Review: Korg Volca FM2 vs OG // DX-7 based synth gets better // Volca FM 2 synthesis tutorial
Vložit
- čas přidán 11. 06. 2024
- Read the full FM synthesis chapter in my ever-expanding book of electronic music ideas, tips and tricks here:
► Patreon: / loopop
Volca FM 2 Price check links (affiliate links help the channel):
► Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/2rL9x0
► Thomann: www.thomann.de/intl/search_di...
► Perfect Circuit: link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/...
► Amazon: amzn.to/3Q32Fa5
Other gear in this video:
► Arturia KeyStep 37
► TRS A to MIDI DIN cables by Designacable
► Scopes by Melda
► Dexed - free DX7 editor in software and plugin form, includes a synth engine
► Synthmata by Oscillator Sink - free web-based editor (Chrome) - no downloads required
SETUP FAQ: Wait, why is there no MIDI cable connected from the Keystep to the Volca?!
► You could do that, but for this video, the Keystep is connected via USB to an off-camera computer - I needed to go through a computer because I wanted to send MIDI notes from my Keystep but also SYSEX from Dexed, so the computer was also acting as a "MIDI merge" box using Ableton Live, hosting both Dexed and another channel routing MIDI from Keystep to a USB MIDI interface (built in to my audio interface in this case) and from there to the Volca via a 5 pin MIDI to TRS A adapter cable to the Volca FM2.
TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:40 FM2 vs OG FM
4:15 Overview
7:05 Effects
8:20 Velocity
8:45 Transpose
9:15 Modulator attack decay
10:05 Carrier attack decay
10:50 LFO basics
11:35 Algorithms
12:55 Program random
13:45 Unison
14:20 Sequencer
15:50 Arpeggiator
16:40 Motion Seq
18:10 MIDI Seq
19:00 Act/Warp Step
20:30 Diving deeper
21:00 Dexed-Synthmata
21:50 FM Synthesis
25:20 Freq ratios
25:45 Modulators
27:45 Envelopes
31:15 Key velocity
31:55 LFO routing
33:30 Pitch env
33:50 Level scaling
34:05 Feedback
35:35 Pros & cons
38:45 Playing 16 patterns
Other places I hang out:
► Instagram: / loopopmusic
► Facebook: / loopopmusic
► Twitter: / loopopmusic
► Web: loopopmusic.com
My music:
► Bandcamp: loopop.bandcamp.com
► Spotify: bit.ly/LoopopOnSpotify
► Apple Music: bit.ly/LoopopOnAppleMusic
Submit review and video ideas here (sorry I don’t offer 1x1 sessions/setup/purchasing advice):
► Ziv (at) loopopmusic.com
NOTE: Occasionally I’ll try out affiliate marketing and include affiliate links. This means that I may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via affiliate links to stores like Amazon, Sweetwater, Thomann and others. The content of this clip is entirely my opinion, and was not paid for or dictated in any way by the company creating the gear. Without addressing the particulars of products shown here as they might be under NDA, gear shown on this channel may be either sent by the manufacturer, on loan for review or bought at a discount.
It's kind of fitting that Korg has paid such respect to the DX7. During the reign of the DX7 Yamaha actually bought a controlling stake of Korg in order to keep the company alive. Yamaha made a ton of money from the DX7, and basically subsidized Korg through hard times long enough for Korg's founder to repurchase that stake in the company. I'm not sure if you would ever see something like this in America's business world. Yamaha and Korg recognized that they both need competitors, and valued each other.
incredibly interesting thank you for sharing
Honour and respect above all else. Japan.
Wow... this is awesome to know, amazing, thanks for sharing this.
i’m not crying you’re crying
That is actually so wholesome it makes me happy! I have a volca beats so.i might get this also. Great info btw.
What a beautiful analogy for the mysteries of FM synthesis:
"Changing an algorithm... is kind of like planning a trip in one city, and then getting the city swapped out on you. You're not going to arrive where you planned, but it might be an interesting trip regardless"
😁👍
Zu
i had to pause and consider the simultaneous horror n wonder. that was hilarious along with the compaison of the spiderman game😆 ...then some of the cities may 'seem' familiar BUT your gf is now covered in hair from head-to-hoof and your family n friends have swapped personalities. oh the places we could go with analogies to fm algo swapping
the preset on the original Volca FM "Shortcut" very quickly gets to some pretty good sounds by simply swapping algorithms
That made me smile as well, especially having done it for real and ending up climbing a mountain!
