KORG Volca Nubass - anything new? (review & jam)

For me the KORG Volca Nubass is the coolest-looking Volca so far. But what else can this little machine offer?
Here are my impressions:
00:12 review
05:53 MIDI problem(s)
06:18 pure sound check
08:51 jam with RAND
11:37 STEP JUMP & CHAIN
Devices: Korg Volca Nubass (system version 1.04), Volca Bass, Volca Kick, TC electronics flashback X4 ("tape" delay preset), Miditech i2-Control 25, Tascam DR-2d.

[@PeteMidi]

Further tests with regard to the midi-note-stopping problem now show that the nubass stops a midi triggered note if no further midi data are received for about half a second. This means that the problem can be circumvented if for example a permanent midi clock signal is sent to the nubass. So this is how DAW users would normally integrate external volcas. In Ableton Live for example you activate Sync for the midi output to the nubass and you will not face the problem anymore, as long as the Live sequencer is running and sending midi clock. In that way I was able to play notes as long as programmed in Live. The situation reminds me a bit of active sensing, a midi technique that was used to detect interrupted connections. I guess, today this can only be found in some old midi devices. Although at the moment I can live with the midi clock workaround, I will write to KORG if they could fix this problem and possibly add midi accent triggering at that occasion.

[@gianfry1980]

Pete Midi yesss please for my the accent from MIDI is All

[@Stadsjaap]

Sustain set to "on", right?

[@PeteMidi]

@Joe Botha Yes, the midi-note-stopping affects both, sustain on and off sounds.

@@PeteMidi i think you can buy a special midi lead for the FM and keys built by retro-kits, they have also just built a souped midi box that does all sorts of craziness, Sonic State did an interview with them about a fortnight ago..

[@PeteMidi]

@Ian Philp The retrokits does not solve this particular problem, but nevertheless looks very Interesting!

[@MicaelAzevedo]

The main difference from you and other gear KZbinrs is that you are honest and do a strict criticism of a consumer product. Well done sir, you are the best and a beasssst!

[@PeteMidi]

Thank you so much! 😄

[@daxhays9177]

I really liked the bit at around the 9 minute mark - good stuff!

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks!

[@SyncdAlien]

I think you gave a very accurate summary of the important differences between the two "bass" Volcas. The Nubass does sound particularly fantastic through the TC Flashback. Both the Volca Bass and Volca Nubass LOVE to be run though some digital delay effects.

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks! Yes, the delay effect brings the fun!

[@iantanner7579]

A solid review and demonstration. ~ Thank You ~

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks for the feedback!

[@paulwhiting1731]

Excellent review Pete. You are one of the very few intellectual gear presenters great knowledge here. Also your jams are far superior to most. Loopop is good but you are better and you should be getting the views.

[@PeteMidi]

Thank you so much Paul! Really great feedback, I hope I find the time to produce more content in the near future!

[@gapster77]

Very nice noodling jam there at the end. Good Vid.

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks! 😊

[@jello-tarzan]

Great info, very creative jam!

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks a lot! 😊

[@ghee5683]

Thankyou for these wonderful videos.

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks for the great feedback!

[@rhyskt]

I really like your videos mate. Well spoken and informative. Love that you also talk about the pros & cons. Hope your subscribers grow more as time goes on. Keep up the good work! :)

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks a lot for the great feedback! 😊

[@oldbatwit5102]

I really appreciate that you actually make music, good music, in your reviews.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks a lot! 😊

[@muturobert7422]

O

[@gapster77]

Just listened to this again, and enjoyed the jam all over again, you make this thing sing 👍🏻 They are selling the NuBass for less than £95 on Amazon UK / TGO at the mo’.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the great feedback! 😊

[@falazarte]

Thanks for the honest review.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@XanderMorgan]

Awesome review

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks a lot!

[@Sequencer_JY]

Very nice jam!

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks! 😊

[@VJFranzK]

11:45 Ambient, interesting. Good review!

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks!

[@jesseanderson3835]

Thank you for your videos. I'm new to these toys and was wondering if theres an easy way to change keys of a pattern (maybe with an external device) or do I have to program it in the memory and switch it there? It would be nice to have an easier option.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback, the volca nubass at least has a transpose function, and you can edit the notes in patterns step by step.

[@googlepigs7027]

You're the best, Pete !!!

