Thank you for learning the instrument and producing a highly musical demo, unlike some other reviewers who play aimlessly with the controls and expect us to endure a cacaphony of screeches and howling noises.
I got a Volca Drum two weeks ago as my first hardware synth after many years of audio engineering mainly in the box. I love it!! It has a lot of potential as a sound design tool as well. Additionally, I really appreciate your thoughtful and direct analysis. Looking forward to enjoying more of your content.
Came here just after watching your Electron Model: Cycles video and in both cases it is most apparent that it is always really about the man/woman behind the machine(s). Good work Pete.
Being able to actually accomplish an informative concise review is most often a sign of having in-depth knowledge of the subject. I appreciate these types of reviews as much as in-depth ones; sometimes more.
My word...You really know what you are talking about and put it all over so exactly how it is. I have just bought one. You are totally convincing and you have the gift to make people listen to you even out of your own mother tongue. And.....it's all technical jargon too. You are extremely clever. I have subscribed so as to learn from you. Thank you! BTW..Volcaniced here on you tube also goes for the Volcas before any other synth!!!
Looks like Korg fixed at least one complaint sometime after this video was made. Korg's system update (2019.09.10) release notes: "Fixed single channel MIDI handling of note events."
Would be nice if say you are using primarily a Behringer RD-8, to have one or more channels set to trigger sounds from the Korg Drum via midi.. just turn down the volume for internal sound mapped to that channel and have it send hte midi note that corresponse to the sound in the Korg. That way I could use just once sequencer.
This is really exciting because it s a new way of producing drum sounds. Everything else either uses analog , samples or virtual analog but they are all trying to recreate the sounds of the past, this is really making use of new power in modern micro-controller processors to try a new way of making drum sounds.
agreed, although elektron machindrum did this about 20 years ago, it has analog modeling, fm, physical modeling, and a few other kinds of synthesis if i recall. i see volca drum as an affordable machinedrum-lite
@@NS-pj8dr Yeah physical modeling has been around for a while I think the thing here is how cheap and tweakable it is, its always been a feature only on very high end machines, like the korg oasys had it but it cost as much as a honda civic. Although my psychoflute series of android apps has had free physical modeling since 2007. So yeah its not new here just cheap enough to be do-able for those of us on a low budget.
Hi Pete. I am taking my Drum to the open mike tonight. Looking forward to it. Have lots of questions for you about MIDI. Will send you a note tomorrow. Thanks for all your help and videos. They are really good and helpful. AL
Hi! Pete ! i like your style , i don't normally like content creators that show their face , but you put on a good show thank you and your jams have a feel that i like a lot . i'm sold to the volca series, when linked the volca are made to go together . i got most and the drum is next . i will watch your up coming none the less and keep up the good work .
Great introduction. My takeaway from owning this is that endless synth percussion experimentation really is what this Volca is for. But despite being called Volca Drum, I struggled to build a kit with more conventional, less synth-y drum sounds. If you just want to program some drums, get the Volca Beats instead. :)
Great demo. I bought an Arturia Drumbrute Impact a few weeks ago, and while it makes a change from using 909 / 808 sounds (or my poor man's 808 the 606) it's not quite as 'left-field' as the volca drum which I hoped to purchase and use it in tandem with the drumbrute impact. Demos like yours - not to mention being a G.A.S. sufferer - mean I will be making that investment. Thank you for your excellent work consider yourself liked and subbed.
I too have been using Microtonic for years, and after going back to hardware was waiting for a hardware version. Was stoked at the PO-32, but have been relectant to buy it for the reasons you have stated. Im hoping Modal will come up with a a drum machine based on their CRAFT rhythm, much like their much anticipated Craft 2 has done for wavetable synthesis.
Thanks for the feedback! I also came across the CRAFT rhythm, as a potential replacement of my volca sample. But then decided for the Model:Samples ... Yes, a nicer design (like Craft 2) would make the rhythm way more attractive.
Yours is easily the best review so far of this amazing little instrument, thank you! I was actually ready to splash out on the nord drum two weeks ago when this little guy suddenly came into view. I am blown away by what it can do in the short time I´ve been experimenting with it. I´m still very tempted by the nord drum as I´m more of an old-school type of musician than a beatmaker and I´m in love with the Nord´s tone and expressiveness from the videos I´ve seen. Care to share any further thoughts on how the two compare?
