10 years of the Korg Volca: Which is the best? Let's rank the range...

Since they were first released in late 2013, Korg's compact, wallet-friendly range of synths, samplers and drum machines has had an outsized impact on the music gear market. In honour of the 10th anniversary of the original trio - the Volca Bass, Volca Beats and Volca Keys - we discuss the history and influence of the range, and deliver our 100% definitive ranking of the top 5 Volcas*. (*Opinions may differ).
00:01:08 Volca jam
00:01:50 What are the Korg Volcas and why are they influential?
00:10:18 Let's rank the Korg Volcas!
00:11:06 The worst Korg Volca is...
00:12:20 What's missed out on our top 5...?
00:15:32 Special mention...
00:18:05 In at number 5...
00:24:14 Number 4...
00:28:29 Number 3...
00:36:42 Number 2...
00:42:30 The best Korg Volca

[@AudioPilz]

Korg Volca Cowbell!!!

[@julioagnosia]

in pink?

[@drgsao]

​@@julioagnosiaBarbie pink

[@wewerefalling5861]

It be tickin all of the boxes

[@eyoung1683]

Sounds like good gear

[@NTRSN-Archive]

Bad gear you are a cowbell on your own .

[@AmateurSynthusiast]

Bass is easily the best, having 3 different oscillators that you can create 3 different sounds is mental.

[@kierenmoore3236]

Keys is the same …

[@bobbythompson4268]

FM2 is the t!t$ though.

[@7an7ara]

18:11 for when they actually start ranking their top 5

[@RaquelFoster]

The Beats/Keys/Bass can’t chain patterns, and they’re missing the config setting for 4 PPQN sync so you can’t use sync in as a trigger input. So the Nubass is a lot more usable than the Bass for some people. But my favorites are still the Bass/Drum/Nubass. The Drum is kinda based off the Electribe ER-1. And it’s pretty awesome that the Bass can play three different 16-step patterns simultaneously. If you have a Volca with 4 PPQN sync (or any of the Roland Boutiques with EXT CLK IN) you can step the sequencer with a trigger from a drum machine. You can get an SQ-1 or a Dark Time and do all the nerdy polyrhythm jams you want. Or use any drum machine with a trigger out like the TR-606/707/727 or TR-08/TR-09 or whatever. I think if more people knew that it could save some of them from eurorack!

[@MYGAS21]

VOLCA MODULAR is a divine instrument, with abilities that just keep showing up. A marvel of engineering. Limited infinity.

[@mc2engineeringprof]

1. Bass 2. FM2 3. Drum 4. Sample2 5. Kick Then, 6. FM 7. Keys 8. Sample 9. Modular 10. Beats 11. NuBass 12. Sample OK Go 13. Mix Honorable Non - Volca Mentions: Nutek Synths & Scope, Standalone SQ Sequencers, KP Mini Units (to use with the Volca Mix), non - Korg USB to Volca power supplies, lithium ion 9v AA batteries.

[@volt7cooltangs701]

C’mon boys. A duster before filming. Great vid. Love the Volcas. Hard to choose a favourite. Currently it’s joint. FM2 & Sample 2. I have Bass keys beat sample sample2 kick & FM2. Motion sequencing vocal phrases on the Sample is quite amazing.

[@polyman4]

Volca keys number 1 for me. Loads of character.

[@jeffdigit]

I've FM2 and Bass and happy with them.

[@philipwareham]

I love my Nubass - sure it’s a one trick pony but it’s creates some seriously dirty acid bass sounds. Accented slide gives you some good results too.

[@jevogroni4829]

fun ways to use the volca sample: 1. use version one and switch between patterns mid bar, use the patterns as fills and variations or different melodies to mix together. performing breaks 2. use the looping of sounds to generate tones, like a waveform thing (adjust starting point to get a different wave form) 3. drones using the aforementioned sounds 4. a sample based drum machine. it's not a sampler but you can give up drum parts (basically) to painfully put a bass or lead. i wish it let you input chromatically. i wish it ler you sample and resample. 5. can create sounds better than some electribes. you can sample it. why? it has envelopes, amp and pitch. starting point and end point, loop. all knobs. you can make a lot of sounds from samples, not just put finished sounds into it. sound design.

[@Volcaniced]

Volca Bass forever!

