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Post by spacedog on Apr 2, 2019 14:24:49 GMT
Hi arti , I really like this song, it's very rhythmical and I'm enjoying the quirky squeaky squeals (or squealy squeaks?) The Volca FM is next on my list of additional gear to complement my AE, it sounds really good. I'd recommend the Volca FM, the only beef I have with it is the lack of patch memories but you can't really complain about for the price and sound quality.... One day I am going to try uploading DX7 sounds to it like you're supposed to be able to but I tend just to twiddle with the sounds it came with! I moved this reply to "The Lounge" as my point wasn't about the AE Modular. I also thought it might be nice to have a thread that explores how people are using the various Volcas (Volcae...?) in their setup. I have toyed with the idea of a Volca FM for about a year, but never quite got around to buying one - and they're now at their lowest price for quite a while. I always wanted a DX7, but wow they were expensive when they came out, and so difficult to program that must people never went beyond the presets (including most Top 10 Pop songs of the time). The Volca looks easier to program, so to test the water I played with the free Dexed VST, loading up the many DX7 banks out there. That was great fun, and I got what I wanted, so I stopped looking at the Volca... until now. I did also toy with the idea of the Volca Sample, mainly for building some vintage drum machines. Then I pulled out my old Electribe ES-1 and discovered that it did exactly what I wanted, albeit with a memory storage device upon which you could land a helicopter - it's Smartmedia and VERY big. I thought about an SQ-1 and then bought an Arturia BeatStep Pro. I didn't really want a Volca Bass (I sold my original TB 303 for £50 back when they were worth nothing - and I still think I got the better end of that deal). The Volca Keys looks useful, but ulimately replicates what I have already in, for example, an Arturia MicroBrute. The Volca Kick just seems too specialist. Now, the Volca Beats had potential for me, although again I had already sold many variants of Roland machines over the years, so why get another...? Mmmm, something keeps stopping me from buying a Volca. I'm not sure why as they fulfil my criteria of being inexpensive, small (I have limited synth space), sound good (from what I've heard) and are fun (as everyone says). Then... I saw the new Modular and I thought, "This is the one", and if it was a touch cheaper and interfaced better with the AE Modular, I'd be there. I will buy something Volca-shaped at some point, I'm sure  I've been impressed by what I'm hearing here, so that's another reason to go for it. Anyway, that's just the start of a thread for people to discuss how their Volcas fit in with their AE Moduar, or general setup (if they're so moved) - that's why I moved it to The Lounge |
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pol
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Post by pol on Apr 2, 2019 17:03:21 GMT
I have 3 Volcas, the Sample, Bass and FM - I feel more toy like than "real" instruments but they can sound fantastic. There are obviously limitations as regards parameter adjustments due to lack of space, but I feel much better done than a lot of the small machines you can buy these days. Mine are triggered from my MPC, and hadn't planned on connecting to my AE Modular. I'm now pondering whether the Volca could do the Midi master clock to the AE and write a song using the 2 sound sources, maybe 3 if use the Volca Sample as drums like Careck has done elsewhere on this forum.
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Post by admin on Apr 2, 2019 18:53:51 GMT
For me it's probably mostly about affordability and not having any vintage gear. If I had a Korg ES-1 I also wouldn't need the Volca Sample and if I had a vintage DX7 or could afford a MODx then I wouldn't want a Volca FM. In fact I sneered and looked down on the Volcas for many years ... I did a lot of research on the Volca Sample before I bought it and I really liked what people were able to squeeze out of this little box. Especially the way you can switch on looping and turn the start and end right down so you get almost a granular synth sound is really awesome. I wanted a drum track in addition to my AE so I could have gone with the Volca Beats, but really it is no competition to the Sample ... the Sample wins against the Beats hands down for versatility. Even the sequencer has been improved on the Sample. So I bought the Sample and didn't wait to save up for the more expensive but also more versatile Novation Circuit which is a really neat allround beatmaker. Now when I buy the FM the combined cost of the Sample and the FM is only a $100 (Australian) off from the Circuit so I need to think about this very hard ... but then it's FM! And the Circuit doesn't do FM and neither can the AE Modular (yet  ) So the FM will sooner or later make it into my very tiny arsenal just because it offers a completely different synthesis option which I wouldn't otherwise get. Of course I'm also a terrible hypocrite because I could also just use any of the dozen synth apps I have on my iPad ... and KQ-Dixie is a wonderfully complete emulation of the DX7 and I have even over a thousand sysex patches installed that can be found for free on the web. BUT although I really wanted the iPad to be the centre of my music setup before I got the AE ... now that I have the AE I don't want to play with the iPad anymore .. I really like the knobs and the wires much more than the flat