"This may seem complicated at first, because it is..." That made my day. 😀
I loved synths and was very excited when the DX7 was released in 1983. I was about 10 years old at the time. There is NO way people back in the 80s would've believed we would still be using this technology in 2022... but here we are. FM synthesis is still unique and interesting, and hey we still have analog monosynth's too!
Erm, sorry to be that person, but I kind of did. Back then I thought to myself that I'd get one choice synth from digital and analogue and buy them with the view of them being used in the future. And I did - a DX7 and a Juno 1. I still have them and still use them.
I Looked at this and thought these would be pretty landmark repesentations and would likely be relevant in the future.
@@crunchyfrog555 Did you really think the DX7 would be relevant 40 years later?!
@@lundsweden Yup absolutely. At that time, analogue was being seen as old hat. I thought this would be a passing fad and I was right on that. But also I knew that an early model flagship digital synth would be equally treasured so that's why I plumped for both. I fully intended to splash out on them and with the view to keepp them, and I did just that.
I would say that I am in no way unique on this. Many thought this way.
There is only analogue and digital for audio, so it's not exactly that unsual to foresee this.
@@MonitorSmith DX7 isn't hard to program at all, it's why they gave 32 algorithms
Yeah, FM and analogue aren't going anywhere, modular is the father of subtractive synthesis and synths and the modular market has only boomed, leading to a revival of analogue synths, then FM is a basic and _essential_ type of synthesis, it's not going anywhere just like subtractive isn't leaving anytime soon.
Dang, dude! I’m always thoroughly impressed by how well-made your videos are!
Love ‘em!
As a DX7 fan I will be getting this ASAP. The polyphony on the first Volca kept me from buying one, but having a pocket DX7 with six voices is damn near perfect for me as I love minimalism, but still want to be able to play basic chords. It sounds like they added just the right amount of reverb and chorus, too, as a bonus.
I had the original Volca FM, loved it! I will definitely get the FM2. I think it is the best of all Volca’s
EDIT: im totally wrong and must have been confused. It's 6 OP.
I mean it's 4 op not 6 so the dx7 comparisons are a little off
I agree with Rich. 3-notes was a joke. This is a near-buy now. I got the PreenFM2 instead of the Volca OG - but now this is 6-voice, its better UI/UX then the Preen. Though the Preen has 14-voice poly, it misses the Seq (though does have arps). So yeah I might trade in the PreenFM2 for the VolcaFM2. = I can still say I have an FM2 whatever outcome :D
Opsix is cheaper now, more polyphony than you'll need....
@@billimnot5962 It's not fully DX7 compatible, though, especially for what concerns envelopes. The Volca FM isn't perfect either, but most sounds are almost identical and you can anyway dump any DX7 program.
You had me at "6 voices instead of 3"
What an informative video. One of the best I've seen with the side guide and top graphics. subbed.
It would be game over if they made a Volca keys 2, the possibilities would be amazing
Or a Volca Beats 2 with the snare mod done, step probability, 64 step sequencer, bar reset, 6 outs, midi out
That’s what I’m waiting for 🤞
+1 for Volca Keys 2 with 4 voices and more waveforms as currently not versatile enough
@@jeremiahfire1798 6 voices, please. That'll be an instant buy, even with that shitty, noisy delay effect. :D
@@billimnot5962 I'd settle for just the snare mod
Thank you this is one of the best explanations I’ve seen of how FM synthesis works
On mobile, KQ Dixie is a good DX7 clone with intuitive touch screen controls that can export patches to the FM
Exactly
Caustic has a nice FM synth built in, too
@@vecvan I had that Years ago on Android before I got into iOS. It would be excellent to see a new version. Caustic reminded me of Reason rack interface.
I got KQ Dixie and BLEASS Omega this weekend. Both sound very nice!
I prefer dedicated hardware.
Really cool news! The Volca FM have always been one of my favorite Volcas!
Stop lying. We all know your favourite is Sample ;)
😂
damn I got the original just a couple of months ago and now I want to get this one
Sample was my first groove/drum/beat machine. (Wanted to save money while learning process.) It’s shocking how solid it sounds and fun it is to use. I think this little guy is a no brainer. This is wonderful.
The king of synth CZcams reviews! Cool upgrade!
