Hard to say, sometimes isolation and noise reduction features might prevent it? BUT, patching an aux cable between the CV-in on the Volca Modular and the I/O port on a Kastle is another way to ground. You can test to see if things work by sending a Kastle LFO signal to the VM's pitch control. Hope this helps👍🏻!
Hello my friend! Remember me? it's your humble pupil that lived near a North Aegean beach. Last summer I've moved to another beach alittle South. I hope I find you in good spirits! We first met because of the VOLCA DRUM, ...then I got into the VOLCA MODULAR ...really deep. I have two of them now, I use it as a guitar effect devising new ways to hack it to process my tone. And now I am starting to pay real close attention to the BASTL KASTLE 1.5. There are plenty of reasons to do so, due to its affinity towards my beloved V M, ....BUT....remember I told you I was trying to make my guitar sound like a Gamelan using Ring Modulators? Recently my pedal board got a Eurorack case attached to it, and I used a module from MUTABLE INSTRUMENTS called RINGS, that can process audio and make anything sound metallic. Its charming but not at the levels of mystic charm Gamelans have for me. So I was kinda bummed out when the other day I heard a TH-camR patching the FORMANT SYNTHESIS MODE on an AE MODULAR clone of the B K 1.5 ......it sounds so ....Gamelanish... .and it doesn't need to be that metallic, because it somehow produces those essential magical harmonic overtones.... is it just me? Did YOU notice that? I was happy you used it here on this video. So I am really looking forward to getting my hands on one of these, ...not the AE MODULAR clone so much (yes I'll get it at some point) but the original version because of the I/O input....hoping I can hack it to process my guitar like that. But you said in this video, that you couldn't find a way to make it process audio. This confused me. There are videos that show how with a Y cable its possible to input and output audio at the same time only from the I/O port. th-cam.com/video/RN1DwAKuv4k/w-d-xo.html
Hey, great to hear from you! Sorry it has taken a while to reply (and that my first reply will have to be brief - I will follow up with another comment!). I'm uploading a new video right now (Korg NTS-2 Oscilloscope). A musical friend of mine went to Bali recently and had a lot to report about Gamelan music! I'm not sure what I was saying about the Bastl Kastle 1.5? I may have been making the point that external audio can be brought in, can be used as a modulation source, but that it can't be processed by the 1.5, per se. That is, no filter or delay or such. Anyway, your move sounds exciting - I hope it has gone well! - Best Regards!
Great videos, very informative, I made a breakout box too used an old ide cable plug for the pin sockets, little big but it always connects, chopped the cable leaving about 5 cm of the ribbon, split , the ribbon and joined in groups, then soldered to 3.5mm sockets.
wul01 That is a great idea! Using that plug seems ideal: a compact design with a lot less soldering! Not sure in this case, but sometimes i put a slight curve or a little ________/\______ in pins that seem loose.
Just in case it's a problem, I have made up some more connecting cables by just simply tinning the bared off cores, that way the "pin" can be made a little thicker.
I’ve got both of the Kastle’s as well and spent a solid few hours messing around with those paired with the Volca Modular. So many possibilities. I also used the SQ-1 to run a sequence through then which was synced with the volca modular. A deeper dive is in the works. Thanks for these videos.
That is great to hear! I feel like there are so many things to be done with the combo. ps I put an addendum about grounding in the description. Basically, the audio-connection-only grounding via the Dude doesn't seem to work with the in-line attenuators that I have; so keep that in mind. It's fine with a plain cable.
Hi! Thank you for these informative videos Around 8:55 you mentioned a DIY box for interfacing the Volca's pin cables with standard 3.5mm patch cables. Could you provide any information on how you made that, or what materials you used? I'm hoping to be able to patch the LFO and envelope CV outputs from my MicroBrute into the modules on my Volca, if possible (and vice versa). Thanks!
Hey, I'll try to describe one way that I think works nicely. The main thing to consider is that the two synths need to share a ground. The VM's CV-IN jack is a TRS (stereo, tip-ring-sleeve) and the ground is on the sleeve (third) conductor. Then, the CV (and gate) jacks on the uBrute are all TS (mono, tip-sleeve) and the ground is also on the sleeve. So, a Y-cable (stereo male on one side, two mono males on the other side) allows you to get a nice _initial_ setup that shares the ground: the most straightforward thing (but plenty of other ways, see below) is to plug the stereo end into the VM CV-IN and then the mono ends into the uBrute CV out and Gate out (on the back). Now, you can use trial and error, but some info about which plug goes where: on the Y-cable the tip of the stereo plug goes to the tip of one of the mono plugs (the white plug in my case) and you want that going into the Gate out on the uBrute. Then the ring of the stereo plug goes to the tip of the other mono plug (the red plug in my case) and you want that going into the CV out on the uBrute. This is all because the VM treats the two CV input channels differently (one for CV pitch data, the other for gates or general CV like an LFO). So, once the Y-cable is set up you can then run a pin cable (i.e. like shipped with the VM) from the top socket of the CV-IN to the left socket of the LPG1 input (to bring in the uBrute gate), and then run another pin cable from the bottom socket of CV-IN to the very leftmost socket on the VM (to bring in the uBrute pitch). So, this whole thing, thus far just lets you play the VM from the uBrute keyboard. You can then do other stuff, like use the uBrute square LFO as a periodic gate on the VM or whatever. You can also try to send a signal back to the uBrute from the VM (I recommend the non-pitch socket for that). Now, once grounded with the Y-cable, to do more connections all you need to do is connect the tip conductor of a patch cable to the conductor of a pin cable. A simple way to do this is just with alligator clips (i.e. with a cable with clips on each end): plug a patch cable into the uBrute, alligator clip to the tip of the other side of the patch cable, other alligator clip to one side of a pin cable, and then pin cable into the VM. The DIY box I was describing is basically a box with mono jacks on it (say 4),and (one way) a screw terminal (also 4). Then, in the box is just wiring that connects the tip conductor of each jack to its corresponding screw terminal. Then to use it you just screw pin cables onto the box. 4 patch cables in, 4 pin cables out. And no need to worry about the grounding because of the Y-cable. One last thing - the LFO amount and ENV amount knobs on the uBrute allow you to control the voltage coming OUT of the uBrute. The keep the VM safe you can either measure those voltages and see if they are okay for the VM, or another way is to just compare them by ear: anything you can do (say in terms of pitch) with the VM on its own is okay to do with an external voltage source. And just sort of make a note of what you think max LFO amount and max ENV amount ought to be. The CV-pitch and Gate signals are more-or-less standard and should be fine. I don't think the VM can send any voltage that would hurt the uBrute. I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes👍
It’s called the moog something. It’s just 150 bucks. With cv expander kit with a little one octave button keyboard on the bottom. Also sequence it using sq 1.
