KORG volca Bass – Analogue Bass Machine Synthesize


bass nubass mix keys kick FM
Descriptor ANALOGUE BASS MACHINE VACUUM TUBE OSCILLATOR ANALOGUE BASS SYNTHESISER ANALOGUE 4 CHANNEL MIXER ANALOGUE POLYPHONIC SYNTHESISER ANALOGUE KICK GENERATOR DIGITAL FM SYNTHESISER
Concept Three VCO analogue Bass Next generation bass machine with Nutube valve oscillator and ladder filter Performance mixer ideal for volca and other table top synths Powerful and flexible lead synthesis Specialized powerful kick and kick bass 6 operator FM synthesiser, DX7 compatible
Sound engine Analogue synthesis engine Analogue synthesis engine n/a Paraphonic analogue signal path Analog synthesis engine + Digital pulse Digital synthesis engine
Sound effects Drive and tone Analogue isolator, dynamics, stereo spacializer Retro digital delay Analog drive + tone filter Chorus


Weight: 454 g
Dimensions: 20.32 x 12.7 x 5.08 cm; 453.59 Grams
Model: VOLCABASS
Colour: White
Batteries Included: 6 AA batteries required. (included)
Colour: White
Origin: China

91 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

     Mexico

    Los Volcas son totalmente de plstico pero se sienten bien construidos. Los sonidos que salen de este aparatillo combinado con efectos del fl studio se escuchan impresionantes. Si te gusta mover botones te va a dar horas de diversin, no es tan complicado de usar.

  2. Michael Crider says:

     United States

    It has a great sound and pretty easy to get started with. It would be improved if it had an app or companion plugin but that’s what I would want, not necessarily what you might want. It arrived quickly and was intact. Only minus is it ships without an electric plug. It runs on either battery or plug but comes with batteries. I’d prefer it cane with the plug and I buy my own batteries.

  3. Anonymous says:

     France

    En effet, je ne vais re-re-re-dire ce qu’est ce petit synth de la gamme VOLCA de chez Korg.
    En tout cas, celui-ci est particulirement aussi utile qu’indmodable ! J’ai pas mal de Korg la maison, soit dit en passant.

    En fait, je l’ai achet sur ma plateforme prfre pour 2 choses :
    – Prix serr.
    – Le systme de garantie/retours AMAZON, imbattable.

    Donc, quand je le peux, je privilgie AMAZON au vendeur en direct. J’ai d’ailleurs bien souvent un compte chez certains vendeurs trs srieux au demeurant. Mais il faut avouer que dans une grande majorit des cas, AMAZON assure un excellent SAV – terme utilis dans sa globalit -.

    Et je suis ravis de trouver du trs bons matriels audio, de musique – logiciels compris – ici.

    Mais pour en revenir ce VOLCA, c’est un basique indispensable selon moi. MIDI et CV (Contrles Voltage). Un super petit investissement, mme si comme moi, vous faites de la MAO. Je mlange d’ailleurs normment mes synths/machines physiques aux VST dans mes compos, en les pilotant via mes DAW.
    Et ce petit VOLCA Bass fonctionne trs bien en stand alone, alors

    Les yeux ferms, mais les oreilles bien ouvertes, achetez-le ici sans tracas, et en avant l’inspiration !
    Si vous vous posez des questions sur les VOLCA, allez vite sur le Net regarder les milliers de vidos vous serez conquis. En plus, ce n’est vraiment pas une usine gaz.

  4. Anonymous says:

     United States

    This was an impulse buy on Amazon Warehouse (AW) on a bitterly cold night in early February, an evening when I had had a few too many glasses of wine. I was vaguely aware of the Korg Volca series, in that I had seen a few negative or neutral comments about them on various music forums, but I hadn’t listened to any audio demos or watched any YouTube demonstration videos. Honestly, these tiny boxes had never appealed, as I like my synths with keys or something I can put in a rack and MIDI up to my rig. So when this popped up on AW in a “Used-Acceptable condition for what seemed to be nearly 50% off the retail price, I thought, well, if I don’t like it, I can sell it on for a profit.

    I’m glad I did. I love this little box, and it looked absolutely brand new in the box when it arrived. Go figure. I like it more than my Pro-1 monosynth — I think the Volca Bass sounds better than most of my keyboards, with the exception of my Korg Radias. I mean to say, the Volca Bass is fat sounding, and oh!!! it has that distorted squeal that is very similar to a Roland TB-303 (or the Behringer clone). The filter resonance (peak knob) on this wee thing self-oscillates, so if you’re looking to do a bit of Daft Punk or Chemical Brothers-style late 90s and early 00s techno work, this little guy can do it, and do it very nicely.

    Let’s get the cons out of the way:

    The speaker is rubbish. I get why Korg put it there, but the speaker doesn’t have the range to actually hear what all the glorious goodness this synth can make. Tip: Use headphones if you’re going portable with this. Otherwise, hook it up to your mixer / monitoring system / amp.

    The MIDI implementation is good, but you can’t modulate the filter via MIDI. What???!!! Why not, Korg? What are you thinking? Sigh… So, you must use the Volca Bass’s filter knob in real-time. Also, no MIDI out, but it is possible to modify the unit so that it can do MIDI out, so at least there’s that option for the hardcore modders.

