How To Use A Keystep With Your Volca Modular

[@gerardozaragoza4055]

Honestly, this is my favorite video on the internet, I didn’t know I could connect a midi controller to the cv in since I’m just getting started on it so thank you so much

[@MrGeoffashley]

Thank you for this. The Volca Modular still doesn’t have a lot of tutorials, so this is very helpful for a newbie like myself who hasn’t gotten into the world of modular

[@tompoynton]

Seconded, this is great. I have the Keystep Pro now and it should do the same I hope!

[@-Deena.]

Thank you! I've just got a volca modular and had tried...then here is the solution and wonderfully clear. 🧡

[@nephildevil]

Anybody who hasn't yet, go watch the I Dream Of Wires modular synth documentary for cool background info. West Coast synthesizers were built on a much more psychedelic concept of sonic exploration vs East Coast and were never meant to hold a tone as is required by traditional music theory. Buchla's reluctance to add a black and white keyboard as demanded by professional musicians, but which Moog was happy to do is what caused the great divide, and is why East Coast Synthesis is now the standard in electronic music.

[@tommikarki8775]

Dine you can see me playing some drum machine in I Dream Of Wires. They were filming the documentary while I was in Berlin at SchneidersLaden!

[@s3nsec0rruptr80]

The standard? Maybe for modular

[@zoned7609]

lol @ east coast pretentiousness and narcissism as displayed by dine

[@georgeray3492]

Well done. Try turning the Fold and Mod all the way down when checking octave. You would be hearing just the base triangle wave. If the scale is still too sharp, you can use the utility (a-b*c) as a range adjust.Run your pitch CV into Utility input A. Take the a-b*c output. Knob C all the way Clockwise. Use tuning to adjust the base note as in your video. Then play the Keystep up an octave and adjust the utility to lower the CV voltage until an octave. You may have to go back and forth several times. Make sure everything is warmed up and temperature has stabilized. Welcome to CV!

[@HyperObjeckt]

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to try that!

[@JustPassingByBaby]

@@HyperObjeckt This actually works. With some fine tunning I am capable of having full octaves perfect! Thanks!

[@oomingmakroo]

Thank you! This comment is what I was hoping to get from this video! This video is very good, and would have saved me time. But, I didn't think searching for it until I couldn't figure-out how to calibrate the volts/octave. I was thinking I'd have to find a trimpot inside the Volca, but using the a-b*c utility module is easier. Thanks!

[@oomingmakroo]

I just found a better way to calibrate the CV pitch and octave on the Korg website! 1. Turn on the power of the Volca Modular while holding down the PLAY and REC buttons. 2. C4 will light on the keyboard. Play the C4 key on the Keystep while pressing the MEMORY button on the Volca Modular. 3. C5 will light on the keyboard. Play the C5 key on the Keystep while pressing the MEMORY button on the Volca Modular. 4. All step buttons will light and the REC button will blink. Press the REC button to save the calibration settings. The Volca Modular will restart. I did this in a few seconds! You may have to update your firmware, but once you do, this procedure is so easy! I'll post this to the main comments too.

[@sadwhippet]

@@oomingmakroo I bow to you! Kudos! Made my life soooo much easier..!

[@alexcargill1498]

Thank you so much sir, seriously thank God for guys like you. I've had my Modular for about 6 weeks now and after posting on a couple of forums, buying the right cable and watching this video, I can now finally control the damn thing in a DAW. I totally get it that Korg were trying to be faithful to the original West Coast ethos and all, but seriously - no MIDI in 2019? C'mon man! Luckily I also have a Korg MS20 Mini so I'm now able to control the Modular via the CV outputs of the MS20 Mini. Otherwise I'd be completely screwed and would have to spend more money on a Keystep or similar just so that I could control the Modular! Madness! I reckon Korg will make a revised Modular with MIDI in the next few years. But anyway, you sir are a legend :)

[@elbowbacon]

Hello good man. Did you find a 5din midi cable that you can plug into your volca?

[@kapryfryz1]

Hey people. there is a video about converting the Volca Modular to a 5-pin MIDI connector. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnO9aJhvaZyofqM

[@dcashley303]

6:59 don't want to alarm you but I think you may have a ghost in that room

[@HyperObjeckt]

lol, that's my wife opening the cabinet. I like how there's a coincidental cut right after though, kind of like something spooky happening in the background of a horror movie right before the camera cuts away.

