Check Volca FM 2 in stores: Perfect Circuit (US) bit.ly/volcafm2xPC Sweetwater (US): imp.i114863.net/za5mj0 Thomann (EU): www.thomann.de/se/search_dir.html?sw=volca%20fm&smcs=1f2dc6_806&offid=1&affid=623 *affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you
I still remember my first attempt at just booting up a DX7 and deciding I'd make a patch, and failing completely to make a patch that didn't sound like I'd spilled coffee on a Sound Blaster Pro, lol. But! For this price, and this tiny form factor, coupled with being a little older, a lot more patient, and a whole lot more inquisitive, maybe I can spare a couple nights of pizza's worth of cash to fit the tiny box on my desktop. A six voice epiano that fits in a purse is reason enough.
I'm heavily invested in the Volca ecosystem. I use a Keystep Pro to sequence 4 Volcas. It's pretty fun. Did I expect this coming out? No. Do I need another one? No. Do I have an extreme urge to pick it up? YES!
@@disomniatijuana2363 I got the sample2 expecting it to be able to pick up samples thru mic like a casio sk-1 or through recording direct audio or something but you have to load them up through the computer, so you can skip that one maybe. just the way I went into it though, could've probably done more research on my part. and it might be something you're looking for at some point but I thought I'd offer a heads-up anyway. now have the fm2 and will still use the sample sequence stuff in sync with it, but in hindsight I should've gotten a volca Drum
This synth's tones match even the most expensive synths and it could be a future classic. Some haters say it's difficult to edit sounds. #1 The presets sound great. # 2 The deep editing is just icing on the cake, and it's actually easy for synth nerds, and a miracle of design that Korg fit it in. Some also say the knobs are too small...why would you buy a tiny synth and complain about that? SMH. SOUND, PORTABILITY AND PRICE are all strongly at the buyer's advantage. NOTE: YOU WILL NEED A SPECIAL MIDI CABLE (5-pin to TRS) to use MIDI control, another annoyance in such a tiny synth. But again, we cannot expect quantum mechanics to make space for a 5-pin MIDI port. This is a 6-operator synth with 6-voice polyphony, a keypad, arp, and faders in a box smaller than a textbook. For perspective the Elektron Digitone has only 4 operators, though it has 8-voice polyphony. The point is, be amazed that this sound quality is carried in the palm of your hand at this price point, and rock on!
6 voices!? Wow! That's a very nice upgrade. Plus "Midi In & Out" and a bunch of other features! A worthy upgrade for sure! Great review as usual Bo. Thank you.
Im not sure there is a good hardware synth to "learn" that kind of FM on TBH.... this kind of multiple voice/multiple operator with linear and expodential, through FM... It seems to me it's inherintally a digital process and the best place to learn that or make patchs like that is always going to be on a computer
Bo, you forgot one "who is it for?" target audience.... those who want a battery powered small device that fits in a bag and can go anywhere. Good review.
I've decided to make the FM2 my entree into Volca space, for exactly that reason. A DX7 that's no bigger than a novel that I can toss into the backpack and dink with at work on my lunch hour? That's a winner.
Random is the way, or taking a preset and tweaking algorhyrms and attack/decay… this is it to me to get interesting sounds for ambient. 6 voices for great pads, velocity for expression, a little reverb for amplified lushness… thats a great version 2 to me.
Great review as always, Bo! That they don't want to compete with their in-house product Opsix by implementing a comparable ease of use at this price and form factor is, I think, understandable. But what I find less understandable - and that bothered me already with the NTS-1 - is that they still use these terribly cryptic 7-segment displays. It doesn't have to be OLED, but even 14-segment displays would simplify the readability enormously and are really no longer witchcraft to implement in 2022. Still, it's a really cool product and doubling the number of voices in this little box plus an additional reverb I think is pretty sensational.
I'm about half convinced that the hardware synth industry is allergic to any display tech newer than the 90's unless it's an OLED. I mean that high quality LCDs are fairly cheap to have made but nearly every one seems allergic to them so we seem to either get stuck segment based displays like it's still the 80's or tiny little OLEDs that are smaller than some of the ones I see used in hobby projects. It's honestly frustrating that the synth makers still act like a decent display should be reserved for only the top of the line stuff this day in age.
@@justjoeblow420 100% infuriating, the Yamaha MX49 and Casio PX5S have super tiny displays reminiscent of the '80s, but are modern, current gear, as two examples
I got my Volca FM quite early on, on a whim, and the menu system brought me back to my youth in the 80s with a bang - and not a very pleasant one. Having said that, I love the sounds it can produce despite the headaches. I would definitely get this new one - a complex, six-operator, six-voice polyphonic FM synth in a compact form factor? No brainer.