Great video as usual! How would I connect these two devices with other equipment. Since there’s no midi on the Volca modular how would I keep it synched to other gear.
Hey, the Kastle can be a little tricky in terms of connectivity but the Volca Modular has a couple of options. First, if you just want to sync sequences then that's possible with quite a bit of other gear - things with a clock/sync in or out - so Pocket Operators, other Volcas, Arturia synths, CraftSynth 2.0, etc. In fact, if you have another Volca you can control that with midi and then chain the sync signal to the Modular. Another route is the cv/gate input into the Modular. This is good for controllers like BeatStep, KeyStep, or even the Korg SQ-1 sequencer. The SQ-1 can get signals via usb or midi and send that out as cv and gate to control the Modular. So, for example, a DAW to Volca Modular is possible via an SQ-1 (which is fairly low cost). Anyway, I hope this helps! Thanks a lot for the feedback👍🏻
Hey. Thanks for the video, realy enjoyed it. Can u please explain the whole thing with the grounding? Say i have the modular and the kastle--can i just connect the pin cables between them? And the outputs straight to the mixer? Or i have to connect the i/o to the cv in of the modular?
Hey again. Love my Kastle. Have a Dude and Micro Granny too from Bastyl. I have several different sets I work on live. Love the Microbrute. You don't show the patch cables on the brute. They are great with the filter. Have Volca Keys, Bass Sample and Drum but not the Modular yet. Really like your detail in your posts. Please keep it up. Regards AL
Mini Synth Collective Cool, I have always wondered about the Micro Granny - I’ll have to check it out. I agree about the MicroBrute - I love the features, that filter is amazing, and the build is so solid. ps I have one uBrute tip that i keep sharing because it was such a fluke to find. you can get noise out of the uBrute by patching pitch CV out to pitch CV in, turning up triangle and metallizer all the way, ocatave all the way up, and upper keys on the keyboard. really cool with the filter.
@@undulations Yes mate is does bark at you. I do a performance where I end up with my version of on the run by pink floyd and it works so well. With Drum brute impact, Bass station 2 and mini nova for arps and intro etc etc. Obsessed with Music.
Mini Synth Collective I love that Floyd track. I remember using to score a slideshow we did in high school, something to do with Fahrenheit 451? Slides😭!
A little of the subject, but do find that line levels going into your TASCAM recorder tend to be too hot? Maybe the lower voltage range of the Volca Modular and the Kastle helps ...
Well, a lot of times I do need to set the record level fairly low (10-20) but I feel like it generally still works fine like that. I've actually found my Kastle 1.5 to be quite hot (a lot of times I use the Bastl Dude mixer to bring it down). The Kastle Drum seems to be somewhat cooler, so maybe that was a known issue?
Hey noob question but how does the modular - transmisser connection work? If the cv out of the modular goes thru the transmisser what type of cable i need? Or can put both thru the dude? Thank u I end up ordering both of these just a couple of days ago cause of this video, waiting to get my hands of them to start playing but i want to make sure i know how to pair them beforehand
Diego Duran Lopez Hey, that’s super exciting! Well, the connection is entirely audio (it would be great, but there’s actually no cv in or out on the Transmisser) - so it’s a 1:8 inch (3.5mm) trs jack (i.e. stereo, but not really. it’s the same left and right side) on the Volca Modular and then a 1/4inch ts (mono) jack going in (and out) of the Transmisser. So, probably the nicest solution is a 1/8” to 1/4” mono cable (Hosa makes some good ones). You can also use an aux cable and some sort of 1/8” to 1:4” adapter (like for some headphones). That’s for getting from the Volca to the pedal. Then you need from pedal to output. If you are going into something like the Dude then same cable will work there too. I hope this helps. Let me know if anything else comes up👍🏻
I really enjoy your reviews and tutorials. Always informative. I've pretty much made my mind up that I'm getting the Volca Modular. The only thing that's stopped me beforehand is the lack of midi but I think I can work around it. I'm now using a Polyend Tracker to write and control with, so one thing I could do is to sample the Volca Modular with my Tracker and create tracks out of loops, or, I could sync my Volca Drum to the Tracker with midi clock, and then connect the Modular to the Drum via the sync feature. That should work, do you think? Connecting the Drum to the Tracker is easy enough to do.