    Pattern storage is limited to 8 memory slots. You will use those up quickly, and then you’ll have to decide on which patterns to get rid of for later sessions. Also, there is no pattern chaining, so you must manually change patterns in real time, and you will need to do that in perfect sync as there is also no “wait to change pattern” functionality. If you’re sequencing a pattern, know that the filter knob adjustments do not get recorded. The octave knob’s movements will be recorded, however. On the other hand, it is possible to create 24 patterns when in individual three-osc mode, and with a bit of clever muting, you can probably do quite a bit with that.

    The smaller, clear knobs … it’s sometimes difficult to see what their positions are. Also, when I reach for the tempo or the EG attack knobs at the top center/left of the unit, I often accidentally brush the big filter knob.

    No noise oscillator… that’s a shame. But not a deal breaker…

    So them’s me cons. On the the pros:

    Three very stable analog VCOs (digitally tuned for stability, but these bad boys are definitely analog oscillators), any of which can be a Saw or Square wave. You have the options of three independent VCOs, two stacked together, or all three stacked together. There is also a tuning knob for each VCO, so you’re able to create a very thick and fat super saw sound. Note range can be adjusted per voice but only if you are sequencing a pattern. Otherwise, all three VCOs will change depending on where the octave knob is set.

    The playing surface (ribbon?) is really responsive to touch and it’s fun to play and slide around on it, but it is important to note that the playing surface is not velocity sensitive. The Volca Bass responds to velocity when connected to MIDI controller, though. Keep that in mind if you want to get the most you can out of this tiny box of joy. It took me a few minutes to work out what the deal was with the black and gold “keys.” Tip: The gold keys are the black keys on a keyboard. The rest are the white keys. The lowest note on the surface is an “A”. Maybe an “E” would have been better, which is the lowest note on a bass guitar, but from keyboard perspective I suppose it makes sense (an 88-key keyboard’s first note is an A.)

    The filter on this insanely good. I read somewhere that it’s based on a Korg 700s filter. I dunno if it is or not. And I don’t care. I really like a lot.

    The envelope seems limited, but it actually has two modes and it is perfectly serviceable. One mode with no sustain segment, just an attack and delay, which is superb for punchy bass tones, and the second mode is with a sustain feature, which is great for more synthy sounds and self-oscillating the filter rez. These modes are switched by holding down the function button and pressing the number 11 key marked Sustain.

    Pattern sequencing is quick, if not a bit imprecise when doing it in real time. There is some sort of quantization going on, which can be distressing if your timing is off. I much prefer to sequence a pattern in Step Rec mode. Speaking of modes, the Active Step mode is useful and fun.

    At the moment, I tend to use a Beat Step Pro to sequence more complex patterns. Other times, I will set up a zone on my workstation to play the Volca Bass via MIDI in real time. I’ll even swipe at the playing surface from time to time when playing other synths. You’ll definitely want to put some effects in the signal chain, such as pedals or some other multi-fx unit, as the dry sound may be a bit in your face. But even dry, it can sit in a mix at low volumes.

    All in all, I’m really impressed by the sound of the Volca Bass. I had no idea that I was missing this in my life, and I’m glad I bought it. I’m now considering selling my Pro-1, as I have had that turned off since the beginning of February when the Volca arrived and I don’t need two monosynths which cover the same sonic terrority.

    For its size, it’s a little powerhouse in a tiny, tiny box. Could the UI (knobs), memory storage and MIDI implementation be improved? Sure, those could be better, but if you can snag one of these for $100 or less, it’s definitely worth it.

    The Little Bass Synth I Didn't Know I Needed

  5. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    I love this volca. I have very little experience with synthesisers and keyboards, I play guitar, but I got to grips with making some tunes pretty quickly.
    It is very versatile, able to make great baselines and can also be used for higher frequency sounds.
    Plenty of videos online on getting setup etc and there is an active volca community.
    Be warned, these little boxes are very addictive, I bought a sample 2 soon after this and plan on getting a keys and drum soon.

  6. Anonymous says:

     France

    Ne connaissant rien la cration musicale, j’ai achet un minilogue XD l’anne dernire et en fait, il y a tellement de boutons, tellement de fonctionnalits, que c’est un outil assez difficile apprhender pour moi qui part de rien.

    Pas compltement dcourag, je viens d’acheter le Volca-Bass et l je m’amuse beaucoup. Ce que j’ai compris du minilogue m’a un peu aid comprendre comment m’en servir , mais en fait ce volca-bass me permet aussi de mieux comprendre comment marche le minilogue. Le fait qu’il y ai moins de bouton me permet de les exploiter davantage et de mieux en tirer profit.

    J’aime aussi beaucoup le fait que cet outil soit facilement transportable. C’est beaucoup plus petit que je ne l’imaginais. Pas assez petit pour le mettre dans une poche de veste, mais vraiment pas gros.

    Certains commentaire disent que cela ressemble un jouet. Ce n’est pas mon avis, je m’attendais quelque chose de beaucoup plus cheap en fait. Non, c’est bien construit, j’aime beaucoup cet objet.

