As strange as affordable

Now, to be clear, I'm not new to the world of synths. I have some (including some Volcas) and I understand the principles at work. But I am much more familiar with the east coast or subtractive synthesis. This is the style of synthesis popularized by instrument makers like Moog, where a rich sound source in harmony is shaped primarily by filtering, or eliminating, frequencies. (This is a bit of an oversimplification, but it will work for our purposes.) It's usually what people think when they imagine the sound of a synthesizer.

The synthesis of the west coast, embodied by Buchla, goes in a very different direction. Generally, it starts with a simple sound source (in this case, a single triangular wave), and then applies various waveform formatting functions, such as frequency modulation or wave folding, for generate something more complex. And, perhaps more importantly, these synths often dispense with the familiar keyboard piano style.

A modular synthesizer is just that – it's modular. This means that rather than a predetermined signal path, you have to combine several synth parts and connect them to get the desired sound. To be clear, the Modular Volca is what is called "semi-modular". This means it is pre-wired and the sound will come out of the box. But you can redirect the signal using patch cables for different effects.

In short, I was entering an uncertain territory when I opened the box. The device I was looking at was clearly a Volca. It is the same size and shape as all other instruments in the series. And it has a lot of identical design DNA, from the built-in touchpad to the tiny plastic buttons, to the small rivets located in the corner of the faceplate. But the keyboard did not have any sharp needles or flats, there was a bunch of tiny cables in the box, and there were strange labels like LPG (low-pass door) and "woggle". It was honestly a little intimidating.

<img alt = "Modular Korg Volca" data-caption = "Reference card and example of Volca Modular patch book." Data-credit = "Engadget" data-credit-link-back = "" data-dam-provider = "Engadget" data-local-id = "local-1-4173462-1565899786551" data-media-id = "8c29d361-008e-4d7f-9ecd-58597cec0bea" data-original-url = "https: //s.yimg .com / os / creatr-uploaded- "images / 2019-08 / ffc72940-bf97-11e9-99bf-f47c6dfc7750" data-title = "Modell Korg Volca" src = "https://o.aolcdn.com/images/ dims? crop = 1800% 2C1350% 2C0% 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 2C 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2C 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2C 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2C 1 2 1 2 1 2C 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 2C 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C2C .C .C2D.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD .CAD.CAD.CAD.ID.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.CAD.DE.CADRE-CAD.UI FRAMEWORK -CAD.UI-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD-CAD–C.ht.Com. J & # 39; uses

Fortunately, Korg did something a little out of place: he provided useful documentation.

Most Volca come with a large sheet of folded paper that explains only the most basic functions of the device. Modular and FM also come with a reference card allowing you to quickly understand their somewhat complicated interfaces. But on the back of the card for the modular also are some simple connection instructions that tell you which wires to connect, basic functions like an LFO (low frequency oscillator) or ring modulation.

The Modular also comes with a second sheet of folded paper containing a number of sample patches. It's about as close as you'll get a preset here. But it is okay. Having to plug the cables every time I wanted to create a new sound really made me learn how the different parts of the synthesizer interacted. I could not fall back on an impressive bass, built by a highly skilled sound designer in Korg; I had to discover it myself.

That said, there is a problem I have encountered time and time again. In fact, it's hard to get anything you would traditionally call musical from the two analogue Volca Modular oscillators. It is, by design, a kind of strange and abrasive sound. He excels in quiet noises, drums and metal shots. If you're hoping to get some delicate pads or a classic synth sound, you'll be deeply disappointed. But if you've ever wondered what a pile of water droplets would look like if they made a lot of cocaine, well, the Modular Volca might have the answer.

Even though most of the sounds produced are atonal, they are still very entertaining. The eight modules and 50 connection points offer a multitude of combinations to explore. And the range of noises that the Modular spits is unique in the Volca range. The keys Volca, Beats, Bass, Kick, Drum and even FM are quite simple. Although FM programming can be difficult to program, they are all relatively immediate and occupy well-known musical niches. The Modular, on the other hand, is much more experimental, much more foreign and requires much more patience to make the most of it. I do not say that as negative, though. This makes the Volca Modular unique among Korg's range of entry-level synths.

As in the rest of the Volca range, sacrifices are made to keep the instrument portable and battery powered. The buttons are small and, with insufficient lighting, it can be difficult to know where they are set. (I've used a white pen to mark the notches of my FM and my keys for better visibility.) Tiny settings can also have a huge impact on the sound, which can make it problematic to capture something that you like. The speaker is also passable at best. It's good that you do not need to plug in a headphone or an external speaker to get the sound of a Volca. But the internal is a little small and metallic.