Korg Gadget Update Brings Landscape Mode, Ableton Live Integration

korg-gadget-ableton-live

Korg has released a major update to its virtual studio for iOS, Gadget.

Gadget 1.0.3, codename Santa Clara, adds:

  • User-requested landscape mode (user-requested) that lets you use the app horizontally;
  • Enhanced MIDI control and audio export;
  • Seamless importation of your session to an Ableton Live set file (.als);
  • 64-bit support; and
  • Access to two brand-new gadgets, “Bilbao” and “Abu Dhabi”, as In-App Purchases.

korg-gadget-midi-support

Here are the details:

  • Landscape mode – See more tracks at once in landscape mode, or more clips in portrait mode. The choice is yours.
  • Enhanced MIDI support – All gadget parameters can now be freely controlled via MIDI. Also supported is MIDI sync, allowing synchronized performance with your DAW or other MIDI devices. Gadget can be freely controlled from any MIDI controller that can be connected to the iPad,
  • Ableton Live integration –  KORG has collaborated with Ableton to offer a new music production workflow that lets you move seamlessly from mobile to desktop. KORG Gadget can export your project in an Ableton Live format, via iTunes or Dropbox. The phrases of each track and scene you create are internally converted into audio files. You can then use Live’s Session and Arrangement workflows to edit and and refine your ideas, perform or record new parts, arrange your ideas, and mix your song.
  • Enhanced audio export – In addition to the existing two-channel stereo file export capability, you can export audio data for individual tracks. This allows your ideas to be transferred via iTunes file sharing or Dropbox into your DAW, not only into Live but also into GarageBand, Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, Cubase, Sonar, or Digital Performer.
  • Native 64-bit support – Santa Clara newly provides native 64-bit support. If you have the latest iPad and iOS, the full potential of your device will be utilized to deliver the best possible performance. Additionally, the KORG Gadget synthesizer engine has been completely optimized in assembler, to provide improved performance.

The two new devices, , Bilbao and Abu Dhabi, are available as In-App Purchases.

Bilboa is described as a ‘lightning sample player’. Here’s an audio demo of Bilbao in action:

Abu Dhabi is a dynamic loop slicer. Here’s a n audio demo of it in action:

For full information on all devices in Gadget, see the Korg site.

Korg Gadget is available via the App Store. The update is a free upgrade. The new devices are available as In-App purchases.

48 thoughts on “Korg Gadget Update Brings Landscape Mode, Ableton Live Integration”

    1. they really have that stuff planned way ahead. it´s just good marketing practice to roll out features more slowly. they are making an entire ecosystem for apps and hardware, hence the similarity in design between the volcas and the gadgets.

  5. I would love to know why Gadget isn’t offered on OSX. It looks awesome, but I have yet to use it. Also I have no plans on getting an iPad, as I’m pretty sure the only thing that i really want on it is this $30.00 app.

    1. That’s funny, the single and only reason I bought an iPad1 back in the day is because I got an email from KORG announcing the iElectribe iPad app.
      This was the exact same week I was planning to buy an actual physical Electribe ESX1-SD.
      The way I justified the iPad was “well, I was about to spend $500 on a drum machine, but I could spend the same amount, get the $5 app and have the drum machine AND an ipad”.

      Needless to say, I kept the iPad and that was the best “$5” ever spent.

    2. Hey! Thanks for all the down-votes guys! Extremely helpful, not to mention thoughtful!

      Oh, but seriously… Maybe there is a legit reason for Gadget to be iOs iPad exclusive, unfortunately I will never know, because each time I ask about it on Synthtopia it gets buried.

      Maybe there is a legit reason, maybe I am ignorant about software integration across iOS and OSX. Even though there is now the capability for Gadget to play nice with Ableton, theres a reason for it to be iPad exclusive.

      I’ll shut up now. (Please continue to down-vote without response.)

