A video demonstrating how to simultaneously start all of the Volcas using only the Sync cables; as originally described by LirumLarum Löffelstiel of the Korg Volca Series Facebook group.
You Just made My Day! Now I can trigger the first Volta using the MIDI-Jack to send Start /Stop (SYNC) from me DAW an by plugging out that Dummy-Jack the whole Family runs "IN SYNC" thank you very very much!!!!
Thank you very much!!... i a cuestion, maybe you can help me or other people, pleaase! ... i have a volca keys and a volca sample, you have any idea of how i can sync them when i have move next to an other song in the memory? ... i want to play "live" but i cant mix the set and sync the songs.. what i need?
Hola Gonzalo! Sync, unfortunately, is an old standard developed only for keeping tempo, my friend. For pattern/song selection, you would need to use MIDI and the Volcas would need to be able to respond to the Program Change command. Unless somebody has developed an after-market mod for them that I'm not aware of, again, unfortunately, the Volcas do not have a program change facility. I only know this because this was one of the first things I looked into myself. If you use a computer in your live set-up, particularly if you use Ableton Live (but it could be any DAW or a sequencer in an iPad/iPhone or Android tablet/phone) then I'd recommend using MIDI. If you've ever had to set up a network, setting up MIDI addresses is way easier :) If you're strictly hardware, then I'd suggest looking for some sequencers. www.synthtopia.com/content/2016/01/04/the-best-new-hardware-sequencers-of-2015/ With a little thought, it's possible to record a pattern created in a Volca back into a sequencer but it would need a MIDI out modification on the Volca. It's not difficult if you're handy with DIY electronics.
Handy as that is (genuinely thank you!)... It seems weird that we have to perform this "hack" to sync them all to the start of the sequence. Why don't "downstream" Volcas just wait for play to be pressed on the master "upstream" Volca by default? And... if the master Volca is already playing then the slaves it should wait for step 1 and sync to it when it comes round. Or at least there should be a global option for this. Am I correct in saying that if I want all my Volcas to sync to an external Midi clock (e.g. from a Novation Circuit) I have to use a midi thru box and connect midi cables to the midi in of every Volca? Not just to the first one? Having just bought my second Volca I was hoping to be able to connect to the Midi-in of just one of the Volcas, and have the second one connected via the sync cable only. And have both Volcas start / stop and sync to the external Midi clock.
Adrian Rowbotham the sync out is just continuous clock ticks, there's no "start" or "stop" information in the sync out. The midi start signal is a midi message, not just a pulse. I suppose an updatr suggestion for korg would be to use this same hack, essentially, to have an option where the sync out doesn't output until play is pressed, also that in that mode, hitting the play button would make it wait till the next clock pulse rise to actually start. As for midi, if you feed your midi source to the first volca, then daisy chain the sync cables as normal, the downstream volcas will match the clock of the first as set by the midi input whenever the first unit is in, "play."
I just learned of this issue tonight as I attempted to solve the same problem... I'm absolutely shocked and disappointed Korg didn't cosider and/or bother creating a solution to this problem! I used the MPC2000 for 13 years and it immediately is intuitive and solves this problem. Smh, Korg.
If you split the wires of that beats sync in and wired them to the leads of a footswitch...the same relay technique that changes channels on a guitar amp...open/closed
may question may seem stupid but i just can't figure out how to sync my volca series. i got the beats bass and sample and when i try to use my SLR jack headphones - it just docent work. help?
+Ran Eldan G'day mate! One of the most common misconceptions about the leads which come with the Volca series is that they are for audio. Whilst they're 3.5mm TRS leads, the function is NOT intended for audio use but for synchronising - the Sync out of the Sync master to the Sync in of the next Volca and so on. Not sure what you mean by SLR jack headphones, though. Do you mean that you're not getting audio through the headphones or that you're using the headphones lead as one of the Sync cables? If it's the audio you mean, the Sync doesn't pass audio it's just a voltage pulse used to keep each device in time. You need to take each individual Volcas audio out into a mixer then plug your headphones into the mixer where you'll get the summed audio signal. If the lead is detachable and you are using it to connect Sync Out to Sync In, then it MUST be TRS, not a standard patch lead since there's no guarantee that the Sync will work reliably. Give me a brand name for the headphones or post a link to an image or web-page and I'll check it out
@aderowbotham - Adrian, I'm sorry mate but TH-cam has clagged your comment as spam, even though it isn't, so I'll copy it here then answer it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Handy as that is (genuinely thank you!)... It seems weird that we have to perform this "hack" to sync them all to the start of the sequence. Why don't "downstream" Volcas just wait for play to be pressed on the master "upstream" Volca by default? And... if the master Volca is already playing then the slaves it should wait for step 1 and sync to it when it comes round. Or at least there should be a global option for this. Am I correct in saying that if I want all my Volcas to sync to an external Midi clock (e.g. from a Novation Circuit) I have to use a midi thru box and connect midi cables to the midi in of every Volca? Not just to the first one? Having just bought my second Volca I was hoping to be able to connect to the Midi-in of just one of the Volcas, and have the second one connected via the sync cable only. And have both Volcas start / stop and sync to the external Midi clock. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The reason for an otherwise unsynchronised start, not waiting for step 1 on the timing master before starting the slave Volcas , is that as explained in earlier responses, the Sync signal is purely a old-school (i.e. pre-MIDI) timing pulse, not a data stream. Subsequently, the starting of slave Volcas in step with the master will, although running at the same tempo, be highly dependent on the player's ability to press Start on the slave unit at precisely the right moment. This may be a bigger issue when "sandboxing" with the internal speakers but if one were to use this hack with all outputs going into a mixer, then fader control may be another rough hack to get by until, as you correctly surmised, you get a hold of a MIDI-through box... OR you hack each Volca by adding MIDI out to each. I've added MIDI Out to my Beats, demo of MIDI Out in action here th-cam.com/video/wGc9I8IHjCw/w-d-xo.html And here th-cam.com/video/jZShyeuM8gI/w-d-xo.html I also have a MIDI-Thru box from MIDI-Solutions which I've used for driving the Volcas from the QY10 but I don't have a video to demonstrate this in action.