    L’alimentation 9v n’est pas fourni, il y a des pile la place et c’est vraiment chouette de pouvoir transporter ce petit truc partout avec moi. De mon point de vue c’est plus intressant d’acheter un chargeur de pile et les piles qui vont avec qu’une alimentation secteur. Je me rpte mais le fait que ce soit si facile a transporter est vraiment un norme avantage.

    Trs content de mon achat !

  7. AlineBorrego says:

     France

    pour ajouter a mon set de volcas ef faire de la musique techno

  8. TeresitOrd says:

     United Kingdom

    Just buy it lovely sound hours of fun …needs MIDI out but still a great synth

  9. GlindaClendinne says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersI have this and the Volca Sample and watching others on YouTube messing around with these things made me want to go out and get my own! So I did! Wow. What a lot of fun! Just pushing button, twisting knobs, tapping keys with no idea what I’m doing is more fun than I expected! It inspires me to want to know how to do more. So I watch videos, I visit sites, I learn and still I’m having fun!

  10. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Want an intro to synths but with full creativity if you want it too? THIS is the one to buy.
    Start here. This is one of the best things I’ve bought in a long time. Just check youtube, you’ll lose. many hours listening to the skills some people have!

    Don’t hesitate. Honestly!

  11. Anonymous says:

     India

    I have been eyeing to get one since ages but wasn’t sure of diving into the world of analogs from the comfort of digital machines. But i am glad to have made this choice and to start with a bass generator initially. The sound is massive and with a few tweaks it evolves in its own might. One of my fav equipment and i cant wait to connect it with other analogs to experiment more ~ Ishan Mukherjee Music

  12. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    My first hardware synth and 100% zero regrets. It’s really easy to learn (30 minutes and I was starting to make my own patterns etc), can produce a wide array of noises and is great fun to play live.

    I would also recommend patching it through delay and distortion effects (either software or guitar pedals) as they can expand the possibilities and the fun by a huge amount.

    Excellent and fun entry to synths.

  13. GildaBaragwanat says:

     United Kingdom

    I have bass/keys/sampler… love them all & fully intend to buy other versions.
    There is no question of usability & value.
    Buy!

  14. Cathy3475ejv says:

     Germany

    Fr Anfnger genau das richtige Zeit aufwendig aber auch mit groer Leidenschaft Zeit aufwendig und Ton Qualitt ist eins a mit Kopfhrer und Boxen nur zu empfehlen!

    Die Musik macht die Rezension...

  15. JoeySamons says:

     United Kingdom

    I am okay but a beginner at being a Tecno head.

    Battery charger for korg volca adapter.

  16. BettyHardison says:

     Canada

    Easy to use . Requires a cable to be bought separately if you are using Mac

  17. ChristoperStrom says:

     Canada

    Endless hours of play and endless sounds. Good for making serious music or playing around. Love it!

  18. PhillipDickerma says:

     United Kingdom

    A great lil bass synth easy to use a great creative way to synthsounds . A very gritty bass and good quality . Not a toy by any means . Accompanied by my other synths a great little bass sequencer and control unit .otherwise a great buy and pleased with purchase

  19. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 7 From Our UsersI’ve got the Volca bug. I love them. Within 4 weeks during the lockdown, I had purchased 6 of them, including a stand, effects and a mixer. I have the Modular, Sample, Keys, FM, NuBass and Bass. The FM is my favourite but it does something quite different from the Volca bass which is great in its own right. I use the Volca Bass (thus far) to provide the buzzy undertones and breaks to upbeat dance music. It works awesomely as backing to the FM on top of a simple beat.

    The prominent feature is this is has 3 oscillators which can be utilized independently (with their own melody), or two together and one single, or all together for a rich, deep sound. When the oscillators are grouped it makes a richer sound and you have the ability to detune each too. This helps to create a little bit more depth and effect.

    Controls are fairly simple and even if you don’t know much about synths, you’ll understand what each feature does just by ear. It’s important that you remember that the Function + Keys turn features on and off though. For detailed learning I would recommend Tony Horgans ebook.

    Another unique feature of the bass is the ‘Slide’ function which allows you to specify which notes slid into each other. Imagine a slide on a guitar. It also sounds a bit like a record scratching in some situations.

    Each one of the VCOs (oscillators) have Saw and Square waves to choose form and the LFO (low frequency oscillator) has a triangle and square wave option. These can be changed via function button and the corresponding keys. There’s also a Sustain feature which holds the notes for a fraction longer.

    In my video which I posted, I’m only using 3 patterns (with slide effects) which I programmed and saved. I ‘dance’ between them using the memory button (and corresponding key). The FM is providing the lead, the sample the beat and the Keys the later pulse.

    If you’re looking for the first Volca to buy, I think this one is definitely a candidate! It doesn’t only produce low ‘bass’ sounds but high pitched sounds too, It’s very versatile. I would however insist that it’s paired with the FM or Sample – or ideally both! Careful though. These things are addictive!

    Thoroughly Recommended!

  20. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Did not come with any instructions or warranty! I’ve got a few volcas and they all come with paperwork etc!

  21. Veronica says:

     United States

    Awesome little synth. What it does, it does very well. I wanted it for bass cords and sequencing. It is so handy! You literally play with it for a minute and have a cool sounding loop. Very easy to learn.

