Korg Volca series

[BCM]

you will need an external usb soundcard for starters, if you get one with enough inputs you can just record directly into it and do the mixing in software. if you can afford it though i'd buy both...you can pick up a half decent soundcard with multiple inputs for about £120 - £150 and a decent small mixer for about the same.

[flacid]

you will need an external usb soundcard for starters, if you get one with enough inputs you can just record directly into it and do the mixing in software. if you can afford it though i'd buy both...you can pick up a half decent soundcard with multiple inputs for about £120 - £150 and a decent small mixer for about the same.

 

Cheers for the advice, will sort out a decent soundcard (any you'd recommend?) but might have to wait until next month to buy the mixer. Is there any particular benefit from getting a mixer beyond editing the track manually and not via a mouse? Will stop spamming the thread with noob questions now...

 

By the way really liked your acid track a few pages back, the synth in particular was awesome.

[endera3rd]

i got one of these small Rolls multi-stereo mixers. http://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX44S-Mini-Mix-Channel-Audio/dp/B00102VV46

 

it takes batteries too if i ever have to go guerrilla style takin-it-2-da-$treets with a roland miniqube and all the volcas doublesided taped to a piece of plywood shaped liek futuretar shit

[BCM]

 

you will need an external usb soundcard for starters, if you get one with enough inputs you can just record directly into it and do the mixing in software. if you can afford it though i'd buy both...you can pick up a half decent soundcard with multiple inputs for about 120 - 150 and a decent small mixer for about the same.

Cheers for the advice, will sort out a decent soundcard (any you'd recommend?) but might have to wait until next month to buy the mixer. Is there any particular benefit from getting a mixer beyond editing the track manually and not via a mouse? Will stop spamming the thread with noob questions now...

 

By the way really liked your acid track a few pages back, the synth in particular was awesome.

cheers! the benefits of a hardware mixer to me are (generally speaking) superior amplification and EQs, hands-on control and quick access to all parameters...i think it just makes for a nicer workflow and better sound quality really...just my personal opinion though, nothing wrong with just recording directly into a soundcard... for recommendations on the soundcard it really depends on your budget, i use an Edirol FA-101 10 in 10 out FireWire soundcard but they don't make them anymore.... think for starters a Focusrite Saffire 14 would be fine.

[lala]

I'd love a good desk with parametric eqs & shelves

[flacid]

 

 

you will need an external usb soundcard for starters, if you get one with enough inputs you can just record directly into it and do the mixing in software. if you can afford it though i'd buy both...you can pick up a half decent soundcard with multiple inputs for about 120 - 150 and a decent small mixer for about the same.

Cheers for the advice, will sort out a decent soundcard (any you'd recommend?) but might have to wait until next month to buy the mixer. Is there any particular benefit from getting a mixer beyond editing the track manually and not via a mouse? Will stop spamming the thread with noob questions now...

 

By the way really liked your acid track a few pages back, the synth in particular was awesome.

cheers! the benefits of a hardware mixer to me are (generally speaking) superior amplification and EQs, hands-on control and quick access to all parameters...i think it just makes for a nicer workflow and better sound quality really...just my personal opinion though, nothing wrong with just recording directly into a soundcard... for recommendations on the soundcard it really depends on your budget, i use an Edirol FA-101 10 in 10 out FireWire soundcard but they don't make them anymore.... think for starters a Focusrite Saffire 14 would be fine.

 

 

Might get a mixer for Christmas or something, anything to help make it sound better right? My budget is probably up to £200 but I'd spend more if I think it's worth it. I was checking out the saffire yesterday, presume this is the right one? > http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/focusrite-saffire-pro-14--77567

 

Also checked out the 'M-Audio M Track Plus' and 'M-Audio M Track Quad' but will probably just bite the bullet and buy one over the weekend.

 

Back to Volca, my bundle arrived today. Thought I'd like the keys/bass best but have actually enjoyed playing with the drum machine most. Have been able to make some interesting noises already with the bass/keys though so looking forward to getting a few tracks done.

[sweepstakes]

I think I'm sick of the beats at this point, but now I want the keys. That one seems great for playing with on the road. The beats is cool but the sounds are a little limited for my taste. I'd probably have more fun with a little sampler.

[tokn]

the keys is amazing ... instant lush pad sound. you can record up to 64 steps with free tempo.

