KORG volca Keys – Analogue Loop Synthesize
volca keys – The ideal introductory synthesizer, with a simple – yet powerful – polyphonic analog sound engine and loop sequencer
volca keys is a long-awaited synthesizer that adds a new chapter to the long and storied history of KORG’s analog synthesizers. volca keys is a 27-key analog lead synth that generates unbelievably powerful sound from its compact body. Starting with a filter section that uses the circuitry of the legendary miniKORG700S (1974), it delivers astonishing sound that takes full advantage of KORG’s half-century of know-how in circuit design. With a simple structure that includes delay effect and a sequencer, it’s also an ideal choice as a first analog synth. It offers the richly expressive sounds that are distinctive of an analog synth, providing the enjoyment of simple yet deep sound-creation.
Compact size with battery-powered operation but with the added option to use an external power supply. Power supply KA350 – amazon ASIN B0051MOU5S (sold separately)
Introducing the volca keys
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The polyphonic synthesizer you’ve been waiting for・Simple three-voice analog synthesizer ・Voicing function lets anyone create sounds easily ・Delay effect for even more sonic possibilities | Simple loop sequencer・Loop sequencer lets you record phases just as you play them ・ Use the Motion Sequence function to meticulously craft your loops ・Use the Active Step function and Flux function to add dynamic change to your sequences | Convenient functions for tremendous ease of use・Self-tuning function overcomes pitch drift – the weak point of an analog synth ・SYNC jack and MIDI IN connector allow synchronized performances with multiple units or with your DAW ・Compact size, battery-powered operation, and built-in speaker for enjoyment anywhere | Sleek desktop stand for your KORG volcasThe volca rack 2×2 designed and built by SEQUENZ for KORG holds up to four volca modules Two durable aluminium trays hold the four volca units securely in place Easy-to-assemble design includes wooden side panels and aluminium frame. Neoprene bar provides surface grip to prevent the stand from sliding around The convertible two-way design allows the stand to be flipped for a shallower or steeper angle to suit personal ergonomic preference The stand has space between the trays allows cables to be run behind the volca units for neat cable management Amazon ASIN: B07RWJGZ4R |
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| Descriptor | ANALOGUE POLYPHONIC SYNTHESIZER | VACUUM TUBE OSCILLATOR ANALOGUE BASS SYNTHESISER | ANALOGUE BASS MACHINE | ANALOGUE MODULAR “WEST COAST†SYNTHESISER | ANALOGUE 4 CHANNEL MIXER | DIGITAL FM SYNTHESISER |
| Concept | Powerful and flexible lead synthesis | Next generation bass machine with Nutube valve oscillator and ladder filter | Three VCO analogue Bass | Affordable modular synthesiser in volca format, with 50 patching points | Performance mixer ideal for volca and other table top synths | 6 operator FM synthesiser, DX7 compatible |
| Sound engine | Paraphonic analogue signal path | Analogue synthesis engine | Analogue synthesis engine | Analogue synthesis engine | n/a | Digital synthesis engine |
| Sound effects | Retro digital delay | Drive and tone | n/a | “Spaced out†ambient effect | Analogue isolator, dynamics, stereo spacializer | Chorus |
Cases available
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SEQUENZ CB4VOLCA Semi-Hard Case for 4 x volcasAmazon ASIN: B07F3NH83W Take your volcas anywhere you want. Semi-hard case for up to 4 volcas. Unleash your creativity wherever you go with this semi-hard case made of EVA (high-density polyethylene resin). The interior features 4 volca sized padded spaces to securely store up to 4 volcas and enough extra space to carry all the necessary AC adapters and cables. The lid is attached to the body of the case with a zipper and can be completely removed, allowing you to easily carry and use the same volca setup at home and outside. Dimensions (W x D x H): 534 mm x 300 mm x 75 mm / 21.02″ x 11.81″ x 2.95″ (excluding the carrying handle and protuberances) Weight: 1,200 g / 2.65 lbs. (excluding the volcas) | KORG DJ-GB1 Versatile “Gig ready” molded bagAmazon ASIN: B00V4I8T1O Multi-purpose case that’s perfect for holding the KORG volca series (x6 units). Lightweight and durable weighing 1.94kg Tranform the DJ-GB1 into a bespoke volca case by using the INSERTVOLCA6. Velcro loop interior base for securing your gadgets removable foam padded lidzip fastener Includes straps for backpack-style, Shoulder or hand-carry. Embossed KORG branding. Outside Dimensions (W x D x H) 740 x 85 x 330 mm/29.13″ x 3.35″ x 12.99″ | SEQUENZ CCVOLCA Soft-shell case constructed from EVA to transport and protect KORG volca series.Amazon ASIN’s: B07GZ3V5L1,B07GZ2CB8T, B07GZ4SYD9,B07GZ3S4LW Soft-shell case made from EVA synthetic resin. Colourful interior with an outer accent. Available in a choice of colours – Grey, Olive Yellow, Blue – (Pink not currently available) Netted pocket to carry cables. Outer Dimensions (W x D x H): 210 mm x 131 mm x 60 mm / 8.27″ x 5.16″ x 2.36″ Inner Dimensions (W x D x H): 198 mm x 119 mm x 48 mm / 7.80″ x 4.69″ x 1.89″ |
| Weight: | 454 g |
| Size: | S |
| Dimensions: | 20.32 x 12.7 x 5.08 cm; 453.59 Grams |
| Model: | VOLCAKEYS |
| Batteries Included: | 6 AA batteries required. (included) |
| Origin: | China |
| Size: | S |
Ich habe im Laufe der Zeit doch ein paar kleine Synthies – unter anderen der Volca Serie von KORG – gekauft und bin vollauf zufrieden damit. Die Gerte knnen fr diesen Preis extrem viel, klingen sehr gut / analog – mancher wrde sagen “fett” – und kann diese Gerte nur weiterempfehlen: fr Enthusiasten ebenso wie fr Einsteiger, die ein wenig rumprobieren und Knpfe drehen wollen ;-). Im vergleich zu den Software Synthesizern, die es ja auch wie Sand am Meer gibt, empfinde ich die Haptik, das typische rumdrehen und Pattern basteln als fr mich die kreativere Variante, um Musik zu machen.