surface of a screen. Probably that's also why I'm drawn a bit more to the Volcas over something more complete like the Circuit or Electribe ... each of the Volcas has its own way of tweaking and each can be synchronised and triggered in different ways which would make 3 Volcas much more versatile soundwise and rhythmically than an all rounder that only had one MIDI interface. So .. most important: integration with AE, then: size (I only have 1.5m x 0.8m tabletop real estate to play with!), then: price, then: tweakability ... I'm not so sure about the Volca Modular .. I only found one video on YouTube that made it sound nice ( Tim Shoebridge's Review) and all the others just used it to make weird noises which I can already do on the AE (way more than I'd like ) So I'll probably pass on that one. Same for the new Volca Drums as I don't see what it would provide me over the Sample. Except maybe the physical modeling options, but those are also quite limited it appears. |
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Post by admin on Apr 2, 2019 18:55:17 GMT
I'm now pondering whether the Volca could do the Midi master clock to the AE Unfortunately the Volcas can't send MIDI, they only have a MIDI IN, no OUT. But you can use the Sync Out into the Master Module or I/O module to sync with the AE. |
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Post by arti on Apr 2, 2019 19:00:12 GMT
I own 4 Volcas - FM, Sample, Beat and Kick All of them are part of my rig, synced with what happen to be a general clock at the moment. Some of them (FM,Kick) have their own time divisions to differentiate master clock. I have created about 1/3-1/2 of the sounds on FM - the sound design on it is not so hard, but it surely takes some time to know what You're doing and requires menu diving. Of course You may play with uploaded sounds to some extend using the knobs and sliders without touching the menu at all. It's digital sound complements my other analogue synths realy well. For the drum parts my Beat/Kick combo is usualy enough for me (with additional rhythmic patterns from noise modules of AEM/Neutron/Monologue) so I've empted most of the firmware drum sounds on Sample to fill it with mellotron, flutes, trumpets and other sounds to have some ornaments for my tracks. I replace a good portion of the samples regularly with new findings. I would dare to say using Volca Sample just as drum machine would be a waste of it's potential as by tweaking the samples You may turn them into percusive sounds when necessary. I've done whole drum kit from one piano note sample once just as an excercise. But of course, if someone needs exact samples of his favourite drum machine VS will fulfill his needs to. Kick may seem a bit narrow indeed, but it serves it's purpose realy well. With some additional possibilities (motion recording, touch fx etc.) it may easely bring some life into rhythmic structure so I'm glad I got it, even having Beats earlier. I was tempted by Volca Modular too, and maybe will buy one eventualy (maybe when volca interface module for AEM will be ready), but I was able to get some FM-y sounds similliar to what I've herd from the VM demo videos, so for know I prefer to buy some more modules for AEM |
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pol
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Post by pol on Apr 4, 2019 20:08:42 GMT
I'm now pondering whether the Volca could do the Midi master clock to the AE Unfortunately the Volcas can't send MIDI, they only have a MIDI IN, no OUT. But you can use the Sync Out into the Master Module or I/O module to sync with the AE. Of course, I knew that. Only one Midi socket! |
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pol
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Post by pol on Apr 4, 2019 20:21:29 GMT
Of course I'm also a terrible hypocrite because I could also just use any of the dozen synth apps I have on my iPad ... and KQ-Dixie is a wonderfully complete emulation of the DX7 and I have even over a thousand sysex patches installed that can be found for free on the web. BUT although I really wanted the iPad to be the centre of my music setup before I got the AE ... now that I have the AE I don't want to play with the iPad anymore .. I really like the knobs and the wires much more than the flat surface of a screen. ...... So .. most important: integration with AE, then: size (I only have 1.5m x 0.8m tabletop real estate to play with!), then: price, then: tweakability ... Exactly why I don't have a computer in the heart of my studio, (wasn't one at all until I decided to get a new home PC last year and the old one is now a librarian for various pieces of kit); I know there are some great interfaces/keyboards etc. now, bit why not just have the instrument you can directly twiddle with, and no issues with OS updates, latency, program compatibility, drivers etc. etc. etc. If your space is that tight, in my previous studio I made a shelf by sawing 2cm square posts into lengths, longer at the back, angled cut. Then I used shelves from an old bookcase to make shelves for a keyboard above my MPC and recorder. works really well if the keyboard has rubber feet, if they don't I fasten a piece of wood to the front of the shelf to make a lip to stop the keyboard sliding off! I have done this in my current layout to hold my Bass Station almost vertical. |
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Post by dmoney2000 on Apr 6, 2019 0:36:14 GMT
volca beats- got it way back when, still have it. I only really use it as a metronome for a drummer. It’s not really great as a drum machine.
