volca fm

I’m a complete newbie when it comes to synthesizers and especially FM synthesis but this beautiful little box is simply amazing! Within minutes (admittedly after a bit of research online/YouTube) I was producing some amazing sounds and loops. The sheer amount of tweaking you can do on the fly means you can produce long sequences and tunes even within the confines of the 16 step memory. I am amazed just how good this thing sounds. I had read that FM synthesis was complex and difficult and some have noted that working through the various parameters on the box itself is difficult. However I must say that I have found it to be incredibly intuitive and is an absolute joy to dial up different parameters and just play with them and discover the infinite possibilities that come out of it. In addition, I’m looking forward to getting a MIDI cable so that I can upload even more sounds via the PatchBase app on my iPad - opening up a vast array of DX7 sounds. I’m now getting started on hooking it up to GarageBand on my iPad so I can save my loops and sequence them. Just wish my budget could stretch to some of the other Volcas to add beats/ samples but looks like I can do this using my iPad and other apps till then!

Took delivery of one of these a few hours ago and am totally impressed. I'd read about fm synthesis and how esoteric it can all be but this device is really quite user friendly. I'm a guitar player looking for something to bring a little variation to recordings and this fits the bill admirably. I've yet to get into deep editing of parameters so there are still aspects of this device that I've yet to discover. There are a few minor gripes such as there being midi in but no midi out. Genuine synth players will want to connect it to an external keyboard as the integral touch sensitive one is a tad fiddly. In general, however, it's just about as much fun as you can have without getting yourself locked up. Brilliant.

Amazon tends to smush the Volca reviews together, so for the record I'm talking about the Volca FM. It's a compact, three-voice sound module that puts the six-operator FM model of the mid-80s Yamaha DX7 into a small box with a sequencer. It's fun but slightly awkward. It doesn't work all that well as an FM sound module because it doesn't respond to velocity over MIDI and it only has three-voice polyphony. There doesn't seem to be a way to chain several of them together. On the positive side it's mostly compatible with DX7 patches, of which there are thousands on the internet, although you have to use a third-party utility (Dexed) to send the data to the Volca FM. On the negative side it's only compatible with the original six-operator-sine-waves-only model of the DX7/9/7II, not the four-operator-with-different-waves model of the later DX11/TX81Z, so it's not compatible with the famous Lately Bass patch (for example). As such it's a kind of FM groovebox, akin to the Elektron Digitone, but the sequencer is very limited. There are sixteen patterns that can be chained together, but not made into a song, unless it's a simple 1-2-3-4 arrangement. The sequencer has very limited live control, so I have the impression it's mostly intended to play static basslines. I use an Arturia BeatStep as a sequencer instead. As a kind of FM version of the TB-303 however it makes a lot of sense. The front panel controls respond in real time, and the built-in patches - which are surprisingly good - all have articulation, so you can have a lot of fun playing sequences through it while mimicking filter sweeps, but with clashing digital FM sounds. The presets are a neat cross-section of the DX7's most famous sounds. The pianos, bells, flute etc are all pretty good, although this sadly highlights its limitations as a sound module. In theory it doesn't make a lot of sense, because Dexed is free, but the front panel articulation is an advance over the original DX synths and it has a decent chorus effect, so if you think of it as a cheap bass-box it's not too bad. It's also half the price of the cheapest second-hand DX100 and it'll send sync pulses to the other Volcas, so if you have some of the more unusual Volcas - the Modular, example - it's handy as a "normal" synthesiser. You can edit the patches deeply, but good luck with that. Good luck with that.

Great sounds out of the box - very tweakable too - the fixed velocity is my preference anyway, and there are other controls that can make the sounds far more interesting compared to velocity. Sounds better than a DX7 I think, and the 3-note polyphonic limit is not an issue in the mix. Best purchase I've made in ages, because there is lots to keep you interested and the sounds are terrific.

This is a great machine, don’t let its size fool you, it’s packed with creative potential. It’s possible to create an entire song with its step sequencer and to customise any sound and save it. It is complex to use but there’s so many tutorials on YouTube so you’ll be mastering the Volca in no time.

Really pleased with my Korg Volca FM. Great for creating interesting sounds and rhythms.

Fantastic little fm synth, quite amazing what they can fit into this tiny box. You can download more presets from korg for free, Yamaha dx7 is there but haven’t got round to doing that yet. Box wasn’t in very good condition on delivery but won’t let that take away from 5 stars as it’s a total gem of a synth.

So much fun to play with! Great for playing with a delay and reverb too! I would recommend getting a plug in charger although batteries do last for quite a while.