A good gritty synth . A little box of synth fun endles possibilties as with all the volcas . Ive got mine with the bass ,fm,and beats all synchronized together sounds great . A very versitile synth . Dont be fooled by its looks it can get very bassey sounds and very good layered sounds. All for all very pleased . Hope this helps
I’m hoping to get a lot out of these core focus.
Is what was suggested and I purchased it I can’t stand the way from not purchasing from Amazon I’m using all my money on you.
The first time i used it i hated it…. but after about 20mins I fell a little bit in love.
It’s not exactly a mini moog but it has an adequate range of sounds available. Needed to buy a PSU otherwise would have been changing batteries daily!
Der Synthy von KORG namens Volca Kick beherrscht nur einen Sample und zwar den vom “Kick”-Bass, ABER… der Gag an dem Sounddevice ist, dass der Sound vom Kick modelliert werden mit dem MS-20-Resonator filter sowie es auch weitere Einstellungen und Drehregler gibt um den gewnschten Basis-Sound zu bekommen.
Alleine wirkt der Volca Kick natrlich nur begrenzt auf den Rythmus den man eingestellt hat aber mit 1-2 weiteren Volcas wie z.b. Volca Sample und Volca FM kann man dann richtig gut was bauen – soundtechnisch gesehen.
Der Volca typische Sequenzer lt mich meine eigenen Sequenzen von Kick-Rythmen speichern – es sind aber schon werksseitig 16 voreingestellt – diese kann man mit eigenen berschreiben, wenn man mchte.
Der Midi-In vom Volca Kick der auch bei den anderen Volcas dabei ist lt mich mittels Keyboard oder mit Usb-Midi-Adapter auch per Pc die Volca Kick bedienen.
Von einer Volca Kick 2 wrde ich mir wnschen, dass es mehrere Kick-Samples zur Auswahl gibt bzw. man eigene in das Gert laden knnte.
My first unit was delayed in shipping and was damaged and had missing items… I was rightfully angered as it was a Christmas gift, Amazon refunded my money and I ordered via another shipper, I got the new unit in one piece before promised date! It was just as advertised! This is a serious desk top synth… it has deep parameter control and sequencing capabilities, it is for experienced musicians really, but will be fun for anyone to noodle around on, just be prepared for deep sub menus on editing parameters etc. the sounds are lush, deep and 80’s PHAT. Dig it! For the money and capability, you can’t beat the Volca line of desk top synths.
Ideal that it is battery operated and has a built in speaker. Also good connection option, used with a controller keyboard, simple connection.
However it is not really for me purely down to what I want and no reflection on unit. Has some good features, think mainly aimed at dance music. Good fun non the less
Suoni molto belli.
Ideale per cominciare a muovere passi con le drum machine, e per chi ‘ gi bravo!
Puoi creare le tue basi, oppure puoi partire dalle basi gi pre impostate e divertirti a modificarle in infinite varianti e sfumature.
*** non fidatevi dello speaker incorporato: collegatelo ad un altoparlante o alle cuffie e sentirete che bei suoni!!! Caldi, rotondi e in perfetto stile 80/90s ***
Lo uso molto bene per studiare basso: metto qualche suono di percussione semplice, aggiungo sincopato e studio ritmi non convenzionali.