@@BoBeats Guessing the price will be on par with the new OPSIX Native VST .. so many choices now. Always wanted a cheap DX-7 compatible FM synth that I can throw the gazillion sysex files at. I think i may add this to my birthday present list if the price is in the same bracket as the original. Great Review Bo , and playing :)
I loved the fm work flow It was soo inspiring learning a new synth that wasn't the original subtractive synth layout and really had fun experimenting this way having sooo many more control settings and infinite combinations/variables when designing a sound. I really enjoy reading and tinkering so maybe someone else just wants to plug and play which you can with the presets and change a lot of the basic control settings to make it a little more unique to your liking
My office is finally doing return-to-the-office, so this seems well timed to make the train ride more pleasant. I had actually been stalking a used FM 1 before I knew there was a 2.
The product review is very clear and serves to get a precise idea of the product. It is interesting for those on a tight budget and want great sounds, for the rest it takes small fingers and a great desire to understand. Great review I follow you with interest.
Nice mini review, thanks Bo. My FM2 is on its way ;) A couple of things to add to your review perhaps - check out DEXED or SynthMata for editing the FM, patches can be transferred using the audio in (I believe, but it sounds weird), and the TRS-MIDI adaptor required is a Type A. Hope this helps, it's what I've picked up from other reviews. Can't wait to add an FM synth to my Minibrute 2S :)
I never felt FM was for me (I still don't), but I watched it anyway (I'm interested in affordable synths though!). Thank you Bo, your reviews are the best. And I liked to watch you to watch you "improvise" or so. Thank again, always interesting. Cheers!
I am coming back to this, since the synths I want are too large for me atm, I want something smaller and this is still yet to be released. 7:50 is exactly my thoughts too, I love this thing.
If you want FM in your palette for cheap, this is it. The learning curve can be managed by watching videos. FM is going to require some learning to get the most out of it anyway, so spending more on an 'easier' synth might not necessarily be a better option.
Dang, I just had to see this right after getting the V1! Really interesting, and I'm glad they bumped the voice count. The lack of DIN is a bit of a tough call for me though.
Nice they re did it, but I’m still look8ng at getting the sonicware liven xfm. You get a lot more for your money even if you only have 4 instead of 6 operators.
This information was what I needed to determine if the unit is right for me, so thank you! I had trouble with the volume. To me, your voice was quiet, so I raised my volume to hear everything you had to say. Then I had to turn down the volume when music was playing. Maybe it's just me but if not, might you consider adjusting the vocal and instrument volume balance in future videos? Awesome presentation, otherwise.
as a person not owning a synth (yet) I think this look rather interesting with a midi keyboard, then you seem to have some good and compact. I really love the sounds on this thing.
I don't recommend cheap romplers, not any cheaper than an MX49, MC-101, or JD-Xi; a Juno-DS or JD-Xi is a superb choice. Volca FM is a bit of an odd choice for a starter synth, FM is not as easy to use as regular subtractice synths (that's 99% of synths), an IKM Uno Synth Pro or a Behringer Neutron or Pro-1 makes for a better starter synth, the Novation Mininova is also great, Ultranova if you can get a used one at a nice price, or a Volca Bass or Volca Keys from among the Korg Volcas. The Korg Minilogue XD or Monologue are very good entry synths, too.
The randomiser demo at 07:45 perfectly shows the issues I had with the original Volca FM. Many of the sounds seem very similar. Yeah, I know FM ‘sounds like that’ but I began to think of the synth as only good for one thing. Don’t get me wrong - I love it and it can be amazing. But how many ‘glassy/crystal/belll’ sounds do you need?
I don't understand the repeated comments about how hard it is to edit sounds and the lack of a librarian. Dexed is free and performs both functions. The simplified parameter control on the Volca is actually a clever way of reducing the complexity inherent to FM down to a few useful knobs. I used the DX-7 when it came out. The Volca FM is simpler, likely sounds better, and is amazing value for money. Even the original version was the best Volca by far.
Very good review! Got myself the first edition a couple of weeks ago and while I'm having a lot of fun with it, this video got me craving for more (Volca) FM. 😎
Oooh yeah, at 8:10 you hit the sweet spot with the randomizer. 😀 I don't think the editing difficulty is THAT big a dealbreaker, given Dexed is free and runs on everything. You do your sound design on Dexed, load cool creations onto FM2, and carry it along with you to noodle and sequence with. Especially now that the latest firmware added damper pedal support, and there's one at a REALLY nice price on Reverb, I think it's time to jump on the Volcawagon 😀 Yeah, the Opsix is really cool, but even the cheapest ones on Reverb are 5-6 times what the little Volca is running. And you can fit four Volcas (or a Volca, a Boutique, and a Blofeld!) in the desk space Opsix requires.
