SYNC KORG VOLCAS WITH POCKET OPERATORS!

[@delmeteor717]

Tutorial just what I needed. I picked up NTS-1 and Arturia Keystep after seeing the video and just got the Volca FM. On subject of jamming this might be of interest. Being a guitarist, I decided to use a 3.5 mm splitter cable to run my NTS-1 and Korg Monotron Duo into an old Line 6 Pocket Express and feed the output from the Pocket Express to headphones. The Pocket Express has various effects such as chorus, phase and Tremolo as well as various delays and reverbs along with overdrive sounds. I set the arpeggiator on the NTS-1 and jammed along on the Monotron. The sounds combined were awesome and I used volumes on each unit to get correct balance. Thank You for the inspiration to get creative.

[@gootarguy2320]

This is so good and better than any other sync demo. None of the others bother to show triggering - they just put the sync out from the Volca into the PO. The PO can't be triggered (I don't think) so they just try to manually start the PO in time with the Volca. Not optimal at all. Running in reverse like you show is great as the PO triggers the Volca AND with PO as the Master, as you say, you can see the exact tempo on the PO.

[@FreeBeat]

Thank you so much for the kind words!

[@pablowentscobar]

Bro, folks are crazy. I'm looking up how to synch some gear, I click on a vid titled "How to synch X with Y and Z full instructions" it's a 2 minute cell phone vid of 3 pieces of gear, a nest of patch cables and wires on a desk playing. That's it. No talking, didn't patch any gear, didn't even press play on anything. Everything was already hooked up and playing, he just recorded for 2 min. Great thanks bro. Free Beat explains everything, shows how it goes together, gives options and ideas. This is how every "How to" vid should be made.

[@Pingwin58]

In the shown configuration (PO+33 and Volca Keys), when I plug everything together it sometimes causes the metronome and my melody from Volca playing some different swing, I don't get it. When I unplug the sync in cable from PO33, it goes back to normal

[@howardanderson3061]

Amazing what you can create with basically a very small drum machine a midi keyboard and a very modest amp. No audio input might be why the Volca series are priced so moderately. I gotta say I always learn something new from your shows.

[@FreeBeat]

After a little bit of practice I can see this being an amazing jam setup! And yeah I can't complain given the price, but it makes me want another synth that much more lol

[@EdCardinal-MindThump]

Thanks! I have a PO-33 KO (among others) and I'm seriously considering getting a Volca Keys. Nice to see how to hook them together!

[@FreeBeat]

Nice!

[@Seboy1]

Hey could you show how to sync multiple Po's with multiple Volca's. We struggle every time. Finally a good video about this topic. Thank you!!! Keep up the good work!

[@FreeBeat]

Unfortunately I only own one volca, but essentially you would just keep using splitters to ensure that the sync signal gets passed along properly. You would need some sort of mixer though, for your audio, due to the fact that the volcas don't have an audio input.

[@Seboy1]

@@FreeBeat Ok thank you, we will try it with some splitters :)

[@mistrrey5562]

Perfect small setup, you can take that anywhere and get the party started!

[@FreeBeat]

Absolutely!

[@mgrollins]

Got sweet and funky there at the end! Oh yeah!

[@FreeBeat]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@walnawk]

Question for Freebeat or the community, if I replace the setup with PO33 (w/ drum beat programmed already), would it work the same? How do you check if the TRS cable is working? I have only one TRS cable, when I plugged my monitor into the TRS cable, I cannot get any sound on my monitor, even when I plugged the TRS into other devices with an output, no sound.

[@YOUrDEAlerwiThHell]

how can you do it reverse like syncing it so that the sample controls the Po33 ? Doesnt really work for me..

[@FreeBeat]

Set your PO to sync mode one. Split the output of your PO, and take the sync signal into the sync in on the Volca Keys. Then take the audio of your PO, and the audio of the Volca, and run them into your mixer. Hope that helps!

[@YOUrDEAlerwiThHell]

@@FreeBeat awesome perfect:3

[@TheGreatPanicker]

I have the volca mix with kick and bass connected to it. How would I add my po-12 rhythm to that? Thanks.

[@FreeBeat]

Simply plug the output into another input on the Volca Mix :)

[@CryptoWhaleRider]

Nice! Did you ever sync the midi clock between a Microkorg and a PO-33? If so, how? I'm struggling using TRS MIDI Cable-A 😥

[@FreeBeat]

Nope, I've never owned a Microkorg sorry!

[@thebmxband1t]

i think the volka mix has the audio in function you want, it also has a master tempo clock with readout that you like. it also powers up to 3 volkas but not the volka sample (i think). apparently works well also with the pocket operators! it isnt battery powered but you can setup a big powerpack to work with it if you really need it. jb x

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah the volca mix definitely solves that issue, I just wish it was built into the volcas themselves without having to buy an extra piece of gear lol.

[@realmchat6665]

The only thing turning me off of Volca Mix are reports that the power ports on it can cause some kind of cross-talk noise. I wouldn't want to have the device in my setup having that function and not using it.

