#21

I know it looks that way, but it’s really not so bad. I have an ns1nanosynth and a Folktek Mescaline and I’ve found that jumpers are really quite nice to work with. It has me thinking about AE Modular (I love that the jumper jacks are all in one place and keep the jumpers completely out of the way of the knobs, too).

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#22

this is totally based on my experience in another brief life doing rapid prototyping for arduino projects. just don’t feel like going back to those jumpers. of course, if one of those volcas just showed up I’d really have little to complain about.

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#23

I just remembered that I literally dreamed the other night about finding a small cheap weird west-coast synth! maybe I had a premonition about this Volca

looks great but have gone off the Volca range after a lot of problems getting a decently loud + clean sound out of them (eventually finding that a minijack to XLR cable works best) and also the envelope generator on my partner’s volka keys dying in some mysterious way complete with burned-out components. And also too many electronic/noise acts with tooo-recognisable Volca Beats sound :slight_smile:
Powering multiple of the things is a bit of a pain too, we ended up building a custom Y cable adapter

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#24

I’ll be interested to see the midi implementation, if parameters are controllable by cc it could be a lot of fun.

#25

i don’t think it does midi at all. bummer. also, don’t think you can set the sequencer to a bpm.

#26

major kudos to Korg: on a forum where most of us own relatively expensive music gear and modulars, they’ve got us salivating over a 180 buck plastic-fantastic synth.

I love the nod to the buchla primary colours on the keyboard.

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#27

You can use the SYNC In for that, if you have something that can output analog clock, like a Modular, another Volca, an Electribe 2, etc.

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#28

i am stoned rn but the graphic for the reverb knob is beautiful wow

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#29

[…] they’ve got us salivating over a 180 buck plastic-fantastic synth

True :slight_smile: But then they do seem to have a pretty good rep with the Volcas generally - I know they can be criticised for being really basic (and in some ways limited) synths but (as has been said probably a zillion times before) at that price point, they’re pretty cool machines, all told. Here’s hoping this one keeps to the ‘family tradition’ and doesn’t disappoint (too much!)

I’m already wondering how it might play with my 0-Coast (it’ll play nicely, I hope!)

[…] I love the nod to the buchla primary colours on the keyboard

Heh, did you see @ marcus_fischer’s comment upthread (KORG volca modular)?

Who will design a skin for the faceplate w/ the correct buchla font and markings?

…sounds like a Lines team project in the making! :slight_smile:

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#30

Deciding based on limited demos but sound-vise it seems hardly be comparable with 0coast. More on Microvolt 3900 territory from what I can tell. Still, nice approach and one can probably hack this little box to the pieces :+1:

#31

I was initially really excited by this… it looked fun, and great to see a more west coast inspired offering.

However, Im disappointed they didn’t go for 0-5v on patch wires, which is pretty much the ‘norm’ for the patch wire synths.
for me, this means I either patch to the AE modular via cv/audio jacks (but thats pretty limited on the volca)
or I build a DIY converter box between this and the AE modular, not a big deal, but not as flexible/easy to use.

Also the automation/sequencer seems to not be exposed at all via patch points, which seems a bit non-modular - why not (also) expose the pitch, gate and a number of automation lanes as patch (output) points?

Im sure it’ll be fun, but as a side kick for AE modular Im now not so convinced.

also tangible have now released a new envelope module, more precise oscillators and LPG, and the modules are 20-30/eur, so you get a lot of modules for the $200 price tag of the volca.

I think 200$ is not bad for this really, but as an entry into modular , unless you need its all in one/portability.
perhaps AE modular is a better starting point into modular, sure its ~380$ (1 row complete system), but more flexible in the mid term.

anyway, no gripes here… its great that Korg have chosen to give us something different, and I’d be fascinated to know how many new musicians it brings into the modular community.

5 Likes
#32

I don’t think of it as an entry into modular, or something to patch with other modular synths, but more as a standalone, Volca-format synth. I believe that’s what Korg was thinking too.

To me that makes the lack of a MIDI converter, rather than compatibility with other modular synths, the weird omission. The only option in Korg’s line would be MIDI over USB to CV with an SQ-1.

If you look at the reference card, the sequencer does have a CV output (and it’s 0.5V/octave). But every knob except Clock, Volume and (unfortunately) the utility attenuator, do the typical Volca knob recorder thing anyway.

5 Likes
#33

thanks, I didn’t spot the sequences output - thats cool, but still only half the story :frowning:

I completely understand it being a volca first and foremost, but modular is also about being able to extend outwards, beyond ‘one box’ , and this had neither enough cv or compatibility with other patch wires systems to do that.

for sure, if your into volcas i can see its interest… but Ive not been, and this might have been the gateway for me into them - but with its limited IO seems unlikely i’ll pick it up now.

of course, all that said, Im sure it might be very popular… IF modular is interesting to the current volca user base - we shall see!

1 Like
#34

I think this is really exciting! My hope is that those folks for whom the financial toll of modular is an impasse can start gigging and recording with this instrument. Add a pedal or two, maybe a small mixer, and those folks can do it!

While it may not be a 0-Coast killer, I suspect a similar user will be very attracted to the Volca price point. I have a seldom-used Volca Beats, and you can’t deny that it’s as cute as a button!

Somebody start posting videos of this thing cross-patched with the Bastl Kastle ASAP! I was already inspired by the videos on YouTube and started patching west-coast style on my modular.

7 Likes
#35

Kaste could be a fun playmate, but bitRanger certainly would be!! https://www.bastl-instruments.com/instruments/bitranger/

1 Like
#36

watch out, they both might not like the -ve voltages from the patch wire outputs, and similarly VM might not like voltages coming in above 3.3v. (but you’ll obviously be fine with CV input)

#37

:frowning: Standards are so hard to set. Times like these I really love the work that people have put in to making things like eurorack, midi, software sync etc so very accessible to so many companies.

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#38

51

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#39

Well put! 100% agree about midi being the strange omission.

I’d be curious to hear people’s take on what might have motivated omitting midi in considering how much upside it would have had.

Not sure, but part of me thinks that the market for the volca modular would have been much bigger with built in midi support. E.g., IMO it’s much less appealing, as is, as a one-off hardware purchase for people with a primarily midi and/or software centered workflow for synths. It’s likely I’m underestimating how thoughtful and function driven purchases tend to be at this price point.

#40

My suspicion is that Korg may have assumed that their target market (for what might be their priciest volca?) would be more interested in the extra functionality they were able to include due to the omission of midi? There are already apt means for sync.