Korg Volca Drum

The Lounge Other Gear
#375

Correct!

Yeah, it’s 16 kits, and 16 patterns. Each pattern can access any of the 16 kits, and once you save it, the kit is assigned to the pattern.

It’s saved with the pattern (program), not the kit. So if you change sound 1’s track length to 12 steps, and then change kit, it’ll stay at 12 steps.

As for the sound design, yeah, it’s a bit limited, but it starts to open up a bit when you start controlling it with something else. I would have loved some other LFO/mod destinations though. I think some of the best sounds to come out of it are when the LFO goes up to audio rate, it starts to get really metallic and interesting. And I always use at least a little bit of bitcrush/drive/fold on each sound, just because I like my drum sounds a bit dirty :smiley:

I think I’ll ultimately end up moving it along, mostly because I’m getting some real cravings for a Machinedrum again, but it was a fun thing to spend $170AU on (secondhand price).

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#376

yes you are right, I did some of that stuff today and modulated parameter via OTs midi lfos and noodled one of the presets away. this is a sketch from todays session

I feel the same and am thinking about having a look at one (or two :wink:) leagues above like a machinedrum or monomachine to get the full potential of sweet modulating.

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#377

Yeah never cared about midi retrig until I hooked the drum to the DT. Had another look at the CC chart and while you can’t control the sequencer you can control the waveguide tune. I’ve gone bonkers sending different LFO shapes and different speeds (under 20) and you get some amazing repeats. Setting the waveguide decay to zero and you get a single repeat that is tied to the send amount. I think I’m explaining it right. Point is you can make it do repeats in a different manner and it’s just as cool.

Has anyone updated the firmware and tested the waveguide? It’s supposed to sync to tempo now if I’m not mistaken? On the initial firmware you could sync it via some maths. Dang now I’m gonna be up all night. Ideas :bulb:!!!

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#378

Just installed the update. And found a new bug after 1 Minute.
Parameter locking is wired strange between tracks.
That whole thing is random for me, take it out to make random music.
Korg Volca Random.

#379

Now that I own this wild machine, I’m wondering if any VD owners also own the Volca Modular and how they compare when it comes to getting wild and crazy. Can’t decide if I should buy the Modular or not. The YouTube videos didn’t impress me soundwise but the Volcas do tend to impress me in person (Sample, Keys, and now the drum).

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#380

I have Drum and Modular plus Ipad apps ( Ripplemaker ) Have no idea what im doing. Theres a Krell patch on Ripplemaker that dosent sound as good as VM but Ripplemaker is more versatile but Iv only copied a few patches off YT for VM. It does have a different sound I guess, sort of like a beefy Voilin ( whatever thats called ) Theres some vd and vm vids from someone maybe in Japan. They use in a complex sounding but slow fashion and it was best for me doing the same. Literally slowing down a drum patch to something like 30 bpm, whilst the krell patch be slow also but with effects. Its up to you because you can just sell it if you dont like it. Theres IOS, ocoast which may need a sequencer and Voltage lab. Check to see if you can make a Krell patch on non west coast and that might be good.

#381

the parameter jumps are going to make me crazy and are most likely the reason to return the unit. I mean the box is fun but without having an indicator of the parameter value there is no way to deal with the kit in depth, as I have to turn the knobs to receive a value resulting in destroying jumps.

guess I’m gonna sample the shit out of the unit and send it back… looking to upgrade with a MD or ND2.

#382

I am new to the volcas and have drum, keys, FM, and now the mix which I received yesterday so was able to start jamming with all 3. I ended up on this forum trying to see if anyone else has issues with the mute button not locking for the volca drum

I see PSELODUX mentioned this also. Am I just not seeing that there is a way to do this? Having to hold mute button and then select the muted/played tracks is a major oversight by Korg I think it really takes the playability away when jamming with multiple volcas, I can’t operate another parameter on another volca when building a drop because I need both hands to unmute drum tracks.

Also would be good to be able to mute/unmute non-sequential tracks using two hands (mute tracks 1-2 and unmute tracks 5-6) Hopefully I am just being blind and not seeing how to do this. I looked at global parameters hoping there was an option of mute being held once pressed, but no joy.

seems like an easy fix, is there a reason to not just have mute hold like when pressing the play button?

#383

New with volca drum. I’ve just play one night around, but fun anyway. Sampled all factory kits with my digitakt. A little surprised around diferents tones you can create with this machine. It’s so far to machinedrum, but anyway not too bad. Sounds so metallic, i miss some frequencies on low spectrum… but for the price, i guess you can’t get more.
In the case, i think i’ll have a good source of sounds for my digitatk.

1 Like
#384

So how are people liking the Volca Drum,?

There are very few for sale on Reverb, which might mean that people are actually keeping and using them? :scream_cat:

#385

I really like mine. I must say though, I use it as sample fodder for the RYTM.

#386

Thanks! What attracts me to it is that the sequencer looks so much easier to work with than the one on all of the previous volcas. Actual per step parameter editing.

Has that been your experience?

#387

Hmm. I’m wondering about the MIDI implementation.

  • Are the parameters pretty well covered in terms of CC assignments?
  • Can you play the parts chromatically via MIDI?
  • Some people spoke of jumps when tweaking patches – if I had an external MIDI controller with endless encoders, would that help it?

Thanks :slight_smile:

#388

That’s a good idea, hadn’t thought of that, will experiment with that later! I also use Fractal Bits (iPad/iPhone app) as sample material for Rytm - it brings a Machinedrum style extension to Rytm.

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#389

I’ve had trouble with midi implementation and the Korg or other online guides are rubbish. I gave up in the end. If anyone knows of any decent guides for midi on this unit, then please let me know :slight_smile:

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#390

Fractal Bits is brilliant, my wife’s birthday makes a great kit :crazy_face:

@papertiger I love the VD, crazy sounds, interesting sequencer, perfect sample fodder and the closest to a Nord Drum 2 I’ve heard.
It’s so cheap, so small, so crazy that it’s a keeper.
I believe the step editing was used by Volca sample too but I may be dreaming, not been at the helm for quite a while…

3 Likes
#391

agreed, the unit is a total keeper. highlight of 2019 for me
only minus is the value skip/jump on the encoders (actually a big one - maybe a firmware can fix?)

how does the per step editing work? didn’t even know it was possible
happy new year to all!

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#392

yea, the Volca Sample has step editing too & it really expands the sequencer.

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#393

I wish they would add some kind of backup functionality. Other than that. Amazing machine.

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#394

Anything you make with it sounds good, very capable machine.
I love to use it with its own sequencer or via Ableton with polypin plus velo2volcaD

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