In 20 years + of playing with synths I've never messed with the algorithms on any of my FM synths. It's one layer too deep for me, I guess. My favourite FM synths are the PSS and PSR keyboards where individual parameters were given their own button or slider. The implementation on the Volca looks useful but still requires a cheat sheet.
@@h2o1969 The PSS 480 is one of my two favourite FM synths. I've had several flavours of DX and a couple other PSRs but the PSS-480 and the FB-01 are the ones I keep coming back to. You can get some really interesting, gritty, evolving tones with the 480. For years I also used it as a string synth, which, when played through a phaser, sounds really nice.
@@lo-firobotboy7112 yeah, I need to play around with it more. How did you get string sounds out of it? I just got the Steichfett for strings. I am actually thinking of using the 480 as the keyboard for it.
Interesting to hear that they are evolving the older Volcas, six voices is definitely an improvement. Any word about dedicated velocity sensitivity via MIDI in or do you still have to use the slider as on v1? Edit: Oscillator Sink says yes, in case anyone else is thinking the same.
There is something about Volca FM's sound that is I would say unique to its rendering of DX7 patches. Neither Dexed nor DX7 seems to have the same softness to the sound. I also like that it is possible to easily change algorithm and change attack and decay of both carriers and modulators separately making each preset set really much larger and tuning most important aspects much quicker. From MK2 I like 6 voices and randomizer also looks fun. Mk2 also does velocity over MIDI making it with 6 voices serious alternative to DX7 or using VSTs like Dexed. Mk1 can also do velocity with unofficial firmware. I would recommend either (provided Mk1 is adequately cheaper) and getting some nice reverb DSP (eg. NTS-1) as such combo provides endless hours of fun ambient music.
The TRS MIDI plugs are an interesting addition as they'd be more useful than the sync plugs. Yes , the breakout adapters can be a pain, but aux cables are easier to get. :)
The biggest deal breaker for me; in regards to the original FM, was the inability to work a sustain pedal with the controller that I was using with it. Can this updated Volca FM have this capability?
There's also the Liven XFM, which I was strongly considering getting but now I'm interested in this too. the Liven looks easier to program but you still need a guide overlay which is annoying, at least this can play DX7 presets
Great review!!. Will get this new Volca. Limitations are what you really should aim for. Best way to view these kind of presentations is simply to reverse everything being said. Things like intial patches... editor.... To boring to get things done.
@@BoBeats you've always been an UpBeat BoBeats so I think what you do for the synth community is great and it is healthy for you too. I played with a DX7, what a nightmare, it felt so isolating, I think the Volca is a blessing in disguise.
It has got a WebMIDI editing and sync page w/ modern GUI, So programming is just not any problem，and you could save program on your computer（export to sysex）
@@BoBeats Korg's site does link to the synthmata editor, but I'm pretty sure most folks buying a Volca FM will not look at Korg's product page. So as you say, most folks will not know or use 3rd party tools, but hopefully not as few as if Korg didn't link to the synthmata page, for the userbase's sakes.
there's exporting to Sysex, I haven't checked, but the older Volca FM could dump to audio files that have to be fed into the "SYNC IN" with any playback device, be it a smartphone, tablet, portable recorder, or a Kross2's built-in audio recorder, which is a handier ability over relying on Sysex
"...on the next vid ee oh." Thanks for going above and beyond on the pronunciation. Great video as always. I just heard... almost from the horse's mouth ... that these won't be out until the end of summer. I still put down money on one. It's just too good not to.
I loved my Volca FM version 1! It was my first official synth and I took it everywhere with me. Unfortunately, the play button on the sequencer doesn't work anymore, so its really only good as a sound module. I hope its not an issue with the new FM, but my unit was always terribly noisy and was a pain to make clean recordings with. I updated it to the unofficial firmware that responds to velocity over midi which is cool. I think think they made many improvements with this model. So I will reconsider picking one up in the future.
last year i was thinking that i never buy a volca (after i give keys and sample 1 away.) but this fm 2 is worth the money. so i restart in the volca universe again :-)
That random can't be truly random, i've used a FM synth with random most of te time you get pure noise or no sound at all lol, even the Waldorf Pulse 2's random is the same
Yeah I wondered that as well. They must have set some boundaries to the parameters or made some regions more probable. It does make sense to do so, but I would like to know how the pseudorandomisation works if that's the case.
No, its a Randomizer. But its absolutely not TRULY random (random on synths are generally not truly random). They must have set some parameter limits to make it more musical. From my testing it doesn randomize enough to make very different sounding patches, but not so much that you get total nonsense.