The Mighty Hellfish you don't need a midi thru box just for clock sync. If you feed your midi clock to the first volca, then daisy chain the sync cables to the others as normal, the clock trigger sent to the others will match the midi clock once the master is in play mode.
Yep, you're right mate. I've done that very thing myself prior to messing about with a Through box but I think I missed it on account of the crap I went through trying to get the OP's question to show up in the first place. Still, a MIDI-through box opens up a LOT more possibilities :)
The audio terms for the cables really don't mean squat in terms of functionality but it's been that long since I've fired these up in anger I can't remember exactly. Whatever comes shipped is what you need and I think it's the stereo. Let's face it, over thousands of units produced, why would you ship a stereo cable if there was no potential issue with the the mono cable and my guess from my industrial instrumentation background suggests that it'd be for shielding purposes to prevent stray inductance false triggering the sync.
Hi Yien! You need to connect the signals to an audio mixer, mate - under no circumstances do you connect up all outputs directly to each other. A decent mixer will prevent each Volca's output from working against each other and allow you to set each individual level that feeds into a single output, although most mixers are stereo output and you would need to also pull the balance faders over to the one channel (usually the left channel by convention/practice) and connect the single output to that same channel.. If you're comfortable with assembling a few electronic components, you may find some simple audio mixer schematics on the internet: www.startpage.com/do/dsearch?query=Simple+audio+mixer+schematics&cat=web&pl=ext-ff&language=english However, depending on where you are in the world and your budget, one the cheapest named-brand mixers you could get is the Behringer Micromix MX400, SKU code BEH-MX400. www.musictribe.com/Categories/Behringer/Mixers/Analog/MX400/p/P0390 What makes the MX400 good is that it looks like it's all mono, which is perfect for your application. A word of warning when buying audio equipment such as mixers - don't be put off by the audio snobs who (a) love to hate on Behringer and (b) don't feel anything is good enough unless they've mortgaged the house for it. My advice, start with something affordable, learn with it, and scale up as and when YOU think you need to - if it sounds OK to you, then it is. Th MX400 mixer can be bought for as little as Au$45.00 off eBay or even StoreDJ (an Aussie DJ and Studio equipment store).
If you've got any device with transport controls and MIDI out - like a sequencer - then all you need is a MIDI splitter box. For a sequencer to play MIDI devices, then you need to take addressing into consideration but for transport controls - and please check this as it's been several years now since I've played with this stuff and I've moved onto other interests - I think the commands are address-agnostic in that the Play signal will activate all MIDI devices and then they'll be synchronised to the sequencer's tempo. Failing that, address all Volcas as Address 1 (I think they are by default anyway... maybe not the Beats), and send all transport commands to address 1. If anyone who reads this can correct where I've tripped up, then by all means, please do. (There may also be another video of mine where I'm showing of the MIDI Out mods but it's not recommended for anyone who is not willing to accept any adverse consequences resulting from their own mistakes)
The cheapest Behringer, the 5-channel version but if I was to buy another and was starting out, I'd go for a usb connect able version with double the channels... I've learned that the number of channels you need is generally one more than that of the one you bought... 😁
maybe stupid question, why is the sync cable stereo. there are also mono patch cable. and what do i need when i connect the sync out from the volca to a older drumcomputer like the dr-220. mono or stereo. or doesnt it mather. as it only gives a 5~15v pulse. But i wonder, mono cable would be enough. so why is it stereo.
