Korg Forums

dog01 · Joined: 11 Jan 2014 Posts: 29

hi forgive me for no doubt bringing up an old topic but i want to know what people's opinions of volca beats are as i am thinking of getting one i have the keys and have started really getting into the sequencer function of late i have heard the beats has a more advance sequencer plus some features exclusive to the beats. but the volca drums 8bit samples and tone make me a little unsure as does the lack of midi out i am interested in making drum patterns with beats but i have no experience in this field and also i have a very a bad sense of rhythm or timing the kind of patterns that i would like to try and make are kind of like these but an simpler version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWrUEsVrdSU atoms for peace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCts6YVSX-c atoms for peace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS8J_Oky5cw massive attack pray for rain. are these patterns even possible with 16 steps do you think i would be better off buying something like the beat step or mircobrute instead.
i have every limited funds with a max of $200 to spend on gear and finally here is link to video that every time i watch it make me want to buy the volca beats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWsKIrZqac0&list=PLHGZsq10nFV_s4b1JbP-WqgyK3e0pui5N i was having trouble putting links into this message so just copy and paste them into browser if you want to watch links sorry Confused

1_inch_punch · Senior Member Joined: 03 Sep 2012 Posts: 314

If you have iphone I would advise getting something like an app like funkbox and playing around with that first.

It does more - and less things - than the Beats - I think you would need get an Irig to connect it to the other volcas for synch... but playing with it would teach you a bit about the Beats personally before actually buying it.

I think an Irig midi out for iphone would be less than the purchase of the beats (?)

Getting a 2nd hand electribes esx would be the best !

If you own android there must be something similar to funkbox ?...

some people are happy with the beats as it is (like me) - some people hate the snare... really hate it.. but haters gonna hate.... Smile

dog01 · Joined: 11 Jan 2014 Posts: 29

hi 1_inch_punch i have iphone it too old to run any music apps on it Sad

i have experimented with software for drums before using spark and hydrogen i have also play around with the free sample pack of korg volca beats but software is not really for me i would really like to try hardware drums the electribes esx look too full on complex and intimating i want that something that easy too use like the volca keys etc also cost wise the cheapest i could find was $379 which is over my budget question is it even possible to reproduce the drums from the track i linked on the volca beats, with multi tracking to get over the 16 step limitation. i do want to try out the volca beats in person just not sure weather i will have time.

dog01 · Joined: 11 Jan 2014 Posts: 29

hi all here a update i have decided that volca beat is definitely worth after playing with volca bass today and will order the beats sometime this month thanks for all the feedback i got and keep making music Smile

CorpusCallosum · Joined: 03 Aug 2014 Posts: 14

The Volca Beats is worth every penny and then some. Smile

jiggityj · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 8:27 pm Post subject:

Got the Beats last after Keys and Bass. I think its the funnest machine out of the 3. The sounds are very limited and an eq is a must. I'd recommend getting one though if you plan to buy one of the other Volcas.

I'm currently waiting for my replacement from Korg because of the led problem.

DaveKnights · Joined: 28 Dec 2013 Posts: 14

I was new to music hardware when I got the beats and bass. They Beats is great for putting ideas together but the lack of individual outs and midi out is restrictive if you are trying to put a song together. There are workarounds though, I put all the Beats midi notes into a sequencer and record a drum sound individually once the song is written. A bit laborious though and takes away from the flexibility and spontaneity that make the Beats fun in the first place.

dog01 · Joined: 11 Jan 2014 Posts: 29

Hi guys i am thinking about getting either the volca beats or kp2 mini what do people think of it kp2 mini i mainly interested in using as effects unit and as sketch pad for ideas ie recording performances to micro sd card for later how have you guys founds the record function on the kp2 mini

my other gear is as follows volca keys, volca bass,(lent off friend ) minibrute, and a Lexicon Lambda Desktop Recording Studio usb audio interface, joyo flanger and pedal a few midi controllers

let me know what you guys think about the kp2 mini

regards dog01

jiggityj · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 5:57 pm Post subject:

The MiniKP2 is just a cool, fun toy for me. I like the fact that you can change the pitch of mp3s, so I use it to store breaks and sample off of. Recording isn't quite "on the fly" since you must hit the function button 5 times to record. Effects sound superb. I have a KP3+ so it rarely sees any use, especially since the mic switch broke off. That leads me to believe that the power switch can break off as well.

I would get the Beats. The whole Volca system is the ultimate sketchpad imo.

roblabs · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 7:30 pm Post subject:

hey jiggityj,

How much can you change the pitch by? You mention the KP3, are you saying you like the mini kp2 better? How do the effects and other features compare to the kp3?

Thanks

jiggityj · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:29 pm Post subject:

Derpancakes · Joined: 18 Jun 2014 Posts: 45

Call me a fanboy, but I haven't been disappointed by Korg's products yet. This tiny box, as I've heard it said, is like a baby brother to the TR-808. Some of the sounds are definitely inspired by that legendary beast, yet it makes a sound all its own. The only real downside is that the snare is a little lackluster, but adjusting levels and adding clap will add the punch you need. Bonus feature: I realized yesterday the sync-out can be used to do a kind of sidechaining with the microKORG!

1_inch_punch · Senior Member Joined: 03 Sep 2012 Posts: 314

- compared to Tony Horgan's vids of him sending audio signal from Volca Bass to mini kp2 - then out to a mini cam or a Zoom H something or other...

the sound quality should be pretty good if you recorded inside the mini- kp2?

I can see the sense of the minicam as it should sync the video with audio... provided its quality is good enough.

When my mini kaossilator 2 had been working I used it for a lot of recording internally and it seemed okay when the file was dumped into a DAW...