Korg - volca Keys - Analogue Loop Synthesizer

Product Information

What I didn't expect were all the other things it could do, which seem to be understated on the video. In polyphonic ring modulation (ring mod) mode, a single note will sound as a normal square wave without ring mod but as soon as a second or third note is played, ring modulation will occur.

The ideal choice as your first analogue synth, or a powerful addition to any studio set up, the Volca Keys' filter features the circuitry of the legendary miniKORG 700S. Peak is Korg's name for filter resonance, and the Peak knob controls the amount of resonance on the filter cutoff point. Whether used together or by themselves, the volca series is poised to inject true analog power into any performance or studio setup! Although it is marketed as an "Analogue" Synthesizer in reality the control signals are generated digitally with the CPU using a 10-bit DAC giving incredible near-analogue resolution. It offers the richly expressive sounds that are distinctive of an analogue synth, providing the enjoyment of simple yet deep sound-creation.It's even easy to program on the fly, which I found out quickly when setting it down with Ableton for the first time. It houses a 16-step sequencer with motion sequencing, Korg's proprietary version of parameter automation. One of the most fun parts of playing around on an analog synth is setting up and modifying an arpeggio, and the Keys delivers the experience in spades.

With its structure of 3VCO, 1VCF, 1VCA, 1LFO, and 1EG, the volca keys has a recognizable, versatile structure. Analog synthesizers in which a simple oscillator such as a saw wave or square wave is modified by a filter are referred to as "East Coast style" because of their origin from well-known American manufacturers. The lights below the touchpad, in addition to indicating the status of various functions and displaying the current step in the sequencer, also indicate the note being played with the two adjacent ‘white note’ lights showing when a sharp/flat note is played.With a sync jack that allows easy connection to a Korg groove machine, you can connect the volca modular to another volca series unit, a minilogue, monologue, or prologue, an electribe, or the SQ-1, and enjoy sessions with the sequencer synchronized to the playback. Irregular phrases, rhythms, and scaling that would be unlikely to come to mind can be generated by applying randomness, letting the volca be a source of unknown ideas. These are the next-generation analogue synthesizers, bringing you the ultimate sounds and grooves with ease and depth. As a rule I found (with some exceptions) the solid dials' movements can't be sequenced, but the translucent dials can be sequenced and are backlit red plus flash to denote which parameters are active or recorded in a 'motion sequence' (motion sequencing captures dial movements into the sequencer). I like the fact that the volca keys is a one-knob-per-function synth without any hidden menus or settings.