[@lundsweden]

I've had all of them (except for the beats, nubass and kick) and many of the old school Electribes too (The Er-1, the green one and the silver one). My favorite volca is the Sample 2, love this unit too much, probably FM2 is close behind, the Bass was my favorite of the analog ones, the drum was fun (and very pretty!) but a bit limited like the ER-1). I thought the keys was a bit... boring?! The FM1 was too limited polyphony wise for me too, plus the reverb on the FM2 is very, very good, whereas the FM1 had no verb.

[@vitaliiandronov8629]

Give Volca Sample possibility to actually sample (12bit please😇), ms-20 filter and it will be the funniest device on a market. Now Drum is the best, single output is not a problem if you just record tracks one by one to your daw. But sound synthesis is amazing, 6 instruments with 2 layers each, motion seq, probability, resonator and great display

[@danieljamesoconnor6800]

Thanks for this very nice review dive into the Korg Volca Multiverse. I think I'm gonna get one. Wich one will it be? My first piece of sound generating analog gear 🤗 Thanks again for this cool video and peace out from Hamburg ✌️

[@BeefMissileband]

I just bought my first, the fm2. Gonna get the sample sometime

[@gunnarhauth4375]

I would like to see a korg Volca Voice next. Connection to a mic, a bank of voices, loop machine with the time line that all the Volcas have. And a bank that you could load your own samples like the sample.

[@regmtait100]

Would love to see a Volca take on an NTS-1-so loads of (and custom) oscillators + tons of effects, with a few extra knobs and the ability to save patches. Bit unlikely now with the NTS-1 Mk2, but that's would be my dream little synth.

[@raysubject]

my top chart is: 1/ drums (extremely versatile engine) 2/ FM mk2 3/ nubass 4/ kick 5/ sample mk2

[@jerrybriardy]

I agree, the Bass is #1, but I'd rate the FM at #2. Still the Drum is a close #3.I have the Sample and Keys, but Sample has given me troubles loading samples, and although Keys is cool, it isn't always easy to get great sounds. The main thing about the Bass is the 3 independent oscilators you can sequence on their own. I'm planning to get the Modular next. Looking forward to that.

[@kierenmoore3236]

5:10 … Keys is 3 voice, not 4 (it has 3 VCOs) … 19:34 … “Buckler”?! It’s not English, lol

[@alexanderplayspiano7157]

For the sake of a tiny mic or a mic in socket with the necessary firmware, the sample will forever remain flawed. I think the judgement of “not top-5” is a bit harsh when the main complaint is “it’s not ableton” and “doesn’t fit my workflow”. Some guys and gals make amazing tracks with only a Sample. In fact, each Volca is fundamentally flawed in some way. If you’re being generous to Korg, you could say they worked really, really hard to hit a budget price point. Alternatively, you could say the Volcas are designed not to cannibalise sales of higher-end hardware and in some way, they act as a gateway drug into the more profitable, more capable and higher-priced Korg synths. Either way, the Bass rules. 😂

[@kierenmoore3236]

Theirs:- Bass, Drum**, FM-2, Kick*, Modular Sample-2*, Nubass, Keys**, Beats, Mix (FX) Mine:- Keys, FM-2, Bass, Modular, Sample-2 Kick, Nubass, Drum, Beats, Mix

[@mateusz_wicher]

Volcas are great for everyone who looks to start the music production journey. I own all except kick, nubass and mix. Started with vBass and Beats. From a total noob in the music area, still at noob level, but with hours of fun and stress relief 😅. Later got Keys, Sample, Modular and Drum. Created a lot of hip hop, techno, house, ambient, electro swing, dubstep, gabber... basically everything is possible with them. Perfect for experiments. Used some sounds in DAW as also works great with various effects. If I had to rank them, probably vSample would be nr 1. Tons of awesome lofi and boom bap beats, rewarding yet simple workflow, beautiful filter, granular synthesis. Still use it even after I got myself SP404mkii. 2nd for me is vBass. 3rd vDrum And 4th vKeys These are used the most. I link them with other synths in various setups. Cheers

[@cateagle8745]

What gear do you recommend to start with?