I really like this digital drum machine however there are two things for me that kind of kill the mood. One. It only has one headphone jack so it loses a lot of points for versatility out to your mixer or audio interface and for the life of me I can’t understand one midi in yet you have six parts text each be played by a specific MIDI what good is that if you can only do MIDI in. I feel this is very much a set and forget style drum machine forget trying to make up tracks on the Fly because if you try to do randomize lair you’re in for an earful that is if you can still here afterwards 99% Ugg every time you hit randomize layer it gives you some awful noise that is too loud N2 high-pitched. All in all it’s not a bad device it just suffers from korg’s limitations to put limitations on your devices
ich habe den Korg nur eine Stunde getestet , vielleicht habe ich ein defektes Gert bekommen, beim ein und ausschalten kommt aus den Boxen ein lauter Knall , ALGRTM macht beim drehen laute strgerusche , ein passendes Netzteil ist nicht dabei, ich wundere mich ber die schlechte Verpackung ohne Polsterung, kann sein das der Korg klasse ist aber mich stren dieses Gerusche. fr meine Lautsprecher ist das gar nicht gut. aber schlecht bewerten mache ich nicht das wre unfair bei einem vermutlich defektem gert , ich denke das ich es nicht wieder bestelle ,Fingerabdrcke lassen sich nicht verhindern , schwachsinnig ist der Minilautsprecher auf der Unterseite was soll das ? das hat mit Klang nix zu tun . immer hin hat der Korg eine gute KLangqualitt wenn man eine gute Hifianlage besitz
Think of this synth not as a drum machine but a percussion synthesizer. Kicks, snares, toms etc it is not. Though you can certainly model a kick or a snare kit and then sequence it. You can model hitting sheet metal with a hammer or slapping a PVC sewer pipe with your hand with your head stuck in one end. Any sort of percussion sound you could imagine and then permutations thereof ad infinitum.
I love this instrument.
The sheer capability for extreme bass to squealing highs with sync and the dead simple yet very versatile sequencer.
Ver happily surprised at the extreme depth of sound from such a compact device. If I could say anything but praise and why it is not a five star review; it would be to include a power supply. I already have had to return 2 because they were not compatible so I have a cold box waiting to hum again.
One downside is that you can’t chain sequences :/
If you see reviews you will find that people complain about the snare. Out of the box this is true: it’s not the best snare out there… However, I found that with the correct settings of parameters it can sound nice, as well as using the Stutter feature and automating it, as it gives it more body and color. Also, if you feel brave, there are videos out there showing that you can Modify it to “improve” the snare (adding a capacitor and some other tweaks). You’ll need some soldering tools and a precise hand though (haven’t tried so far).
Great product which produces some weird and wonderful noises .. I just need to learn more about it to achieve its best potential
Cool little device it definitely adds new structure to my playing..
Great product for the price and has many options and possibilities for both sound design and compatibility with other hardware.
Must have for beginners of synthesis.
Lightweight, compact and easily portable.
If you are just using the basics, you can start making your beats pretty quickly. There are lots of good tutorials on YouTube and if you invest the time to learn all the functionality, the possibilities expand immensely.
Whether you’re doing live gigs, or just jamming at home, there is nothing like it on the market for it’s price.
A great buy!
I love playing around with this and studying it. There is quite a bit of versatility, though I still haven’t gotten to the point of making much music with it. If you’re familiar with synths or if you are a beginner with determination to study hard, it’s a good fit. There’s a lot of complexity to it, so not a good fit for those without patience or those who just want to start playing music right away. Even though I’m missing a lot of potential with it, it’s a great product and very fun to experiment with.
Very good. Very intuitive. Only problem is you can’t sequence different patterns.
Very 808
I’m sooo Happy quick delivery even though Covid19 pandemic. Keeps me nice and busy during these crazy times. Amazon many thanks!
I bought my first Korg Volca in Jan 2017 (from Amazon in fact) after someone recommended them to me as a good intro to synthesizers and sequencers. I’ve been exploring the range ever since then and the KORG Volca Kick is another great addition to my set. The Volca range do provide much more features and functionality than what is needed for just an introduction – but they are still a great way to start. This product arrived on time in perfect condition and I would recommend the Volca range generally.
This is not a straighforward drum machine – don’t buy it for that purpose. If you enjoy sound design and live noodling however, this might be the box for you.
The whole volca series is great. This is a portable, fun, analog drum machine.
The kit is awesome my problem is that when they sent it out they slapped a giant address label of the box that is stuck down- it’s a shame as it’s a Xmas present 🙁 a little thought next time guys .
Si te gustan los sintetizadores y no tienes mucho dinero, este es para ti. Suena muy bien y se pueden hacer muchas cosas.
Todo bien, tiene buenos sonidos. Solo tardo un poco en llegar pero esta genial!
Funky little box of tricks fills in the spaces between tb3 and keyboards very easy to use but sound quality is a bit poo
Bon produit . Fait le travail. Mais au prix qu’il est, il pourrait au moins venir avec le chargeur.
It is easy to use once you get used to it. Quick delivery from a good seller. Thank you.