[@lordlatch]

AAAAAHHHHHH!! I was fine until you pointed that out! Thanks dude.

[@aphexon.]

Just he's Mum cleaning his apartment, he is still not grown up.

[@zoned7609]

@@aphexon. he just said it was his wife you potato

[@ldtregent]

Thanks for this video. You have answered some questions for me. I can now run my Volca Modular off the CV from my Minibrute!

[@lundsweden]

Vote 1 for Korg Volca Modular MK2 to have a MIDI input. Would sort all this mucking about out!

[@martingardner2582]

Thanks for making this vid. My Keystep and Modular sound great. Just had to wait for my adapter to arrive in the mail.

[@oomingmakroo]

THE EASIER WAY TO CALIBRATE CV: 1. Turn on the power of the Volca Modular while holding down the PLAY and REC buttons. 2. C4 will light on the keyboard. Play the C4 key on the Keystep while pressing the MEMORY button on the Volca Modular. 3. C5 will light on the keyboard. Play the C5 key on the Keystep while pressing the MEMORY button on the Volca Modular. 4. All step buttons will light and the REC button will blink. Press the REC button to save the calibration settings. The Volca Modular will restart. 5. Have fun! If your Volca Modular doesn't start in tune mode at step 1, you should update your firmware. Mine already had this feature.

[@Hanxdesign]

How do I delete these changes??? now sounds really bad help

[@BPEMETO]

Thanks for the video!!! : ) Can the Volca make of the sounds it makes with the keyboard ... Like sounds with the Space reverb and other patched effects?

[@JohnMassari]

Exelent! Thank you... :D Such a relief now that it all works and makes sense!😅👍👍👍

[@seanspartan2023]

Great job. Very clear instructions

[@clivecarter2833]

Thank you very much for your hard work.

[@dgpsartscrafts]

Hi, i am trying to use Volca Modular with Behringer Swing but when i plug the function to CV out, keyboard doesn't make any sound, how could make that?

[@TheRottenMirror]

I think the fine tuning is due to analog oscilators. It´s tune might change because of temperature or presure or because. Other analog synths oscilators have a screw to fine tune it.

[@rodolphej.7785]

Hello Mister, How do you connect in MIDI a Korg Voca Modular with a drum computer, please ?

[@123Andersonev]

are you sure it's v/oct? Korg traditionally uses v/hz which is 5V vs 8V respectively

[@gru_day]

Do not works for me. I have put pitch cable in and, so far so good, but gate just do not works. Is my volca broken?

[@jeffreylohr4460]

Just got my volca modular in the mail today. Went on YT to see what videos are out there and this came up. I don't plan on using a keyboard too much with the VM because I think it kind of defeats the purpose of learning about west coast style synthesis BUT if I do I found your video very informative. Thank you

[@tsvtsvtsv]

would i be able to do this with a regular midi keyboard and a small midi-to-trs adapter cord?

[@snoopkionl3643]

Hey man, when I patch the pitch to route to the key step, the notes on the key step play the same key the don’t change note no matter where i play on the keyboard

[@scunnerdarkly4929]

I'm guessing you didn't use the Modular's CV calibration routine before tweaking the Keystep's CV settings... From Korg: How to Calibrate the CV Input. You can calibrate the CV input on the volca modular, so that the pitch is correct when playing a synthesizer or other device with a keyboard that can output CV/gate signals. 1. Connect an external device that can output CV signals, and configure it to play. Connect the external device’s CV (PITCH) and GATE jacks to the CV-IN jack of the volca modular. Patch the connections and adjust the knobs on the volca modular as shown in the diagram. 2. Turn on the power of the volca modular while holding down the PLAY and REC buttons. 3. The Step [4] button will light (this means “C4”). 4. Play the C4 key on the external device while pressing the MEMORY button on the volca modular. 5. The Step [16] button will light after several seconds (this means “C5”). 6. Play the C5 key on the external device while pressing the MEMORY button on the volca modular. 7. All step buttons will light (this means “end”), and the REC button will blink. 8. When the REC button is pressed, the settings will be saved and the volca modular will start up normally. Pressing the PLAY button during operations will make the volca modular start up normally without saving the settings.