Yes! I do think that will work with the sync. The Modular also has some different timing options (as well as randomization features) so it should be really flexible. PS The Tracker looks like a really nice piece of gear!
@@undulations Cool. Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm really enjoying the Tracker, thanks. I've had it for about 3 weeks now and I'm loving it. I've always liked trackers but found modern tracker-based DAWs to be hard work. So far though, the Polyend has been straightforward to use and sampling has been easy. Linking to other pieces of hardware has been very straightforward and enjoyable too. Keep up the good work. Your reviews are always helpful and enjoyable, and always help highlight the various uses for a piece of kit.
Yes, absolutely: the Active Step feature lets you turn on/off any of the 16 steps (literally skipped, not just muted), so a sequence can total from 1 to 16 steps. You can also group/chain neighboring sequences, so something like 21 or 43 step sequence is possible too. In addition, the clock timing can be divided by 2 or 3 which can ultimately be used for polyrhythms. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching👍🏻!
Great video! I just got a quick question: how safe is it to cross patch between the Kastle and the Volca using the jumper wires (as opposed to using the CV in jack)? From what I read, the Volca uses a range from -3.3V to +3.3V, and the Kastle uses 0V to +5V. Is it really safe to connect them in this way?
gilbertoagostinho Thank you! Well, that is a great question. At the time, after some initial concerns I just decided to jump in and start cross-patching, assuming that it would be okay - BUT, there is probably some finite risk. As you say, going through the cv-in can mitigate. I also think that scaling external signals through the Utility module is another way to more safely test patches. That said - and again, this is just based on intuition - I feel like the Volca Modular is able to take the extra +1.7V (the Utility can have gain >1, not sure if this implies native voltages >3.3V or not?), and then I feel like the Kastle is particularly robust (intended to be hooked to Eurorack, polarities not always predictable on triggers, etc.) - so, I realize this is not a very satisfactory answer, and I apologize for that. The other data point I can provide is that while I was hooking the VM and LittleBits together (first part of first video) I actually _did_ have a problem - something in that setup was causing the VM to reboot. I never figured it out. No apparent damage to my VM (some sort of protective reaction?) and I have not ever experienced that with the Kastle. A last thought, maybe patching the Kastle outs to a small breadboard, running them through a resistor to scale the voltage (start with big resistances to test, then reduce) before bringing it onto the VM - that would probably be the safest way. (can get mini breadboard and a set of resistors online for pretty cheap). Anyway, I’m sorry that this isn’t a definitive answer. I have done it a lot with no issues but that is ultimately not a guarantee. Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching👍🏻!
@@undulations Hi, thanks for the detailed reply, I really appreciate it! I read an article about the Volca Modular 'true' voltage, and it seems some of its modules can vary quite a bit from the -3.3V to +3.3V range, so you are probably right that it simply took the 0V to +5V signals without a problem. I also read that the range -3.3V to +3.3V is for audio signals only, and that gates and triggers range from 0V to +3.3V, which are definitely safe for the Kastle. Do you remember if you ever patched audio signals from the VM to the Kastle? I wonder if it can handle the negative voltages at all. I'm really tempted in getting something to expand my VM, and the Kastle looked like an ideal choice, but now I do have some concerns. I might end up getting a second Volca Modular, which would open a lot of possibilities and be definitely super safe. Let's see, but thanks once again!
gilbertoagostinho You’re right, the Kastle might clip the negative part of an audio signal. I don’t recall sending the VM audio into the Kastle (I can try that if you’d like). BUT, that said, I don’t remember _not_ trying it either? I may have done it for some FM effects? Also, given that the Kastle has a stereo 3.5mm jack for general I/O, I feel like it would be robust to patching any typical audio, so at least some protection against negative voltages. In fact, I recall patching one channel of the Kastle’s own audio out back into the synth (that post is on Instagram - @dr_nim2014 , it is kind of far back, last Summer?, the background is red plush carpet). Anyway, I guess it’s just that I am a huge advocate of the Kastle, so fun for the money, and the VM gives it some really nice effects. Best of luck!
@@undulations Thank you so much for all the replies and tips! I really want to extend my VM, and I'd be particularly interested in modules that are not present in the VM itself. I had mentioned a second VM, as I saw some really excellent videos of people cross patching two or three of them, but I am tempted in taking the DIY route. I recently came across some audio chips by Electric Druid which are quite cheap, and these include delay with feedback, noise generators, LFOs, etc. I am considering to create extra modules using a breadboard so that I can patch directly in and out from the VM, but it's been so long time since I last messed around with DIY electronics that I will end up needing a lot of time for this project (some of their chips output in the 5V range while others are in the 3.3V). But I think it might be doable even for me and the result could end up being worth it.
gilbertoagostinho You can do it! That sounds like a great project to extend the VM. I’ve soldered for most of my life but still avoid it as much as possible - the ease and flexibility of breadboarding makes it such great option (where you are only making one or a few) - and with care it can end up quite compact and durable.
Any suggestions on a low pass filter in this format? I know they're both West Coast style, but in my personal taste, less high end could lead to great things!