Can you add swing to add some more musicality to the sequences? I really liked what you played into the sequencer before it quantised it. Off the grid all the way
@@eaman11 sarcasm isn't necessary. And it's a legitimate point. Look: you get no batteries nor more importantly a MIDI adapter. Even the UNO Synth has one. if you're a newbie... why spend even more money?
Hi , do you think the Korg Volca audio outputs are high enough quality to be mixed down on a decent mixing desk for the final mastered mix ? Thanks in advance.
Check Volca FM 2 in stores:
Perfect Circuit (US) bit.ly/volcafm2xPC
Sweetwater (US): imp.i114863.net/za5mj0
Thomann (EU): www.thomann.de/se/search_dir.html?sw=volca%20fm&smcs=1f2dc6_806&offid=1&affid=623
*affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you
I still remember my first attempt at just booting up a DX7 and deciding I'd make a patch, and failing completely to make a patch that didn't sound like I'd spilled coffee on a Sound Blaster Pro, lol. But! For this price, and this tiny form factor, coupled with being a little older, a lot more patient, and a whole lot more inquisitive, maybe I can spare a couple nights of pizza's worth of cash to fit the tiny box on my desktop. A six voice epiano that fits in a purse is reason enough.
Yes the Volca FM 2 responds to velocity over midi
Yes but it lacks Portamento, FAIL!
What' about sustain over midi?
Did it respond to mod and pitch wheel over midi?
@@TwinCitiesOxygen ditto this question
Was about to ask exactly that...thanks!
I'm heavily invested in the Volca ecosystem. I use a Keystep Pro to sequence 4 Volcas. It's pretty fun. Did I expect this coming out? No. Do I need another one? No. Do I have an extreme urge to pick it up? YES!
me too jaja, i only had the volca keys, now i have the fm and the drums.
@@disomniatijuana2363 I got the sample2 expecting it to be able to pick up samples thru mic like a casio sk-1 or through recording direct audio or something but you have to load them up through the computer, so you can skip that one maybe. just the way I went into it though, could've probably done more research on my part. and it might be something you're looking for at some point but I thought I'd offer a heads-up anyway. now have the fm2 and will still use the sample sequence stuff in sync with it, but in hindsight I should've gotten a volca Drum
This synth's tones match even the most expensive synths and it could be a future classic. Some haters say it's difficult to edit sounds. #1 The presets sound great. # 2 The deep editing is just icing on the cake, and it's actually easy for synth nerds, and a miracle of design that Korg fit it in. Some also say the knobs are too small...why would you buy a tiny synth and complain about that? SMH. SOUND, PORTABILITY AND PRICE are all strongly at the buyer's advantage. NOTE: YOU WILL NEED A SPECIAL MIDI CABLE (5-pin to TRS) to use MIDI control, another annoyance in such a tiny synth. But again, we cannot expect quantum mechanics to make space for a 5-pin MIDI port. This is a 6-operator synth with 6-voice polyphony, a keypad, arp, and faders in a box smaller than a textbook. For perspective the Elektron Digitone has only 4 operators, though it has 8-voice polyphony. The point is, be amazed that this sound quality is carried in the palm of your hand at this price point, and rock on!
6 voices!? Wow! That's a very nice upgrade. Plus "Midi In & Out" and a bunch of other features! A worthy upgrade for sure! Great review as usual Bo. Thank you.
By 2030 Korg will gave released a 16 note polyphonic Volca FM 3, which will have a 2 line, alpha-numeric non backlit LCD screen.
Meanwhile in 2024 volcas, sq64, and drumlogue are on life support...but the NTS1 mk2 is nice
It's difficult to learn fm on it, especially with the interface, but dexed helps a lot
It makes a pretty good librarian also
I mean the dx7 wasn't good for that either
It's stilL a ball-ache to get tweaked sounds out of the Volca -- not cool
Im not sure there is a good hardware synth to "learn" that kind of FM on TBH.... this kind of multiple voice/multiple operator with linear and expodential, through FM... It seems to me it's inherintally a digital process and the best place to learn that or make patchs like that is always going to be on a computer
@@annother3350 just like the actual DX 7
and I know there's the OP six but that makes some shortcuts too to make it pallateable as a hardware synth like the envelope for example
Bo, you forgot one "who is it for?" target audience.... those who want a battery powered small device that fits in a bag and can go anywhere. Good review.
I've decided to make the FM2 my entree into Volca space, for exactly that reason. A DX7 that's no bigger than a novel that I can toss into the backpack and dink with at work on my lunch hour? That's a winner.
I just love your chord choices so much man.
Random is the way, or taking a preset and tweaking algorhyrms and attack/decay… this is it to me to get interesting sounds for ambient. 6 voices for great pads, velocity for expression, a little reverb for amplified lushness… thats a great version 2 to me.
danm that's a nice patch. I love that little piece you made with it! This is probably the most impressive volca in the line.