Not a stupid question, Klaas, just exposing a gap in your current knowledge ;) Have you encountered the various types of cables available for general audio signals yet? What you - and I used to also - presume is "merely" a stereo cable is actually a two core + overall screen. XLR cables for mono "Balanced" microphones are typically this configuration but the type of plug used makes it obvious that the mono signal is the two cores that sit inside the overall screen and each is connected to one of the pins of the connector. Somewhere along the line, some wise guy decided that since the cable used for a balanced mono signal is effectively the same two core plus overall screen type used in stereo cables, then a cheaper option for balanced mono would be to use the cheaper and more commonly available stereo jack plugs - also known as Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) - instead of the XLR. Initially this was - and still is - the 1/4" (6mm) jack, then the frontier gets pushed again - if it works for 6mm, then surely 3.5mm will also work, and so here we are. What you believe to be - and may be used as - a stereo cable, is actually functioning as a balanced mono cable, which is less susceptible to external electrical interference than unbalanced. The last thing you want in the middle of a set is to have some AC or fluorescent lights kick in and generating spikes in your sync cable which the hardware may interpret as a sync pulse. Now the important thing to remember here is that the interference only effects the destination device (Sync In), not the source (Sync Out). Some people use can use regular patch leads and get away with it and in doing so, generally with zero technical foundation, claim that the mono cable isn't necessary. As a bloke with technical background in electronics, I look at it like this: If mono patch leads had no latent technical issues then Korg wouldn't be using "stereo" leads to connect one Volca to another - these leads costs that little bit extra per unit to be able to bite into profit margin when you start looking at huge numbers of units manufactured. As for hooking it up to the DR-220, I'd be heading into unqualified waters if I was to say that it would be fine. Logically, it may not matter if the DR220 only has a mono rather than stereo sync in, and since people reportedly use mono patch leads without having the smoke escape from their Volcas :) .The important parts to separate are the Tip and the Ring components - a Mono lead effectively shorts the Ring and Sleeve component. If you were willing to do some testing whilst accepting full responsibility for your own actions, you might try to use the Korg-supplied stereo lead first. If that works, stick with it. You could also try the mono lead and it too may never cause you any particular issue unless you're anywhere near a source of electrical noise. Finally, there are "mono to stereo" leads available - these will be a TRS plug at one end and a TS (Tip-Sleeve) at the other. The TRS end plugs into the Volca, and the TS end into the DR-220... if the DR-220 Sync input is indeed a mono socket, that is ;)
but how do you connect all 3 to one speaker ? do you connect one of volcas to to external sound card thru midi and then audio from soundcard to speake ? is this the only way ? what if you dont have sound card ?
I'll give you a basic idea but you really need to go and read about audio signal paths and MIDI, already prepared and written in depth by others at a level easy enough for any newcomer to understand and better than I can give you here. Fundamentally, audio and MIDI are two different kinds of signal, the former being the electrical signal which drives a speaker to vibrate the air and reproduce a sound, whilst the latter is a data signal to tell devices which note (for example) should be played (among other cool things which I'll leave you to be excited by when you discover for yourself) Regardless of whether or not you have a computer - which is where I'm guessing the soundcard reference comes into play - you will need a device called a mixer to produce one single audio output from many. The Volca's audio output is dual mono, so with the right type of audio cable, each of the Volca outputs would be connected to a correspondingly separate audio input channel on a mixer. Each channel has it's own level, panning, and EQ (bass/mid/treble) adjustments, summing (or "mixing") each input into a combined single stereo output, which, depending on the type of outputs a mixer has, may either plug into a stereo input of a computer soundcard (whether internal or external), digital recorder (e.g. Zoom R8, Tascam Portastudio) or amplifier, or in other cases, capable of driving a pair of speakers. In active mixers (ones which require power and will boost as well as cut signals) there's usually a separate headphone socket for monitoring - handy if you don't have an amp or PA system to plug into. The only time that MIDI comes into play is when you want to, for example, create longer sequences in another device (say a computer running Ableton Live, or maybe a hardware sequencer like a Yamaha QY-10 or an Arturia Beatstep) to play the notes in the Volcas for you. A mixer is still required to collect the separate audio outputs together as one stereo signal, but there's now extra cables - MIDI cables - running between the computer/sequencer and each Volca to carry all of the note data and distribute it to each device. Achieving this is not hard, but it's no "wave of the hand and it's done" either and requires a good working knowledge of MIDI fundamentals, and a bit of hardware and cables to arrange accordingly.
thanks alot . by extrnal sound card i meant my Focusrite 6i6 . sorry just want to clear this up: in case that I do have a mixer , if i sync the volcas together and then send audio signal out from one of the Volcas in to my focusrite and from focusrite out to studio monitor and run it with ableton live, iam going to hear all volcas from my studio monitor ? or i have to connect every volcas individual ?am i wrong to think that syncing is some how related to collect individual audio outputs from all devices ?
Ahhh, thanks, mate that's a lot clearer :) To answer the last question first, yes, that's an incorrect assumption. The Sync signal merely "keeps the beat" for every pattern, so that the tempo is consistent across all Volcas. In the video above, all audio comes from the individual Volca speakers. Fortunately, your Scarlett 6i6 has enough inputs to plug each of the Volcas into it and have one input to spare. Two Volcas can plug into the front and set up as described here: th-cam.com/video/cTUWemOjc5I/w-d-xo.htmlm52s but the other will have to be plugged into one of the rear Line In sockets and you will need to ensure that the volume for that Volca is turned down, then bring it up gradually to set the signal level. The unit also has Line Outputs, so you can drive the monitors directly from there BUT if your intent is to record into Ableton THEN just Set up three audio tracks in Ableton to record through the 6i6 as you would with say a Guitar or Vocals, monitoring by however you normally monitor Ableton, and set the levels before recording. The other thing is that the Scarlett has MIDI In and Out - you would really be missing out on a hell of a lot of potential by using just the Sync leads, to be honest. You have, with that Scarlett 6i6 (and I'm envious btw - they're good units) everything you need to record from the Volcas, monitor the MIXED sound, AND send MIDI information to the Volcas. That you're not aware of this suggests that you have just about got all gear you need (save for a MIDI splitter and four MIDI leads) but you perhaps don't really know how to use what you've got, and for that a TH-cam Comment section is not the easiest way to share the info you need to get you on your feet and running.. To my mind, a video or video chat would be better but I don't have a Scarlett 6i6 otherwise I could show you exactly how to hook it all up. And it wouldn't be a short video or session either - probably at least half an hour's work if not more and this presumes that you know a little about the gear you have. I really am sorry I don't have any other way to help, mate.
yes I use to produce using only DAW + Ableton Push . I recently bought volca sample and it got me into hardwares .( its just more fun ) . thanks alot for the info really it helped alot .