[@DaveDaves]

HA! The monotrons weren't the "most versatile ever" synths? Understatement of the decade? They epitomize non-versatility, very few applications or occasions which they're good for. I understand you were gently saying what I"m saying but I (clearly) have been feeling emotional about this for years, that we were all excited back then to get an analog synth in our hands - only to find that it was practically unusable (and I still blame Korg for this. They should've somehow included MIDI, even as an option, but regardless the monotrons WERE cable of CV input for pitch! The circuitboard is labeled for the patchpoint "CV IN" - only the 99% of us who don't know how to solider in to to that connection couldn't use it. They thought that deliberately making it DIY would get people excited to mod it and yes there were guides on the internet for how to do that....but relatively few people did it. I think the monotrons are a giant failure of a product line other than, as this video correctly states, they were the precursor to the OG analog volcas!

[@SpeccyMan]

A good musician can make good music with anything. Even something mislabelled as a toy.

[@gula_rata]

The Sonicware Liven Lo-fi 12 groovebox is what the Volca Sample should have been.. And Volca Drum is basically an ER-1mk3.

[@allenleclerc7878]

Bass hands down. Still holds its own tone wise as well. MIDI synch thru a DAW with a touch of echo boy….. super snappy envelopes as well

[@s56hqr222]

Keys is my #1. I agree the sampler is overhyped. It needed an input for live sampling. Had they volca-fied the KP3, that would by my #1 volca.

[@paulmarkmoffat4638]

Great video

[@keithbutler2222]

I have keys, nubass and sample 2 along with the mix...all the ones in the bottom half lol. I guess it's all about what suits your needs. Mind you, I did order an original FM last night as I do find the keys fiddly and inconsistent and I wanted the old MIDI socket that isn't on the FM2

[@robomixdj]

About the Volca Beats and (necessary?) processing; just run it through a mic input and crank it up a little :-)

[@EdgyNumber1]

DX7 defaults were rinsed to death. OPSix in my opinion brought FM back to life.

[@ryanstevens3822]

sorta agree actually, bass just sounds good and is fun, also the 3 oscillator thing is limited in a way, but also weird and cool? modular sounds kinda bad but is so fun FM2 is a dx7, actually good not a toy at all? drum has huge potential i cant buy the kick on moral reasons lol i do like keys, but the sweet spots make most of the patches sound similar?

[@blaablaa22]

Gotta agree with this list. Personally I would just swap the Kick to the Sample, but otherwise I'd have the exact same order. Drum and Bass will most likely always be in my studio, even though I don't use them that much anymore. But everytime I do, they're so much fun and inspiring lil boxes.

[@3lullabies]

Opinions welcome..... Which one should i get to pair with a Yamaha psr e463 keyboard? My budget is limited to the yamaha keyboard, a digitech multieffects pedal, a danelectro tape delay, and a zoom r6 track recorder. I lean toward dubtechno. Whats the best volca for that?

[@marcfaur]

I would instantly jump on a Volca Granular or Volca Pads!

[@palespirit]

10 years on and STILL people don’t understand the Kick. Their loss.

[@philipwareham]

I love my Nubass - sure it’s a one trick pony but it’s creates some seriously dirty acid bass sounds. Accented slide gives you some good results too.

[@DaveDaves]

Gorillaz Im pretty sure you're thinking of their special version of Korg's iElectribe app, which gave you the functionality of the EMX-1 (and ESX-1? I didn't buy it) in an app and the Gorillaz version had their skin . Iirc they made the awesome 'plastic beach' album entirely on it.

[@brianbrill]

I agree with this ranking, except I'd swap the Keys and Modular. Love the Bass for lead sounds.

[@pablowentscobar]

I bought a Sample when they first came out, and then sold it a couple years later because it was such a pain to load samples in. I bought a Sample2 when it came out because it was supposed to be easier to load samples, it is not. The software is super glitchy and crashes all the time. How hard would it have been to add a minijack and like a $20 mic and made it so you could record direct? Thr Teenage Engineering $100 sampler has a mic on board. If The Sample had that it would be an incredible machine.

[@eyoung1683]

Volca Beats Because it was $50 in great condition

[@adeevision1297]

Need a volca vocoder!

[@vincenttiggelman4978]

I have the Sample1, FM2, Drum and i bought the Kick recently to add the only thing missing from the Drum: low end...

[@lukereasor]

Having trouble linking my bass and beats together. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

[@bobbythompson4268]

What kind of trouble? Sync?

[@lukereasor]

Yes! I can’t sync them together for some reason. I use the cable provided when I bought them but they won’t sync together.