[@DanielMaruniak]

Currently splitting cv pitch in split module and running pitch to second lp gate cv in. It seems to stabilize the pitch.

[@MichaelBogaMusic]

Cheers for that! That was super helpful, I think the Volca is a good introduction to the modular world but it has quickly its limits, especially if you compose on a daw and want to incorporate it in the workflow.

[@ElliotAtkins]

Many thanks. Really useful video.

[@MicrotonalGuitarist]

Hi, this is a very helpful video. the volca modular now has a firmware update for calibrating the cv input!! Link for firmware update is at www.korg.com/us/support/download/product/0/808/, make sure to download the firmware update and the pdf explaining how to calibrate.

[@HyperObjeckt]

Nice, thanks!

[@julianfishboyazhou3938]

Hello, Thank you for this info. Could you tell me the result? Is the firmware update worked? I did it , but it look like still out of tune.

[@MicrotonalGuitarist]

@@julianfishboyazhou3938 I was never get this to work consistently with my keystep and wound up trading it in and adding some cash for something else. This was my first hardware synth and as being such wasn't a good intro synth for me.

[@bullmann-schuth]

Works also with arturia beatstep pro! Thanks

[@Hanxdesign]

hey bro how did you do it i'm trying to do it in my beatstep pro with the volca modular and i can't make them sound :/ can you help me?

[@wayneanderson2866]

Didn’t read all the comments but could the tuning issues just be that the particular tone has a wobble type effect? Seems like a cleaner/more stable tone would tune better....🤔

[@wiredforwhimsy9099]

I ran a stereo cable from cv pitch output on the key step to volca modular cv in, ran the modular patch cable from the cv pitch mod to the pitch source an the key step is not triggering any sounds. But my modular keys are all one pitch. Do I actually need that double ended cable to make this work?

[@geofff6671]

Great video, but where did you find that cable? I’ve looked everywhere on the net for them.

[@DanielMaruniak]

I tuned 0v to B0 and then tuned manually and it seems to be pretty evenly tempered. I have it pretty in tune in every key across octaves. Going to try Bb0 if that’s possible.

[@DanielMaruniak]

Maybe dragging down the 0v reference makes it closer to 3.3 because the notes seem less wobbly now.

[@DanielMaruniak]

Update: B0 then manually tune works best for me. Volts per octave, max volt 5v, v trig 5v

[@SouthShoreSonics]

@@DanielMaruniak I just run the CV out of my Microbrute and use the Power Up/Rec/Play method. Rock solid over 3 octaves.

[@DanielMaruniak]

Mark Pigott yeah I have 3 solid octaves in tune now as well. Stoked.

[@schraibfelafanzine7637]

i have conectet everything as you showed, but in the Moment when the Keystep has to take control over the Volcar Sound, it doesn't, and its the complete same Artutria keystep. it's new, do I maby have to confugure the Keystep bevore first use?

[@schraibfelafanzine7637]

if i only conect the gate with a normal cable, the I get a tone thru the Keystep, but only one, that doesn't change pressing the other keys...

[@dcashley303]

Real shame that the voltages aren't more regular. Makes using a MIDI controller almost pointless really. Hopefully someone will figure out a work around or Korg will address this issue.

[@mixflame9078]

Nice tutorial!

[@ma14.27]

You are a genius😍-thank you.

[@jonathankrisp]

Hey grant thanks for the video. Whilst you can play the Modular from the keystep. Can you then play back a midi clip from a DAW through the keystep and onto the modular? or will it just trigger the modular to play an internal sequence? cheers!

[@Tennisers]

yes you can play back a midi clip from a daw

[@thedisintegrationistmtl]

Thank you! :D

[@monogramadikt5971]

dont own any of the volcas yet, but great video, book marking it for future reference yeah ;)

[@stephenkahlig1494]

Very interesting...Can I connect a Volca Mod. to my Arturia Beatstep Pro?

[@mrkdosmil2879]

Following this

[@Clemens808]

Im trying on Ksp now O.o

[@twkarches]

Nice. Could you add some info on where you got the specific cable used to connect the Keystep and the VM?