[@gootarguy2320]

Sorry me again! This method works fine for most Volcas. But for the Sample and FM, you wouldn't want to run them through POs, as these two Volcas output a stereo signal - the Sample always and the FM sometimes: "All the Volcas output a mono signal that's doubled to both stereo channels (except Volca Sample which is true stereo, and Volca FM which outputs stereo when the chorus effect is enabled)." As the POs are Mono and use one channel for audio, the other for sync, running a Sample or FM through them will remove one of your two stereo audio channels. To get the full stereo sounds, you'd run the Sample and FM directly to a mixer, separate to the POs. However, the syncing can stay the same as in your excellent video. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong,

[@FreeBeat]

You are correct, at the time of filming this video I did not realize that there were stereo volcas!

[@Chamberswaang]

@@FreeBeat sorry to bother guys but this so where I’m stuck… the fm is synced up well with my po12 but audio Kano my coming out of my left earphone so your saying to plug it in to the mixer to separate it and then follow the way it is in this video… but I’m wondering where to connect the fm to the mixer ? Like how would I be able to do this and follow this video cause it still doesn’t make sense to me.. please help and thank you 😅

[@loissio481]

Great video, you gave me some jam ideas 💜💜💜

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks so much for watching, happy jamming!

[@RWhite0024]

My Volca Sample when synced with my PO24 Arcade sometimes won’t play all 16 steps in the sequence. Sometimes only 15, which then creates a massive sonic train wreck. What am I doing wrong?

[@kaww1851]

Hi ! Great tutorial, I was always thinking that possible but I’ve never tried ! Do you think it’s possible to reverse the setup a bit : Volca send sync and audio through the splitter and goes to the PO with a sync and an audio (like it works with other POs) ? Basically I would be in that kind of setup but my Volca would be also synced through midi to my Model Cycles, so that to Model Cycles would be syncing the Volca that would’d be syncing the PO.

[@FreeBeat]

That would work too :)

[@jaguarvssnake]

Thanks as always for another clear video - every time I am trying to figure something out, there is a Free Beat video that answers my question. Although here I am trying to sync the exact same two devices but with the Volca Keys setting the tempo for the Tonic. Is that possible?

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks so much! That is definitely :)

[@bourboncreams8232]

For the TRS splitter I saw that you recommend a Stereo-to-Mono splitter. Do you know if you can use a Stereo-to-Stereo one?

[@FreeBeat]

It needs to be stereo to mono because the audio signal and the sync signal need to be separated.

[@realmchat6665]

If you are using a mixer, is it necessary to route the audio from device through the other? Doesn't seem like it should be, should be able to get syncing going independently. I will be finding this out the next time I add a device to me setup.

[@gianpaologarello9604]

Very good explanation video sir

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks so much!

[@lutzvonhintermond274]

Connection to the Volca Beats is far more easy. Just put in sync mode and connect without an splitter. Since both are Mono, this works fine

[@FreeBeat]

The point of the splitter is actually to run both the sync signal and the audio, but you are indeed correct. A mixer also really simplifies this process. Thanks for watching!

[@ChiefExecutiveOrbiter]

I have a volca beats (w BPM display), keys. and a po12 , just put the PO at the end of the chain. Just let it send audio out only. Don't need a spliter, but this is good info for alt setup.

[@jeroenjoetjoep]

Can you "force" the Volca to swing by using the PO as a master? By the way, love your videos! I've recently got a PO-12 Rhythm and PO-20 Arcade as my first synthy instruments and I'm very interested in a MicroBrute and/or Volca. Your videos have been very educational and entertaining!

[@FreeBeat]

The arcade and the rhythm make for a great combo! Unfortunately I could not get my volca to swing via a pocket operator :-/ Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it!

[@tybowesformerlygoat-x7760]

Swing sync requires 16th note sync pulses, but these guys only operate on 8th note - no swing sync.

[@fraynedm]

Thanks for the tutorial! The sync worked, but I am only getting sound in one headphone. Can someone help!?

[@andrescuartass]

Wow, sounds great, how do you sync the PO with Korg monologue? Do you know about the conections and configuration? Thanks!!!

[@FreeBeat]

I've never owned a monologue, but it appears that you can just use the same concept as this video. Take a sync cable out of one device and into the sync in of the other. The monologue has an audio input as well, so you could even run the volca through it!

[@FreeBeat]

Just realized you asked for the PO through a monologue haha. In that case it would be similar to this video. Split end of the input or the output of the PO, one for audio and then one for either sync in or out!

[@eddiegonzalez7222]

Looks cool I’m new to this .where is your audio out going to a speaker or somewhere else

[@FreeBeat]

Back when I filmed this video, my audio was going to a zoom h5 which was recording to an SD card. I was monitoring the audio through headphones via the zoom h5 as well.

[@eddiegonzalez7222]

Can I plug it to audio interface like focus rite or just an amp

[@FreeBeat]

@@eddiegonzalez7222 You can plug it in wherever you'd like :)

[@chironkeller8056]

So even with the mono outputs from the trs splitter I can use stereo 3.5mm cables for audio out and sync data?

[@FreeBeat]

Correct!