 

16 steps are not enough i think. does all the other volcas and the monotribe only record patterns up to 16 steps? can you use a very slow midi clock to record in flux mode / free time?

 

the new electribes are only 400 euros and a new colca around 180 so i really need to think about my christmas present

 

though a small mixer would be the best thing to get i guess.

 

right now im running my microbrute and the keys through a cheap guitar fx unit into the two audio ins from my old electribe er-1. so the electribe is basically my mixer. or i use my 15 years old usb soundcard with two ins with eq. haha. now i want to add my voice and looped live guitar and beats and synths from reason and use way more effects on everything without routing it through the computer so i guess i really should get a mixer.

 

are there any pretty cheap mixers out there with convincing fx options included? like single fx for every channel? compression for every channel? maybe even a looper for 16-64 steps?

[BCM]

with a mixer it's a good idea to get the best you can afford - go for quality, not features. so look for solid and dependable brands like Mackie, Peavey, Yamaha, Allen & Heath or Soundcraft. steer clear of bang-for-your-buck brands like Behringer, Fame etc.

[sweepstakes]

As long as you're not relying on it for your bread & butter, Behringers are generally fine. And there are plenty of pros that do use them. I used to have a little (like 6-input) Berhinger. While it didn't sound as good as my Mackie VLZ1202 (which I've been using for 15 years now), it was nice for coffee table jamming.

 

That said, I'd love an A&H Zed or a Mackie 1642 for the routing options.

[sweepstakes]

Also, not to derail the thread, but I'd love to find an affordable mixer with parametric EQ (preferably with adjustable crossover frequency for both lo/mid and mid/hi) if anyone has suggestions. But I think the best way to get this is to just multitrack everything into the computer and EQ after recording.

[lala]

I'm torn between this & daisy chaining my motu..

 

The plus with the motu is more silentway channels..

[Entorwellian]

Ended up getting all three. The keys and the bass are amazing products for both just playing around and for professional use. The fact that I can have all three on my desk with enough workspace is a sell on its own, but I've been very impressed with the capabilities and the ease of modification of all three products. If you have to get one product, get the Volca Keys with a MIDI interface: the infinite partials that the volca oscillators and filters can produce are a very inexpensive and versatile palette for those who have a pure computer or hybrid set up.

 

The only annoying part is if you are MIDI controlling them with a DAW. The presets reload after going off and you have to go about deleting a bank every time.

 

I am not entirely sold on the sampler unless there is a fullproof way to upload and download samples without an apple product.

[flacid]

My 1st attempt at recording live and made with some presets but here's a 'song' using Volca Bass and Volca Beats.

 

https://soundcloud.com/srvll/the-loser

 

It's longer than it should be but optimistic about what these synths can do. Didn't use keys as I haven't got enough jacks/cables and wanted to record something in one go. Looking forward to editing these via midi when I get round to buying the right cables.

[Chris Toffer]

Hmm has this been mentioned yet? I just saw one for sale on Japan auctions and was like what da fuck

 

 

Looks tight. Like a mini electribe or something

[tokn]

volca sampler, see the korg thread

[Silent Member]

that looks pretty neat

[Guest]

so they announced the sample transfer app:

 

kek!

[Berk]

Hmm has this been mentioned yet? I just saw one for sale on Japan auctions and was like what da fuck

 

 

Looks tight. Like a mini electribe or something

lol this sounds like Tim & Eric doing a demo for that thing

[Silent Member]

what?! No line in? missed opportunity if you ask me.

[modey]

I'm tempted to get one, actually. I've never actually used the line in on my ES-1 for sampling, only as a live input. I always just load samples onto it from the card, so not having a line in isn't really a dealbreaker for me.

[Silent Member]

Right. The main draw of a sampler to me is to slap on a bit of old vinyl, drop the needle somewhere random and see where it takes me.

edit: or grabbing something weird off the AM radio frequencies.

[modey]

Fair enough! You have more patience than me, it seems :D

[awepittance]

it's too bad roland didn't utilize their v-synth elastic audio engine in something like a small groovebox sampler, anything coming out at this point short of the octatrack or mpc capabilities as a stand alone sampler seems totally pointless imo.

[modey]

i wonder if the power supply thing was a corporate decision to sell obscure adapters that many of us don't have.

 

stick to the normal 9v gtr pedal style dcs where possible pls music gear companies!

It's just a smaller plug type though. Those digitor adapters from dick smith come with a million different plugs, one of which fits the volcas perfectly.