  22. RefugiaKinsella says:

     United Kingdom

    Unique bass sounds, very easy to use, amazing sequencer. A beast when it comes to live performance.

    Absolutely amazing!!!

  23. Anonymous says:

     United States

    Super amazing bass synth. Only issue was not reading the instructions and not holding the power button to turn on/off.

  24. GregoryMargaret says:

     Spai

    Justo lo que buscaba. Si tienes dudas puedes revisar videos en youtube de personas usando el korg volca, hay miles. Tengo el Korg Volca Sample y juntando los 2 lo paso genial creando melodas/beats. Muy bueno para principiantes.

  25. Anonymous says:

     France

    C est pas mal pour son prix le son est correct mais ne vaut pas le crave de berhinger.

  26. Anonymous says:

     United States

    I love the Volcas and out all my volcas, this is my favorite. Its simple, it sounds great, and it does not try and do too much. But, if you want, you can do a lot more than just bass. If this is your first Volca, you are in for a treat. These little machines are amazing and this is a good one to add to your kit.

  27. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Bought this little gem to learn more about sequencing before moving onto to bigger kit. For the price, I believe you get a lot for your money here. It is a little fiddly to get used to, but once you get past finding where everything is and your fingers become more nimble, it’s quite simple to use. Great fun.

  28. Anonymous says:

     Canada

    branch et amusez-vous vraiment charmant ce produit vous suivra partout dans vos jam musical cependant n’oubli pas de commander le bloc d’alimentation KORG spcifi pour la srie volta

  29. JuanitaBEJ says:

     Germany

    Ein netter Einsteiger Synthesizer mit 303 hnlichem Klang. Fr diesen Preis auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen!
    Allerdings sollten auf keinen Fall die mitgelieferten Batterien verwendet werden!!!
    Bei mir sind diese in einem Volca Bass UND Volca Beats nach einiger Nutzungszeit explodiert!
    (lautes Knacken, schumen der Batterie, die Batterieflssigkeit ist dann auch in den Volca gelaufen)
    Einer der Volcas waren danach leider defekt, ein Umtausch durch Amazon war aber problemlos.

    Fazit:
    Die gesamte Volca Reihe ist Einsteigern zu empfehlen, es sollten jedoch wie gesagt hochwertigere Batterien eingesetzt werden.

  30. Anonymous says:

     Canada

    Has all the Korg products I have bought, I am in love with it. It’s easy to learn and make awesome 303 style noises, is on par with other analog bass synth that cost double the price, is highly intuitive compared to DAW making it great for beginner producer to learn about production, and you can carry it everywhere and jam or create music on the go. Definetly a purchase I don’t and won’t ever regret neither sell. I just love this synthesizer.

  31. Anonymous says:

     Mexico

    Golden Review Award: 4 From Our UsersEstoy muy satisfecho y entretenido con las posibilidades de sonido que he podido sacarle a este volca. En mi opinin, trae todo lo necesario para poder hacer una presentacin en vivo y crear sonidos de bajo bien definidos, limpios o rasposos y es bastante fcil de usar. Tres osciladores (onda triangular o cuadrada),LPF, LFO (onda cuadrada o triangular) EG (attack, sustain/realise), secuenciador 16 pasos! graba secuencias de notas y parametros. Sera aun ms potente si tuviera arpeger, memory preset, midi out e interface USB, pero estoy contento con lo q tiene, hace un buen trabajo.

  32. Dr. Wienerbreath ESQ says:

     Italy

    Ottimo per iniziare , molto divertente , suono ottimo, facilmente configurabile … ottimo per perderci ore a creare suoni

  33. OnaPerivolaris says:

     Germany

    Wer etwas zum jammen und zum spielen sucht, fr den sind die Volca’s genau die richtige Wahl. Kleine, analoge Wunderkisten, besonders in Verbindung mit einem Effektgert, z.B. Zoom MS-50 oder MS-70CDR 🙂

  34. Carrie says:

     United States

    Volca Bass is sweet! Learned all the functionality in about four to six hours but I’m sure it will bring countless hours of enjoyment. Planning on stacking with the Volca Beats or something else soon.

  35. JulissaGeorge says:

     Italy

    Ottimo synth di basso analogico ma possibile anche ottenere diversi lead molto gradevoli. Bellissimo synth

  36. Anonymous says:

     Germany

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersWas fr ein Spa. Wie ein Groer. Kein wenn und aber.

  37. Jan Clatterbuck says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 24 From Our UsersIf you like analogue electronic music and you can’t afford a “big” synth, then this is for you. I bought this one to complete my set of three Volcas, which also include the Volca Keys and Beats. These are extremely smartly designed instruments which will appeal to a wide audience. I like my 1980 electronic music and it only took minutes to get some superb pads, arpeggios and other wonderful sounds from these synths. Always been a real Korg fan, but never though I would be able to own three new Korgs for less than 350!

