Korg Volca Kick: Comprehensive Review Tutorial and Demo

Start to finish on the Volca Kick. Volca Kick is the red-headed stepchild of the Volca family and I think it's time it gets some love. It's also the weirdest Volca, and has the most niche focus. I find it really useful and use it on all my live sets as a living kick. It can also do some seriously crazy things.

[@teshbrady]

By far the most helpful video I've seen on the Volca Kick. Thank you!

[@williamkelley4728]

Can it make a shuffle beat? Or a 3/4 time

[@djmethod8175]

Used it for the first time last night and would never go without this kick again,,Amazing

[@derekknight9789]

This is the best instructional demo I have found on KZbin for the Korg Volca Kick

[@jamesweston8226]

Just started collecting the volcas...you can't beat analogue and these machines are pretty much easy to work with a lot in the little box..great value

[@dominikmagnus5074]

I guess I am kinda randomly asking but does anyone know a good place to watch newly released series online ?

[@HazeAnderson]

My 1st two Volcas were the FM and the Kick. Love 'em both! Thanks for the tutorial! :)

[@GearSplaining]

I'm verrrry interested in picking up the FM. -Baf

[@GullySyde28]

I love the FM

[@kerosene4751]

Excellent review and insight, thanks.

[@maurowoody8205]

The Kick has convinced me above the Drum and the Beats. I am so excited. Thank you for experimenting some with this rad machine.

[@hmp01]

I got drum a few days ago and it is amazing, next month I'm getting a volca kick and then a month after that volca modular. I can't wait to have them all together!!

[@ageis]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I just got my Volca Kick and this was incredibly useful for me to get started learning it.

[@GearSplaining]

You bet! Go make some cool stuff and drop me a link!

[@plasticsamalt6633]

Great review man. Loved the FM part at the end.. only thing I wish this Volca had was a longer sequencer. Have to use an outside sequencer for those long kick lines. Oh well.

[@psmaulehlien]

I'm getting one. Thanks for your video

[@stefanie_m466]

best review so far

[@scotttascarella2951]

Thank you so much for making the time to do this video. I recently got one and didn’t realize how much it could do. I’ve been syncing it with the Teenage Engineering PO-12.

[@GearSplaining]

Nice. I've been thinking about getting a PO-35. Tiny gear has edges that you can find that do weird things.

[@scotttascarella2951]

Gear-Splaining been watching your videos and your setup is epic. Subbed by the way

[@brutusmuerto]

Thank you, very helpful!

[@Nico-np9bh]

Great video! Just bought the kick so very useful! :) Powering the machine while holding function allows you to choose your midi channel too I think. I wonder what else is hidden under that alternative function....

[@synthlord2846]

At 10:53 you really had that lighter spinning well The FM stuff on the kick was great

[@Johnnyhaag79]

Sick !!! Thanks Just got it used here in Tokyo

[@andreash3906]

Wow, very impressed by this Volca. Going to get one as a sound module to sequence using my main sampler, instead of always looking for a new kick sample suitable for my tracks! Thanks for your review

[@Automagi]

Great review!

[@InkyDaCaT]

Thanks Dan...I was thinking of buying keystep because lol...but with new digitone..well I bought neutron and is super SWEEEET but want live rig small with different variaties of sound, not just anolog but easy to manipulate live? So thanks

[@allroads8978]

under used it for six month backing up my tr8 / just now starting to get it - and how to use it creatively

[@GearSplaining]

Did you see the announcement for the TR8s? I'm using the volca Kick under samples on the Octatrack. If I end up getting the TR8s, volca Kick probably still finds a home as it's still creative and flexible, great for unique basses, the drive sounds great etc. Also will work great in TINY RIG!

[@drthunda]

This is definitely the best video on this. Inspired me about the unit! I am looking into your other vids too, thank you for what you do.

[@GearSplaining]

Thank you! Mostly lately it's just jams but I have some gear videos coming up soon too.

[@LateNightBeatsOfficial]

Hey, awesome demo! Just a quick question do touch effects work even when you're sequencing it via MIDI from an external sequencer?

[@GearSplaining]

Touch effects sure do but I'm not sure about automation. Happy to test it out later.

[@LateNightBeatsOfficial]

Thanks, that's big! When it comes to automation with external sequencing, I'm personally more interested in which CC's it takes and according to its MIDI implementation chart, you can control most of the parameters!

[@Automagi]

Have you had the time to check on this? Would be very helpful!

[@parasiteunit]

Resonance + OD is the kick tone of the Gods. A glorious box of thudding wondertainment (yes that is an SCP reference).

[@manmaas]

I've been looking at this character for awhile. It intrigues me for its dedication to a single source. I find I get too distracted by the bells and whisltes of a lot of my gear so this offers clarity to me. I wonder how you feel about it a few years out now?

[@psyzmech9044]

Great overview, can you automate these knobs/parameters within a DAW?

[@GearSplaining]

Yep. Parameters all have midi cc, so you can draw them in or use a controller.