It has a great sound, and it’s very customizable. User friendly, and a great compliment to my other Volcas.
For anyone bored with the standard drum presets of their DAW, this drum machine is a great means to bringing a different element to your productions. The sounds are quirky and unconventional. I’ve had a lot of fun over the last two years with the Volca Beat.
My expectations weren’t very high for this price-point, but I have been blown away so far.
Pros:
1. Super easy to sync with Tempo and play midi notes from DAW. You just need a simple, cheap midi I/O to USB adapter (around 10-15 $), and a DAW that supports MIDI I/O (There aren’t many that don’t).
2. First thing I did was plug in my headphones to the 3.5mm jack turned it up to full volume and there was NO WHITE NOISE.
3. Sounds great. lots of presets to easily switch between with one infinite spinning knob with a tactile feel.
4. As you try out the presets, you can experiment with the different knobs and quickly come up with unique sounds. if you wanna undo the changes to the preset, you just switch to a different one then switch back.
I’m pretty sure you can do lots of other stuff, like save your own presets and import them to your computer but what I know so far is that it makes a great bass line, even without any external effects.
Only con I can think of so far – it doesn’t have an actual filter, but the velocity fader acts sort of like a lowpass filter for most presets.
I will update this review once I get to use it with my mixer and USB audio interface.
Buoni i materiali (plastica semitrasparente e alluminio(?) ), ottima qualit sonora e ottima reattivit del “tastierino”.
ricco di funzioni di cui una (che ritengo essere la pi utile) che ti permette di registrare una sequenza di note o una base.
Ha anche l’attacco midi che ti permette di suonarlo tramite una tastiera (molto pi pratico rispetto al suonarlo col suo tastierino date le sue ridotte dimensioni).
Metto quattro stelle poich in generale non mi piaciuto il contenuto della scatola: infatti (anche se indicato nella descrizione) manca il cavo per collegarlo alla corrente (che costa intorno ai 20 qui su amazon) metre con le 6 pile AA (incluse nella dotazione) non dura tantissimo; ma la cosa che mi ha dato pi fastidio che non ci sono le istruzioni in italiano, ne nella scatola e nemmeno nel sito ufficiale della korg o su altri siti, cosa che, dato che il prodotto venduto anche in Italia, dovrebbe esserci almeno on line.
Tirando le somme:
-sintetizzatore: 5 stelle
-contenuto scatola: 3 stelle
Arrived on time, well packaged and lovely delivery driver.
Fun little thing, i have never tried my hand at analogue synthesis before but have to say it is very fun. This box can produce lovely sounds once you have gotten your head around using it. As with all volca units the manual is rubbish and gets you nowhere but there are a number of useful tutorials on youtube.
Genuine analog polyphonic synthesiser for less than 150. While it lacks many of the advanced features of other entry level synthesisers, the Volca Keys has a great depth of sound locked inside this little box. From warm analog pads to punchy retro sounds and a very interesting polyphonic ring mod, there’s a lot to be had in such a small form factor.
Synchronises perfectly with the other Korg Volcas. Also has midi. Sounds are editable. I especially like the kick drum. Very 808 like.
Very reasonably priced and you won’t find anything better for the price. A good all rounder.
Bought it for my friends dj’s. They are really happy with it. The input is a bit low so you have to put the gain up a little bit. Overall for what you pay is a good machine. Does his job.
Only one drawback, I am hooked, I now want more from the same range! Recommended.
Bought this for my brother at Xmas who is currently studying analog synthesizers. He absolutely loved it and got straight on to using it. It sounds better in reality than you see on the youtube videos and can run off batteries for portability. Korg generally hit the mark either way.
Love this little synth.for its size it’s a very powerful machine.for best results use big speakers and really feel the sound.
Fantastic! If you know how it works, and how to make it work for your sound, its perfect.
The snare could be a little stronger but still rocks!
I love this synth. I have a Korg Polysix in need of restoration, and this really reminds me of that synth and some of Korgs early classics. I wanted something to replace it until I can have the poly6 repaired. This exceeded expectations. Don’t look at the limitations, no one says this is an all purpose synth. It is a beautifully designed analogue instrument that considers creative potential in a portable, inexpensive analogue idea box. You won’t find another instrument this versatile and inspiring capable of creating fat, gurgling shape shifting REAL analogue sounds any where near this price. Connected to Roland JX-3P with midi, really made this feel like a real analogue synth. Only reason I gave this 4 stars is the light on the record button stopped working so I can’t tell if it’s recording sequences or just playing. I love it so much I’m agonizing over having to send it back and wait for a replacement.
Who needs that ?
Got my Korg and my Shure and my sanity.
I have actually sold this now but it was to fund an Elektron Analog Four which is in a completely different league.