Cave of Sleepers Well, first off, there are probably DIY and small vendor solutions that I’m not aware of. If you just want to filter the main outputs manually then there are a lot of guitar pedal options. The Korg Monotron Duo (or original Monotron) could do it too. If you want to manually filter non-main audio or even cv signals then using the Kastle I/O socket as a filter “insert” is possible with a Y-cable. BUT if you want a cv controllable, pin cable format filter? The only one I really know of is the Bastl SoftPop Synth. It’s like $400, which is a stretch, being far more than cost of VM and Kastle combined (but it does sound great in its own right and has a ton of cool features). Wish I could tell you better specific options, but not really aware of any. Thanks for checking out the video!
@@undulations great advice, thank you! I didn't even consider sending the VM through my multistomp would add tons if sonic possibility, including a low pass and EQ
Keystep is best device, as a sequencer only, for this duty. I myself have merge two VModular in to one 4 oscillator synth, and with Keystep it is very musical (keys, 64 steps sequencer). Beatstep and SQ-1 are no better than internal sequencer on VModular. It is nice to use VM as a second oscilator tho. The thing I am missing on the market is something like Korg's prototype - MONODULAR ( link: th-cam.com/video/dF8skIOXp24/w-d-xo.html).
Ralph Hayward Lol, I went back and listened. So true😀! Mine get freaked out when I play field recordings: "wait, so we're actually outside right now?"🙀
How do u make them to share a ground so u can patch from the mini-cable patch points of the Volca Modular to the mini-cable patch points of the Kastle? just first sync out form modular to i/o on the kastle and thats it?
I think cv on the Volca to i/o on the Kastle is the most straightforward way, but there are others. Crosspatching like LFO out socket on Kastle to pitch socket on Volca (mini-cable) is the easiest way to make sure ground is okay (will just not work without it, no harm). The ground on the Kastle is the minus socket and the 3rd conductor (shield) on the i/o jack. the ground isn't really exposed on the Volca (but one of the faceplate screws actually is grounded (see first of my Volca Modular videos, intro). Lastly, both audio jacks are grounded (3rd conductor), so a simple mixer like the Bastl Dude lets the ground be shared that way. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching👍🏻
@@undulations thank you for the answer. So after i connect the i/o on kastle to volca cv i can patch from volca to kastle (not only through the cv out on volca modular) from any gates/ triggers on both devices with their pin cables?
Yep, that should do it! My experience has been that it works as expected - some people have raised concerns (on Instagram) about voltage compatability between the two devices, but I have made measurements with a multimeter and also done many, many tests with a variety of setups with no issues.
@@3asafhen yes👍🏻 I should just point out that a lot of other modular (eurorack) voltages _can_ be too high for these synths. I think the Kastle is rated at 0 to +5 volts, and the Volca Modular is rated at -3.5 to + 3.5 volts - but the Kastl just ignores the negative voltages (at this level at least) and the Volca Modular can actually generate voltages very close to 5 volts on its own. So I believe it to be safe to explore👍🏻!
MrStarbit Well, it’s been long enough that I can’t remember. What clip are you referencing, the one at the very start or one of the later ones? ps no guarantee on accuracy, but the video description has patching and settings notes down in the timeline.
@@undulations think I've worked it out I didn't think the modular had a keyboard/sequence CV and gate out but I can see that it's in the clock section :)
MrStarbit oh, absolutely the keyboard. that gate is usually normalled to the gate in on Function 1. as an aside, try sending one of the divided gates like /3 to the F1 gate in. then you only hear every 3rd note that you play.
@@undulations The micro granny side side pins on both sides. I can't find any info on what they are for. I know they work on 5 v because it's arduino based
Further Moore Well, I don’t have one, but it looks cool. I don’t know the exact functionality of those side sockets, BUT the Bastl DIY guide for making the MicroGranny might give hints. The picture of that board is labeled: so it looks like common, audio, - , and 9v. The actual manual talks about chaining devices (multiple MG’s, MG and something else, idk?), so maybe one side is an input, the other an output? I hope this is helpful in some way.
My new favorite channel!! Very interested in the volca modular. And my birthday coming up😀. Trying to find time for more experimental fun. Please check out some of my material if you like? Cheers!
Will the Kastle and Volca share a common ground if plugged into any mixer not just the Dude?
Hard to say, sometimes isolation and noise reduction features might prevent it? BUT, patching an aux cable between the CV-in on the Volca Modular and the I/O port on a Kastle is another way to ground. You can test to see if things work by sending a Kastle LFO signal to the VM's pitch control. Hope this helps👍🏻!
I've just bought these 2 devices, and this is exactly the video I was looking for. Good stuff. Thank you
Christopher Ecclestone Glad to hear it’s helpful. They are a really amazing combo, enjoy!