[@chironkeller8056]

@@FreeBeat Thank you for the video and your fast response time! You helped me connect my PO-33 and Korg Volca Bass. This is becoming a very fun hobby for me. Would you recommend any upgrade over the PO-33? It's awesome but it has limitations.

[@weesnawdickens8840]

Well I can't get it to work in sync 2 but I I in sync 1 but won't even get any sound from volca keys going through the pocket operator if I have it set to 2.....I'm very confused.

[@dietc909]

that volca sync out is cv controled?

[@01kmacias]

Does the connection between the volca and pocket operator require an audio interface?

[@FreeBeat]

The connection itself does not. You'll need an audio interface if you want to record your music into the computer though.

[@ghostly106]

I'm having the audio cut into mono with the splitter so I only have left speaker playing. How can I fix this?

[@samialghamian9993]

thank you for the video :) you are using a TRS splitter. can I use a TRRS splitter instead or not really?

[@Kumodot]

Amazing lil tutorial. 2 questions... 1- I am probablly doing something wrong, since everytime I stop I can hear the volca keys spitting a looping sound (The tempo control is working). 2 - I can hear the sync beep on my left channel (on monitor speakers) and the overall sound is only on the right channel speaker, is that right ? Maybe it's because my splitter splits 2 stereo channels not Left and Right, right ? That should solve all questions.

[@angelrosas1644]

Hello! Do you know if this would work with a volca modular with a po-33?

[@FreeBeat]

Yes it will :)

[@eullrich01]

Hey I tried this out but since its a stereo to mono - one mono for the volca, one mono goes to my headphones - now my headphones don't sound right because they are only on mono ( quiet and only playing out of one ear ). How would I fix this?

[@FreeBeat]

You need to make sure that your pocket operator is on the right sync mode I believe

[@Chris-rd6ih]

@@FreeBeat I have the same problem, using the po-33 and the volca sample. It doesnt matter what sync mode I use [I've tried all], still only sound on the right:(

[@tybowesformerlygoat-x7760]

To fix this, you'd need to convert the mono signal from the splitter back into stereo. (I don't know if you can buy these, though.) I'd use the Volca as the sync source instead of the PO, then use a small stereo mixer to mix the outputs of the Volca and PO.

[@royjames2005]

I don't suppose you have any advice for syncing a pocket operator with a Roland S1? I followed your cable connections, and they are connected, and the S1 can change the bpm of the pocket operator. But the pocket operator bpm is always much faster than the S1. Thanks in advance!

[@realmchat6665]

I had a similar issue trying to synch a volca sample2 with my Donner B1 Synbass, did a lot of messing with it, changing synch settings on the volca, in the end I ended up using midi to sync them,

[@wiidlbeetle3857]

Really wish the PO had a sys setting for only outputting audio/right channel.

[@FreeBeat]

If you use the stereo audio out setting it's effectively the same thing, as the pocket operators are actually mono.

[@azeriustv]

That Solo wasnt that bad ;)

[@0hyed692]

Is it supposed to just be coming out of the left ear? That's all mine is doing.

[@FreeBeat]

Sounds like you might be in the wrong sync mode? Not totally sure.

[@fraynedm]

Me too. Did you solve it?

[@lordbavaria]

These cables are impossible to find... Anyone knows a good source? Preferably in Europe.

[@spot1119]

Thank you thank you thank you for this! I have the Volca Sample, PO 14, and a keystep, so it should work the same for me correct? I’ve been tryna figure this out for a month. Finally someone explains it step by step. Now do you think you could get these to sync up with my MPC Live and be able to record into the Live as well? Liked and subscribed. 👍🏼

[@wiggesobk]

Thats nice!

[@FreeBeat]

Thank you so much!

[@neonpop80]

What about syncing the PO33 to Keystep with the PO being the master sync so we can see the BPM?

[@francescocucchi5686]

Anyone can help me with this chain that is not working Master is drum brute which I connected to the volca key with midi and is working then I’m going from sync out of volca to the PO in SY 2 modality but is not working, anyone can help me ? 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Jhizzle473]

Can toy do a video on how to perform with the volcas

[@FreeBeat]

What all do you mean by perform? If you're looking to play something like the Volca Keys in a live setting, I would highly recommend getting a proper MIDI keyboard controller for it :)

[@sitdowndrank3077]

Is anyone else having the same issue where it cuts the tempo in half on the Volca every time you hook it up

[@patrickm.4469]

1:30 did you change the sync settings?

[@guitaoist]

So 1 splitter, 2 aux cords and your headphones/speaker plug. Thanks

[@FreeBeat]

Get that and you're all set, thanks for watching!

[@guitaoist]

@@FreeBeat thanks, i used to use Looptical on my iphone 7 plus so im glad im switching to analogue: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKXKcp2plLafibc

[@meboshengelia]

please write all cable links in this video pleaseee

[@FreeBeat]

The splitter is already linked in the description, all of the audio cables are just basic 3.5mm cables :) Thanks for watching!

[@G1990man]

I did this but can only hear it in the right headphone

[@4id4n97]

Having the same problem except it's my left headphone

[@fraynedm]

Me too. Did you solve it?

[@jevogroni4829]

seems like the keys can do acid

[@FreeBeat]

I definitely think it can!