[@PeteMidi]

😊

[@MicroBanshee]

Great video Pete, I was wondering if you have noticed tuning issues with your nubass, I'm waiting for a replacement for mine! it won't stay in tune, [when used in a small synth set-up] even after allowing as long as 30 mins for 'warm up' switching it off/on after the initial warm up period sorts the problem but after switching between patches it drifts out again. I've noticed a couple of users have had similar issue's on the Korg forums, but they go back to February, I got mine in October!

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks - I did not realize tuning problems with mine...

[@herbertdruschke503]

this morning: "ah, another review by pete midi." full of anticipation a feeling came up that reminded me to the times when i picked up my subscribed (printed) specialist journals out of the letterbox. i really like pete´s approach. unique, informative and refreshing. following the synth-review/influencer scene for a pretty long time, pete is my current favorite. thanks for your work and keep it up, hope to see more from you.

[@PeteMidi]

Thank you so much! I also remember those times with warm feelings, when I picked up the synth news from the letter box 😊

[@herbertdruschke503]

@@PeteMidi you are welcome. yes, back in the days... when i was totally into listening music and DJing vinyl it was more like "frontpage" "raveline" and "groove". later, when i got more into producing my own tracks it was more like "keyboards" and "de:bug". but now i go to the büdchen(kiosk) and get me the "synth mag" and i open the browser an watch "pete midi" :-)

[@PeteMidi]

😄

[@ALTARBEATZ]

Good! Now im thinking to buy a Volca Kick to :)

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks! Yes, I love the kick for its simplicity and its punch!

[@scottvincent770]

Cool jam at the end. Tey doing that on the TD-3. I think the ability to tweak the nuBass live is its main advantage.

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks for the feedback!

[@stevewoywitka3258]

Great video thank you

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Gainn]

As much as I enjoy the angrier side of it, I usually end up slapping it through a reverb and using it as a much mellower mono lead in most cases. You can get some very expensive sounding mellow evolving leads for bugger all money.

[@LFC303606ACID]

It definitely sounds more acidic than the bass, and tbh it's other limitations should be looked upon as a feature, meaning you can get straight into the sound you want, just like the kick.

[@PeteMidi]

Yes, that's true - it's again a very direct volca, very intuitive. Perhaps I forgot to say that I also like it for its simplicity.

[@YouTubeSupportTeams]

theres no easier to program acid machine than the nubass afaik, its excellent

[@lundsweden]

Korg seem to have a thing for tubes over the past 20 years, One Electribe had two tubes and there was a Trition keyboard with one as well. This is a very unique take on the acid sound, sounds good too (ok no velocity) but very expensive and a bit niche. I picked up a secondhand original Volca Bass for half the price of this Nubass. I prefer the sound and flexibility of the Olbass, but this is a nice little synth too!

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@DaraM73]

Thank you for the review. I was about to buy a nubass, but will stick to the Volca Bass I already own.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@DaraM73]

You’re welcome

[@djeastiano]

I wouldn't write it off from one review, maybe go demo it and see if it fits you yourself

[@tomaszmazurek64]

With the delay on it really brings back the memories of psy-trance basslines from the 90's, like on the Prana's Cyclone album.

[@PeteMidi]

😊

[@josephwright5921]

I have 4 other Volcas and still haven’t pulled the trigger on buying one of these, but I think I may. After listening to your jams, I think it can make some interesting tones that the 303 clones cannot make. It doesn’t jump to the over-the-top squelch like the 303s. It is a bit more subtle and seems like it would compliment a TD3 in a mix. I would like to hear it in a mega jam with your 2 TD3s, the RD6 and some quality delay. It might be the sexiest Volca of the bunch with the metallic blue and the glowing NuTube. Does the NuTube Volca have an input so that it can be used as a processor?

[@PeteMidi]

No ext. input... In fact the nubass shows an interesting color, the other clones don't have. I wish I would have the time to do a one to one jam with td-3 mo...

[@gapster77]

I notice when you’re jamming you hold Function and keep tapping the Tanspose, whilst you are tweaking the Cutoff. What does this actually do, what happens if you don’t hit the Transpose button occasionally? Sorry if this is a daft question, but I’m a novice. *The NuBass is now reduced by 53% on Amazon UK, I can’t think of a sensible reason not to get one now 😁

[@scowlsmcjowls2626]

Does if im not mistaken the nubass have one important feature over the oldbass in the sequener... motion sequence! If so that is defo worth mentioning!