Many thanks! The Nord is great for its velocity control of the sound. This is completely missing with the volca which comes to life through the sequencer. Therefore, I think the main difference is , how you would exploit the full potential of these two machines: expressive live playing vs. elaborate sequencing.
@Hedonicus Have you seen the Nord drum video from Red Means Recording? To me, it sounds way nicer and it’s got pads to play, for some of that unquantized mojo, but it doesn’t have sequencer, so it pairs well with one(Beatstep, Digitakt..). But for the money, the Volca Drum is not that bad either. They’re just different leagues I suppose. Here’s that Nord Drum video: ruclips.net/video/tQSN9ZTB0nc/видео.html
Thanks for the great review. I noticed that Korg released a firmware update on 9/2019, after this video was released. I'm curious what, if any, faults have been addressed in the update. It appears that individual notes can now be triggered (allowing the machine to be used to play bass notes). I'm curious how well this works. Release notes for firmware Version 1.14 - Support for external clock synced delay. - Added a new edit parameter to enable pitch quantization. - Fixed single channel MIDI handling of note events. - Fixed MIDI Song Position Pointer.
Hi Pete, great review! Now that LXR-02 has been released, any thoughts on Volca Drum vs LXR-02? Which has more features/sound designs possibilities? LXR-02 kit morphing seems pretty cool but I don't think it has a resonator. Do you still think LXR-02 has a much steeper learning curve? Appreciate your insights!
Many thanks for the feedback! The lxr-2 has a simplified user interface, in particular the sequencer is more straight forward now. Sound possibilities are still superior to volca. Because of the different engines learning the lxr is still more complicated but morphing is great!
Was Du aus den Dingern rausholst ist echt heftig, sucht wirklich seinesgleichen und ich kenne viele Genre´s und hab schon viel gehört! Bei einer Jam finde ich, sieht man erst wer die Geräte beherrscht und wer nicht. Solange Einspielen in einer DAW kann eigentlich jeder, man macht einfach bis es passt. Aber Live ist echt ne andere Nummer! Wieder einmal krasser Shit am Ende!
How you doing Pete? You know we both love our Arps. Please pick up a Novation Launch Key mini mark 3 as it has an amazing Mutate function on it. Takes the arp in to a different movement. I use the Electron Samples grey midi out connector for this as TRS A. Works well for Craft 2.0 and Uno Synth etc. Regards AL
This one is unique. Sound like nothing i ever heard. Stereo out is a breeze - i can route parts to external fx. I wonder how it would work with model: Cycles as a sequencer🤔 i will find that out soon.
Thanks Pete, really informative demo, helps me a lot to make a decision on purchase. Came for that, and will likely come back again to learn some technique.
Thanks for your good focused review. This is the first Volca that really caught my attention. And your jam is the best I’ve heard. I wonder how useful this midi (or sync out?) can work as a master sequencer in a minimal set up?
Many thanks for the nice feedback - and, good question: many devices would actually understand the KORG sync out signal, but I guess the most common way is to use the volca as slave. Then you have the choice between midi and sync in ....
@@PeteMidi I'm a brand newby to the synth world. I bought a Novation Circuit and Volca Drum with the Volca as the slave like you mentioned. I've been able to get some surprisingly good jams out of this setup, especially since I have almost no idea what I'm doing. The Volca is becoming a little more understandable with help from videos like this one and Cuckoo's, but it is still difficult understanding how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.
I have a feeling that the dream of your implementation in hardware was at least partially realized... by Korg.. in the year 1999 with the Korg ER-1 Electribe.
Thank you for learning the instrument and producing a highly musical demo, unlike some other reviewers who play aimlessly with the controls and expect us to endure a cacaphony of screeches and howling noises.
Many thanks for the great feedback! 😊
Yeah I hate that shit gives me a head ache practically not sure why they even have that option like who the fk can listen to that?
@@teatime2595 nice way of saying you dont understand how synthesis works
@@teatime2595 what "option" or options are you talking about exactly?