I watch loopop videos before deciding to pull the trigger on a piece of gear
loopop is the perfect teacher I always missed at school. 🤩
Have wanted a Volca FM for a while now. Glad I waited.
Will definitely be getting one of the new ones.
The Arp still being limited to 3 notes is a bit of a bummer, but they seemed to have gone all-out on this upgrade otherwise, and I'm glad they didn't remove the metronome all together. I'm incredibly excited for it to be released! Thanks for such an in-depth overview.
ARP is now six notes as of firmware 1.10 ;)
Just want to take a moment and appreciate the unbelievable pace at which you are putting these videos out. Completely unreal and the effort shows through; hope you're remembering to take some time for yourself! Cheers
Thanks very much! Indeed these past and coming few weeks are slightly more intense than usual - the pace should become less insane after May :)
the program randomizer is such a great feature, i use it all the time on the wavestate
would you say that the synth makes sense even if you only use the randomizer without diving into the adventure of FM synthesis? I love the sound, but I guess on the volca it is really hard to actually create sounds from scratch without any additional software (which I don't want to use)
@@AngMoKio8 yes for sure, especially for the price. The thing is you can get results with just hitting the randomize feature. Also if you like the synth, naturally you will grow with it and what seems hard now will make sense later. For example when i first got my Kronos i hated the interface and editing sounds but because i really liked the keyboard i kept it and after a year or two i can navigate and create my own sounds with ease. ✌😎
21:45 I believe the reason live parameter updates don't get sent to a connected Yamaha DX-7 is that doing so would cause played notes to be truncated. The DX had a terrible flaw IMHO in that receiving certain MIDI/sysex information caused its oscillators to reset. Heck, just pushing one of the synth's soft buttons to change patches could make it go "TWANG!!" during a live performance. Hence, the "SEND" feature in Dexed, in case you needed time to ramp down the volume pedal beforehand. At least that's my take on the situation.
I had a DX9 the 4 operator version of the DX7 back in the mid 80s. I could get electronic pianos and brass from it it was impossible to program. I miss my old DX so might just get one of these.... Thanks for the great demo 👍
as a current DX7 owner, this is a good idea. The DX7 is massive and 15KG...
Wow, I will come back to this video a lot, it's the best FM video I have ever seen, I finally seem to understand how Dexed/Volca FM sounds work, maybe I will be able to do more than use oscillator sinks randomize function in the future :)
Fantastic clean and amazing lesson ,Thanks .
This video inspired me to pull the trigger on a DX100, thank you.
Very interesting tool! It makes FM synthesis way more accessible than all those 80ies staples. In such a compact form factor. Nice!
I just got myself a Volca FM2 and a Volca Keys, after watching numerous videos to find out which one was right for me nd then couldn't decide in the end. I must say, the FM2 seemed pretty intimidating for a beginner, but your video really made it look a lot easier than expected. (excluding the whole 'sound desingn' part, that is kind of tough, and I will probably just skip that and enjoy the sounds available xD) So thank you very much for this video and the clarification on some things!
30:40 It's so quaint to see Dexed showing essentially the same envelope editing screens as we enjoyed on the Yamaha CX5M Music Computer starting in 1983, ha ha. What's old is new again. Thank god we no longer have to load patches using data cassette tapes or click-and-drag all the on-screen controls with a chunky roller-ball mouse (or arrow keys!!). 😀
thanks for video! also beautiful examples you play :)
ok, now this is worth getting.
I wish all the Volcas were this upgraded version type.
I'd also like to see some kind of Super Volca with a few put together.
We might, eventually.
@@Jason75913 Was just a random thought but there is probably a market for it at least in a limited edition amount.
@@ryanperrault8174 We may eventually see a Super Volca, Volca FM and Sample have gotten updates so far, I bet more are on the way.
We won't see some kind of, say, multi-Volca-FM thing because it would compete with the Opsix.
The Volca Keys was one of my fav synths ever until it just quit making sounds after 3 years... If they made an upgraded version I would buy it in a heartbeat.
@@inthefade my volca keys crapped out on me too.
Great fm sound module! Great overview as well
Wow so glad I saw this vid I was just going to order the volca fm ..I’ll get the fm2 now
love the FM, great review!
I brought alot of my gear based on you reviews and tutorials.
I just brought the FM2.
If this is my last piece...
I'm good.
The FM2 is a Monster in a Box.
The neighbors are gonna have to deal with it
Well done Korg...
Thanks Loopop.