Hello my friend! Remember me? it's your humble pupil that lived near a North Aegean beach. Last summer I've moved to another beach alittle South. I hope I find you in good spirits! We first met because of the VOLCA DRUM, ...then I got into the VOLCA MODULAR ...really deep. I have two of them now, I use it as a guitar effect devising new ways to hack it to process my tone. And now I am starting to pay real close attention to the BASTL KASTLE 1.5. There are plenty of reasons to do so, due to its affinity towards my beloved V M, ....BUT....remember I told you I was trying to make my guitar sound like a Gamelan using Ring Modulators? Recently my pedal board got a Eurorack case attached to it, and I used a module from MUTABLE INSTRUMENTS called RINGS, that can process audio and make anything sound metallic. Its charming but not at the levels of mystic charm Gamelans have for me. So I was kinda bummed out when the other day I heard a TH-camR patching the FORMANT SYNTHESIS MODE on an AE MODULAR clone of the B K 1.5 ......it sounds so ....Gamelanish... .and it doesn't need to be that metallic, because it somehow produces those essential magical harmonic overtones.... is it just me? Did YOU notice that? I was happy you used it here on this video. So I am really looking forward to getting my hands on one of these, ...not the AE MODULAR clone so much (yes I'll get it at some point) but the original version because of the I/O input....hoping I can hack it to process my guitar like that. But you said in this video, that you couldn't find a way to make it process audio. This confused me. There are videos that show how with a Y cable its possible to input and output audio at the same time only from the I/O port. th-cam.com/video/RN1DwAKuv4k/w-d-xo.html
Hey, great to hear from you! Sorry it has taken a while to reply (and that my first reply will have to be brief - I will follow up with another comment!). I'm uploading a new video right now (Korg NTS-2 Oscilloscope). A musical friend of mine went to Bali recently and had a lot to report about Gamelan music! I'm not sure what I was saying about the Bastl Kastle 1.5? I may have been making the point that external audio can be brought in, can be used as a modulation source, but that it can't be processed by the 1.5, per se. That is, no filter or delay or such. Anyway, your move sounds exciting - I hope it has gone well! - Best Regards!
Many thanks for posting these videos! Very helpful, hope you are well!
Fatt Monster You’re welcome🙏🏼! Doing fine, hope you are too!
Alright, I already have the Beatstep, can't wait for my volca to come in!
Great videos, very informative, I made a breakout box too used an old ide cable plug for the pin sockets, little big but it always connects, chopped the cable leaving about 5 cm of the ribbon, split , the ribbon and joined in groups, then soldered to 3.5mm sockets.
wul01 That is a great idea! Using that plug seems ideal: a compact design with a lot less soldering! Not sure in this case, but sometimes i put a slight curve or a little ________/\______ in pins that seem loose.
Just in case it's a problem, I have made up some more connecting cables by just simply tinning the bared off cores, that way the "pin" can be made a little thicker.
wul01 that is another great tip!
killin it with outro video
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Great info super well presented, thank you for uploading
Rob Neubauer Absolutely - thanks for checking it out!
Good stuff and soothing tones as always.
Thanks🙏🏼! Glad you liked it!
I’ve got both of the Kastle’s as well and spent a solid few hours messing around with those paired with the Volca Modular. So many possibilities. I also used the SQ-1 to run a sequence through then which was synced with the volca modular. A deeper dive is in the works. Thanks for these videos.
comicKkrakK You are set! VM, K1.5, and SQ1 are a wonderful trio. So many directions to go with them🔥!
Another fantastic video! I've actually been looking into getting a Kastle 1.5 and a Dude, so this was perfect! Thanks for making these. :)
That is great to hear! I feel like there are so many things to be done with the combo.
ps I put an addendum about grounding in the description. Basically, the audio-connection-only grounding via the Dude doesn't seem to work with the in-line attenuators that I have; so keep that in mind. It's fine with a plain cable.
@@undulations that's good to know. Thanks!
I can’t find one of these stereo> 2x mono cables in the UK at all. Hoping I can bodge something together or get an adaptor chain..
dang. well, sometimes i use a stereo male to dual mono female adaptor and then plug in two mono patch cables🤔. Good luck👍🏻
Hi! Thank you for these informative videos
Around 8:55 you mentioned a DIY box for interfacing the Volca's pin cables with standard 3.5mm patch cables. Could you provide any information on how you made that, or what materials you used? I'm hoping to be able to patch the LFO and envelope CV outputs from my MicroBrute into the modules on my Volca, if possible (and vice versa). Thanks!
Hey, I'll try to describe one way that I think works nicely. The main thing to consider is that the two synths need to share a ground. The VM's CV-IN jack is a TRS (stereo, tip-ring-sleeve) and the ground is on the sleeve (third) conductor. Then, the CV (and gate) jacks on the uBrute are all TS (mono, tip-sleeve) and the ground is also on the sleeve. So, a Y-cable (stereo male on one side, two mono males on the other side) allows you to get a nice _initial_ setup that shares the ground: the most straightforward thing (but plenty of other ways, see below) is to plug the stereo end into the VM CV-IN and then the mono ends into the uBrute CV out and Gate out (on the back). Now, you can use trial and error, but some info about which plug goes where: on the Y-cable the tip of the stereo plug goes to the tip of one of the mono plugs (the white plug in my case) and you want that going into the Gate out on the uBrute. Then the ring of the stereo plug goes to the tip of the other mono plug (the red plug in my case) and you want that going into the CV out on the uBrute. This is all because the VM treats the two CV input channels differently (one for CV pitch data, the other for gates or general CV like an LFO). So, once the Y-cable is set up you can then run a pin cable (i.e. like shipped with the VM) from the top socket of the CV-IN to the left socket of the LPG1 input (to bring in the uBrute gate), and then run another pin cable from the bottom socket of CV-IN to the very leftmost socket on the VM (to bring in the uBrute pitch). So, this whole thing, thus far just lets you play the VM from the uBrute keyboard. You can then do other stuff, like use the uBrute square LFO as a periodic gate on the VM or whatever. You can also try to send a signal back to the uBrute from the VM (I recommend the non-pitch socket for that).
Now, once grounded with the Y-cable, to do more connections all you need to do is connect the tip conductor of a patch cable to the conductor of a pin cable. A simple way to do this is just with alligator clips (i.e. with a cable with clips on each end): plug a patch cable into the uBrute, alligator clip to the tip of the other side of the patch cable, other alligator clip to one side of a pin cable, and then pin cable into the VM. The DIY box I was describing is basically a box with mono jacks on it (say 4),and (one way) a screw terminal (also 4). Then, in the box is just wiring that connects the tip conductor of each jack to its corresponding screw terminal. Then to use it you just screw pin cables onto the box. 4 patch cables in, 4 pin cables out. And no need to worry about the grounding because of the Y-cable.