Finally a demo of this unit that actually utilizes the synth aspect adequately. Think you just convinced me to pick one up. Thanks.
Thanks for the nice feedback! 😊
I got a Volca Drum two weeks ago as my first hardware synth after many years of audio engineering mainly in the box. I love it!! It has a lot of potential as a sound design tool as well. Additionally, I really appreciate your thoughtful and direct analysis. Looking forward to enjoying more of your content.
😊
Quite possibly the best and most exciting review of the Volca Drum. Loved the jam. Thank you, Pete! 😊
Thank you so much! 😊
Dude that end jam was crazy
Many thanks!
Came here just after watching your Electron Model: Cycles video and in both cases it is most apparent that it is always really about the man/woman behind the machine(s). Good work Pete.
Thanks a lot! 😊
Best review and demo of this unit I have seen. Thanks for being concise and no-nonsense. Oh I just subscribed.
Great that you like it, thank you so much!
Being able to actually accomplish an informative concise review is most often a sign of having in-depth knowledge of the subject. I appreciate these types of reviews as much as in-depth ones; sometimes more.
I got one on the strength of this review. I wasn’t disappointed. AWESOME box. Highly recommended.
Thanks for the feedback!
My dude.... This was amazing!
Many thanks! 😊
Killer demo. Had no idea these could sound so good. Now I’m a subscriber
Thanks a lot! 😊
My word...You really know what you are talking about and put it all over so exactly how it is.
I have just bought one.
You are totally convincing and you have the gift to make people listen to you even out of your own mother tongue.
And.....it's all technical jargon too.
You are extremely clever.
I have subscribed so as to learn from you.
Thank you!
BTW..Volcaniced here on you tube also goes for the Volcas before any other synth!!!
Many thanks for the great feedback, very encouraging! 😊
Great work Korg. You managed to fit NIN, Prodigy and Aphex Twin inside a tiny box!
Omg these were exactly my thoughts lol. They KILLED it with the drum, from what I'm seeing.
Eine ausgezeichnete Demonstration dieser Zauberkiste ! :-) Macht spass zuzuhören/sehen. !
Many thanks - vielen Dank!
when you defied the mainstream and then I listened to you jam is when I decided to get this piece. Thanks for the honest thoughts :)
😊
Great review, and the only person to notice the huge step forward into stereo. So important, probably the feature which sold it to me finally. Thanks.
Many thanks for the nice feedback!
Best demo I've seen so far! 💥
Many thanks!!
You are my favorite reviewer, I just got one of these and it's as much fun to use as i thought it would be 😀
Thank you so much! 😊
Amazing, great review and the jam at the end makes me want to get one.
Thanks a lot!
Looks like Korg fixed at least one complaint sometime after this video was made. Korg's system update (2019.09.10) release notes: "Fixed single channel MIDI handling of note events."
Nobody else has made this thing sound so hard!!! Good session!
Thanks a lot!
Would be nice if say you are using primarily a Behringer RD-8, to have one or more channels set to trigger sounds from the Korg Drum via midi.. just turn down the volume for internal sound mapped to that channel and have it send hte midi note that corresponse to the sound in the Korg. That way I could use just once sequencer.
These volca machines are just banging...
This is really exciting because it s a new way of producing drum sounds. Everything else either uses analog , samples or virtual analog but they are all trying to recreate the sounds of the past, this is really making use of new power in modern micro-controller processors to try a new way of making drum sounds.
The po32 is still basically virtual analog in a tiny form factor.
Yes, exactly that's also my opinion, volca drum as a nice device for fresh sounds.
agreed, although elektron machindrum did this about 20 years ago, it has analog modeling, fm, physical modeling, and a few other kinds of synthesis if i recall. i see volca drum as an affordable machinedrum-lite
@@NS-pj8dr Yeah physical modeling has been around for a while I think the thing here is how cheap and tweakable it is, its always been a feature only on very high end machines, like the korg oasys had it but it cost as much as a honda civic. Although my psychoflute series of android apps has had free physical modeling since 2007. So yeah its not new here just cheap enough to be do-able for those of us on a low budget.