Great review as always, Bo! That they don't want to compete with their in-house product Opsix by implementing a comparable ease of use at this price and form factor is, I think, understandable. But what I find less understandable - and that bothered me already with the NTS-1 - is that they still use these terribly cryptic 7-segment displays. It doesn't have to be OLED, but even 14-segment displays would simplify the readability enormously and are really no longer witchcraft to implement in 2022. Still, it's a really cool product and doubling the number of voices in this little box plus an additional reverb I think is pretty sensational.
I agree totally that it's a hassle to read, but imo it does look nice
And a bigger display for the Opsix, in color.
The Volca Drum has the better display, it can show more info at a time.
I'm about half convinced that the hardware synth industry is allergic to any display tech newer than the 90's unless it's an OLED. I mean that high quality LCDs are fairly cheap to have made but nearly every one seems allergic to them so we seem to either get stuck segment based displays like it's still the 80's or tiny little OLEDs that are smaller than some of the ones I see used in hobby projects. It's honestly frustrating that the synth makers still act like a decent display should be reserved for only the top of the line stuff this day in age.
@@justjoeblow420 100% infuriating, the Yamaha MX49 and Casio PX5S have super tiny displays reminiscent of the '80s, but are modern, current gear, as two examples
I got my Volca FM quite early on, on a whim, and the menu system brought me back to my youth in the 80s with a bang - and not a very pleasant one. Having said that, I love the sounds it can produce despite the headaches. I would definitely get this new one - a complex, six-operator, six-voice polyphonic FM synth in a compact form factor? No brainer.
100%
@@BoBeats Guessing the price will be on par with the new OPSIX Native VST .. so many choices now. Always wanted a cheap DX-7 compatible FM synth that I can throw the gazillion sysex files at. I think i may add this to my birthday present list if the price is in the same bracket as the original. Great Review Bo , and playing :)
80ths love!!! why not?????
😅😅😊
I loved the fm work flow
It was soo inspiring learning a new synth that wasn't the original subtractive synth layout and really had fun experimenting this way having sooo many more control settings and infinite combinations/variables when designing a sound. I really enjoy reading and tinkering so maybe someone else just wants to plug and play which you can with the presets and change a lot of the basic control settings to make it a little more unique to your liking
WHOUUUUU! That product I'm waiting for years! Nice preview indeed.
Yyyoooo six voices is a big time upgrade. Other things are nice, but thats a serious improvement. Good refresh @korg !
Massive even lol
If only Roland would issue a next-gen JU-06A with six voices!
Great playing in this one Bo!
Didn't even know there was a second one coming. Sounds awesome. Great usage examples.
My office is finally doing return-to-the-office, so this seems well timed to make the train ride more pleasant. I had actually been stalking a used FM 1 before I knew there was a 2.
Awesome video Bo! Can’t believe that tiny thing is putting out such huge and lush sounds! 🤩
I pre-ordered this. It looks and sounds great. So many features for that price point to not add it to the pile.
Great demo of the new Volca FM2.
I also loved the jam in the beginning.
I have one on the way, and expect it next week 😀
Another really great video.
I am on the fence with FM, so I don't know. If I get interested, this looks like a good start. Way less than the OpSix.
I love the sounds of DX7/FM2! Timeless
The product review is very clear and serves to get a precise idea of the product. It is interesting for those on a tight budget and want great sounds, for the rest it takes small fingers and a great desire to understand. Great review I follow you with interest.
nice video bo! this new version definitely has me more interested in picking up a volca fm
yet again you are reviewing something that is useful to me lmao. Also, nice jumper
Nice mini review, thanks Bo. My FM2 is on its way ;) A couple of things to add to your review perhaps - check out DEXED or SynthMata for editing the FM, patches can be transferred using the audio in (I believe, but it sounds weird), and the TRS-MIDI adaptor required is a Type A. Hope this helps, it's what I've picked up from other reviews. Can't wait to add an FM synth to my Minibrute 2S :)
I never felt FM was for me (I still don't), but I watched it anyway (I'm interested in affordable synths though!).
Thank you Bo, your reviews are the best. And I liked to watch you to watch you "improvise" or so.
Thank again, always interesting.
Cheers!
Thanks for watching :-)
I am coming back to this, since the synths I want are too large for me atm, I want something smaller and this is still yet to be released.
7:50 is exactly my thoughts too, I love this thing.
If you want FM in your palette for cheap, this is it. The learning curve can be managed by watching videos. FM is going to require some learning to get the most out of it anyway, so spending more on an 'easier' synth might not necessarily be a better option.
This is intriguing. I think 6 voices makes it actually usable. Would prefer 8
Can confirm: (n+2) is the number of voices one could be happy with …
The Opsix and this unit sound like great options. I’ll stick with the Reface DX Since I don’t use FM enough to justify a new FM synth.