Ich habe im Laufe der Zeit doch ein paar kleine Synthies - unter anderen der Volca Serie von KORG - gekauft und bin vollauf zufrieden damit. Die Geräte können für diesen Preis extrem viel, klingen sehr gut / analog - mancher würde sagen "fett" - und kann diese Geräte nur weiterempfehlen: für Enthusiasten ebenso wie für Einsteiger, die ein wenig rumprobieren und Knöpfe drehen wollen ;-). Im vergleich zu den Software Synthesizern, die es ja auch wie Sand am Meer gibt, empfinde ich die Haptik, das typische rumdrehen und Pattern basteln als für mich die kreativere Variante, um Musik zu machen.

Piccolo sintetizzatore FM, molto versatile, vista la possibilità si connetterlo al pc (con cavo midi a scheda audio/interfaccia midi) e scaricarci la marea di patches per DX7 fruibili in rete a costo zero (non sono coperte da copyright etc), e poterla suonare con altri preset senza smadonnare con la teoria di sintesi dell’aggeggio che è alquanto complicata... trovate un sacco di video su come fare su YT cercando Volta FM DEXED... a parte questo, è plasticoso e tutto, per 130€ cosa pretendete?! Comunque aggeggino molto divertente, io lo uso con ableton e tastiera esterna per maggiore praticità, può fare tantissime cose anche solo girando gli encoder a caso! Grande Korg per averci donato una DX7 a pochi €! Consigliato per i feticisti degli strumenti vintage

Hands down the best in the volca series. A real FM synth. If you are into 80s music this is a must have. It is a DX7 that fits in your pocket. Being able to load DX7 patches is a huge deal. This little synth may be small but it packs huge features. 6 operator engine with a menu system that is easy to understand and use even though it is based in a single line LED display. You can edit , load and save up to 32 presets at a time. You can transfer patches from freeware like Dexed. The sequencer and arp are simple and fun to use. The keyboard is actually easy to use. You can connect an external midi keyboard. You can sync it with other volca devices. Build quality is actually very good for a plastic box. Batteries add weight and make it feel solid. Battery life is good. There is a built in speaker however it really does not give you a real feel for this synth. Hook this up to a pair of headphones or an amp and it comes alive. The built in chorus adds depth. If you add a reverb to the mix this thing becomes a religious experience. You will not be disappointed.

Pour moi, parmi les Volca, c'est celui qui me parait le plus intéressant. Ce petit cousin éloigné du fameux Yamaha DX7 des 1980 (dont il reprend un peu le look), offre des sonorités permettant de retrouver le son du DX7 avec des réglages tout aussi complets, mais beaucoup moins complexes à mettre en oeuvre. On retrouve les algorithmes du DX7 et on peut s’amuser à les paramétrer pour modifier le son. Génial ! L'arpeggiator intégré sur le Volca FM est complet et facile d'utilisation. Tout comme le séquenceur (commun à toute la gamme Volca). Helas, il n'a que 16 pas, mais on peut chaîner les "mémoires" pour avoir 16, 32, 48, ... pas On peut retrouver les sonorités du DX7 en chargeant dans la mémoire du Volca les "son" du DX7, grâce à un logiciel (Dexed) et un câble USB --> MIDI IN (a acheter en plus, hélas). Dommage qu'il n'y ait pas directement une interface USB. La petite taille du Volca permet de l'emporter avec soit facilement. Il fonctionne sur piles et a un petit haut-parleur intégré. Le haut-parleur n'est pas de grande qualité, mais il fait bien son boulot, quand le Volca n'est pas branché sur un casque ou une table de mixage et un ampli. Le revers de la médaille de cette petite taille, c'est le clavier : il est vraiment petit et il faut se concentrer pour ne pas jouer deux notes en même temps avec ses gros doigts :-) . Mais difficile de faire un meilleur clavier sur une si petite taille. Pour moi, il manque la possibilité de sauvegarder ses compositions autre part que sur la mémoire interne du Volca. Un port pour carte micro-SD serait bienvenu, ainsi qu'une prise MIDI OUT. Sur ce dernier point les Volca, ont toute l'électronique nécessaire pour gérer le MIDI OUT et des personnes soudent des prises MIDI au Volca pour en profiter. Mais adieu la garantie. Quelques défauts donc, mais au vue de ses qualités et son prix (169 €), la note de 5 étoiles est méritée !

素敵な音色を手軽に楽しめる商品。 なんとなく触ってるだけでも結構遊べます。（詳しい方が触ればもっと使いこなせるんでしょうがw） いろんな音を作るのが楽しいようで、子供にも好評でした。 他のシリーズも買ってみようかなと思います。