Yeah, also for me the machinedrum was too expensive and I did not like the user interface ...
That Jam was so cool! Now Im glad I had just ordered one
😊
they should include this video in the package. Great Job!
Thanks a lot! 😊
This is a very great and informative review. Subscribed and hope to see more great content from you :)
Thank you so much!
This seems to be one (if not the only one) of the reviews, that really shows the deeper possibilities of that tiny juwel.
Many thanks! 😊
hello pete midi ! i hope you re alright and hope to see you soon on youtube for another great video !!
Thanks a lot for excellent review and impressive demo !
Thanks for the great feedback! 😊
18k views and I guess, 18k sold Volcas for Korg...great review & even better jam!!! BRAVO
Thanks a lot! 😊
Best review and demo of the volca drum I've heard 🙂
Thanks a lot! 😊
Best review and best jam on the bestest volca yet. Thanks, keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for this great feedback!
Great jam, thanks for the video!
😊
Great demo... convinced me to get one! It really is instant fun. Can't believe how good it is for the money!
Yes, absolutely - many thanks for the feedback!
Thanks Pete. I have stuck with my Drum as you advised and now enjoying it. Very powerful editing and can make some amazing tech sounding beats.
Great! 👍
Some of the best demo beats I've heard. Have a subscription!
Thank you so much!
Ah that jam at the end was so nice .. I can only hope to one day unlock the magic in the box
Thanks for the feedback! 😊
Refreshing approach for the review and jam. Thanks. Lee
😊
Awesome, I just bought this amazing little device because of your video! I love the jam at the end.
Many thanks for the feedback! 😊
Hi Pete. I am taking my Drum to the open mike tonight. Looking forward to it. Have lots of questions for you about MIDI. Will send you a note tomorrow. Thanks for all your help and videos. They are really good and helpful. AL
Thanks AL, you can also reach me via email, you find it on my bioseq.de website.
Hi! Pete ! i like your style , i don't normally like content creators that show their face , but you put on a good show thank you and your jams have a feel that i like a lot . i'm sold to the volca series, when linked the volca are made to go together . i got most and the drum is next . i will watch your up coming none the less and keep up the good work .
Thanks a lot for the great feedback!
Great introduction. My takeaway from owning this is that endless synth percussion experimentation really is what this Volca is for. But despite being called Volca Drum, I struggled to build a kit with more conventional, less synth-y drum sounds. If you just want to program some drums, get the Volca Beats instead. :)
Thanks for the nice feedback! Yes, the volca beats provides a more direct way to conventional drums.
AMAZING JAM! Love your stuff!
Thank you so much! 😊
great performance bro, volca masterclass
Thanks a lot! 😊
Hi Pete. I am really into this machine now. It took me a while but loving it now. Thanks.
👍
Wow... great jam! Very Carpenter movie style! I can see Snake running from the cannibals 😎
😄
Great demo. I bought an Arturia Drumbrute Impact a few weeks ago, and while it makes a change from using 909 / 808 sounds (or my poor man's 808 the 606) it's not quite as 'left-field' as the volca drum which I hoped to purchase and use it in tandem with the drumbrute impact. Demos like yours - not to mention being a G.A.S. sufferer - mean I will be making that investment. Thank you for your excellent work consider yourself liked and subbed.
Thanks a lot! Drumbrute & volca drum: excellent combination!
Excellent demonstration and explanation, thank you
Thanks a lot! 😊
wow! best review of volca drum that i saw. thank you!
Many thanks for the great feedback!
I too have been using Microtonic for years, and after going back to hardware was waiting for a hardware version. Was stoked at the PO-32, but have been relectant to buy it for the reasons you have stated. Im hoping Modal will come up with a a drum machine based on their CRAFT rhythm, much like their much anticipated Craft 2 has done for wavetable synthesis.
Thanks for the feedback! I also came across the CRAFT rhythm, as a potential replacement of my volca sample. But then decided for the Model:Samples ... Yes, a nicer design (like Craft 2) would make the rhythm way more attractive.
‘I had a dream’ - haha, man, you’re hilarious!
But I appreciate your great technical skills, thank you for all you share.