Great video Bo!
I’m buying it. Decided.
It feels with all the mini behringer synths due to hit production 2022 may be the year of the Rise of the Mini Synth
That already began in the '80s or '90s, but Korg took things farther and cheaper with their Volca line.
The arpeggiator and increased polyphony has me sold. All the other new features are just a bonus.
Dang, I just had to see this right after getting the V1! Really interesting, and I'm glad they bumped the voice count. The lack of DIN is a bit of a tough call for me though.
Yeah, I prefer 5-pin MIDI cables. I also have a LOT of them and don't like having to buy a new adapter.
I wonder whether that adds any noise to the audio outs like some of the boutiques?
@@maccagrabme Unbalanced micro jacks are always a bit of a problem.
@@lo-firobotboy7112 just get one. They are stupid cheap. Once you put it in you don’t have to take it out.
@@maccagrabme very unlikely unless the unit is faulty
Nice they re did it, but I’m still look8ng at getting the sonicware liven xfm. You get a lot more for your money even if you only have 4 instead of 6 operators.
Lovely chords in that first groove.
This information was what I needed to determine if the unit is right for me, so thank you!
I had trouble with the volume. To me, your voice was quiet, so I raised my volume to hear everything you had to say. Then I had to turn down the volume when music was playing. Maybe it's just me but if not, might you consider adjusting the vocal and instrument volume balance in future videos?
Awesome presentation, otherwise.
Thank you for the feedback
Great review! Very intrigued and appreciate the honest perspectives.
as a person not owning a synth (yet) I think this look rather interesting with a midi keyboard, then you seem to have some good and compact. I really love the sounds on this thing.
You could as well get some kind of rompler, even a cheap PSS , it's gonna be hard to do some synth with that. Maybe a Reface DX7 is a bit more usable.
I don't recommend cheap romplers, not any cheaper than an MX49, MC-101, or JD-Xi; a Juno-DS or JD-Xi is a superb choice. Volca FM is a bit of an odd choice for a starter synth, FM is not as easy to use as regular subtractice synths (that's 99% of synths), an IKM Uno Synth Pro or a Behringer Neutron or Pro-1 makes for a better starter synth, the Novation Mininova is also great, Ultranova if you can get a used one at a nice price, or a Volca Bass or Volca Keys from among the Korg Volcas. The Korg Minilogue XD or Monologue are very good entry synths, too.
The randomiser demo at 07:45 perfectly shows the issues I had with the original Volca FM. Many of the sounds seem very similar. Yeah, I know FM ‘sounds like that’ but I began to think of the synth as only good for one thing. Don’t get me wrong - I love it and it can be amazing. But how many ‘glassy/crystal/belll’ sounds do you need?
LOL!
it can be challenging to stay away from bell tones when you don't know what you're doing, but not impossible
@@Jason75913 I also got a TX81Z and weirdly it doesn't have the same issues. Amazing machine IMHO...
I don't understand the repeated comments about how hard it is to edit sounds and the lack of a librarian. Dexed is free and performs both functions. The simplified parameter control on the Volca is actually a clever way of reducing the complexity inherent to FM down to a few useful knobs. I used the DX-7 when it came out. The Volca FM is simpler, likely sounds better, and is amazing value for money. Even the original version was the best Volca by far.
a DX7 in good shape sounds better, actually, but a Volca FM won't require that you cannibalize other Volcas for parts for repairs and maintenance
Almost a year after it's still almost impossible to find this synth for purchase
Great mini review, thanks Bo!
Whoa! This is going to sell like hot cakes. (Great video, as always!)
Very good review! Got myself the first edition a couple of weeks ago and while I'm having a lot of fun with it, this video got me craving for more (Volca) FM. 😎
Oooh yeah, at 8:10 you hit the sweet spot with the randomizer. 😀
I don't think the editing difficulty is THAT big a dealbreaker, given Dexed is free and runs on everything. You do your sound design on Dexed, load cool creations onto FM2, and carry it along with you to noodle and sequence with.
Especially now that the latest firmware added damper pedal support, and there's one at a REALLY nice price on Reverb, I think it's time to jump on the Volcawagon 😀
Yeah, the Opsix is really cool, but even the cheapest ones on Reverb are 5-6 times what the little Volca is running. And you can fit four Volcas (or a Volca, a Boutique, and a Blofeld!) in the desk space Opsix requires.
In 20 years + of playing with synths I've never messed with the algorithms on any of my FM synths. It's one layer too deep for me, I guess. My favourite FM synths are the PSS and PSR keyboards where individual parameters were given their own button or slider. The implementation on the Volca looks useful but still requires a cheat sheet.