[@Anton-du-Fleur]

Great rev

[@CraftWon]

Thanks for the video. Can you play a melody from a midi controller with the 808 kick like they do in trap?

[@GearSplaining]

Pretty sure you can

[@CraftWon]

Gear-Splaining thanks 🙏🏼

[@derekknight9789]

What is it like to run a Stylophone Gen X-1 through a Volca Kick? What about a 6 string bass through a Midi Adapter? Too difficult to play solo I suppose. Anyone ever try either of these additions to their Volca Kick?

[@philipcolyer242]

great demo... who are you? would like to check out some of your live sets?... i have started using the volca's and have the kick and the keys, using them on channel 3,4 on my roland dj505 with TRS drum machine built in.. decks 1,2 using as loops from tracks. all going through pioneer RMX500 for over all effects and drums.. all sounds great. but im new to this and it all sounds very robotic any advice would be much appreciated

[@GearSplaining]

My name is Daniel Kushner, stream my sets to this channel, but also a lot on Twitch at dank_LIVE_laugh_love_af Advice: if it sounds robotic, LEAN INTO IT. Make it sound more robotic. Let the music you create guide you. Artists who follow the music find something new. If you try to control it too much you will get lost. I run a streaming community called the Golden Shrimp Guild here. discord.gg/quDfJc2V

[@KutAnimus]

Thanks for the vid, though cam pointing to the machine itself could use a bit higher definition.

[@GearSplaining]

Agree 100%. Since this video I picked up a Q4n, so my videos look a lot better. Oy my lighting is rough too.

[@Arperture]

Thinking about getting this along with the Korg Drum, for some nasty rhythm.

[@GearSplaining]

That thing looks great. I'm really interested in the Volca Modular, have you seen that one?

[@MichaelBLevi]

Thanks for highlighting the fact that it's more flexible than people give it credit for. There were some other kick drum only synths out there ( The Jomox Mbase 11 is an example at twice the money of a Volca.) if you wanted to try any of them out as well. I bought mine for rolling bass lines which it does soo well. This machine also LOVES reverb and distortion. Experiment with some good effects and you may find some thousand dollar sounds coming out of a couple hundred bucks of gear. Thanks for that BPM unlock tip. I'm going to crank mine down to 20 bpm and try some ambient madness. P.S> Where do I find your jams?

[@GearSplaining]

I'll check out the Jomox! I have a friend who was into his stuff years and years ago. My jams are all at kzbin.info/door/jWzAO_vSoils7jp32kUfHA And I do a Thursday night live show there as well. Ranges from gear jam to more traditional DAW sessions. Toss me a sub and come say hi!

[@MichaelBLevi]

Subbed. See you there.

[@elcappital]

To plug it into a speaker you need a 1/4 or a 1/8 inch cable??

[@hmp01]

it goes in your sound card with 1/8 cable

[@edrosa3485]

Looking forward to getting one thanks to Korg's new buy a Monologue and get a Volca Kick free!

[@GearSplaining]

That is a pretty good deal isn't it!

[@stonedapesociety5628]

It would be great if the volca kick could be used as effect It had wonderful built in filter..

[@davidgoode7416]

Awesome!!!

[@AdiBrighlight]

I bought it and so fukin great with my Moog DFAM... makes it more complete

[@markotik2]

DJ Adityo DFAM 😍😍 My mate has one in his garage studio and it’s soooo lush... it’s a Moog so wouldn’t expect anything less 😉

[@kalinshtonov3365]

You think that its appropiated for start producing Industrial Techno/Old School Hardcore?

[@GearSplaining]

Yes. It can do 909 to 808 with ease, and the drive knob adds plenty of grit for a good industrial or techno feel.

[@kalinshtonov3365]

Gear-Splaining Great mate! Thank you!

[@naisammon4986]

Oh yeah! Wild abstract lead coming atcha at 14:27 , you just gotta get up and dance!

[@reallivebluescat]

I want a volca vocoder!

[@GearSplaining]

DUDE. That would be great. Have you seen modular?

[@GullySyde28]

4:20 you can piano the kicks? sold...

[@zachshoupnotshoop7374]

“tim-ber, tom-ber” i’m boutta be that smart ass who says that it’s actually TAM-ber

[@AdiBrighlight]

how can it be so cheep and have a good sound...

[@zpurpz]

Because the output sucks . Still worth it tho lol

[@WonkyLFO]

Fuck yeah tut bro

[@buibuibuiestudio5561]

12:22

[@grosswisier]

Why always this comparison with a 909...

[@rchrd3353]

damn this thing is noisy. can hear a high pitched noise your whole video (might not be the volca) but the accent causes that horrible clicking noise too.

[@GearSplaining]

It is both a noisy unit and it's not recorded totally great. I didnt have a very good camera at the time.

[@reallivebluescat]

the camera is so dim that this is useless to men, i cant see what you´re doing to dark and out of focus