One last thing - the LFO amount and ENV amount knobs on the uBrute allow you to control the voltage coming OUT of the uBrute. The keep the VM safe you can either measure those voltages and see if they are okay for the VM, or another way is to just compare them by ear: anything you can do (say in terms of pitch) with the VM on its own is okay to do with an external voltage source. And just sort of make a note of what you think max LFO amount and max ENV amount ought to be. The CV-pitch and Gate signals are more-or-less standard and should be fine. I don't think the VM can send any voltage that would hurt the uBrute. I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes👍
It’s called the moog something. It’s just 150 bucks. With cv expander kit with a little one octave button keyboard on the bottom. Also sequence it using sq 1.
Great video as usual! How would I connect these two devices with other equipment. Since there’s no midi on the Volca modular how would I keep it synched to other gear.
Hey, the Kastle can be a little tricky in terms of connectivity but the Volca Modular has a couple of options. First, if you just want to sync sequences then that's possible with quite a bit of other gear - things with a clock/sync in or out - so Pocket Operators, other Volcas, Arturia synths, CraftSynth 2.0, etc. In fact, if you have another Volca you can control that with midi and then chain the sync signal to the Modular. Another route is the cv/gate input into the Modular. This is good for controllers like BeatStep, KeyStep, or even the Korg SQ-1 sequencer. The SQ-1 can get signals via usb or midi and send that out as cv and gate to control the Modular. So, for example, a DAW to Volca Modular is possible via an SQ-1 (which is fairly low cost). Anyway, I hope this helps! Thanks a lot for the feedback👍🏻
@@undulations awesome thanks man!
Hey. Thanks for the video, realy enjoyed it.
Can u please explain the whole thing with the grounding? Say i have the modular and the kastle--can i just connect the pin cables between them? And the outputs straight to the mixer? Or i have to connect the i/o to the cv in of the modular?
(see answer to your follow-up comment)
Hey again. Love my Kastle. Have a Dude and Micro Granny too from Bastyl. I have several different sets I work on live. Love the Microbrute. You don't show the patch cables on the brute. They are great with the filter. Have Volca Keys, Bass Sample and Drum but not the Modular yet. Really like your detail in your posts. Please keep it up. Regards AL
Mini Synth Collective Cool, I have always wondered about the Micro Granny - I’ll have to check it out. I agree about the MicroBrute - I love the features, that filter is amazing, and the build is so solid. ps I have one uBrute tip that i keep sharing because it was such a fluke to find. you can get noise out of the uBrute by patching pitch CV out to pitch CV in, turning up triangle and metallizer all the way, ocatave all the way up, and upper keys on the keyboard. really cool with the filter.
@@undulations Yes mate is does bark at you. I do a performance where I end up with my version of on the run by pink floyd and it works so well. With Drum brute impact, Bass station 2 and mini nova for arps and intro etc etc. Obsessed with Music.
@@undulations Get the Microfreak. Mind blowing
Mini Synth Collective I love that Floyd track. I remember using to score a slideshow we did in high school, something to do with Fahrenheit 451? Slides😭!
Mini Synth Collective I got it and love it! (also, 4 videos on it, if you are interested)
A little of the subject, but do find that line levels going into your TASCAM recorder tend to be too hot? Maybe the lower voltage range of the Volca Modular and the Kastle helps ...
Well, a lot of times I do need to set the record level fairly low (10-20) but I feel like it generally still works fine like that. I've actually found my Kastle 1.5 to be quite hot (a lot of times I use the Bastl Dude mixer to bring it down). The Kastle Drum seems to be somewhat cooler, so maybe that was a known issue?
Hey noob question but how does the modular - transmisser connection work? If the cv out of the modular goes thru the transmisser what type of cable i need? Or can put both thru the dude? Thank u I end up ordering both of these just a couple of days ago cause of this video, waiting to get my hands of them to start playing but i want to make sure i know how to pair them beforehand
Diego Duran Lopez Hey, that’s super exciting! Well, the connection is entirely audio (it would be great, but there’s actually no cv in or out on the Transmisser) - so it’s a 1:8 inch (3.5mm) trs jack (i.e. stereo, but not really. it’s the same left and right side) on the Volca Modular and then a 1/4inch ts (mono) jack going in (and out) of the Transmisser. So, probably the nicest solution is a 1/8” to 1/4” mono cable (Hosa makes some good ones). You can also use an aux cable and some sort of 1/8” to 1:4” adapter (like for some headphones). That’s for getting from the Volca to the pedal. Then you need from pedal to output. If you are going into something like the Dude then same cable will work there too. I hope this helps. Let me know if anything else comes up👍🏻
I love the intro!
Cuticult Thank you🙏🏼!
A true cat dad sets kitty on the other side of the table, just out of the way but still close, rather than putting them on the floor.
He is a handful, but I try😭.
I really enjoy your reviews and tutorials. Always informative. I've pretty much made my mind up that I'm getting the Volca Modular. The only thing that's stopped me beforehand is the lack of midi but I think I can work around it. I'm now using a Polyend Tracker to write and control with, so one thing I could do is to sample the Volca Modular with my Tracker and create tracks out of loops, or, I could sync my Volca Drum to the Tracker with midi clock, and then connect the Modular to the Drum via the sync feature. That should work, do you think? Connecting the Drum to the Tracker is easy enough to do.