    What stands out for me on the Volca Bass is the ease by which you can make some great basslines in a matter of minutes. The 3 VCO setup is extremely clever. If you use the built in sequencer you can either create monophonic sequences using all three VCOs in unison (and detune them separately up to one octave up or down), or you can use two in unison and one as a separate voice or indeed programme 3 tone polyphonic sequences using each VCO for a separate part. By using the mute function you can then quickly switch parts on or off creating a lot of effect with just the one sequence in your performance. I also really like the way how you can set the destination of both the envelope generator and LFOs to control volume, filter cutoff and in case of the LFO also the pitch (of all three VCOs). The LED readout is extremely handy when you need to tune your VCOs, set the tempo or octave.

    Only thing you need to keep in mind, you do need to know a bit about synthesizers before you can really get the best out of these Volca’s but it should not take a beginner long to understand how everything works. The instructions are limited, but there is plenty of information and videos on the internet to get you going.

  38. CalebG55eazke says:

     Spai

    Buena caja de bajos muy recomendable por el precio que tiene , que en mi opinin es econmico, calidad en el sonido

  39. Anonymous says:

     Canada

    Golden Review Award: 6 From Our UsersHonestly, for the price it’s amazing what thing little thing gets you. This is an easy 5 stars. Is it good enough to be a professional instrument? I don’t think so, numerous free VSTs will sound better.. But this is a portable, easy to use, decently featured ANALOG oscilator and filter synth. Very good to learn synthesis on, and very fun to use in general. If you’re looking for a cheap learning tool for analog synthesis that won’t break the bank, sound decent and runs on batteries? This is an amazing product.

    If you’re hesitating between the volca keys and volca bass, know that you can’t make a wrong choice
    Although you’re losing the voice modes and paraphonic capabilities of the keys, you’re getting an extra selectable oscilattor (square OR saw as opposed to just saw for the volca keys) for more soundshaping possibilities. The volca bass is paraphonic when sequenced anyway, although that’s a limited feature.

  40. Anonymous says:

     Italy

    Golden Review Award: 4 From Our UsersTutti i volca hanno un perch o quasi, ma ce ne sono due che amo particolarmente. Uno l’FM, l’altro questo. molto acido. Non suona come un moog per capirci. Il filtro, potrei dire che quello dell’MS-20. I tre vco sono molto utili. molto versatile per quanto sia limitato. Molto pi di un synth che dovrebbe fare solo bassline, credetemi. Di analog ho questo e un werkstatt e per ora mi basta e avanza. L’unica cosa che non mi sconfinfera che non sono riuscito a capire come eliminare l’ADSR dal filtro. Questo il suo unico neo probabilmente. Per il resto molto pi versatile di quello che si possa immaginare e il suono davvero potente e acido. Le stelle le meriterebbe solo per la potenza del filtro.

  41. Anonymous says:

     Italy

    Golden Review Award: 4 From Our UsersPremetto che non possiedo synth di livello pi alto, ma questo probabilmente quello nella sua fascia di prezzo spacca di pi. Lo uso sia in live che in produzione, e di solito trova posto in ogni mio brano in quanto adatto sia per sequenze di basso che per melodie pi spostate sulle medie frequenze. Il suono non neanche cos sporco come si potrebbe pensare, comunque abbinato ad un riverbero veramente spettacolare e immediatissimo da usare. Unica pecca (o forse al contrario un pro, a seconda dei punti di vista) che ha le manopole molto piccole, il che in live lo rende un po’ pi scomodo da usare.
    comunque uno dei miei preferiti

  42. Lara Hodgson says:

     Germany

    Hammer geiles gert kann ich nur weiterempfehlen !!!
    Nix fr Anfnger. Man kann viele verschiedene styles reinmischen und vieles mit den Reglern verndern !!

  43. Anonymous says:

     Italy

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersQuesto piccolo synth “specializzato” in bassi, molto piccolo ma anche leggero e senza rete elettrica lo suoni ovunque con le batterie..bel suono analogico e volume di uscita notevole..che aggiungere, ci sono diverse cose che si possono fare a prima vista impensabili! come la modalit active step per loopare riff folli, o ritmiche dubstep, e la regolazione frequenza LFO per beat (premendo FUNC e rutando il knob RATE) etc 🙂

  44. Alex Yarde says:

     United States

    This machine does so much more than the name (Bass Machine) would imply. You can make this sound like an expensive synthesizer, and with it’s MIDI capabilities the sounds seem endless. Run this through a digital reverb/delay pedal and along with a drum machine and you will have endless hours of fun and creativity.

  45. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 5 From Our UsersI bought this because it is so low in cost but it does sound pretty good for the money. The bass frequencies it can generate are not as low compared to a Moog but definetely the squelchy resonance is similar to a TB303. The sequencer is basic it would have been nice to have some parameter recording like the other volcas. Along side other synths which i have it is not in the same league as the Microbrute or MS20. My advice to the cash strapped is try and save a little more and have patience to get the Microbrute as this is going to be and is a synth that will go down in history as one of the greatest analogs. The volca bass however simply repeats history in what it acn sound like.

    The envelopes are not as fast as i like to so you will not get a punchy bass from it.

    It is very fussy about cables. The ideal cabling is a stereo 3.5mm split to two monos for a stereo mixer channel but do not use 3.5mm to stereo 6.3mm TRS as mixers will generally take this as a TRS wired circuit and which results in sound cancelling (a weak noisey signal yuuk). It is also possible to use 3.5mm mono to 6.3mm mono to a mono channel i believe but there is debate around this wether this increases the noise from the unit. This unit is noisey but only noisey when a sound is generated.

