Korg Volca Series
Reviews | Korg Volca Series
80
SyncKontrol’s swing is pretty jerky at
higher percentages (though it’s great for
making twisted/broken beats) so I hope
an improved app or a ‘swing mod’
might appear!
Performance notes
Inputting notes and beats into the
sequencers on the Volcas is done via
everything worked fl awlessly. Also,
when you slave one Volca to MIDI
clock, you can then clock all other
connected Volcas to this master using
sync cables and this works great,
though if you use one Volca as the
master and connect other Volcas, when
you press play on the master, be aware
the sequencers won’t start on the
others until you press play on each
respective unit.
Modding possibilities
Like the Monotron and Monotribe, the
Volcas can be modded and expanded,
though this does void your warranty.
People are already modding them for
MIDI out and CV control, plus you can
add individual audio outs for drum
sounds on the Beats. However, they’re
trickier to work on than the Monotron/
Tribe so be careful with that soldering
iron! Handily, Korg have again labelled
up the key PCB solder points (MIDI
out, kick out etc) underlining how in
touch they are with their user base.
It’s essential (if you use an IOS
device) to check out Korg’s free
SyncKontrol App. Connect a sync cable
from the headphone out on your IOS
device to the Sync In on your master
Volca and you can start/stop the
sequencer(s), set tempo or add swing.
This last point is important, as there’s
surprisingly no swing parameter on any
of the Volcas, though you can get
pseudo-swing with careful use of the
stutter controls on the Beats. Also,
Volca Bass
SPECS: BASS
Multi-touch Keyboard/
step keys
Analogue synthesis with
3-note poly
3VCO, 1VCF, 1VCA,
1LFO, 1EG
VCO Waves: Saw, Square
VCF: Cutoff, Peak,
EG Intensity
VCF Type: Low Pass Filter,
12 dB/oct
VCA: EG on/of, Sustain
on/off
LFO: Rate, Intensity, Target
(Amp, Pitch, Cutoff), Wave
(Triangle, Square)
EG: Attack, Decay/Release,
Sustain
Sequencer: Parts: 3, Steps:
16, Patterns: 8
Connections
Audio Output/Headphones:
stereo mini-jack
Sync
Sync In (1/8” monaural
mini-jack, Maximum input
level: 20V)
Sync Out (1/8” monaural
mini-jack, Maximum output
level: 5V)
MIDI: In
Dimensions
193 x 115 x 46mm
Weight (excluding
batteries)
370g
Each Volca features a
16-step sequencer,
coupled to a ribbon
keyboard for
programming note
data/functions. Use
the Sync feature to
chain Volcas together
without needing MIDI.
16-step sequencer
Volca Bass
Volca Bass features three
VCOs, (detuneable with
saw/square waves) and is
reminiscent of a TB303
but it’s more fl exible
and cheaper!
The three-track
sequencer can record up
to three unison bass/
lead lines, one-fi nger
chord stacks built from
three mono parts (no
three-fi nger chords like
the Keys) though it misses
the Keys’ metronome.
There are oscillator groups
for controlling one, two
or all oscillators at once
and the MiniKORG700s
fi lter overdrives
musically/screams.
Though the 12db/octave
fi lter lacks the super-solid
lows of my Moog Minitaur,
it still delivers great synth
bass. TB303-style slides
are possible (and editable)
and gate/velocity are
accessible via MIDI,
though there’s no ‘accent’
feature. The single
envelope is punchy and
works surprisingly well
and once again,
sequences can be varied
using Active Step mode.
FMU271.rev_korg.indd 80 9/11/13 3:46 PM