    3. I bought an iPad just for music apps. Gadget, MS-20, Traktor and several others and within a week realized the damn thing never left my grip. Gadget is quite incredible and deep for an “app” and the other apps you can find in the store like Traktor, Cubasis, ReBirth and a plethora of others makes the iPad an indispensable piece of kit. Fun and deep. I used to talk shit about Apple products, specifically the iPad. Now I feel like a jackass for doing so. I still buy hardware but now I am extremely cautious when I do so as iOS is becoming extremely abundant and powerful in the production field. Well worth $500. I have since bought the mini as well to take on the road with me. btw, the two new Gadgets are very cool! Sampling was the only thing I was missing with this app.

    4. I bought the ipad just for gadget and traktor. There are loads or great music apps though. Including Animoog, Re-Birth, and iMs-20. Well worth the price and beats buying tons of hardware.

  6. If you’re not a Ableton Live user, if you choose Export->Ableton Live Project, you’ll be offered a free license for Ableton Live Lite 9 which is pretty nifty.

    1. Thanks for that heads up, I couldn’t figure out how to download Live Lite!

      Sorry this is a bit late to the party, but I saw some of the comments above and wanted to add that I’d been as scornful of Apple products for being overpriced and thereby a hipster ego-stroke as the next angry nerd, and used to overlook my Apple-fan friends’ evangelising as an ignorable character flaw (hey, nobody’s perfect!), as an unfortunate infection they’d picked up working in the audio industry. Then one Christmas my sisters decided I had to have an iPod whether I wanted it or not, and to cut a long story a bit shorter, I’ve since acquired 4 iPod Touches, a 4th gen iPad and even migrated to a cheap 2nd hand MBP 3.1, and my musical(?) output has increased dramatically. This may attract flak, but i now prefer touch devices over traditional keyboards when it comes to laying down my next searing synth solo :-).

      Gadget IS brilliant, and is the demo tool I used to convert those same friends to iDevices; bizarrely they had idevice scorn, but I almost had to hand out bibs such was their drooling after 5 mins on Gadget!

      Anyway, enough of this rambling. But as this is synthtopia, I’ll bow out with an obligatory Apple rant 😉 I’m beginning to worry that the iPod Touch is going to be left to stagnate in its 5th gen guise; APPLE, YOU SOULLESS MONEY-GRABBING MUSIC-INDUSTRY-DESTROYING S.O.B.’S!! ‘Ooooh, let’s ignore the users, only a cheapskate would want a cheap phone contract, and we don’t want them lowering the tone of the Appleverse…’ TYPICAL APPLE SNOBBERY, STEVE JOBS WILL BE TURNING etc. etc…

  7. It should also be mentioned that the Tactile controllers have been updated to V2.0 which includes a new low-power mode so you can hook the controller up directly to an iPad for mobile production, and a new Tactile template has been created for use with Gadget. For Gadget users that will make the Tactile controller series more attractive.

    1. Are you sure about the low power mode being available now? According to the Taktile FAQ, it requires a powered USB hub and support won’t even be available until July 2015:

      Q: Can I use the taktile/TRITON taktile with an iPad?
      A: Yes, you can, but this requires the USB camera adaptor, and a self-powered USB hub. (This will be supported with ver.1.10 after July 2015)

  8. I’m traditionally ahardware guy, through and through. However, since delving into gadget, I haven’t fired up my hardware rig. Now that midi support has been expanded, I’m anxious to integrate the two. Not sure if/ when I will get the new sampler or loop slicer as they are $10 each, but that is still a hell of a deal considering the quality of the entire gadget line. It’s impossible to keep up with korg these days, though I’m not complaining!

  9. Wow! Thanks Korg! Giving the people what they want, NEVER saw ableton export coming, Brilliant!! Can’t wait to give it a whirl!

  10. I have Gadget. I recently started using Caustic. I stopped using Gadget because I found myself much more productive with Caustic. Check out what you get for $10 with Caustic. The dev is apparently just 1 guy with great tutorial videos on YouTube. $10 per Gadget gadget? I think not. I have no connection to Caustic other than as a satisfied user. I love most of what Korg is doing but Caustic is bang-for-buck better in this case. IMHO of course.