Is it worth it ? Hell yes!
ich weiss nicht genau, was manche davon erwarten wenn sie sich fuer so ein produkt entscheiden. ich habe mich lange vorm kauf darueber informiert, was das geraet kann udn wo seine grenzen sind. natuerlich muss man sich darueber im klaren sein, was welcher potty erldegen und aendern kann und kann normalerweise daraus schnell erkennen, das es nicht allzuviele optionen gibt, ABER!
dadurch das ein synth sowieso nur einen grundton produziert, ob von korg, roland oder moog und der rest nur durch effekte kommt, isses wohl doch keine falsche entscheidung. es ist wie der bass voll analog, kann alleridng nicht in allen mods polyphon spielen, also chords sind nicht moeglich, aber dafuer isses ein interessantes werkzeuf fuer flaechige sounds.
mit etwas reverb, delay und chorus kann man schon viel mehr anstellen, welche man bei anderen synths ebenso nutzen wuerde. gesteuert mit externen midi geraeten oder sequenzerprogrammen macht es erst richtig spass.
ich moechte es nicht mehr missen und bin froh den keys in meiner sammlung zu haben!
Since the Volcas lack a song mode or chain playback, they part of a trend of performance instruments like the Akai Professional Rhythm Wolf and Tom Cat, or the Roland TR-8. Changing beats in a performance has to be done completely manually by holding the memory button and tapping the memory location. Unlike the Akai and Roland drum machines, the newly selected pattern will not hold until the last step of a current pattern plays out.
Creating beats isn’t difficult, but the instructions should be read first before step recording and saving patterns to memory. Korg Electribe-style motion sequences may be recorded also for adding a dynamic character to the beats. This includes a stutter effect that can be quite fun and applied globally (all sound playing).
All the Volcas have a MIDI in that allows the unit to respond to MIDI clock, start and stop, note number (for voice triggering), and some control changes. Program changes cannot be made via MIDI. So, still no way to change patterns except manually during playback.
Analog synchronization with other Volcas, the SQ1 step sequencer for the MS-20 Mini, and even Teenage Engineering’s pocket operators. However, the Volca clock pulse is constant and other synchronized instruments will have to be manually stopped and started.
For those who are not rhythmically challenged, the manual requirements for starting, stopping, and changing patterns liberate from creative performance restrictions. Otherwise, MIDI Solutions offers a four output MIDI thru box to start up to four Volcas on cue.
I own the other drum machines and instruments mentioned in my review as well as roomful of other instruments collected and played over three-and-a-half decades. I like the Volca Beats sound overall and the price is a very nice considering the cost of vintage instruments that tend to be less reliable. The Volca Beats is even more fun when linked up with its siblings, Bass and Keys, or an SQ1 driving the MS-20 Mini. The Volca Beats “retro” beatbox quality makes it choice for EDM genres like electro, house, and acid. Tweaking those knobs sure is fun.
Really pleased with the Volca Keys. It well made and arrived complete with AA batteries. The instructions are clear and concise . If you want info on how to play it you need to search on Utube, plenty of info . If you plug the unit oit put into a poweyed speaker, you get better sound.
Not much to say about this other than, its real Analogue sound in an affordable and user-friendly package. other than no midi out its perfect ( theres a mod for that!)
Great, nice little analog synth. Does so much in such little space. It even lights up and the battery life is the best I’ve seen.
This proved to be a great gift for my son and does much more than I expected. The only downside as others have mentioned is that its instructions are useless: I got far more out of studying videos on Youtube, to be honest. However, overall I’d highly recommend it. (It also arrived earlier than scheduled, which was a real surprise.
Fast delivery as always from Amazo
Love this little thing. Hours of fun. Extremely portable. Had some great sounds out of it. Instructions are a bit sparse but cover enough to get some idea of what does what. For better instructions and tutorials just head over to YouTube and get some inspiration while you’re at it. Just remember and buy yourself a power supply at the same time or use rechargeable batteries. Nothing worse than it dying on you just when you’re in the zone, trust me, I’ve been there……Go buy one.
The plain fact is that you want this machine.
Now, there are a few things you should know. The size of the control face means that live tweaking, though imminently doable, requires some dexterity. The headphone jack is a 1/8″ mono jack, so you have to account for this in your setup. The signal path is a little noisy. The VCF cutoff pot noticeably steps when the resonance is up. The (great) sequencer is limited when using the 1/2 and 1/4 tempo features. The oscillators only output sawtooth waveforms. The LFO can only interact with pitch and cutoff frequency. The 3-note polyphony shares a single envelope generator, so the velocity of subsequent notes lowers the volume of earlier, held notes. The keypad is unsuitable for quick chord playing.
Do you get more than you pay for with this beauty? Absolutely. Yes! You want this machine. Will it replace all your other synthesizers? No, of course not! It’s a $160 plastic box. If you had $500 or $1000 to spend on an analog synth, you wouldn’t be looking at this anyway. You’d be getting the Minibrute, the Minilogue, or the Sub 37.