[@omarmarmolejo345]

How can I connect to reason please

[@syntheffects]

Yes! Been waiting for a bigger Volca Drum for years and I was hoping the Drumlogue would be that, but sadly no.

[@effebidi9677]

Yo.. VOlca Drum is definelly a good start point but, as someone mentioned in a forum , a bigger version should have very much more to offer. a part of the ouputs , must have "ubtractive synthesis, analog FM synthesis, wavetable synthesis, PWM, physical modeling, and more. " if this happens it defnitelly would kill even elektron boxes

[@g1rlchild]

​@@effebidi9677That sounds more like a Drumfreak, with all the engines like the Microfreak. Which is also a neat idea for a drum machine, and I hope Arturia is making it. But the Volca Drum is a drum synthesizer that uses a very specific synth model that's pretty unique. It would be nice to have a drum machine that took that synth model and expanded it into a full-sized device with all the amenities of a pro drum machine.

[@michaelcoburn7250]

young fathers had a volca beats onstage last month

[@awesomeduder]

they really could do a Volca+ series of bigger ones, I'd get a large fornat Drum or Modular in a second. give us 1/4 inch outs, multiple outs for the drum machines, maybe onboard rechargeable battery? 1/8 inch connectors for the Modular, done.

[@wanggang3885]

or at the very least, a keyboard where you can plop in your Volcas to create a new workstation for every day of the week

[@DaveDaves]

NO the Volca Keys is NOT a 'proper 4 voice polyphonic synth'. And I'm not even just splitting hairs - it's a 3 voice 'paraphonic' (apparently this word was originally 'parapolyphonic' ) synth. If you'd just got the voice count off by one I wouldn't have felt the need to correct you, and I don't think parapolyphony is terrible or anything, its just not what you can call "proper" polyphony. Why do I feel the need to comment about this? I rely a lot on MusicRadar's reviews of gear ... a LOT!

[@apislapis]

Underwhelmed by the Kick, it's a one kick pony. No keys? Shocker. Always thought the Sample 1 should have been called Romple. Still waiting for a DW8000 in a volca box.

[@guilessa]

Bass, Keys and Drum are the best. Keys is my personal favorite for versatility. Kind of a shame that it didn't even make the top five. Maybe you guys just didn't spend enough time with it. It's absurd to put the modular above the keys.

[@inperfectsequence7840]

Volca sample mk2 with 10 parts. Is the bests mini-workstation and sample player.

[@jodo985]

And 13:31 I’m out!! Ok not really but REALLY?!?! No keys! Are you daft? Ok. I got that out of my system. Carry on.

[@Casthekiwi]

Fm & FM2,,,,,pattern chaining !!!!

[@Sm2n]

Wait… it’s Christmas?!

[@leakso1]

Dude without the beard just talking all over the dude with the beard, all the beardy guy says is yeh....

[@smooom]

Waaaaay too much fu cking talking.

[@al.cavalu]

One talks, the other one is just "yep, yeah, aham, mmmm yes, pretty much, yes...". So it averages out!

[@Hubson55]

well... I will really reconsider selling my volca bass... 🤔

[@beatnikcafe]

Drum Bass Sample 2 FM 2 FM Sample Keys Kick Modular Beat at the top of the list, all very subjective and serious it really depends what you’re trying to do and what your basis for evaluation is. I put Drum at the top because it’s the most unique while being able to be a bread and butter rhythm machine. Modular could be number one as it just depends what you’re after.

[@planet_oith]

Hi, it'd be nice to treat my old dr5 and new td3 to a complimentary machine. I'm still researching volca but airing towards key's but would love to hear what you would add in their situation. Thanks.

[@kvfive]

Volca M1

[@MusicRadarTech]

Would buy that

[@kuzmeni]

Out modular and kick, In keys and sample

[@PablitaPicasita]

lovechild of ben shapiro and jude law

[@brooklynboy1000]

Too much yapping here

[@wanggang3885]

I think people that rate instruments and even music should first show their own work so we at least have a baseline of their perspective. I was a little dismayed to hear a certain volca you mentioned was dinged because it didn't allow you to be as lazy as you wanted to be. Good music is not for lazy people to make. Good music takes time and effort and one should be prepared & willing to devote some.

[@SpeccyMan]

Just who the hell are you to dictate what good music should be? Wind in your neck, dude!