This this is so good, its such a completely differnt sound to the typical subtractive synth sound and just a million times more complex (sounding)
The best tutorial ever on FM and dexed...
Simply the best reviewer!!.
0:51 that's absolutely hilarious, I don't think I've ever heard you crack a joke before and I've been a fan for years 😂
I'm already preordered, 80's goodness LET'S GOOOOO!
An amazing video of a much improved Volca FM @loopop. I skipped the first volca FM, but this one really impressed me due to your video and is now on my shortlist. Kudos!
Makes me wonder how this compares sound wise (f.e. DA & effects quality) to that other great FM synth from KORG, the opsix. Furthermore if Yamaha ever will recreate and improve their lineup from the 1980s...
The dac in the fm2 is definitely improved over the original. It’s much fuller and lively sounding. I compared them side by side with the new effects turned off on the fm2 and using only 3 voices.
brooooo since when did you start displaying the chords you're playing via midi? That's so good! Please keep doing that! I'm still learning that sorta stuff and being able to casually hear/identify a tone I may really like in the background while watching your reviews is like, easily one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
Thanks for another great review.
I can not wait to hear what VolcaNiced, the master of Volcas, can come up with on this machine!
Oh!!! VOLCA FM MK2 😻 Thank you Loopop!
Darn you, loopop. Making me buy so much stuff. It’s all been life changing though, so I won’t Mad. It’s healthier than buying a bag
Months into owning the original Volca.
Discoveries and surprises continue,but the game has improved with the new updated version.
So, now more discovery and surprise me.
Great synth, great review!!
This sounds amazing,. Tech has come a long way. Greater and greater functionality keeps getting squeezed into smaller packages. And it is difficult to keep up with the dizzying array of product out here. That’s where loopop come in! Once again I have to thank you and compliment you on your technological savvy. I’ve made a number of purchasing decisions from educating myself from your videos - and never regretted one!
QUESTION: What is the app you use for your oscilloscope?
Thanks! I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionally I’ll use scopes by VCV
Looks like they made great improvements. The original 3 voice limit and lack of velocity sensitivity was exactly what put me off when I was looking for a small portable FM synth.
That's why at the time I chose to build a Preen FM 2, which didn't have those limitations (and uses true frequency modulation, while the DX-7 actually uses phase modulation). But that is not an option for those who want to have access to the DX7 patches.
I probably would have bought this if it was on the market last year. Thanks for the video!
Technically true frequency modulation would alter the fundamental, even the preen is phase modulation!
Looking forward to pairing this with a Keystep pro! 😍
Have been gassing for one of these, but still not available in the US.
But I now have Dexed on my iPad, so I can play FM sounds with my Yamaha YC61 keyboard, which has great audio/MIDI connectivity with iPad, through usb cable.
Update: I ended up buying an FM2 from a Japanese vender on Ebay. Love it!
21:55 "This may seem complicated at first because it is"!
Helpful tips in modular synthesis
Damn but I love your synth reviews!
Well this is interesting, the Volca FM is the Volca that I still use fairly often
Hello there, with the 1.09 unofficial firmware you can receive program change messages and the dexed works in real time as a proper editor, just setting the midi channel correctly. You can also disable midi clock in and some more things, dont know if all this is possible in 2.0. Maybe the 1.09 is installable in this version too.
I'd imagine not, since so much has changed. Maybe Pajen will try to hack this one too, though I beleive he's said that their newer products are harder to
It's a pity if Korg didn't implement Pajen's features - they are essential for the gen 1.
They changed a few things that will likely make the FM2 incompatible with pajen's generous firmware
Nice that they added a reverb, too bad you can’t control the reverb time. I have had the original VFM for a long time now and am still using it, so I would def recommend this. Not sure I need to update though. Great review as always Loop!
Thanks! You can "sort of" control the reverb time using the mix knob - I know it's not the same thing - but you do hear less of a tail if its level is lower
I wonder if it's something they could add in a firmware update, even if it can only be controlled over MIDI
@@rorz999 I don’t know about adding more controls by you can control the reverb mix over midi
It costs almost as much as a Volca but a Zoom MS-70CDR makes a nice addition to any synth setup (stereo version of their MS-50G/MS-60B). Lots of effects you can upload into it. For less a used Zoom G1on is not as good as the MS series, but it can load most of the same effects but can't run as many of them at once and is a little worse for noise/hiss. Behringer FX600 is another pedal that is cheap ($35) while it lacks reverb, it has lots of other good stuff for making an ambient synth track on a budget.