Be great if one could port some of the code from Dexed to make an editor for this.
I was just saying I have a PSS 480, and should play with the sound design more.
@@h2o1969 The PSS 480 is one of my two favourite FM synths. I've had several flavours of DX and a couple other PSRs but the PSS-480 and the FB-01 are the ones I keep coming back to. You can get some really interesting, gritty, evolving tones with the 480. For years I also used it as a string synth, which, when played through a phaser, sounds really nice.
@@lo-firobotboy7112 yeah, I need to play around with it more. How did you get string sounds out of it? I just got the Steichfett for strings. I am actually thinking of using the 480 as the keyboard for it.
It does. Dexed is great for that
Since I'm pretty much going to use it as a DX7 in a module, it's an easy purchase for me. Probably take advantage of that randomizer, too, though.
Interesting to hear that they are evolving the older Volcas, six voices is definitely an improvement. Any word about dedicated velocity sensitivity via MIDI in or do you still have to use the slider as on v1?
Edit: Oscillator Sink says yes, in case anyone else is thinking the same.
Velocity over midi yes!
There is something about Volca FM's sound that is I would say unique to its rendering of DX7 patches. Neither Dexed nor DX7 seems to have the same softness to the sound. I also like that it is possible to easily change algorithm and change attack and decay of both carriers and modulators separately making each preset set really much larger and tuning most important aspects much quicker. From MK2 I like 6 voices and randomizer also looks fun. Mk2 also does velocity over MIDI making it with 6 voices serious alternative to DX7 or using VSTs like Dexed. Mk1 can also do velocity with unofficial firmware. I would recommend either (provided Mk1 is adequately cheaper) and getting some nice reverb DSP (eg. NTS-1) as such combo provides endless hours of fun ambient music.
The TRS MIDI plugs are an interesting addition as they'd be more useful than the sync plugs. Yes , the breakout adapters can be a pain, but aux cables are easier to get. :)
I honestly don't prefer them, but I did have a bunch made for my Electribe 2. Not too much pain after that.
@@terminalglimmer Well, it could be worse, they could've pulled an IK and used 2.5mm trs jacks instead of the far more common 3.5mm. :)
@@JakeSweeper We take the little wins where we can haha
are the adapters in the box?
@@cresshead no
I somehow ended up with two V1s so I’ve already got the six voices, right?!
Right!! 🤓
so cant you just update the fm with firmware or do you need to buy a new one?
You know the answer to this buddy lmfao
Is really like to see some hardware solutions for the sustain pedal
Maybe retrokits could provide something similar to the volca sample mod?
Great review! Looking forward to testing this one! 😊
The biggest deal breaker for me; in regards to the original FM, was the inability to work a sustain pedal with the controller that I was using with it. Can this updated Volca FM have this capability?
Loopop says it is missing here as well
There's also the Liven XFM, which I was strongly considering getting but now I'm interested in this too. the Liven looks easier to program but you still need a guide overlay which is annoying, at least this can play DX7 presets
I wish I had the Liven to compare. I have the Beats one but its nothing like the FM really
thank you Bo , great overview , always appreciate and enjoy your vids
thanks for watching
Great review!!. Will get this new Volca. Limitations are what you really should aim for. Best way to view these kind of presentations is simply to reverse everything being said. Things like intial patches... editor.... To boring to get things done.
Glad you found it useful!
Arp midi out?. Arps the best!!
Wow this sounds excellent, it might be added as a pure FM module, sounds excellent and I hope you're doing well Bo.
Still working on my health but fun synths do help! :-)
@@BoBeats you've always been an UpBeat BoBeats so I think what you do for the synth community is great and it is healthy for you too.
I played with a DX7, what a nightmare, it felt so isolating, I think the Volca is a blessing in disguise.
It has got a WebMIDI editing and sync page w/ modern GUI, So programming is just not any problem，and you could save program on your computer（export to sysex）
None of this is provided by Korg. Its all third party from what I know. Which most users wont know about or ever use.
@@BoBeats Korg's site does link to the synthmata editor, but I'm pretty sure most folks buying a Volca FM will not look at Korg's product page. So as you say, most folks will not know or use 3rd party tools, but hopefully not as few as if Korg didn't link to the synthmata page, for the userbase's sakes.
there's exporting to Sysex, I haven't checked, but the older Volca FM could dump to audio files that have to be fed into the "SYNC IN" with any playback device, be it a smartphone, tablet, portable recorder, or a Kross2's built-in audio recorder, which is a handier ability over relying on Sysex
Good tuto. I would have like a part about midi implementation and possibilities to modulate the sound with source like Mod Wheel / Velocity
Nice. The best of the Volcas got better.