[@PeteMidi]

Yes, that's right. However the old bass allows independent recording of its three oscillators.

[@gregorio_luque]

Mr. Midi, will we have soon a review for the Volca Modular? seems to be a really flexible yet portable machine. Cheers from Argentina.

[@PeteMidi]

Volca modular was not for me, no MIDI in 😉

[@alanpayne2141]

Which PC based midi software is best for the volca nubass? I am learning guitar and have just been given a nubass as a Christmas gift...it would be great to set a sequenced bass line to the guitar!

[@PeteMidi]

There is no best software for the nubass, you can take any DAW provided you have an audio/midi interface. There are several free programs available and I'm not an expert in these free DAWs, try to find out which is best usable for you...

[@alanpayne2141]

@@PeteMidi Thanks Pete!

[@BadWisdom523]

Hi! I think I heard somewhere that the note length is finite because of the tube tech.

[@PeteMidi]

Playing notes from the internal volca keyboard does not show this problem (note stopping after ~0.5 sec), I cannot say if the note length can be infinite but definitely long enough 😉

[@exactspace]

When I first heard it, I was a little discouraged, but you made it sound pretty good! Rethinking, may get it to complement my Behringer TD-3 when that comes out. I have x0xb0x, but too many things have gone wrong with it.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@coyote-wang]

Step jump is a major upgrade compared to previous volca, for a lot of people this is more useful than the volca modular I would think it would work well with the volca fm but it sounds great there with the volca kick.

[@PeteMidi]

Fully agree!

[@MediaMusik777]

i like that stick with the happ face pete ..i just got my td3 will sync it with my mini xd and it should do the trick...

[@PeteMidi]

😉

[@reggaeman007jah]

For the price I’d say this box is well worth it. I’m a fan.

[@PeteMidi]

👍

[@MrKeys57]

Did i make a nono then, because i just ordered one.....lets hope not, think will be firmware updates for fix the issues -- thanks for the demo, Levi in sweden

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback! I like the sound, lots of punch and the sub osc... I'll keep it.

[@waynesilverman3048]

Pete midi .Am i best of buying a roland touch tb3 for that squelch ing sound or the korg nubass

[@PeteMidi]

Sorry, I never had a Roland tb-3, I collected X0xb0Xs before I switched to TD-3s. Nubass provides a nice variation of the 303 sound, I love the sub-oscillator.

[@waynesilverman3048]

Is the td 3 hard and take time compared to korg when you want to make up your own sequence s up from scratch?

[@hovermotion]

Great review, This sounds unique...is there a firmware update I wonder..

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks! There is a Firmware Update that fixes the cutting of (longer) midi notes.

[@hovermotion]

@@PeteMidi cool...I ended up buying the Volca Bass....what a stunning little machine... I may still get the Nubass thow... Many thanks for your reply... Jim (uk)

[@gianfry1980]

Pete do you think it can be solved, the problem of the accent through a software update or is it a hardware problem?

[@PeteMidi]

It should be very easy to add midi accent triggering by software, say some system update. I will drop a note to KORG.

[@gianfry1980]

Pete Midi have you a link so i do the same?

[@PeteMidi]

Here from Germany I will just write to [e-mail] Still have to make some tests with the midi-note-stopping problem.

[@gianfry1980]

Pete Midi let me know please

[@gianfry1980]

Pete Midi can you do a petition please?

[@djpsy9538]

sry man im a little late but well question is i got kick and i love it can u recomend decent expensions regarding u knolage of tthem

[@PeteMidi]

Depends on the music you want to make, 303-related synths like the nubass or TD-3 are well-suitable for particular styles ...

[@djpsy9538]

@@PeteMidi psy forest but im degenetly wanna try acid and im interested in jams. Other question is regarding Nano kay and control, is there a way 2 control volca whit them can u make video on that

[@MrBEnIbb]

In the demo the nubass sounds special unlike other acid synths

[@PeteMidi]

Yes, I like that tone, definitely not 303 but nice

[@georgeray3492]

Good review. Sounds like another application for a Retrokits cable or other Midi Mapper. Map Velocity to CC48.

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks! Yes, exactly, the Retrokits version list will get another entry...