I'm definitely getting one - the 6 voices is a huge huge upgrade for me!
I currently use my Volca FM 1 a lot, especially since updating the firmware to the third party version that allows for velocity sensitivity via MIDI. I can see a future wherein I use both. I'm excited that Korg made a new version with a lot of cool stuff that doesn't completely render the older version obsolete. I feel the same way about the Sample 2.
Now, if we could just get a Beat 2 with the snare mod and some added functions like those in the FM 2...
Or if the Volca Sample 2 (which I sold)was actually a sampler with more than 8mb of memory. Also the Pajen firmware for the original Volca Sample made for a better musical instrument. Why Korg omitted such an update themselves is a mystery to me.
I had a Volca FM, loved it most out of my volcas, the other was Drum and Keys. Yeah, the FM 2 is probably the best Volca money can buy right now.
That update is why I still have my OG FM and haven't pulled the trigger on one of these yet. I had been trying to load certain dx7 patches that didn't sound right, and apparently Yamaha and Korg have two different ways of sending/receiving sysex. The pajen update allowed for choice. I highly doubt this one does, and I hated the disappointment of, say, finding a bank of Brian Eno patches and half of them either wouldn't make a sound or didn't sound a thing like the example. Still skittish on that with this one.
Slick animation thing. Always top quality content.
Who knew Carl Sagan was so into FM synthesis?
Yet another thorough review and synthesizer class that covered the subject completely. Right after watching this, I joined your patreon so I could pay you back some, and, if I'm being completely(in-completely?🤔) honest, so I could also get your "in-complete" book. 😜 Speaking of your book, I get why you call it "in-complete" but it is most likely the most complete incomplete book I've ever seen just based on me reading the first few pages, scanning the table of contents and spot reading a section or two. Awesome job! BTW, I put a Korg Volca FM 2 on back order right after watching the video. 🙄😬
Thanks very much!!
With USB, OLED Screen and fully VST editor, will be a little destroyer! Thanks for this powerful review!
Nice video as usual. 👌
Its great that Korg has expanded the poly on this. I was really excited for volcafm2 at first but then I got to thinking about what I really wanted in an FM synth. I looked at the OPSix but wanted more than 37 keys. Ultimately I found and bought a dx7IIfd with E! expansion in great condition. It cost a lot more (like buying 5 volcas) but I remember enjoying the one I had a long time ago and I am so glad I picked up the real deal.
I don't mind programming FM cause I learned synthesizers with a dx100 so I'm good with it.
Without an editor, the DX7II is a lot easier to program than the volca fm.
I find the Volca easier to tweak on the fly than any DX synth.
those animations really dope!
I know Volcas are usually purchased as first gear, but I think I’m going to get this one. I only have the Sample 2 but have all the POs other than Tonic, Arcade, Robot, and KO ( I have Megaman and the sampler version of the remake escapes me at the moment) as always I regret not getting those 3 thinking I’ll find them cheap somewhere! Always get the version or all of whatever when you can, before some a-hole wants $350 for Rick and morty on Mercari! Not the direction I expected them to go, but I use them constantly in writing and can’t help loveing them❤! lol my excuse for not getting the FM 1 or 2, I have QY100 and Qy300 and Motif, I git the real DX 7 FMs! I’ve become a collector so, I’ll have to include the volcas as well! Thank you Loopop for the video as always you left me well informed. peace!
buenisima comparativa!!! saludos!
Man, when will this be in stock?! FM and PD synth is all my ears can remember. So many new/old ideas 🎸
Thank you. Your reviews are great and extremely educational which gives youtube so much more value than all other similar medias. Your camera is very good. The learning process of drum machines and similar bank orientated machines is fast. CZcams is the only medium I use now. On your patreon site, are there single cycle wave file samples of tones from synthesizers?
Greetings, Hrólfur
Thanks for the kind words and for your interest in my Patreon. Occasionally I post multisamples but not single cycle waveforms
This is very impressive. You could get a lot out of this. Even without diving into fm synthesis proper (which I doubt most will ever do)
Sequencing is interesting compared to the other classic volcas. Weird to not include individual step recording but then include the new warp feature instead.
