Korg Volca Keys Reviews

(Too) many features in a small box

Many features packed into a small synth. I'm sure this works for some people, but I found it to be way too limited. Although, I know, it's very cheap.

Here are some limitations that I found annoying. Some of these might be hard to guess before actually using the unit:

- It's not polyphonic, it's paraphonic. There are 3 VCO's but they share the same VCA. In practice it sounds like the held notes would be triggered again when you play a new note.

- Although the Keys receive velocity when played live, the sequencer does not record it. So the velocity of every note is 100%.

- No ability to bypass recording midi (key) notes from an external midi-keyboard.

This means that if you simultaneously play live on a keyboard and record your automations on the Volca itself, the notes you played get recorded on every loop, over and over again. You have to record the automation separately.

- Sequencer has only 16 steps. Although the scale can be adjusted: 1/1, 1/2 and 1/4.

- Peak (resonance) cannot be automated or affected through midi.

- No MIDI out. Although you can relatively easily make your own. Similarly to Arturia BeatStep, I would suggest a 1/8 TRS jack (next to the MIDI IN jack).

- Only headphones out. If you plan not to use headphones, you need (half of) an insert cable or some other special configurations.

- The scope of the sounds that you can produce with this is very limited. Although the automation helps a lot, but still.

Korg Volca Keys

For all the talk from Korg of the analogue oscillators and filters what really shines about the Volva keys is the sequencer (which is digital). You can get a working sequence together in a matter of minutes, add notes on the fly and record parameter changes. For kraftwerk type sounds, minimal wave etc it is a gift. Add a midi out mod (a bit fiddly) and you have a great sequencer to drive other synths. All for about £120.