A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Korg Volca Keys three note Polyphonic analog synthesizer. It's a pretty powerful little synth that I've used in some songs that I've been tinkering with for a while. While the Volca Keys is a pretty powerful synth, there is one unit that out does the entire Volca Series all together...
The Volca FM is a digital six operator polyphonic synthesizer that utilizes FM synthesis to create sound. Before I go in depth on some of the features and power that this thing packs, I'm going to give a brief history on FM synthesis. In 1973, a college professor named John Chowning, at Stanford University, created the algorithm for digital FM Synthesis. He licensed the technology to Yamaha the same year and the company then started to experiment with the technology for the next decade.
Suddenly, the 1980s came along and brought all sorts of crazy new technologies like computers and video games. In the year 1983, Yamaha introduced a breakthrough in synthesizer technology, the Yamaha DX-7 which became extremely popular throughout the decade. I won't go in depth as to how FM synthesis works because it would take a lot more than a few diagrams to explain how it generates sound, but I will now explain some of the features the Volca FM has to offer.
When you open the box, you'll find an instruction manual, a parameter list card, six AA batteries, and finally the unity itself. It's a pretty quaint little synth, but it has a lot of power to pack. When you first power on the unit, you the LED display shows the words VOLCA FM and then it shows the program you are using in memory channel one. The Volca FM has sixteen memory channels for sequences you can create (it also includes 16 factory presets you can overwrite or modify). Another thing that sets this synth apart is the fact that it can accept Yamaha DX-7 SYX files. A SYX file is pretty much a patch program that the DX-7 used to create presets that could be loaded onto another DX-7. In this case, you could use an actual DX-7 and take the midi out cable to the Volca's midi in port and transmit desired presets to the said Volca. Since I don't have a real DX-7, I just use a software called DEXED. It's a free, open source software that can load, play, store, create, and transmit SYX files. Because the Volca FM is fully compatible with these files, DEXED will recognize it as DX-7 and then you can transmit selected presets.
Other features include:
Six operators (3 Modulators & 3 Carriers)
32 Algorithms
32 program slots
16 memory channels
Parameter edit function for each operator and global parameters
16 step sequencer
On board Chorus effect
Voicing Function (Poly, Mono, Unison)
Arpeggiator
Transpose/Velocity faders
DC 9V power port (Be careful as this port requires a very specific type of cable!)
Sync In/Out jacks for tempo synchronization to & from other Volca units
Built In Speaker
And many more features I probably haven't dug up yet!
The complexity of the tone that comes out of this little box is mind blowing to me. For being about 170 USD, you can't beat this amazing little synth. When I procure a couple other Volca units, I'll probably write an 80s style song just to see what they can do together.
As always, thanks for reading!
Your Blogger,
AJ
