard (M-Audio Code49) can also control(play) sounds in the Genos.

[Lee Batchelor]

Good to know, Jim.

I'm using a Galaxy Tab A Model SM-T510, for my music charts. It's about four years old. I wonder if it has the necessary guts for the B3-X or VB3?

Edit
I just read the specs on the B3-X. There's no mention of Galaxy Tab A support 🙄. Should have bought an iPad.

[overover]

Hi Lee,

Yes, the B-3X app by IK Multimedia is available for iPad only at the moment, i.e. NOT for Android smart devices.


Best regards,
Chris

[jimlaing]

I found a used iPad Mini (one or two 'generations' older than current) for a good price, and that seems to work fine for B3-X. . .

-Jim

[Lee Batchelor]

Thanks, guys.

I wonder if Yamaha will clean up the organs on the Genos 2?

[stkeys]

I wonder if Yamaha will clean up the organs on the Genos 2?

I doubt it, have you heard the organs on the new Yamaha CK range? not a patch on the Ikmultimedia Hammond B-3X or the GSI VB3 II. I have both and use them on my PC connected to Arturia Keylab MKII keyboards. If your after the Hammond + Leslie sound these two VST's are hard to beat.

On another of my setups I purchased the Crumar D9-x dedicated Drawbar controller unit which works great with both software emulations.

Does anyone know if the Genos sliders/drawbars sends out Midi CC ? It would be cool if we could use them to control the drawbars on those 2 VST's.

Regards,

Steve.

[Lee Batchelor]

If your after the Hammond + Leslie sound these two VST's are hard to beat

Thanks Steve. Do they work on an Android? If not, they're no good to me for live performance.

To be honest, I think it would be corporate suicide for Yamaha to release Genos 2 with the same sub-standard pianos, e.piano, and B3s as the current Genos, especially since Korg and Ketron have overcome that issue. These voices on the Genos are better than the Tyros but only marginally. I'll be watching for those three primary but MOST important voices to be upgraded on Genos 2. If not, I'll stick with the original.

[stkeys]

Hi Lee, I've not personally used them on Android but according to this GSI VB3 II does.
https://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=50

The B-3x only works on Mac and PC so far.

Then there is the desktop version.
https://www.crumar.it/?a=showproduct&b=38

I've read there have been some issues with the desktop version mainly due to OS problems but again I've not tried it.

Hope that helps.

Steve.

[stkeys]

Another option is to load the Easysounds Organ Session expansion.
https://youtu.be/1meyLgmnN-I

The Rotary emulation isn't as good as the other 2 mentioned VST's but all depends on your needs really.

Or this Easysounds expansion which has sampled leslie speeds so sounds better but I don't think you can use the slow/fast feature.
https://youtu.be/wPRk1lN8Dow

The video shows it being played on Tyros 5 but it is available for Genos.

[Lee Batchelor]

Great info, thanks Steve!

[Amwilburn]

Another option is to load the Easysounds Organ Session expansion.
https://youtu.be/1meyLgmnN-I

The Rotary emulation isn't as good as the other 2 mentioned VST's but all depends on your needs really.

Or this Easysounds expansion which has sampled leslie speeds so sounds better but I don't think you can use the slow/fast feature.
https://youtu.be/wPRk1lN8Dow

The video shows it being played on Tyros 5 but it is available for Genos.

That's the one I mentioned before; sampled leslie at fast and slow rotary speeds, and then cross fade between them.  It works surprisingly well with a mod wheel, but not so much with a joystick.

Mark

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Hi Lee

I do think that we are on the cusp for the next Genos

[Lee Batchelor]

Agreed, John. These are the things that will help make my decision to upgrade:

• Far better pianos, e.piano, and organ sounds
• Better style creator with possible link to a PC
• Updated styles. Keep most of the old ones as legacy styles and include round robin technology
• Dedicated drum kit mixer. Right now, we need to modify drums and save them as a custom style. VERY painful!
• Less clunky style editor with a link to a PC
• Better build quality. No more button snaps and a more resilient finish on the top

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Hi Lee

I want better strings and Guitars and Piano's. I have noticed a lot of unwanted artifacts in Yamaha strings which have to be EQ'd out
Seamless switching is a must.
Not one of the other machines can beat the Genos saxes.
Better build including no more number and letter fading. This is criminal on Yamaha's prices for Genos. Just went for cheapy cheapy.
I would like to see a much bigger hard drive space for samples which could mean you getting samples of the B3 to sit nicely in the Genos via Sample Robot

All the best
john

[anotherscott]

On the Genos it must be ensured that the keyboard parts are transmitted via MIDI Port1. I recommend using the preset MIDI template "KBD & Style". The right hand is then transmitted via Port1 / Ch1 ("Upper" part) and the left hand via Port1 / Ch2 ("Lower" part).

VB3m allows you to call up different saved drawbar registrations via MIDI Program Change. Do you know, how you could set up different touchscreen buttons on the Genos to, not just activate sending MIDI to VB3m, but to also send a particular Program Change to get the drawbar registration you want?

[Duffy]

That's the one I mentioned before; sampled leslie at fast and slow rotary speeds, and then cross fade between them.  It works surprisingly well with a mod wheel, but not so much with a joystick.

Mark

I can't see how you could hear a realistic Speed Up / Slow Down using a cross fade.
All that does is gradually decrease volume of sample i and gradually increase volume of sample 2 so, it's still slow to fast with nothing i between.