Thanks! 😊
Yours is easily the best review so far of this amazing little instrument, thank you!
I was actually ready to splash out on the nord drum two weeks ago when this little guy suddenly came into view. I am blown away by what it can do in the short time I´ve been experimenting with it. I´m still very tempted by the nord drum as I´m more of an old-school type of musician than a beatmaker and I´m in love with the Nord´s tone and expressiveness from the videos I´ve seen. Care to share any further thoughts on how the two compare?
Many thanks! The Nord is great for its velocity control of the sound. This is completely missing with the volca which comes to life through the sequencer. Therefore, I think the main difference is , how you would exploit the full potential of these two machines: expressive live playing vs. elaborate sequencing.
@Hedonicus Have you seen the Nord drum video from Red Means Recording? To me, it sounds way nicer and it’s got pads to play, for some of that unquantized mojo, but it doesn’t have sequencer, so it pairs well with one(Beatstep, Digitakt..). But for the money, the Volca Drum is not that bad either. They’re just different leagues I suppose. Here’s that Nord Drum video: ruclips.net/video/tQSN9ZTB0nc/видео.html
I'd love see you do a video on the LXR Drum synth.
It's on my (long) to-do list 😉
Thanks for the great review.
I noticed that Korg released a firmware update on 9/2019, after this video was released. I'm curious what, if any, faults have been addressed in the update. It appears that individual notes can now be triggered (allowing the machine to be used to play bass notes). I'm curious how well this works.
Release notes for firmware Version 1.14
- Support for external clock synced delay.
- Added a new edit parameter to enable pitch quantization.
- Fixed single channel MIDI handling of note events.
- Fixed MIDI Song Position Pointer.
Many thanks! Yes the delay sync and pitch quantization work, very useful!
Hi Pete, great review! Now that LXR-02 has been released, any thoughts on Volca Drum vs LXR-02? Which has more features/sound designs possibilities?
LXR-02 kit morphing seems pretty cool but I don't think it has a resonator. Do you still think LXR-02 has a much steeper learning curve? Appreciate your insights!
Many thanks for the feedback! The lxr-2 has a simplified user interface, in particular the sequencer is more straight forward now. Sound possibilities are still superior to volca. Because of the different engines learning the lxr is still more complicated but morphing is great!
Great review as always Mr Midi!
Thanks a lot!
Was Du aus den Dingern rausholst ist echt heftig, sucht wirklich seinesgleichen und ich kenne viele Genre´s und hab schon viel gehört! Bei einer Jam finde ich, sieht man erst wer die Geräte beherrscht und wer nicht. Solange Einspielen in einer DAW kann eigentlich jeder, man macht einfach bis es passt. Aber Live ist echt ne andere Nummer! Wieder einmal krasser Shit am Ende!
Many thanks! Live vs. DAW: tolles Statement, sehe ich genauso.
Crazy beats, oh my dear! Just ordered one after THIS Demojam :-D
Many thanks! ☺️
That last jam convinced me to order it
😊
i dont even have any instruments but i still subscribed !!
😊
Nice work Pete 👍
Many thanks! 😊
Awesome review. Such a good quality. I wish you more subscribers.
Thank you so much!
@@PeteMidi Subscribed!
Insane jam!!! Awesome review.
Thanks a lot! 😊
I'm not really looking for this sort of thing, and possibly don't need it either, but bloody hell I want one now!
😄👍
Just discovered your channel. Like your styles of reviews and jams.
Cheers.
Many thanks!
Well Done letonchosier said it before me! No Nonsense - and a helpful Review!!!
Thanks a lot!
include photos of mentioned gear - great vid as always
Many thanks for the feedback!
How did they manage to have so many percussionists in such a small box?
😊
Thanks, you helped my decision. Just ordered one.
😊
Great tutorial and Crazy jam.👍👍👍👍👍🎹😃
Thanks a lot!
There is a probablity function within the volca steps it hold +step and turn value dial
Its adds flavor
Wonder why it isn't mentioned in the manual
Interested to see if you are gonna pick up the new cycles
😉
Great review of en excellent little unit !
Thanks a lot!