    The overall quality of build suggests a more expensive device. And it is pretty looking. Lovely to see the flashing lights as a sequnce is played.

    The only real missing thing i think korg missed in the design is the MIDI sync to tempo is totally fixed so the tempo adjustment does not translate to 1/4xmidi, 1/2xmidi, 1xmidi 2xmidi etc; as it does on the Microbrute.

  46. Anonymous says:

     France

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our Userss bonne machine mme si la finition parat un peu gadget le son qui en sort reste de trs bonne qualit tout comme ses consoeurs de la gamme. attention ne pas s’attendre assortir les mme son que la TB-303 ce qui pourrait vous dcevoir par contre c’est filtre VCO et LFO permettre d’exploiter une large bande de frquence et de son…

  47. EarnestHTKZ says:

     France

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersUne prise en main simple et intuitive. Branche avec d’autre machines elle fournie un bel accompagnement.. Bref simple et efficace.

  48. Mac52Zvaowz says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 14 From Our UsersKorg’s Volca series is great, but it would probably be helpful to know what you’re getting into ahead of time before purchasing. While there’s a lot of videos on YouTube, and some busy topics on Reddit discussing the merits of these machines, I think I fit pretty accurately the target audience for the series to help speak on whether or not they might be right for you: I’m an amateur to synthesis and have minimal space for gear, a low budget, and an affinity for low-fi sounds.

    That being said, I started with the Bass about a year and a half ago and admittedly didn’t really understand the thing, or how to use it in my workflow that at the time was primarily just clicking around in the DAW. After jumping over that hurdle and learning the various functions and controls, the thing really opened up. While it’s certainly got a tinny/metallic sound to it and is by no means your classic acid machine, the thing really screams and can make some great sounds. Granted, I don’t have years of experience with higher-end synthesizers to compare against, but that leads into my next point, which is that these machines are just fun, especially for someone starting out working with hardware.

    I’ve seen complaints about them being ‘toys’, or limited in what you can do with them, and while I won’t argue the merits of that based on some folks’ perspectives, the small, portable nature of them makes them a non-invasive addition to a small space and perfect for picking up and messing around outside of the desk or studio environment. The price tag encourages buying them over time, and since getting the Bass, I’ve added the Beats, FM, and Keys to the mix. They each have their own quirks and limitations that encourage creativity. As well, they’re powerful enough to be useful, and rather than being overwhelming machines (a bit like the Microbrute is for me as still-an-amature), they’re in most respects easy to learn. The FM’s a bit of it’s own story though, as FM synthesis is complicated by nature.

    I’m hesitant to purchase the Sample, simply due to the lack of an audio in. Maybe the iOS app is convenient and easy to use, but it still adds an extra layer to getting sounds on the machine. Which brings me to another point: if you’re considering either the Beats or the Sample, you might look first for a used ES-1 or ER-1. They’re roughly the same price, but a bit more versatile (although bigger), and at least in comparing the ER-1 to the Beats, sound considerably better (the Beats snare issue is annoying, but not a total deal breaker if the other pros outweigh that con).

    In summary, I think these are really great, affordable little machines. Without the hassle of buying old buggy hardware, you get some new portable things with a lot of potential. If you’re looking for machines with ‘recordability’, though, these probably fall more in the jam-box or accent-to-other-machines category.

    Have fun!

  49. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Great bit of kit, really happy with it.
    Arrived earlier than thought.

  50. House Staff says:

     United States

    Sound is good, but could be better, will def need to have a higher end soundsystem and post-production to make it sounds great.

  51. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 4 From Our UsersGreat budget Analogue 3 oscillator mono synthesizer! Definatley worth the money and sounds well with the Volca beats .Pity there is no Midi out and limited output options but for sitting on your knee getting ideas together while Holby City is on or as useful go to synth with a great filter and fat bass(remember 3 oscillators) or lead sounds in your home studio for the price The Volca bass is a steal.

  52. FredricEdmonson says:

     United States

    $160 analog monosynth? Yes! I now own all three of the original Volcas and I couldn’t be happier. They rock!

  53. JoleneShepherd says:

     Italy

    Per fare musica o divertirsi. Io lo uso per la seconda attivit… Una serie inesauribile di suoni imprevedibili. Consigliato a chi vuole divertirsi senza rinunciare alla possibilit di fare molto di pi.

  54. JudsonGardin says:

     Germany

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersDie Qualitt und Verarbeitung eine Korg-Gerts/Instruments steht fr sich. Der Volca Bass hat jede Menge Funktionen und 8 Speicherpltze um 16 Step Sequenzen zu speichern und editieren. Er ist mit 3 seperat steuerbaren Equalizern super, um polyphone MIDI Sounds zu komponieren. Mit der Synch Buchse lassen sich die Rhytmen anderer am Volca Bass angeschlossene (Korg) Instrumente wie der Monotron Delay synchronisieren, ohne das ageschlossene Gert bedienen zu mssen. Weiters besitzt der Voca Vass auch eine Midi Buchse fr z.B. zustzliche Keyboards.