Yes! I do think that will work with the sync. The Modular also has some different timing options (as well as randomization features) so it should be really flexible.
PS The Tracker looks like a really nice piece of gear!
@@undulations Cool. Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm really enjoying the Tracker, thanks. I've had it for about 3 weeks now and I'm loving it. I've always liked trackers but found modern tracker-based DAWs to be hard work. So far though, the Polyend has been straightforward to use and sampling has been easy. Linking to other pieces of hardware has been very straightforward and enjoyable too. Keep up the good work. Your reviews are always helpful and enjoyable, and always help highlight the various uses for a piece of kit.
Dumb question, can this volca modular do oddtime signatures? Like using 14 steps of the 16 steps sequencer? As if 7/8 time signature?
Yes, absolutely: the Active Step feature lets you turn on/off any of the 16 steps (literally skipped, not just muted), so a sequence can total from 1 to 16 steps. You can also group/chain neighboring sequences, so something like 21 or 43 step sequence is possible too. In addition, the clock timing can be divided by 2 or 3 which can ultimately be used for polyrhythms. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching👍🏻!
Undulations of courseeee this helps! Thank u sonmuch!! Imm gonna buy this best volca as soon as payday comes
Great video! I just got a quick question: how safe is it to cross patch between the Kastle and the Volca using the jumper wires (as opposed to using the CV in jack)? From what I read, the Volca uses a range from -3.3V to +3.3V, and the Kastle uses 0V to +5V. Is it really safe to connect them in this way?
gilbertoagostinho Thank you! Well, that is a great question. At the time, after some initial concerns I just decided to jump in and start cross-patching, assuming that it would be okay - BUT, there is probably some finite risk. As you say, going through the cv-in can mitigate. I also think that scaling external signals through the Utility module is another way to more safely test patches. That said - and again, this is just based on intuition - I feel like the Volca Modular is able to take the extra +1.7V (the Utility can have gain >1, not sure if this implies native voltages >3.3V or not?), and then I feel like the Kastle is particularly robust (intended to be hooked to Eurorack, polarities not always predictable on triggers, etc.) - so, I realize this is not a very satisfactory answer, and I apologize for that. The other data point I can provide is that while I was hooking the VM and LittleBits together (first part of first video) I actually _did_ have a problem - something in that setup was causing the VM to reboot. I never figured it out. No apparent damage to my VM (some sort of protective reaction?) and I have not ever experienced that with the Kastle. A last thought, maybe patching the Kastle outs to a small breadboard, running them through a resistor to scale the voltage (start with big resistances to test, then reduce) before bringing it onto the VM - that would probably be the safest way. (can get mini breadboard and a set of resistors online for pretty cheap). Anyway, I’m sorry that this isn’t a definitive answer. I have done it a lot with no issues but that is ultimately not a guarantee. Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching👍🏻!
@@undulations Hi, thanks for the detailed reply, I really appreciate it! I read an article about the Volca Modular 'true' voltage, and it seems some of its modules can vary quite a bit from the -3.3V to +3.3V range, so you are probably right that it simply took the 0V to +5V signals without a problem. I also read that the range -3.3V to +3.3V is for audio signals only, and that gates and triggers range from 0V to +3.3V, which are definitely safe for the Kastle. Do you remember if you ever patched audio signals from the VM to the Kastle? I wonder if it can handle the negative voltages at all. I'm really tempted in getting something to expand my VM, and the Kastle looked like an ideal choice, but now I do have some concerns. I might end up getting a second Volca Modular, which would open a lot of possibilities and be definitely super safe. Let's see, but thanks once again!
gilbertoagostinho You’re right, the Kastle might clip the negative part of an audio signal. I don’t recall sending the VM audio into the Kastle (I can try that if you’d like). BUT, that said, I don’t remember _not_ trying it either? I may have done it for some FM effects? Also, given that the Kastle has a stereo 3.5mm jack for general I/O, I feel like it would be robust to patching any typical audio, so at least some protection against negative voltages. In fact, I recall patching one channel of the Kastle’s own audio out back into the synth (that post is on Instagram - @dr_nim2014 , it is kind of far back, last Summer?, the background is red plush carpet). Anyway, I guess it’s just that I am a huge advocate of the Kastle, so fun for the money, and the VM gives it some really nice effects. Best of luck!
@@undulations Thank you so much for all the replies and tips! I really want to extend my VM, and I'd be particularly interested in modules that are not present in the VM itself. I had mentioned a second VM, as I saw some really excellent videos of people cross patching two or three of them, but I am tempted in taking the DIY route. I recently came across some audio chips by Electric Druid which are quite cheap, and these include delay with feedback, noise generators, LFOs, etc. I am considering to create extra modules using a breadboard so that I can patch directly in and out from the VM, but it's been so long time since I last messed around with DIY electronics that I will end up needing a lot of time for this project (some of their chips output in the 5V range while others are in the 3.3V). But I think it might be doable even for me and the result could end up being worth it.
gilbertoagostinho You can do it! That sounds like a great project to extend the VM. I’ve soldered for most of my life but still avoid it as much as possible - the ease and flexibility of breadboarding makes it such great option (where you are only making one or a few) - and with care it can end up quite compact and durable.
Any suggestions on a low pass filter in this format? I know they're both West Coast style, but in my personal taste, less high end could lead to great things!