The Keys is still my personal fav, how about a 6 voice analog at that price please Korg 😅👌
Guess I still need to hold out longer for the Volca Cowbell...
Sweet! Is there also going to be a new Volca keys coming out?
no idea, i wish for one!
@@BoBeats same! Would be so great!
Actually, does anyone know if the midi out also functions as a thru?
"...on the next vid ee oh." Thanks for going above and beyond on the pronunciation. Great video as always. I just heard... almost from the horse's mouth ... that these won't be out until the end of summer. I still put down money on one. It's just too good not to.
Vi de jo! 🤓
Does anyone think it’s likely that we’ll see a Volca keys with more voices? A 6 voice Volca keys would be sick
I loved my Volca FM version 1! It was my first official synth and I took it everywhere with me. Unfortunately, the play button on the sequencer doesn't work anymore, so its really only good as a sound module. I hope its not an issue with the new FM, but my unit was always terribly noisy and was a pain to make clean recordings with.
I updated it to the unofficial firmware that responds to velocity over midi which is cool. I think think they made many improvements with this model. So I will reconsider picking one up in the future.
You should have exchanged your unit early on for a less noisy one. Volca FM is the least noisy of the Volcas, along with the Volca Drum.
@@Jason75913 maybe I should have, although it was my first volca and I heard all of them were noisy 🤷
I wonder if the other Volca's will get the same treatment?
fingers crossed, Sample and FM got updates, so the others probably will as well, I think
The Volca FM2 sounds very good
0:48 thats a vibe right there
last year i was thinking that i never buy a volca (after i give keys and sample 1 away.)
but this fm 2 is worth the money. so i restart in the volca universe again :-)
Six voices make a huge difference.
how does the midi work on this - it looks like it has a 3.5mm midi in/out? how can I connect to standard midi?
Wonderful review! Is there portamento slide available on this device?
now we can finally play 7th chords in fm
I preordered one of these so I can do nice donk basses like Kaskade "Tear Down These Walls" and gritty techno waveforms.
Fantastic sweater!!!! Very Latvian!
Thanks for the video!.. do you know if sustain and after touch works from and external kboard?
Most people just used the presets on their DX7s
Nice! I was just thinking about getting the original one.
Considering how many are out there they aren't too difficult to come by second hand.
I picked up the Opsix VST from Korg, but it's kinda buggy at the moment.
That random can't be truly random, i've used a FM synth with random most of te time you get pure noise or no sound at all lol, even the Waldorf Pulse 2's random is the same
Yeah I wondered that as well. They must have set some boundaries to the parameters or made some regions more probable. It does make sense to do so, but I would like to know how the pseudorandomisation works if that's the case.
No, its a Randomizer. But its absolutely not TRULY random (random on synths are generally not truly random). They must have set some parameter limits to make it more musical. From my testing it doesn randomize enough to make very different sounding patches, but not so much that you get total nonsense.
this one is so good it makes me wish I hadnt bought the first FM
Can you add swing to add some more musicality to the sequences? I really liked what you played into the sequencer before it quantised it. Off the grid all the way
I dont think theres any way to rec unquantized
@@BoBeats you didn't try recording into the Volca's sequencer with an external controller triggering the notes?
nice bit of accidental small town boy at 5:50
4:09 is 'Assace' your own patch, or a preset? :)
8:59 not just bells. Bells from outter space
To the mooooon
Bells and whistles😋
The lack of USB and a Librarian isn't a deal breaker necessarily; it does raise an eyebrow when even the Volca Sample 2 has one.
OMG it lacks USB for upgrades and uploads! AAAHH!! Terrible!!
@@eaman11 sarcasm isn't necessary. And it's a legitimate point. Look: you get no batteries nor more importantly a MIDI adapter. Even the UNO Synth has one. if you're a newbie... why spend even more money?
@@MontiRock I was serious about that! I ain't gonna buy a Volka FM if I can't connect it via USB to my DAW / grovebox, upload presets and edit those.
@@eaman11 groovebox? no, but a DAW running Dexed or at least Google Chrome with synthmata's Volca FM esitor opened up in a tab? yes
i'm thinking of getting one of these and sequencing it from an electribe 2 any thoughts ? also can you save your own patches ?
Interesting refresh, but for a few dollars more...Korg's Opsix native software might be a better FM experience.
Especially once they’ve sorted out the current sluggishness which is affecting many users 👍
Nah. Hardware always.
Hi , do you think the Korg Volca audio outputs are high enough quality to be mixed down on a decent mixing desk for the final mastered mix ?
Thanks in advance.
Yeah absolutely
@@BoBeats thanks for the reply.
How the DX7 and TX81Z comes back to life
Do you know how it does with sysex? The original only responded to korg sysex but the pajen update allowed for Yamaha sysex. This one?