  55. eithneloveslipstick says:

     United States

    Just wish that it could be apart of system, not just a Korg system. However, it’s a helluva lot of fun!

  56. Anonymous says:

     United States

    The sounds I have been able to get out of this amazing. This is not a toy. The envelopes are somewhat basic but the sound is so raw and warm. The filter gets kinda harsh fairly quickly, if you need that raw paint peeling sound power. Keep the high tamed and you get just fat organic bass.

  57. Anonymous says:

     United States

    Analog Bass Machine for $150? Are you kidding me? I bought it right away and added Volca Keys to my set up. I never really wanted to spend thousands of dollars on analogue toys but I decided to begin with Volcas and I don’t look back.

  58. Coup Gator says:

     United Kingdom

    Bought 2 of these as Christmas gifts
    My partner and son love them to bits
    Very happy with this purchase

  59. Chokelate says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersA gift for my son. He loves the device. I don’t know what he does with it but it made him happy.

  60. Anonymous says:

     France

    Golden Review Award: 6 From Our UsersPour avoir un trs gros son analogique de basse, c’est parfait !
    Tout est pens pour faire de bonnes squences mmorisables dans les 8 mmoires.

    Seul bmol, je trouve que Korg aurait d s’inspirer du clavier du Volca Keys, car pour reprer les notes sur ce clavier ce n’est pas pratique.

    Le plus c’est la prise midi qui permet de le contrler avec un squenceur externe.

    Sinon, j’ai achet le Volca Beats et le Volca Keys pour faire des Jam Session Ambient ou Techno en les synchonisant ensemble.

    Je recommande les vidos sur Youtube qui montrent les possibilits de ces petits synths !

  61. MollyTallmrkz says:

     Italy

    Rapporto qualit prezzo eccellente! Le sue dimensioni ridotte non fanno rimpiangere la qualit del suono. L’output leggermente basso ma usato all’interno di una daw con qualche buon plug in si possono ottenere dei buoni risultati

  62. Anonymous says:

     France

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersBonne petite TB-303 like, moins chre sur amazon que sur tout les autres sites marchands (mme spcialis) bonne machine pour le studio par contre a viter pour le live, n’a pas l’air trs trs solide. Sinon le son est bien et le “midi in” indispensable (je l’utilise avec ableton 9)

  63. WillaQuiros says:

     United Kingdom

    great little synth with 3 oscillators ….goes with my tb-303 nicely and works well going through a modular synth and great on its own too.

  64. AlissaWallis says:

     United States

    Fiance loves playing with this but you can’t work with FL studio very easily with this. It works better with Abelton, so I’ve been told but have yet to try because Abelton is expensive.

  65. Anonymous says:

     Germany

    Das Ding wird mein Leben ruinieren,
    Heute angekommen und ich kann jetzt schon die finger nicht davon lassen.
    Ich benutzte es zusammen mit ein Korg KROME, Korg N264 und ein effekt gert.
    Ein Effekt gert braucht man schon wurde ich sagen…

    Ich geh wieder Spielen.. Kaufen kaufen!!!

  66. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    It sounds big, the sequencer is easy to use, and the amount of sonic variety is surprising. This is not yet another TB-303 clone! Korg continues their roll of hits.

  67. The Kitchen Butterfly says:

     United States

    I wanna love this thing so bad but it just pains when you hit the 16 step limi

  68. Anonymous says:

     United States

    Excellent for the price! I’ve come to expect good from KORG.

  69. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Lovely little box of tricks that produces great bass sounds that include acid and that wobble bass sound via the lfo. Fantastic price too for those who are on a budget.love this machine.

  70. Anonymous says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersI bought the volca bass by mistake (I was actually looking for the volca sample for my project), but damn that thing was the best – excellent fat bass sounds, beautiful tweets, far easier to use and get started than the volca keys, far more responsive to just noodling around to get improvised bass-lines. The only thing I’d change about it is to have a midi-out as standard (there are mod-kits to add this) and have SD-card capabilities to expand the pattern memory options.

  71. John Maher says:

     Italy

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersRapporto qualit/prezzo/prestazioni Eccellente.
    Comodo, portatile e suona da paura sopratutto se gli si collega un pedalino per chitarra tipo distorsore.
    Lo consiglio a chiunque sia appassionato di musica elettronica in genere.
    L’unica pecca che viene senza cavo audio e senza alimentatore per la corrente. Ci sono solo le pile.

  72. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Great little machine for the money. Amazing range of sound. From very deep bass lines to squiggly leads. I really rate this machine.

  73. MamieRosenthal says:

     Italy

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersEccellente rapporto qualit/prezzo.
    I 3 oscillatori si sentono ed il filtro molto accattivante.
    Possiede dei limiti tecnici, ma dato il prezzo non possibile chiedere oltre

  74. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    This has to be the fastest delivery yet. Am impressed.
    As for the Volca, what a cool bit of kit. So easy to use, fat sounding bass and cool acid bass emulation. Brill for the price.

  75. Anonymous says:

     Canada

    Everything I thought it would be. Prompt shipping, well packaged. VolcaBass is great.