[@HyperObjeckt]

amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0757Q5FB8

[@wouterprudon]

Thanks dude!

[@kalikotronix]

Appreciate this brother!👍🙏🏻🙌

You should of used a tip top stack patch cable for the cv and then ran the gate into the stack cv in on the volca, a lot easier dude and sounds better..

[@noizekiller]

Same tutorial for SQ-1, please!

[@123Andersonev]

try 8V

[@123Andersonev]

I think the reason he's getting drift is because he's working to 5V scaling vs 8V scaling

[@noizekiller]

​@@123Andersonev Ok, I`ll try it. At 2v and 5v my volca`s not getting clock and just makes some random messy noise.

[@123Andersonev]

@@noizekiller probably because like the video says the voltage input is trs and the clock needs to go into sync in not VC all volcas work like that for clock

[@123Andersonev]

the output of the sq1 is mono for clock and gate if i were you id get the same cable and also turn up the duty cycle

[@henryalfaro9125]

Can the blue cable work on the volca fm ?

[@HyperObjeckt]

Henry Alfaro with a keystep? No, the FM has a midi in instead of CV, so you would use a MIDI cable instead (much easier!)

[@henryalfaro9125]

@@HyperObjeckt thanks very much

[@KiR_3d]

I've got to know that Volcas are full of surprizes! :)) Seems that I'll rather will make my own WCoast synth box than buy this "modular". We have some b-stock here at a sweet price but I've just found that this box has some wobbly contacts. It's a shame and should not be a "Korg quality" thing.

[@Magicmarker231]

Aren't Korg synthesizers using Hertz per voltage? I mean that could explain the deviation... ;o) Helpful video though, thanks for that.

[@sebastienlelong2661]

indeed I think they use Hz/V. I've a SQ1 instead of the Keystep here, if you choose another setting than the Hz/V the deviation is worse. But I still have a deviation on just one octave. I think the unit is defective

[@uncooldispatch5438]

🙌🙌🙌

[@oskie66skye]

Good man,young man....Cheers

[@arcaneinArcadia]

OMG Ave Maria that's hilarious. Great

[@norberttrundelbrot1007]

Thunderbirds are go!

[@julianfishboyazhou3938]

Thank you!

[@flannsixtyseven7489]

Who would want to "tune" a weird little noisemaker as the Volca Modular. Big Choise of real instruments to play melodies in tune.

[@MatthiasNunes]

THANK YOU

[@SouthShoreSonics]

Full instructions from Korg here how to tune the CV. www.korg.com/us/support/download/manual/0/808/4383/

[@SouthShoreSonics]

You will need the most recent firmware as well.

[@richardgillespie655]

@@SouthShoreSonics - Cheers - that worked a treat - here's a link to the firmware update www.korg.com/us/support/download/manual/0/808/4383/

[@PaulMabley]

So the Beatstep should also be able to connect the same way...where's all my bloody cables??!!

[@genepozniak]

Well, that pretty much put the nail in the coffin for me getting a VM. I'll wait for some bug fixes and feature additions methinks. And I had such great ideas for it, too. [sigh]

[@SouthShoreSonics]

Same with me! All I have is a Vermona '14 or my Microbrutes as a CV source, and it does not allow for any change of the CV Base note.

[@roxyamused]

They really bungled the inputs. I already have a ton of fucking cables, like stackers and midi, so why tf am I now required to buy another one just for this piece to connect to outside sequencers? Even $10 on something that's not standard for modular on a "modular" synth to connects to this "modular". I love west coast synthesis and love playing on it, but I find this poorly planned. I wish I could just afford an easel command. I've aimed my modular in a Buchla direction because buchla modules are so fucking expensive. This is a great budget west coast synth, but this input seems like an afterthought, when I think it should be more central and easily integrated but no.

[@MrBEnIbb]

thanks for the video! But you could put the same information in 3 minutes

[@tomoneill2511]

Dribbling shit far out aye!!

[@gctechs]

Sounds like a drunken robot from a 1950s sci-fi movie.

[@snörre23]

Thats what it was designed to sound like.

[@innerspacerace9196]

Do not do that again

[@nicolashunter4131]

what a waste of time