I wish they all had the same pattern chaining
It'll depend on the actual retail price, but this seems like pretty much a nobrainer. Great way of cheaply adding full FM synthesis capability to a compact setup. I see myself using this with the Keys, and an MPC, and a small midi keyboard. Pack it all up in a neat little backpack, and jam Trans Europe Express style all over Europe's rail network.
🚂 🔊
I think i read 170usd
@@annother3350 yeah I saw it listed for 169. For that kind of money I might even be able to save up for the Autobahn eurotour. Good times :)
You could literally do all the shit the volca does but better on whatever device you typed this comment on
@@wendigo2442 This is the least helpful comment ever. Under your logic no digital hardware synths should ever exist, because since they're all software/programmed, you could just do the synthesis on a PC.
95% of the point of something like this is portability/"giggability" at a reasonable cost. I mean, hell, there are software synth VSTs that cost more than this thing does.
Refreshingly thorough walk-through of FM synthesis theory (thanks!). Kids today will likely have comparatively weak background in the math involved (sines and how waves interact to create modulation/harmonics), not to mention voice shaping (ADSR, envelopes, LFO, etc.) as well as music theory (instrument timbre/color, beating, chordal structure). So I doubt they'll grasp just how maddeningly complex FM is compared with additive synthesis (where filters did so much of the work for you) or modern samplers (which do ALL of the work!).
Still, the payoff of getting a sweet nectar sound out of an FM synth makes it all worthwhile. While speaking to Dr. John Chowning (inventor of FM), jokingly claimed I had discovered all possible sounds by tinkering with the knobs. He said that is not possible within a single lifetime. And he's certainly correct! Will today's musicians have the wherewithal to even try?
There's a bunch of video tutorials on how to make patches for dubstep, techno, and other electronica styles using FM8. I can get great techno and trance sounds out of my Volca FM (albeit just stabs and pluck leads/basses due to the limited polyphony). A _bit_ challenging, but not insanely difficult. I do not know if FM8 has lost popularity, everyone just keeps bringing up Serum or U-HE synths in VST discussions. Serum is great, but it doesn't sound as good as Massive X to me. U-HE seems pretty incredible, I might try out Hive 2 in the future. I've been in love with FM8 for years now.
So today's electronic music producers have certainly delved into FM synthesis, not sure how many have, exactly. Keyboardists with MODX keyboards have a very potent FM synth at their finger tips, though only a very tiny minority will delve into subtractive sound design, let alone FM synthesis.
"modern samplers (which do ALL of the work!)"
they are just regular subtractive synths, and depending on the sampler, will give you a filter and EGs all the same.
"not possible within a single lifetime"
if you don't exclude junk and unusuable sounds and sounds that overlap with regular subtractive synths, DX7 patches in circulation around the web, and patches too similar to each other altogether, sure, you won't explore every possibility within a lifetime
Love this. Thanks. I've only had my volca fm2 for a couple of weeks and I'm deep in thanks to you. I've mapped all the surface buttons to my usb controllers and there's a midi implementation chart (in text format) that describes individual control of all six operators and the universal parameters too. Do you cover these buried system exclusive messages anywhere? I hope to map all six operators onto my controllers to have instant access to all of them (almost faking the layout of the opsix) but I don't know what to do with the data. I joined your Patreon and I've just opened your book looking for clues ... Thanks. BTW, that analogy about switching out cities is brilliant.
Thanks very much for joining my Patreon! No, I don't cover its sysex.
The goat Loops returns
That sweet Kraftwelt vibe!
Don't know if you've checked but they updated the firmware and added sustain. Now if we can get them to add midi cc for everything haha but maybe they will add LFO amp depth in the same way they did the Chorus and Reverb depth with holding the function button. They could do that to the P.DEPTH nob easily. Hope KORG reads this!
Such a perfect A++ Demo! Thank you! Question: How did you guys get John Malkovich to narrate for you?!?!
Simple: I spare no cost. People vastly underestimate the resources I invest in making these videos so thanks for noticing the little details.
This is... just... I LOVE VOLCA ♥️🥰
Volca FM is another level synth, and aside from volca form factor, it is fully fledged DX 7 minus the keyboard. For 100£, there is really nothing remotely close. The next good synth dealing with FM would be Twisted Electrons Mega fm, but that is 500£ synth with Sega Megadrive chip. I have both that one and Blast Beats, it is very interesting approach to FM synthesis. 4 operator though. Anyway, there are two Volcas that surpass the basic entry level - FM and Drum, both are very advanced. I can add Bass too, simply because 3 analogue oscillators for that price are worth it.