[@gianfry1980]

I think that this cable can’t nothing only turn on or turn off the accent inside the volca but can’t trigger the accent with midi velocity note with external keyboard

[@georgeray3492]

@@gianfry1980 Accent is CC40 RK Cable can map velocity to any CC. This would make accent directly tied to velocity...

[@gianfry1980]

George Ray the CC is 48: cdn.korg.com/us/support/download/files/002bae1cd7751c5f3ac6e5c51f08b7e0.pdf?response-content-disposition=inline%3Bfilename%3Dvolca_nubass_MIDI_Chart_E1.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf%3B

[@gianfry1980]

George Ray send this CC Midi from the keyboard arturia the accent turns on and off but only in the internal sequence, does something elude me?

[@shervvvv]

made me wanna buy one, excellent music

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks! 😊

[@gianfry1980]

I ask Korg for an software update for Nubass with this function: The Accent is triggered via Midi at Velocity values>120th

[@craigjohnrichardson7499]

Can't help but think the VolcaBeats might have been a bit more er....... 'interesring'...... just teasing! love your channel bud!!!!!!

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks for the feedback! 😊

[@fincorrigan7139]

Great comments Pete, as per usual. Although sometimes I wish you were a bit more controversial and perhaps smashed it with a hammer with a mad, crazy grin on your face :) :)

[@fincorrigan7139]

PS Do you get the software package codes for Reason and a few other bits with the NuBass?

[@PeteMidi]

😄 Thanks a lot! There were no add ons with my nubass.

[@fincorrigan7139]

@@PeteMidi Interesting, they do with the Volca Modular: www.korg.com/bundle (It also comes with the Minilogue XD). It's nice to have an alternative to the ubiquitous Ableton Live Lite

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks Fin, just discovered that there is in fact a software bundle code included. When I find some time I will check this out, at the moment I'm still rather busy with the new hardware 😉

[@ogasi1798]

good little look/review but it isn't a clone of acid boxes and best to think that way, it is new bass - nu bass, korg designed this is a look forward on bass and not back even though it nods toward the unicorns :-) the low end from it you won't get from a 303 and it will do many things a 303 clone won't - that is not a comparison btw, i own 3 clones and imo it is best to look at this as NOT more or less, just different and its own thing - the fact that velo doesn't affect accent is no big thing as you can program it into the sequencer BUT KORG may dd it later, who knows

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks, I agree that the nubass should not be compared with 303 clones, it's a different approach. I like the comprehensive midi implementation and the corresponding shortcomings should be easy to fix by KORG (hopefully).

[@slipknotboy555]

Agreed; another commenter seemed to think it was a detriment that it's not a 303 clone - but it's not. There are plenty of 303 clones, and it's kind of a widespread sound. Heh, imagine if all analog synth boxes with sequencers sounded the same - that'd suck.

[@gianfry1980]

OGASI you can program it in the internal sequences of the Nubass but you can't drive it from an external sequencer you can't insert the accent from an external keyboard, this is fundamental if you use it as an expander

[@ogasi1798]

@@gianfry1980 i know, that is why i said korg may add it later. just send clock to it in the meantime and program it into the pattern, that is possible no?

[@gianfry1980]

OGASI i hope that Korg will put this in future

[@apislapis]

I think you found the best feature Pete, the blue valve looks great in the dark. Some interesting sounds but I can't help feeling underwhelmed or short-changed. It's debatable if it is better than the Keys, Bass, Sample or FM and I would expect to pay a similar price to those models and not the price level of the dearer Modular or Drum at which it is aimed. Perhaps I'd consider buying it second hand, but right now I'd rather put the money toward a Behringer MS-1, I'm sure I can squelch with that instead.

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks for the feedback! Good point, perhaps we see a price drop rather soon...

[@pierdri1235]

what do you think about Volca FM?

[@PeteMidi]

I have two of them 😊

[@pierdri1235]

@@PeteMidi between Elektron Samples and Cycles, which one match more with the volcafm in your opinion?

[@PeteMidi]

Cycles!

[@christiantorma2440]

Is wie mit der em 1 ..gerade die Limitierung der Möglichkeiten macht dich kreativ

[@PeteMidi]

Genau - a simple volca is not automatically a bad volca!

[@christiantorma2440]

@@PeteMidi seh ich genauso

[@chrislynch9364]

At 1st I was thinking for every gem Korg turns out a dud, drum/modular = gems kick/nubase = duds, but hearing together they make sense for drum&bass/acid.