How you doing Pete? You know we both love our Arps. Please pick up a Novation Launch Key mini mark 3 as it has an amazing Mutate function on it. Takes the arp in to a different movement. I use the Electron Samples grey midi out connector for this as TRS A. Works well for Craft 2.0 and Uno Synth etc. Regards AL
I'm just finalizing the next video, which of course includes an arp jam 😊
@@PeteMidi Of course. Cant wait. Check the Mutate and deviate function on mk 3 mini. Have a slot here for you to play when you come to England.
Great demo
Thanks!
This one is unique. Sound like nothing i ever heard. Stereo out is a breeze - i can route parts to external fx. I wonder how it would work with model: Cycles as a sequencer🤔 i will find that out soon.
Great, many thanks! 😊
Thanks Pete, really informative demo, helps me a lot to make a decision on purchase. Came for that, and will likely come back again to learn some technique.
Many thanks for the nice feedback!
imma be straight on this
When I want an honest opinion on any electronic instrument, I only come here.
Thnks for the reviews:)
Thanks for the great feedback! 😊
Your jam is better than anyone else's of this product. Sold. Were you applying any external fx?
Many thanks! No external fx, it's the direct signal from the vd stereo out.
Nice and informative. I like how you really know what you're doing
Many thanks for the nice feedback!
Finaly some good demo!
Thanks!
Love my Volca Drum. I’d like to see a comparison with the Korg Electribe EM-1 and Volca Drum. Thank you for your demo!
Sold my EM-1 a long time ago...
@@PeteMidi Oh ok I’ll do it then! =)
Thanks for your good focused review. This is the first Volca that really caught my attention. And your jam is the best I’ve heard. I wonder how useful this midi (or sync out?) can work as a master sequencer in a minimal set up?
Many thanks for the nice feedback - and, good question: many devices would actually understand the KORG sync out signal, but I guess the most common way is to use the volca as slave. Then you have the choice between midi and sync in ....
@@PeteMidi I'm a brand newby to the synth world. I bought a Novation Circuit and Volca Drum with the Volca as the slave like you mentioned. I've been able to get some surprisingly good jams out of this setup, especially since I have almost no idea what I'm doing. The Volca is becoming a little more understandable with help from videos like this one and Cuckoo's, but it is still difficult understanding how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.
Gerald, many thanks for this great feedback!
Interesting review and great jam, subbed.
Thanks a lot!
10:00 omg i´m buying it now thanks for the video Danke !
Thanks a lot for the nice feedback! 😀
Excellent review. Subscribed!
Thanks a lot! 😊
This tool sounds like a newer version of my good old Electribe ER1. I like it.
👍
@Alessio Di Summa I am using the ER1. In my opinion it is easier to use. :-)
one of my favourite sound demos!
Thanks a lot!
it's like the perfect idm/electro drum machine i think
I'm just about to buy one of these! Thanks from wales! :)
Thanks for the nice feedback!
Thanks Pete :-) FINEST and informative review
😊
I have a feeling that the dream of your implementation in hardware was at least partially realized... by Korg.. in the year 1999 with the Korg ER-1 Electribe.
There are many partial realizations, the ER-1 Electribe was not my favourite ...
I really love my ER-1 Electribe. So fun to mess with gating the audio input. 👍👍
Yes, processing of the external audio ins is a great feature! Also like this on my TR-8.
One of the features that interested me the most about the TR-8 was the per-part reverb setting, if I remember the correctly. Very powerful.
great I thought the V drum would be boring how wrong I was great demo
Many thanks!
Great vid. When you save a kit, can you name it on the LCD?
Thanks, no names for drum kits...
Love your channel so far, and really love my Volca Drum, even if it is twitchy, and finicky in the para pots.
Thanks a lot!
Easy on alcohol mate ! 😀
Nice demo btw ! 👍
Many thanks!
By the way I heard some really gorgeous sounds in your jam. Very very nice
@DetroitMicroSound Thank you so much! And I fully agree on what you say about the knobs/pots ;)
MachineDrum owner here. This sounds like home.
and again he does it i looked at loads of tutorials the bass drum sounded awful pete touches it and it sounds amazing
Many thanks! 😊
Great jam!
Many thanks!