HAHAHAHA! Yeah tell me about it! The story behind how I got into the hardware side is similar (playing with software for some time, then grabbed a few Volcas) :) All I can say now is persevere with MIDI, my friend, and you will have an absolute whale of a time. Once you've got a handle on MIDI out to your Volcas and recording the audio, here's the next bit to try - modulating parameters on the fly through this Live plug-in: fabriziopoce.com/volcacontrol.html Have fun!!!
ci ho provato ma non funziona, o meglio, dopo diversi tentativi magari alla fine funziona e vanno tutti a tempo...come mai? ho il volca beats ed il volca sample! grazie per la risposta
Ciao! Scusa la traduzione di Google :) Assicurati di utilizzare solo il cavo "stereo" fornito con Volca. È il cavo di sincronizzazione corretto ma le persone lo usano erroneamente per l'audio, quindi usano un cavo mono per la sincronizzazione, che non sempre funziona. Tuttavia, non ho nemmeno un campione Volca, quindi non posso essere troppo sicuro se esiste la stessa funzionalità.
@@TheMightyHellfish ciao, grazie mille per la risposta! Ho usato il cavo in dotazione proprio perchè avevo letto le tue spiegazioni in merito però purtroppo non sempre funziona! Dopo diverse volte che lo inserisco magari vanno a tempo! Peccato perchè il trucco è davvero geniale e pensando di comprare diversi volca sarebbe tornato molto utile! ;-)
@@simonesantoro3195 ciao Simone, il trucco di sconnetere il jack per far partire le volca tutte insieme io lo conoscevo già, tuttavia non capisco perché la volca sample parte una battuta più avanti della beats
ciao Daniele, infatti non mi vanno mai a tempo in quel modo ed in ogni caso spesso non è facile prendere la giusta battuta per mandarli tutti a tempo! francamente quando mi accorsi del ,chiamiamolo problema, ci rimasi male, pensavo che una volta collegate le unità volca premendo play in qualunque momento si allineassero tra di loro!
I can tell you straight out but then nothing's been learned - and learning requires appreciation, understanding, something to build on So I'm going to be a bit of a bastard and help you try to think this one out. :) It's obvious that we don't need Sync, a means to govern tempo across multiple devices, for just one device, right? However, we do for two or more devices. With devices that have Sync In/Out, this is achieved using just one lead connecting the Sync Out of the tempo-setting device to the Sync In of the following unit. Similarly, additional units maybe daisy-chained, with one lead from the Sync Out of the previous unit in the chain connecting to the Sync In of the next unit in the chain' This may be repeated until the number of devices daisy-chained is reached where the Sync signal's level has dropped to a point that is too low to be sensed. So that means that Sync may be used with a minimum of two to some number possibly beyond the three devices shown in the video. Remember that only one lead is required to Sync between two devices. Let's say they're both Volcas, and that every new Volca comes with its own TRS Sync lead (which it does). So where there are two Volcas and two leads, and only one is required to Sync the two devices, then there must be a spare Sync lead. Now it's exam time! :) If the spare Sync lead is plugged into the first Volca's Sync In and hit play on both of them, then what would happen and why? What would happen if the spare lead was pulled out of the first unit's Sync In? If the "Aha! doesn't hit you, let me know.
So from what I'm reading here as well as the quick testing I've done, it seems the master Volca can't properly trigger the start/stop w/o the dummy patch cord. Wow, a clever hack for sure but hard to believe. The ganging of these little buggers is really brilliant and powerful but having to use a dummy 3.5mm plug for starts & stops is truly a Mickey Mouse solution. IMHO, this is a huge bug. How do those w 4+ of these units play/record w them? SURELY there's a better solution.
tell me. i am going insane. i can't start my shit all at once properly: 1 fm and 2 modulars here. i start the fm via ableton, all cool, but if i try to pass the start-signal to the other volca modulars via sync in/out, nothing happens.....
![fellow fellow - Proud [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9uZF7BlUQPE/mqdefault.jpg)
You Just made My Day!
Now I can trigger the first Volta using the MIDI-Jack to send Start /Stop (SYNC) from me DAW an by plugging out that Dummy-Jack the whole Family runs "IN SYNC" thank you very very much!!!!
9 years later and I found this... thanks!
Thank you 🙏🏾 the volcas are so simple they’re genius
I have 3 Volcas, Keys, Sample and FM. This sync tip is just SO useful! Many thanks and please keep up the good work.
Nice, I did not know about the Volca mixer.
So simple, so awesome. Cheers.
It is a great information. this would be very good for lovers Volca. Thank you.
just what I needed! thank you!
Useful tip - thank You man.
Waiting on a rack for mine now. Going to run the beats - kick- modular - moog mother 32- tascam model 24 😁
Great video! You earned a like and sub👍🙏💓
wow... accidental tricks are always the best :)
Genius. I've been having a hard time with my Bass and FM.
mate you made my day
Bless you this worked
Genial! Thank u Man!
amazing!
Thanks great tip
Thanks for the tip.
Genius!
Cool one! Thx
Lovely
Thanks
Thanks!
hahaha brilliant! thanks for sharing
Brilliant hack.
brilliant
Adding volca sample to the mix soon
cheers bud
thanks!