If you have $500, get the Minilogue and tell me how it is.
I bought this to complete my Korg Volca rack. It’s an analogue drum machine, and the sounds are NOT “realistic” samples. This is good because it fits in with the analogue sound of the other Volcas perfectly – it’s abstract, not imitative. There is plenty of info and hands-on stuff about the Volcas on the Volca Facebook page, which I recommend. One hint though, use the “stutter” knobs on the left to vary the sound. You can get a “crash”, “roll”, “echo” etc effect which goes well into an analogue mix. Great stuff!
I love it, the speakers sound a bit tinny but still quite powerful and with headphones in the sound is pretty good
it’s great sound, works well with midi, only thing to stop me giving 5 stars is it’s just a little limited in timbre. if not it’s tones
Great little piece of gear. Lots of fun to use and drums sounds sound very good (snare is a bit tame).
Great little piece of gear. Lots of fun to use and run through external processing can do some serious damage!
A lovely piece of kit, an absolute bargain and a must have for any producer on a budget. Produces a beautifully warm analogue sound. Buy it along with the Volca bass and Beats to really get things cooking. This is technological innovation as it’s finest. just a few years back and a synth with this many functions would be a lot bigger and a lot more expensive.
A lovely piece of kit, an absolute bargain and a must have for any producer on a budget. Produces a beautifully warm analogue sound. Buy it along with the Volca keys and Bass to really get things cooking. This is technological innovation as it’s finest. just a few years back and a synth with this many functions would be a lot bigger and a lot more expensive.
You can see the drums in action with my various synth gadgets in the video I have uploaded.
I’m using this to record bass for a Digital music and sonic fiction module. Dayum the low end is nice on this!
Peak turned up, cutoff nice and low, tasty
This is an amazing drum machine. It doesn’t have too many functions, but it still has a great variety of ways to make music.
So, it’s not a great present for people who just want a keyboard, but for anyone interested in a proper analogue synth, it’s amazing. The ‘analogue’ bit means that up to three ‘oscillators’ are physically producing up to three separate sounds. It has all the characteristics you’d expect from something analogue, e.g. sometimes it can go out of tune, which I think it wonderful! It’s so characterful and fun.
I benefited from a quiet afternoon to get to know it, particularly as I’m new to synths. But once I’d mastered the basics, I was away. It’s enourmous fun and incredibly versatile for something this size and price. I’ve used it to record anything from chunky bass sounds up to theramin-like wails, and some dreamy pads. It’s tiny and portable, lasts weeks on batteries alone, and looks brilliantly retro. It’s not just a toy – the sounds produced are extremely high quality and usable, live and in a studio, at least to my ears.
Drawbacks include a noisy output (i.e. a bit of white noise behind the signal), but it’s nothing too bad. I had issues with an output that was too quiet, but I was using the wrong cables. The ‘keys’ are terrific fun and often usable, but not practicable in most cases – I’m buying a small MIDI keyboard to accompany it. The manual is very basic – YouTube videos help to get started. There are a few other little idiosyncrasies, but if you’re of the mindset that you want a proper instrument – not an out-of-the-box digital keyboard with 1,000 ready-made presets – I hope like me you’ll love it!
That’s cool! Finaly the rythm start to be a friend! It’s help to find a another dimension in composition, i love that staff specialy on ‘live’ mode. Thanks.
Music is fun, and should be fun. Those who remember this, pro or amateur, will enjoy this cute little noisemaker for what it is.
.) Der eingebaute Lautsprecher ist unbrauchbar, weil er keine Bsse wiedergeben kann. Der eigentlich volle Sound der Kickdrum etwa klingt wie ein Knacken. Ich habe erst geglaubt, das Gert wre kaputt. Damit Musik machen geht (abgesehen von der Lautstrke) nicht, ebensowenig wie eine Loop zusammenzustellen. Fr die Katz. berhaupt braucht man m.E., um das Gert sinnvoll verwenden zu knnen, einen Verstrker oder besser noch ein Mischpult davor.
.) Ein Netzgert muss man extra dazubestellen. Schn, wenn man sowas ohnehin herumliegen hat, aber in der Betriebsanleitung steht (wie meistens), dass es ebendieses Originalteil sein muss.
Ansonsten bin ich hochzufrieden!
Klar ist natrlich, dass man Kick, Snare und TomToms stimmen muss, also auf Neudeutsch die pitches zueinander passend einstellen, sonst kann’s ja nur scheulich klingen. Fr die Snare habe ich suchen mssen, bis ich eine Einstellung gefunden habe, die realistisch klingt. Aber viele Anwender stehen ja vielleicht auf spacige Sounds, und drehen whrend des Spiels an den Reglern, sodass Effekte rauskommen, die man mit “echtem” Schlagzeug gar nicht erzielen kann. Den HiHat kann man nur offen oder geschlossen spielen, keine Tricksereien mit dem nicht vorhandenen Pedal. Das widersprche aber auch der Philosophie des Gertes: Womglich noch ein Tangobesen-Modus bei dem Preis?