[@PeteMidi]

Yes, a nice minimal combo!

[@ogasi1798]

kick is amazing tbf

[@Stadsjaap]

I'd have guessed Modular was the dud and Kick was the gem.

[@chrislynch9364]

Joe Botha Took me a while to warm to the modular. 1st KZbin vides were bad but I started to hear some good examples, bought one liked it so much I got a 2nd.

[@Synthfidel]

Thanks, Pete, great review! Yet another Korg MIDI failure, when will they grow up??

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback! As I said, I do not understand KORG...

[@xc3n]

at this point I think it`s just korg`s brand philosophy "always have one infuriating trivial detail overlooked" I can`t think of a single korg product I own or tried that didn`t have one

[@G8tr1522]

I don’t see why people are comparing this to the Volca Bass when that doesn’t even have step-based slides.

[@PeteMidi]

Both volcas do provide step-wise slide programming.

[@AtticusBleep]

Much prefer the liquid sound of this to the harsh screeching Behringer TD3.

[@PeteMidi]

In fact, it has it's own charakter, very different from the td-3

[@hovermotion]

The Td3 is also an amazing base line synth once you get to know it...as its harder to program compaired to the Volca range...

[@ahteha8010]

It can store presets but dont recieve midi program change messages((( so lame

[@meneerjansen00]

Any cheap synth w/ a sequencer can do "acid like" sounds. If this thing does not sound like a 303 then it has no added value. Bummer, because I would have really liked a cheap 303.

[@PeteMidi]

I guess it's not that simple - what is the 303 sound? I really like the (occasional) inclusion of a suboscillator and some overdrive/distortion. Obviously this will not produce the original TB-303 sound.

[@meneerjansen00]

@@PeteMidi You're right. But what I miss on the cheaper "acid machines" is the typical sound of the 303's square/saw wave. Dunno what it is, but "regular" synths have a very different sounding square and saw wave. And then there is the 303's filter. Some say it's 18 dB/octave (pretty powerful). But what I think is typical of the 303's filter is that the resonance has a "broad spectrum". That is, it doesn't squeak like a mouse, almost breaking the tweeter of your speaker-box. It's more "soft". Most synth's filters start to squeak at one single super high frequency a certain point and are not "acid like" below it. There's almost no sweat spot and if there is, it's very, very narrow. The 303's resonance is really nice at a lot of resonance settings and it never seems to squeak at one specific frequency, tearing your ear drums. It seems to resonance in a spectrum, or spread, of frequencies to my ear.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks for the feedback! Now I understand - in fact, the nubass does not provide a traditional 50% square wave, which you require for some range of typical acid sounds. And the 24dB filter shows a bit of the behavior you indicate, the resonance in my x0xb0x definitely has a broader sweet spot and is a more acid like.

[@fortheloveofnoise9298]

T D 3

[@olivierrenoir9282]

Not at all. In order to do Acid 303 sounds, you absolutely need Accent anq Slide. That the NuBass have!

Best volca is the Modular then the FM and then the Keys, the rest are not so good, oh the new drum machine sounds pretty awesome but that's about it, they need a proper sampler with in's and an sd card...

[@PeteMidi]

In principle I agree, the fm and the drum are also among my favorites, but the rest of my volca hit list looks a bit different 😉

[@xc3n]

Man it`s rare I use the 1.5x... but here we are ;)

[@PeteMidi]

😉

[@xc3n]

@@PeteMidi PS: I liked the review haha

[@t.n.3819]

Good demo on your part, but even in your very skilled hands it sounds very underwhelming to me. I'd take just about any other cheap acid box over this... MB-33 retro in particular sounds so convincing, and even the Behringer is better. The vacuum tube just feels like a corny gimmick... people will look back on this synth and laugh in 10 years or so.

[@PeteMidi]

Thanks - I own an MB-33 and it's really more limited than the nubass, which in particular profits from the additional sub-osc. TD-3 is a different machine with a versatile distortion/overdrive unit and by far with greatest value for the money, but no sub ...

[@josephwright5921]

. .. or in 10 years people will figure out where they are useful and they will go up in value, like many odd synths and drum machines

[@frankschneider7190]

excellent english...

[@PeteMidi]

Many thanks!

[@happyendy]

Korg just dont care, they are cheap as hell.