Great
Gonna make a loop on it like a ring-thingy.
If you stop the Volca Beats, do the other two Volcas stop or will the other two keep playing?
With this particular set-up, if I wanted to hear the whole sequence on the headphones, where would I plug those in?
😎
Thank you very much!!... i a cuestion, maybe you can help me or other people, pleaase! ... i have a volca keys and a volca sample, you have any idea of how i can sync them when i have move next to an other song in the memory? ... i want to play "live" but i cant mix the set and sync the songs.. what i need?
Hola Gonzalo!
Sync, unfortunately, is an old standard developed only for keeping tempo, my friend.
For pattern/song selection, you would need to use MIDI and the Volcas would need to be able to respond to the Program Change command.
Unless somebody has developed an after-market mod for them that I'm not aware of, again, unfortunately, the Volcas do not have a program change facility. I only know this because this was one of the first things I looked into myself.
If you use a computer in your live set-up, particularly if you use Ableton Live (but it could be any DAW or a sequencer in an iPad/iPhone or Android tablet/phone) then I'd recommend using MIDI.
If you've ever had to set up a network, setting up MIDI addresses is way easier :)
If you're strictly hardware, then I'd suggest looking for some sequencers.
www.synthtopia.com/content/2016/01/04/the-best-new-hardware-sequencers-of-2015/
With a little thought, it's possible to record a pattern created in a Volca back into a sequencer but it would need a MIDI out modification on the Volca. It's not difficult if you're handy with DIY electronics.
QY10
Handy as that is (genuinely thank you!)... It seems weird that we have to perform this "hack" to sync them all to the start of the sequence.
Why don't "downstream" Volcas just wait for play to be pressed on the master "upstream" Volca by default? And... if the master Volca is already playing then the slaves it should wait for step 1 and sync to it when it comes round. Or at least there should be a global option for this.
Am I correct in saying that if I want all my Volcas to sync to an external Midi clock (e.g. from a Novation Circuit) I have to use a midi thru box and connect midi cables to the midi in of every Volca? Not just to the first one?
Having just bought my second Volca I was hoping to be able to connect to the Midi-in of just one of the Volcas, and have the second one connected via the sync cable only. And have both Volcas start / stop and sync to the external Midi clock.
Adrian Rowbotham the sync out is just continuous clock ticks, there's no "start" or "stop" information in the sync out. The midi start signal is a midi message, not just a pulse. I suppose an updatr suggestion for korg would be to use this same hack, essentially, to have an option where the sync out doesn't output until play is pressed, also that in that mode, hitting the play button would make it wait till the next clock pulse rise to actually start.
As for midi, if you feed your midi source to the first volca, then daisy chain the sync cables as normal, the downstream volcas will match the clock of the first as set by the midi input whenever the first unit is in, "play."
I just learned of this issue tonight as I attempted to solve the same problem... I'm absolutely shocked and disappointed Korg didn't cosider and/or bother creating a solution to this problem! I used the MPC2000 for 13 years and it immediately is intuitive and solves this problem. Smh, Korg.
If you split the wires of that beats sync in and wired them to the leads of a footswitch...the same relay technique that changes channels on a guitar amp...open/closed
would buy instantly
may question may seem stupid but i just can't figure out how to sync my volca series. i got the beats bass and sample and when i try to use my SLR jack headphones - it just docent work.
help?
+Ran Eldan G'day mate!
One of the most common misconceptions about the leads which come with the Volca series is that they are for audio.
Whilst they're 3.5mm TRS leads, the function is NOT intended for audio use but for synchronising - the Sync out of the Sync master to the Sync in of the next Volca and so on.
Not sure what you mean by SLR jack headphones, though. Do you mean that you're not getting audio through the headphones or that you're using the headphones lead as one of the Sync cables?
If it's the audio you mean, the Sync doesn't pass audio it's just a voltage pulse used to keep each device in time. You need to take each individual Volcas audio out into a mixer then plug your headphones into the mixer where you'll get the summed audio signal.
If the lead is detachable and you are using it to connect Sync Out to Sync In, then it MUST be TRS, not a standard patch lead since there's no guarantee that the Sync will work reliably.
Give me a brand name for the headphones or post a link to an image or web-page and I'll check it out
@aderowbotham -
Adrian, I'm sorry mate but TH-cam has clagged your comment as spam, even though it isn't, so I'll copy it here then answer it.
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Handy as that is (genuinely thank you!)... It seems weird that we have to perform this "hack" to sync them all to the start of the sequence.
Why don't "downstream" Volcas just wait for play to be pressed on the master "upstream" Volca by default? And... if the master Volca is already playing then the slaves it should wait for step 1 and sync to it when it comes round. Or at least there should be a global option for this.
Am I correct in saying that if I want all my Volcas to sync to an external Midi clock (e.g. from a Novation Circuit) I have to use a midi thru box and connect midi cables to the midi in of every Volca? Not just to the first one?
Having just bought my second Volca I was hoping to be able to connect to the Midi-in of just one of the Volcas, and have the second one connected via the sync cable only. And have both Volcas start / stop and sync to the external Midi clock.
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The reason for an otherwise unsynchronised start, not waiting for step 1 on the timing master before starting the slave Volcas
, is that as explained in earlier responses, the Sync signal is purely a old-school (i.e. pre-MIDI) timing pulse, not a data stream.