Die vier PCM-Sounds finde ich OK, weil fr diese Instrumente analog berzogen wre, und interessanterweise die Speed-Einstellung fr einen satten Crusher z.B. die Claves gar nicht negativ beeinflusst.
Vom MIDI-Eingang habe ich dagegen genau nichts, denn es lassen sich bei weitem nicht alle Einstellungen ber MIDI konfigurieren, und die einzige fr mich sinnvolle Option wre, ber MIDI-Pads bequemer spielen zu knnen, als mit der Minitastatur. Will ich das, habe ich aber eine “echte” Drum-Machine mit anschlagdynamischen Membranen und Sticks und – ja: dem HiHat-Pedal.
Eine fetzige, professionell klingende Perkussion-Untermalung zu einem Youtube-Video lsst sich mit diesem Gert in Minuten (und lizenzfrei) erstellen, wenn Ihr Metronom keine 7/8-Takte kann und Sie Dave-Brubeck-Fan sind, lsst sich das auch machen, wenn…
An den anderen Gerten aus der Volca-Familie habe ich kein Interesse, weil die ganze Serie irgendwie nicht wirklich zu anderen Korg-Gerten, wie meinem Kaossillator oder Microkorg passt, diese Beats-Machine lsst sich eigentlich nur per Audio-Eingang anschlieen, aber es geht. Diese Gerte sind etwa dreimal so teuer, und decken den Funktionsumfang m.E. mehr als ab, aber halt eben nicht im Perkussion-Bereich, und wenn, dann bei weitem nicht so gut wie dieses Gert. Bei Korg gibt’s m.W. auch in der hheren Preisklasse nichts Vergleichbares.
Really happy very good little music box both my 8yr old and my hubby love this we also got the Volca-bass too
Hours of fu
Korg VOLCAKEYS – Analog Synth Machine
Korg VOLCABASS – Analog Bass Machine
Korg VOLCABEATS – Analog Rhythm Machine
M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Active Studio Monitor Speakers – to add a bigger sound
Belkin Rockstar Multi Headphone Splitter (Black and White) – a very simple way to connect the output of the various units together on their way to an outboard speaker. Use it in reverse of normal splitter function to bring the sound of the various units together.
Belkin Mini Stereo Dubbing 3.5mm Plug Cable for Kindle Fire, iPod, iPhone, iPad, Android, Smartphone and MP3 Players -6feet – connects Volca to the Belkin reverse-splitter. One is needed for each Volca.
Did exactly what I expected; good sound. The ability to solo a part would be nice.
Brilliant product, bought it for my husband as he makes a lot of music and he is very pleased with it and the range of sounds you can make with this synthesizer.
Fast delivery, well packages and as described. Many thanks.
The output volume is low compared to the other Volca units. The white noise on the snare sounds badly distorted. This could be a fault on my unit. Personally I find that the snare sounds better without it, like an old school ‘ping’. The stutter echo effect is great for break beats and remixing live. Overall, a great addition when integrated with the other Volca units for performance.
The Unison mode provides the classic sound of EDM and yester year. The MIDI interface makes it accessible for note entry. The addition of a delay enhances the sound perfectly. A very versatile synth for a bargain price. Until Roland give in to popular demand and recreate genuine Juno analogue synths, Korg will be the flag bearers for great value modern retro analogue synths
If you want to hear the range of sounds these machines can achieve, look up “Korg Volca 16 Keys” on Youtube, which is a performance using only 16 Volca Keys Synced….or “Korg Volca Keys – Paregoric Sump Pump”, a melodic ambient track using only this synth. The guy even makes drums on it!. awesome. Well done Korg
– No swing. All beats are straight up. A selection of rhythms would be too much to ask but I can’t help but feel they could’ve snuck in a knob that controlled a basic swing amount. Stutter is a nice work around to get more complex rythms but not the same thing.
– No accent. There is a part level, so you can turn up or down each individual drum, but at the end of the day each snare hit is as loud as every other snare hit. This was almost certainly left off to save space and/or difficulty to control, which is great, but still, can’t accent hits.
– Snare is not ideal. Its not terrible, but there are three knobs dedicated to it. While the three knobs for the bass allow me to dial in the perfect sounds for each loop, I struggle with the snare controls just to make it okay. Its a lot of space and work for less than great results. On a side note the bass drum is amazing. Well outweighs the sub par snare. Also use clap to beef up the snare.
– Only stutter and PCM speed can be controlled by motion control. This isn’t a serious issue, and these are the ones I would hope could be controlled, but ya if you though everything was motion control that is not the case.