  76. SungErickson says:

     France

    Golden Review Award: 5 From Our UsersD’un trs bon rapport qualit/prix en regard de ses fonctionnalits, cette petite machine est super compacte, bien construite et produit des sons de trs bonne qualit quand elle est connecte a un moniteur (bien que le petit haut-parleur interne ait dj un punch surprenant). Ce squenceur, relativement intuitif, est facile a utiliser et les diffrentes combinaisons des 3 VCO permettent une grande flexibilit dans la construction des lignes de basse. En rsum, une incroyable petite machine.

  77. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    NOt something I’d usually go for but great sound and useful in your arsenal

  78. Anonymous says:

     United States

    Outstanding unit…bought for a gift and he LOVED IT!

  79. SheliaEdens says:

     France

    Golden Review Award: 4 From Our UsersTrs ludique mais vite limit dans les sonorits et il manque cruellement de possibilits en Midi.

    Mais c’est une bonne petite machine analogique pour ce faire la main.

  80. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Really happy very good little music box both my 8yr old and my hubby love this we also got the Volca beats one too
    Hours of fu

  81. Jelle de Bruin says:

     United States

    A good buy. I have been enjoying playing this along with Analog Synth machine. Happy with the purchase.

  82. CedricMacnaghte says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 12 From Our UsersLots of fun, but be prepared to take a bit of time to figure it all out. That for me is the adventure! I use mine with the Volcabeats and Volcakeys plus a Belkin Rockstar Multi Headphone Splitter and the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Active Studio Monitor Speakers as a set. The Belkin splitter is used in reverse to combine the signals of the three Korgs–a very cheap and simple mixer. The speakers are helpful since the tiny speaker in the Volcas is kind of small. If you like to experiment with music and electronics, you have a lot of excitement waiting for you here.

    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.

  83. AndreasSprouse says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersI’ve been really enjoying this. Great bassline sounds. The filter is smooth and stepless. The sequencer is practically and usefully designed. The controls are surprisingly performance friendly. The battery life is great. The built in speaker is useful and does an acceptable job for what it is. My main issues are the lack of line-out and the compacted keyboard layout (ie. the volca keys has a far better layout). It would be nice to have midi out but it really isn’t much of an issue. 10/10 for fun. 9/10 for functionality and playability. 10/10 for sound quality. If you like making basslines then I don’t think you can go wrong with this.

  84. John Patrick Pullen says:

     United States

    Sounds so good you will want to throw out your digital gear and rplace with analog.

  85. AlycePhpez says:

     Japa

    Golden Review Award: 10 From Our UsersUsing it with battery or power suppy (i recommend getting the power suppy sold seperately) it is quite addictive. Great analog Bass sound and very portable. Thinking about also getting the Keys and Beats.

  86. NickolaBedford says:

     United States

    I’m still having my difficulties figuring out the sequencer, but if you have the other two Volcas, it’s an awesome group of synths to play around with.

  87. RenateLanham says:

     United States

    A great little piece of kit, very fun to play around with! Definitely worth the money for such a little package.

  88. Anonymous says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 5 From Our UsersKorg has a definite winner with this tiny box. This is the only volca I own (or am interested in), and despite it having a lot of limitations, the oscillators sound incredible (especially all 3 stacked/de-tuned), and the filter/resonance is absolutely SICK. If you start pushing it to its limit it absolutely screams. This is NOT a 303 and sounds nothing like one, but it does sound fantastic in its own right, and i actually love the miniature size (i dont have a lot of space left in my bedroom studio). It also surprisingly is velocity sensitive if controlled via midi—nice touch. It also stays perfectly in tune across the entire range (while still sounding definitely analog), and it even sounds great in the higher registers, so it’s really more of a mini mono-synth rather than just a ‘bass’ synth. At this price, you can’t go wrong for a simple, great sounding 3-oscillator mono-synth.

  89. Anonymous says:

     France

    Golden Review Award: 5 From Our Usersmachine trs ludique, trs intuitive, et qui sonne analo-mchant!! la facilit d’utilisation stimule la crativit!
    utilise avec la Volca Beats, elle taille des grooves lectros sur mesure.
    mon petit doute avant l’achat tait d’avoir une machine type lectro-techno-acid, doute rapidement estomp, car cette groove-box nomade est tout-terrain, et on peut l’emmener hors des sentiers acides de la techno pure!! super bcane!!! achat les yeux ferms!! =)

  90. lauraarcher18 says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersThis thing will blow you mind. The filter is smooth, the volume output is superb. If you want a deep little bass monster then this is what your looking for. For a buck fifty, get one.

  91. Anonymous says:

     United States

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersI’m a musician, primarily guitarist, who has recently gotten interested in analog synths. There are plenty of software synths available, including some that mimic some of the classics (e.g., Mini Moog) but there’s something about creating sounds from scratch by physically turning knobs that isn’t there with the software synths. I read the considerable hype about the Volca line and decided, for the price, it was worth taking a chance. For my needs, I settled on the Volca Bass. I am blown away by this little synth. Don’t let the small size fool you. It is not a toy but a real instrument that will be hard to put down once you get the hang of it. Plus, since it works (a long time!) on batteries, or with an adapter, it’s something you can put in your backpack and take with you just about anywhere. If it didn’t look like I was starting to hoard musical instruments (and the fact I really don’t need them) I’d get the other two Volca units as well.