Subsequently, the starting of slave Volcas in step with the master will, although running at the same tempo, be highly dependent on the player's ability to press Start on the slave unit at precisely the right moment. This may be a bigger issue when "sandboxing" with the internal speakers but if one were to use this hack with all outputs going into a mixer, then fader control may be another rough hack to get by until, as you correctly surmised, you get a hold of a MIDI-through box... OR you hack each Volca by adding MIDI out to each.
I've added MIDI Out to my Beats, demo of MIDI Out in action here th-cam.com/video/wGc9I8IHjCw/w-d-xo.html
And here th-cam.com/video/jZShyeuM8gI/w-d-xo.html
I also have a MIDI-Thru box from MIDI-Solutions which I've used for driving the Volcas from the QY10 but I don't have a video to demonstrate this in action.
The Mighty Hellfish you don't need a midi thru box just for clock sync. If you feed your midi clock to the first volca, then daisy chain the sync cables to the others as normal, the clock trigger sent to the others will match the midi clock once the master is in play mode.
Yep, you're right mate. I've done that very thing myself prior to messing about with a Through box but I think I missed it on account of the crap I went through trying to get the OP's question to show up in the first place.
Still, a MIDI-through box opens up a LOT more possibilities :)
Which is better to use mono or stereo sync cables? Some say it doesnt matter as both work!!
The audio terms for the cables really don't mean squat in terms of functionality but it's been that long since I've fired these up in anger I can't remember exactly.
Whatever comes shipped is what you need and I think it's the stereo. Let's face it, over thousands of units produced, why would you ship a stereo cable if there was no potential issue with the the mono cable and my guess from my industrial instrumentation background suggests that it'd be for shielding purposes to prevent stray inductance false triggering the sync.
i have a problem! how can i connect all 3 korgs to a singular speaker? what wiring should i get for a basic audio jack output 3.55m pin?
Hi Yien!
You need to connect the signals to an audio mixer, mate - under no circumstances do you connect up all outputs directly to each other.
A decent mixer will prevent each Volca's output from working against each other and allow you to set each individual level that feeds into a single output, although most mixers are stereo output and you would need to also pull the balance faders over to the one channel (usually the left channel by convention/practice) and connect the single output to that same channel..
If you're comfortable with assembling a few electronic components, you may find some simple audio mixer schematics on the internet:
www.startpage.com/do/dsearch?query=Simple+audio+mixer+schematics&cat=web&pl=ext-ff&language=english
However, depending on where you are in the world and your budget, one the cheapest named-brand mixers you could get is the Behringer Micromix MX400, SKU code BEH-MX400. www.musictribe.com/Categories/Behringer/Mixers/Analog/MX400/p/P0390
What makes the MX400 good is that it looks like it's all mono, which is perfect for your application.
A word of warning when buying audio equipment such as mixers - don't be put off by the audio snobs who (a) love to hate on Behringer and (b) don't feel anything is good enough unless they've mortgaged the house for it.
My advice, start with something affordable, learn with it, and scale up as and when YOU think you need to - if it sounds OK to you, then it is.
Th MX400 mixer can be bought for as little as Au$45.00 off eBay or even StoreDJ (an Aussie DJ and Studio equipment store).
I wonder how hard it would be to make a box with a play button that takes midi clock and only sends click sync when you hit play.
If you've got any device with transport controls and MIDI out - like a sequencer - then all you need is a MIDI splitter box.
For a sequencer to play MIDI devices, then you need to take addressing into consideration but for transport controls - and please check this as it's been several years now since I've played with this stuff and I've moved onto other interests - I think the commands are address-agnostic in that the Play signal will activate all MIDI devices and then they'll be synchronised to the sequencer's tempo. Failing that, address all Volcas as Address 1 (I think they are by default anyway... maybe not the Beats), and send all transport commands to address 1.
If anyone who reads this can correct where I've tripped up, then by all means, please do.
(There may also be another video of mine where I'm showing of the MIDI Out mods but it's not recommended for anyone who is not willing to accept any adverse consequences resulting from their own mistakes)
What mixer do you use?
The cheapest Behringer, the 5-channel version but if I was to buy another and was starting out, I'd go for a usb connect able version with double the channels... I've learned that the number of channels you need is generally one more than that of the one you bought... 😁
maybe stupid question, why is the sync cable stereo. there are also mono patch cable. and what do i need when i connect the sync out from the volca to a older drumcomputer like the dr-220. mono or stereo. or doesnt it mather. as it only gives a 5~15v pulse. But i wonder, mono cable would be enough. so why is it stereo.
Not a stupid question, Klaas, just exposing a gap in your current knowledge ;)
Have you encountered the various types of cables available for general audio signals yet?
What you - and I used to also - presume is "merely" a stereo cable is actually a two core + overall screen.
XLR cables for mono "Balanced" microphones are typically this configuration but the type of plug used makes it obvious that the mono signal is the two cores that sit inside the overall screen and each is connected to one of the pins of the connector.
Somewhere along the line, some wise guy decided that since the cable used for a balanced mono signal is effectively the same two core plus overall screen type used in stereo cables, then a cheaper option for balanced mono would be to use the cheaper and more commonly available stereo jack plugs - also known as Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) - instead of the XLR.
Initially this was - and still is - the 1/4" (6mm) jack, then the frontier gets pushed again - if it works for 6mm, then surely 3.5mm will also work, and so here we are.