Other than that this has lived up to my hopes, and in many ways exceeded them. Something I didnt know it had was active step, where it will play certain steps right after each other and skip the rest. A nice way to easily mix up the beats on the fly, and also make rhythms is 3/4 or really any time signature.
For the price this is a steal. If none of the things I mentioned are deal breakers buy it now.
If you buy a power adaptor then you don’t need to put batteries in it (duh!) although it’s cool that batteries are included. A handy addition! (Charger is supplied separately).
If like me you wish to hook it up to an Arturia Microbrute or even a Minibrute… using the 1/8 male to male jack (Supplied with the Volca Beats), hook the gate out socket (On the brute) to the sync in socket (on the Volca beats). Do it the other way round it it becomes very boring indeed.
I digress, a great drum machine for somebody who is getting into synths or wants something to take around when travelling!
Long Review;
Keys; the keys are very sensitive, which means you accidently hit other keys!( Sometimes it feels as though the air sets these things off, not literally, but giving you an idea on how sensitive they are.
Sequencer; The sequencer is really fun to use! I made all sorts of genre sounding leads and BASS. it is a little hard to get the EXACT sound you have in mind, but once you learn the synth more, you can start imagining sounds that it is capable of ( pattern based) after that, the creation flow is slightly better.
The Knobs; The knobs were great, but they got kind of loose after going all Synth Lord on it. The kind of giggle a bit now. wobbly. Might need to be a little more gentle. it didn’t get MEGA loose or anything, but slightly( ok, fine. I am being hypercritical, the knobs will last)
I cant say much for the Midi in and Sync out. I have not used them! I was VERY weary of buying the volcas. I thought they would be cheaply built and kind of gimmicky. So far, I think I love the thing. And I will purchase the Volca Bass next! if I can make cool music, then I might get the Volca Beats, then a mixer and recorder. so far I do not regret purchasing this thing! 9/10 or 4/5
Good things come in small packages and this piece of kit is just that.
Great value for the excellent range of functions/capabilities.
Between the 6 different modes (unison, poly, and unison ring are my favorites so far) and the 7 octave range, you can get a lot of different sounds out of this synth, which is great. You also get a bunch of knobs (especially given the size of the box) that you can use to get the tone you’re looking for, and almost all of them (the mode, the octave, and I think master volume are the exceptions) can be saved as motion sequences in the 8 pattern memories or controlled over MIDI.
One thing that could either be good or bad (for me, it’s a big positive) is that it has a pretty distinctive sound, especially the filter. It has a brassy quality to it that makes it stands out. I would definitely listen to some sound samples before buying it so you know it’s for you — if you’re looking for a more generic-sounding synth our some other quality in particular, this may not be exactly right. And I love the fat bass tones I can get out of this, but if you’re looking for a filter with more of a bite to it or you want to be able to do acid lines, the Volca Bass may be a better choice. Like I said though, I personally love the sound.
For the price, there are no downsides to this synth. Having said that, if I could change anything about it, I wish they could have squeezed in an aux in like they did with the Monotrons. I’d love to be able to run other sounds through this filter and the delay. I also kind of wish they could have squeezed in waveform controls for the VCOs and a step sequencer (the Volca Bass has both of these). But even without any of those, this is a great little box that can produce some killer sounds. I absolutely recommend it.
Looks wise I think this looks great, a solid enough black plastic case with what seems like a black metal front plate. All buttons and dials are easily accessible – if you had to be picky then maybe the main dials are a little small, but it hasn’t concerned me whilst using it. The keypad itself I am very impressed with a very reactive touch response which is great when live recording parts.
You get six analogue sounds and four PCM, all adjustable to varying degrees, the most editable being kick and snare as you’d expect. The kick sounds excellent, you will be surprised such a mighty boom can emanate from such a small box. In my opinion the rest of the sounds aren’t so instantly likeable, but as you begin to mould them together into sequences they all come together with a really great vibe.
I stared at this for a few minutes at first wondering what I should be pressing, but once you get the hang of the eight buttons on the right hand side (and their second functions) you will be knocking out sequences in no time. There are three main recording modes; live (which quantises to the closest step), step record (each key you press takes you to the next one) and step mode (where you choose which instrument and click where you’d like it to play on the grid). They’re all easy and intuitive to use. It’s a very visual experience when sequences are playing with LEDs lighting up as each voice is triggered and more LEDs along the bottom to show you where you are in the sequence or which modes are active.
There are few cool functions; stutter, step jump and active step to bring further life to your patterns. The features seem really well thought through and I haven’t yet been thinking “I wish this would do XXX”.
Overall, this comes across as very useable, it definitely doesn’t feel or sound like a “toy” and I’m sure it will be making an appearance in many home and potentially more professional recordings. I dreamed of having something like this when I was in my teens, and now quite a few years later its arrived in an affordable little box. Are we moving back in time with this resurgence of analogue?…. maybe…. but who cares… it sounds great. Nice one Korg!