Volca bass- sold it eventually to fund other purchases, kinda miss it. It’s a pretty thick little monosynth, nothing to scoff at.
Volca Keys- probably was the most disappointed in this one. Just very thing sounding in general.
Volca FM- got it sold it. It’s a great little machine, but like the dx7 is a pain to program from the front panel. I eventually got a Korg DS-8, which is simpler in many ways but the UI is a dream to program compared to the FM.
Other volca offerings out now seem pretty enticing. In general I think the volcas are valid instruments and offer serious musical capabilities for not much cash. The problem is, if you’re really into the synthesis they offer, you’re likely to eventually trade them out so you can “level up”
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Post by ecleinjr on Apr 29, 2019 19:44:58 GMT
volca beats- got it way back when, still have it. I only really use it as a metronome for a drummer. It’s not really great as a drum machine. Volca bass- sold it eventually to fund other purchases, kinda miss it. It’s a pretty thick little monosynth, nothing to scoff at. Volca Keys- probably was the most disappointed in this one. Just very thing sounding in general. Volca FM- got it sold it. It’s a great little machine, but like the dx7 is a pain to program from the front panel. I eventually got a Korg DS-8, which is simpler in many ways but the UI is a dream to program compared to the FM. Other volca offerings out now seem pretty enticing. In general I think the volcas are valid instruments and offer serious musical capabilities for not much cash. The problem is, if you’re really into the synthesis they offer, you’re likely to eventually trade them out so you can “level up” The first synth I ever went for was the volca keys and I still wish I got the FM. I found the keybed was so hard to use and detuning issues are really frequent. Which was problematic for me because it was my first synth so I was like "Why does this sound so bad?". But aside from that I found it was a great little noisemaker when you put headphones on. Now, I'm considering getting a mother 32 to eventually expand into modular systems in the future. I was considering the volca drum because I like the synth engine and the recent demos that have been coming out about it. Still undecided, was watching 0-Coast videos last night considering if I was ready to dive into something that crazy. |
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pol
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Post by pol on May 4, 2019 21:04:04 GMT
Now, I'm considering getting a mother 32 to eventually expand into modular systems in the future. I was considering the volca drum because I like the synth engine and the recent demos that have been coming out about it. Still undecided, was watching 0-Coast videos last night considering if I was ready to dive into something that crazy. You ought to look at the Behringer Neutron, I looked at the Mother 32 and this and plumped for the Neutron which I have never regretted - the Behringer actually feels better made to me, and love the sound. IF you did this, you could buy the Volca drums as well, and still have some dosh left over... |
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bahm
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Post by bahm on May 4, 2019 22:22:18 GMT
I always wanted to take one of these volcas when I was in music stores because they aren't really expensive but never did because I thought about it again and for the price of 2 or 3 Volcas you can get a really cool used groovebox or synth. Don't like short sequencers and just a few patch memory slots. I just don't get that in 2018. Memory is really cheap. Maybe I am wrong... don't know. |
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Post by ecleinjr on May 6, 2019 18:21:51 GMT
Now, I'm considering getting a mother 32 to eventually expand into modular systems in the future. I was considering the volca drum because I like the synth engine and the recent demos that have been coming out about it. Still undecided, was watching 0-Coast videos last night considering if I was ready to dive into something that crazy. You ought to look at the Behringer Neutron, I looked at the Mother 32 and this and plumped for the Neutron which I have never regretted - the Behringer actually feels better made to me, and love the sound. IF you did this, you could buy the Volca drums as well, and still have some dosh left over... I will look into it, that's actually a pretty good idea. I have to say though if I do get it, I'm gonna have to redesign that front panel  |
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Post by ecleinjr on May 9, 2019 18:19:14 GMT
Now, I'm considering getting a mother 32 to eventually expand into modular systems in the future. I was considering the volca drum because I like the synth engine and the recent demos that have been coming out about it. Still undecided, was watching 0-Coast videos last night considering if I was ready to dive into something that crazy. You ought to look at the Behringer Neutron, I looked at the Mother 32 and this and plumped for the Neutron which I have never regretted - the Behringer actually feels better made to me, and love the sound. IF you did this, you could buy the Volca drums as well, and still have some dosh left over... Looked into them and I was wowed by the low end/harmonics. I can't believe that behringer could produce something like that and sell it at such a low price. The only advantage that the mother 32 had for me was the sequencer and I'm just playing to get a keystep soon anyway so it wasn't too important to me/ So I picked up one in mint condition from reverb for $260. Thanks for the suggestion ! Saved me a ton of money. |
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I've been impressed by what I'm hearing here, so that's another reason to go for it.
) So the FM will sooner or later make it into my very tiny arsenal just because it offers a completely different synthesis option which I wouldn't otherwise get.