What you believe to be - and may be used as - a stereo cable, is actually functioning as a balanced mono cable, which is less susceptible to external electrical interference than unbalanced. The last thing you want in the middle of a set is to have some AC or fluorescent lights kick in and generating spikes in your sync cable which the hardware may interpret as a sync pulse.
Now the important thing to remember here is that the interference only effects the destination device (Sync In), not the source (Sync Out).
Some people use can use regular patch leads and get away with it and in doing so, generally with zero technical foundation, claim that the mono cable isn't necessary.
As a bloke with technical background in electronics, I look at it like this:
If mono patch leads had no latent technical issues then Korg wouldn't be using "stereo" leads to connect one Volca to another - these leads costs that little bit extra per unit to be able to bite into profit margin when you start looking at huge numbers of units manufactured.
As for hooking it up to the DR-220, I'd be heading into unqualified waters if I was to say that it would be fine.
Logically, it may not matter if the DR220 only has a mono rather than stereo sync in, and since people reportedly use mono patch leads without having the smoke escape from their Volcas :) .The important parts to separate are the Tip and the Ring components - a Mono lead effectively shorts the Ring and Sleeve component.
If you were willing to do some testing whilst accepting full responsibility for your own actions, you might try to use the Korg-supplied stereo lead first.
If that works, stick with it.
You could also try the mono lead and it too may never cause you any particular issue unless you're anywhere near a source of electrical noise.
Finally, there are "mono to stereo" leads available - these will be a TRS plug at one end and a TS (Tip-Sleeve) at the other.
The TRS end plugs into the Volca, and the TS end into the DR-220... if the DR-220 Sync input is indeed a mono socket, that is ;)
Hi, whats the plastic rack system there?
A cheap shoe-rack, would you believe, the kind that you find in Red Dot in Australia... "five & dime store " would be my guess of the US equivalent.
@@TheMightyHellfish unbelievable! The music tech 'furniture' is sooo expensive, im trying to find alternatives... ill be buying a shoe rack!
but how do you connect all 3 to one speaker ? do you connect one of volcas to to external sound card thru midi and then audio from soundcard to speake ? is this the only way ? what if you dont have sound card ?
I'll give you a basic idea but you really need to go and read about audio signal paths and MIDI, already prepared and written in depth by others at a level easy enough for any newcomer to understand and better than I can give you here.
Fundamentally, audio and MIDI are two different kinds of signal, the former being the electrical signal which drives a speaker to vibrate the air and reproduce a sound, whilst the latter is a data signal to tell devices which note (for example) should be played (among other cool things which I'll leave you to be excited by when you discover for yourself)
Regardless of whether or not you have a computer - which is where I'm guessing the soundcard reference comes into play - you will need a device called a mixer to produce one single audio output from many.
The Volca's audio output is dual mono, so with the right type of audio cable, each of the Volca outputs would be connected to a correspondingly separate audio input channel on a mixer.
Each channel has it's own level, panning, and EQ (bass/mid/treble) adjustments, summing (or "mixing") each input into a combined single stereo output, which, depending on the type of outputs a mixer has, may either plug into a stereo input of a computer soundcard (whether internal or external), digital recorder (e.g. Zoom R8, Tascam Portastudio) or amplifier, or in other cases, capable of driving a pair of speakers.
In active mixers (ones which require power and will boost as well as cut signals) there's usually a separate headphone socket for monitoring - handy if you don't have an amp or PA system to plug into.
The only time that MIDI comes into play is when you want to, for example, create longer sequences in another device (say a computer running Ableton Live, or maybe a hardware sequencer like a Yamaha QY-10 or an Arturia Beatstep) to play the notes in the Volcas for you.
A mixer is still required to collect the separate audio outputs together as one stereo signal, but there's now extra cables - MIDI cables - running between the computer/sequencer and each Volca to carry all of the note data and distribute it to each device.
Achieving this is not hard, but it's no "wave of the hand and it's done" either and requires a good working knowledge of MIDI fundamentals, and a bit of hardware and cables to arrange accordingly.
thanks alot . by extrnal sound card i meant my Focusrite 6i6 .
sorry just want to clear this up: in case that I do have a mixer , if i sync the volcas together and then send audio signal out from one of the Volcas in to my focusrite and from focusrite out to studio monitor and run it with ableton live, iam going to hear all volcas from my studio monitor ? or i have to connect every volcas individual ?am i wrong to think that syncing is some how related to collect individual audio outputs from all devices ?
Ahhh, thanks, mate that's a lot clearer :)
To answer the last question first, yes, that's an incorrect assumption.
The Sync signal merely "keeps the beat" for every pattern, so that the tempo is consistent across all Volcas. In the video above, all audio comes from the individual Volca speakers.
Fortunately, your Scarlett 6i6 has enough inputs to plug each of the Volcas into it and have one input to spare.
Two Volcas can plug into the front and set up as described here:
th-cam.com/video/cTUWemOjc5I/w-d-xo.htmlm52s
but the other will have to be plugged into one of the rear Line In sockets and you will need to ensure that the volume for that Volca is turned down, then bring it up gradually to set the signal level.
The unit also has Line Outputs, so you can drive the monitors directly from there BUT if your intent is to record into Ableton THEN just Set up three audio tracks in Ableton to record through the 6i6 as you would with say a Guitar or Vocals, monitoring by however you normally monitor Ableton, and set the levels before recording.