Cave of Sleepers Well, first off, there are probably DIY and small vendor solutions that I’m not aware of. If you just want to filter the main outputs manually then there are a lot of guitar pedal options. The Korg Monotron Duo (or original Monotron) could do it too. If you want to manually filter non-main audio or even cv signals then using the Kastle I/O socket as a filter “insert” is possible with a Y-cable. BUT if you want a cv controllable, pin cable format filter? The only one I really know of is the Bastl SoftPop Synth. It’s like $400, which is a stretch, being far more than cost of VM and Kastle combined (but it does sound great in its own right and has a ton of cool features). Wish I could tell you better specific options, but not really aware of any. Thanks for checking out the video!
@@undulations great advice, thank you! I didn't even consider sending the VM through my multistomp would add tons if sonic possibility, including a low pass and EQ
Cave of Sleepers Cool! Love the Multi-Stomp👍🏻
Monotron delay is great with Kastle. I use a Rucci Passive Filter too which is great but steals db’s.
sheepkillindog Understood about the db, but I really feel like the Kastle benefits from all different sorts of filtering👍🏻 Thanks for checking it out!
Keystep is best device, as a sequencer only, for this duty. I myself have merge two VModular in to one 4 oscillator synth, and with Keystep it is very musical (keys, 64 steps sequencer). Beatstep and SQ-1 are no better than internal sequencer on VModular. It is nice to use VM as a second oscilator tho. The thing I am missing on the market is something like Korg's prototype - MONODULAR ( link: th-cam.com/video/dF8skIOXp24/w-d-xo.html).
18:20 my cat starts lookin for the pigeon
Ralph Hayward Lol, I went back and listened. So true😀! Mine get freaked out when I play field recordings: "wait, so we're actually outside right now?"🙀
How do u make them to share a ground so u can patch from the mini-cable patch points of the Volca Modular to the mini-cable patch points of the Kastle? just first sync out form modular to i/o on the kastle and thats it?
I think cv on the Volca to i/o on the Kastle is the most straightforward way, but there are others. Crosspatching like LFO out socket on Kastle to pitch socket on Volca (mini-cable) is the easiest way to make sure ground is okay (will just not work without it, no harm). The ground on the Kastle is the minus socket and the 3rd conductor (shield) on the i/o jack. the ground isn't really exposed on the Volca (but one of the faceplate screws actually is grounded (see first of my Volca Modular videos, intro). Lastly, both audio jacks are grounded (3rd conductor), so a simple mixer like the Bastl Dude lets the ground be shared that way. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching👍🏻
@@undulations thank you for the answer. So after i connect the i/o on kastle to volca cv i can patch from volca to kastle (not only through the cv out on volca modular) from any gates/ triggers on both devices with their pin cables?
Yep, that should do it! My experience has been that it works as expected - some people have raised concerns (on Instagram) about voltage compatability between the two devices, but I have made measurements with a multimeter and also done many, many tests with a variety of setups with no issues.
@@undulations Thanks.!! In the worst case as u said it will just not work, with no damage to the devices . so i am not worried :)
@@3asafhen yes👍🏻 I should just point out that a lot of other modular (eurorack) voltages _can_ be too high for these synths. I think the Kastle is rated at 0 to +5 volts, and the Volca Modular is rated at -3.5 to + 3.5 volts - but the Kastl just ignores the negative voltages (at this level at least) and the Volca Modular can actually generate voltages very close to 5 volts on its own. So I believe it to be safe to explore👍🏻!
I'm not sure if you mentioned this but how are you sequencing the kastle? I can't seem to see a keyboard out on the modular?
MrStarbit Well, it’s been long enough that I can’t remember. What clip are you referencing, the one at the very start or one of the later ones? ps no guarantee on accuracy, but the video description has patching and settings notes down in the timeline.
@@undulations think I've worked it out I didn't think the modular had a keyboard/sequence CV and gate out but I can see that it's in the clock section :)
MrStarbit Correct! And it’s also got those nice divided clock gates too.
@@undulations with the gate output can it send out a gate signal with the keyboard or will it only send gate signals when the sequencer is playing?
MrStarbit oh, absolutely the keyboard. that gate is usually normalled to the gate in on Function 1. as an aside, try sending one of the divided gates like /3 to the F1 gate in. then you only hear every 3rd note that you play.
and labeling for bastl side pins?
Further Moore I’m not exactly sure what you mean? please clarify and i will do my best to answer.
@@undulations The micro granny side side pins on both sides. I can't find any info on what they are for. I know they work on 5 v because it's arduino based
Further Moore Well, I don’t have one, but it looks cool. I don’t know the exact functionality of those side sockets, BUT the Bastl DIY guide for making the MicroGranny might give hints. The picture of that board is labeled: so it looks like common, audio, - , and 9v. The actual manual talks about chaining devices (multiple MG’s, MG and something else, idk?), so maybe one side is an input, the other an output? I hope this is helpful in some way.
@@undulations ok thanks
Why did you do a demo with the microbrute?
Tylon Barea Hmmm... I don’t see one in this video, another video?
ASMR output
"Thank you for watching."
My new favorite channel!! Very interested in the volca modular. And my birthday coming up😀. Trying to find time for more experimental fun. Please check out some of my material if you like? Cheers!
Nik Phares Music Glad to hear that🙏🏼!
I am still a big fan of the Volca Modular👍🏻
Sure, will check out your stuff! Thanks for watching!
Volca modular is the worst modular synth ever created
Why?