    1. why either or?
      and 10$ is too much?
      its almost a cost of a starbucks coffee over here. or a cocktail.
      too much? jesus christ what entitlement.

    2. Caustic is good, I have it and Gadget. Caustic really reminds me more of Reason. They’re both good, but they do different things really.. well, they both write music, but the path traveled is different

    3. Caustic is indeed awesome and awesome value. Could you go into more detail what you preferred about it that made you more productive, though? Much as I admire Caustic Gadget seems to have a great deal more sonic range, more advanced sequencing etc.

      1. @Edward

        That’s a great question and the answer is hard to define. The only way I can describe it is. for me, the app just never gets in the way. There’s something about the interface and navigation that just clicks for me in a way other apps don’t. I have always been a big fan of Nanostudio for instance, but there is something about the workflow that is not as smooth as Caustic. The same with Gadget. In some ways the “machines” in Caustic are limited but there are so many of them and they all have their own strengths and sounds so that I don’t feel limited there either. To each his own, of course, but for $10 I think Caustic as a standalone music production app as it is now and with the planned updates I have heard about is brilliant. I also think that a single individual that can put out an app of that quality should be applauded.

  11. This update is brilliant. The sampler is excellent and a complete must have. Korg gadget is a complete must have, the best mobile studio there is, absolutely fantastic. Horizontal screen rotation is now perfect. If you make music, have an ipad, get this app what ever you do!

  12. ok, just tried to upload to an ableton file via dropbox, getting “error authorizing apps”, anyone else having this problem?

    1. wierd downvote on that…. seems to be working today, read on a korg forum that they forgot something on the dropbox side, but seemed to have figured it out….so all good for ableton exports…

  14. Well, my iPad Gen 3 has problems running Gadget, but it seems to run Caustic easily. The demos provided by Korg for Gadget cause my iPad to sputter and static (and three won’t run at all), whereas demos provided for Caustic don’t even push the CPU meter to 3/4. I decided to spring for Caustic after reading about it here and I love it. So does my two year old iPad apparently. Not to take away from Gadget – its fine for newer iPads. I like the tonewheel device in Caustic too, which Gadget doesn’t have. Thanks for the info!

    1. But it DOES now have MIDI learn and CC assignment for all control parameters. Hit the function button and look to the table on the right.

  17. I’ve heard the audio demos for the new sampler gadgets but has anyone found any videos demoing them? Also for those who’ve tried them, can you resample other gadgets, or the whole track? Can you import audio into both of them? Via Audiocopy or Audiobus, or line-In?

    Can’t wait for the Taktile 2.0 update to hit!

      2. @buska thanks very much for sharing this video — I knew it was only a matter of time but after seeing your demo Abu Dhabi time is Right Now – all smiles

  18. 2 very similar sample PLAYERS for £7 each no f…..g chance dread to think how much the m1 and monopoly will be , it’s all getting very tabletop.

  19. one is a loop mangler and the other single hit sampler.
    nothing similar apart from their ability to load samples.
    i do realise that 7 quid is awful amount of money to spend on a software that others took months to engineer.
    korg is 1% no doubt.

  20. usually bull. all of the gadgets are very narrowly speccd and specifically tailored. the samplers are in tune with that. alsoi do not need to wake up in order to spend 15 pounds.
    i am glad i can support the good work korg is doing, and there is nothing wrong with them trying to make money. but you would not know anything about it since you haven´t got measly 15 quid.

    actually now i realise that you are probably broke and i pity you.
    tell you what, do a plaque “will work for itunes credit”. that should work.

  21. Hi there, could anybody please give me a quick answer to my question, is it possible to “resample” the already existing machines with BILBAO while you are currently playing a sequence? Or is it “only” possible to load samples in order to play em? Thanks a lot in advance! BR PMP

  23. @PhaettMoolahPiep the Bilbao can’t actively Sample anything: (there’s no Record button unto this gadget)
    It can only play pre-loaded samples back. Sample options are the Factory bank and the User Folder (your own samples) imported either via Audiocopy or Dropbox. Hope that helps.

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