The other thing is that the Scarlett has MIDI In and Out - you would really be missing out on a hell of a lot of potential by using just the Sync leads, to be honest.
You have, with that Scarlett 6i6 (and I'm envious btw - they're good units) everything you need to record from the Volcas, monitor the MIXED sound, AND send MIDI information to the Volcas.
That you're not aware of this suggests that you have just about got all gear you need (save for a MIDI splitter and four MIDI leads) but you perhaps don't really know how to use what you've got, and for that a TH-cam Comment section is not the easiest way to share the info you need to get you on your feet and running..
To my mind, a video or video chat would be better but I don't have a Scarlett 6i6 otherwise I could show you exactly how to hook it all up.
And it wouldn't be a short video or session either - probably at least half an hour's work if not more and this presumes that you know a little about the gear you have.
I really am sorry I don't have any other way to help, mate.
yes I use to produce using only DAW + Ableton Push . I recently bought volca sample and it got me into hardwares .( its just more fun ) . thanks alot for the info really it helped alot .
HAHAHAHA! Yeah tell me about it!
The story behind how I got into the hardware side is similar (playing with software for some time, then grabbed a few Volcas) :)
All I can say now is persevere with MIDI, my friend, and you will have an absolute whale of a time.
Once you've got a handle on MIDI out to your Volcas and recording the audio, here's the next bit to try - modulating parameters on the fly through this Live plug-in:
fabriziopoce.com/volcacontrol.html
Have fun!!!
Hhahahah that's smart
ci ho provato ma non funziona, o meglio, dopo diversi tentativi magari alla fine funziona e vanno tutti a tempo...come mai? ho il volca beats ed il volca sample! grazie per la risposta
Ciao!
Scusa la traduzione di Google :)
Assicurati di utilizzare solo il cavo "stereo" fornito con Volca.
È il cavo di sincronizzazione corretto ma le persone lo usano erroneamente per l'audio, quindi usano un cavo mono per la sincronizzazione, che non sempre funziona.
Tuttavia, non ho nemmeno un campione Volca, quindi non posso essere troppo sicuro se esiste la stessa funzionalità.
@@TheMightyHellfish
ciao, grazie mille per la risposta! Ho usato il cavo in dotazione proprio perchè avevo letto le tue spiegazioni in merito però purtroppo non sempre funziona! Dopo diverse volte che lo inserisco magari vanno a tempo! Peccato perchè il trucco è davvero geniale e pensando di comprare diversi volca sarebbe tornato molto utile! ;-)
@@simonesantoro3195 ciao Simone, il trucco di sconnetere il jack per far partire le volca tutte insieme io lo conoscevo già, tuttavia non capisco perché la volca sample parte una battuta più avanti della beats
ciao Daniele, infatti non mi vanno mai a tempo in quel modo ed in ogni caso spesso non è facile prendere la giusta battuta per mandarli tutti a tempo! francamente quando mi accorsi del ,chiamiamolo problema, ci rimasi male, pensavo che una volta collegate le unità volca premendo play in qualunque momento si allineassero tra di loro!
Where's your Volca Sample?
I never had a need for one, Jerry :)
so that means you cant do this with just 2 volcas ...?
I can tell you straight out but then nothing's been learned - and learning requires appreciation, understanding, something to build on
So I'm going to be a bit of a bastard and help you try to think this one out. :)
It's obvious that we don't need Sync, a means to govern tempo across multiple devices, for just one device, right?
However, we do for two or more devices.
With devices that have Sync In/Out, this is achieved using just one lead connecting the Sync Out of the tempo-setting device to the Sync In of the following unit.
Similarly, additional units maybe daisy-chained, with one lead from the Sync Out of the previous unit in the chain connecting to the Sync In of the next unit in the chain'
This may be repeated until the number of devices daisy-chained is reached where the Sync signal's level has dropped to a point that is too low to be sensed.
So that means that Sync may be used with a minimum of two to some number possibly beyond the three devices shown in the video.
Remember that only one lead is required to Sync between two devices.
Let's say they're both Volcas, and that every new Volca comes with its own TRS Sync lead (which it does).
So where there are two Volcas and two leads, and only one is required to Sync the two devices, then there must be a spare Sync lead.
Now it's exam time! :)
If the spare Sync lead is plugged into the first Volca's Sync In and hit play on both of them, then what would happen and why?
What would happen if the spare lead was pulled out of the first unit's Sync In?
If the "Aha! doesn't hit you, let me know.
Rip cord method!
So from what I'm reading here as well as the quick testing I've done, it seems the master Volca can't properly trigger the start/stop w/o the dummy patch cord. Wow, a clever hack for sure but hard to believe. The ganging of these little buggers is really brilliant and powerful but having to use a dummy 3.5mm plug for starts & stops is truly a Mickey Mouse solution. IMHO, this is a huge bug. How do those w 4+ of these units play/record w them? SURELY there's a better solution.
tell me. i am going insane. i can't start my shit all at once properly: 1 fm and 2 modulars here. i start the fm via ableton, all cool, but if i try to pass the start-signal to the other volca modulars via sync in/out, nothing happens.....
are those regular 3.5 cables?
They are the 3.5mm cable which shipped with each Volca that people misconstrue as being an audio cable 👍.
@@TheMightyHellfish can you please send me a link to the right ones 🙏