LOL - loved the subliminal message! So I smashed it! Nice!
Those arps at the start remind me of Legowelt-Santiago Chile Arp Track. Nice to track to check out if you like it.
as always, another great Loopop review! Got me to get one, after being so DX OS-fearing. But where's the Likes, folks?--like 5% of views or so if my math's right, come on!
Lol as soon as I saw the thumb nail I knew I’d want to end up buying this
I will be buying one.
At midnight comes surprises~
Great sound👍
Great overview! If I may ask this one question that isn’t directly related to the volca: how do you bridge from usb midi out of your Arturia controller into 5-pin midi into the volca?
Thanks! Through a computer. You could use a direct MIDI cable with a dongle without a computer, but I needed to go through a computer because I wanted to send MIDI notes from my keystep but also SYSEX from Dexed, so the computer was also acting as a "MIDI merge" box
@@loopop thanks! I can definitely work with that. Thanks so much for replying
@@electronik808 TRS type A
Looks and sounds like a neat little Volca, how do you like it compapred to a DX Reface?
I spent some hours making an old novation controller work with sysex and cc comands to program the reface on the fly. IDK if volca responds as fast to midi changes ? The reface is a very convenient synth because it has good keys and little speakers that sound pretty good to self jam. the litlle knobs on the volca seem to do some good things that are fun to change your sound. the reface has a nice pitch joystick and a midi recorder that has a long record time. reface has better fx built in including delay. volca has all 32 operator algorhythems of dx7 and is compatible with patches. reface has variable sign and saw feedback modifiers to each operator. so you can still do a lot with its 12 algorhytems but it is not the same as a dx7 where as this volca pretty much is ,except for the polyphony. OP6 is cool too.
The Reface has 8 voice polyphony. Not compatible with 6op patches, but has a lot of great free shared patches on Yamaha Soundmondo. What I like is the portability of just one unit.
Reface can sound "mutilated" next to a 6-op FM synth.
@@chuckvicious the original Volca FM responds very rapidly to MIDI input, so when you use the synthmata online editor, it feels instantaneous
but can it do a convincing “lately bass”?
Great review. I would like to ask you how many parameters, if any, can be controlled via MIDI CC? Thanks in advance.
Groooovy video graphics!
Do you think it's worth buying even though I already have KQ Dixie on my iPad? Having a small battery-powered box with hands on controls and motion sequencing would still be fun.
hi, thanks for making these amazing videos!
is there any way to chose what parameters the lfo affects?
Great Video :-D .... Which (VST???) tools are the two windows above the synth? So the oscilloscope window and the frequency analyser tool? I've seen this on your videos before. I would also like to use the tools. :-)
Hi, I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionally I’ll use scopes by VCV
@@loopop NICE :-D THX
Very good video explanation! By the way, what is the name of audio spectrum analyzer you used? Thanks!
Hi, I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionally I’ll use scopes by VCV
Side-question, what cable(s) are you using for your FM2 audio? The right angled one looks cool!
I bought a 90 degree TRS adapter from aliexpress
Great vid Loopop, thanks. I was really hoping they'd have added sustain support - or even just the CC so you could map it. Made sense with just 3 voices, but it seems a missed opportunity with 6 voices, especially as the seq can now send to other gear.
Wait... Whaaaaa no sustain?
Yup, that was the final straw for me with the original (which I sure wish I sold already). I finally got the velocity working and was so pumped to play it with my piano, then... NO SUSTAIN!
Yeah wow. I had no idea. I mean w the 3 voices i wasnt interested as you can get a tx7 etc of old yamahas for under 200. When I saw the 6 voice now I was like heck yeah ill get one...and then... no sustain... is just plain lamesauce... And also why... neeeeeverrrrmind, Korg. When is the drumlogue coming out? Lol
You can always sustain with your fingers.
@@marike1100 ... Nice. 😆 .. Yeah...and while picking your nose at the same time kicking a nun with your sustain pedal foot. 😆. On serious note Be hard to use it to layer or switch between other synths without sustain. Makes it a no go for a lot of people... unless they implement that, which is easy esp being all digital .. and also cc for modulation. Weird neither exist. Really no sense why it doesn't or previous model. I had no idea.
super great thanks!
In general, any VSTi tool you come across, even a free one, has a richer, fatter sound, more features and greater flexibility in use