Review: Korg Volca FM2 vs OG // DX-7 based synth gets better // Volca FM 2 synthesis tutorial

Don't know if you've checked but they updated the firmware and added sustain. Now if we can get them to add midi cc for everything haha but maybe they will add LFO amp depth in the same way they did the Chorus and Reverb depth with holding the function button. They could do that to the P.DEPTH nob easily. Hope KORG reads this!

Wow, I will come back to this video a lot, it's the best FM video I have ever seen, I finally seem to understand how Dexed/Volca FM sounds work, maybe I will be able to do more than use oscillator sinks randomize function in the future :)

In general, any VSTi tool you come across, even a free one, has a richer, fatter sound, more features and greater flexibility in use

Shame the arp only outputs three notes and isn't transmitted on MIDI Out.

Given you can’t SYSEX export cool patches, how DO you save user-made presets? I guess it maybe a companion editor software you mentioned. Stands to reason, if one has access to 1,000s of DX7 patches, gotta have somewhere to keep ‘em (also a place from which to launch em.

THE thing is: you’re so damned 33 intelligent whilst I am as smart as a really smart dog. This show was particularly info-intensive, like potentially migraine-producing. Maybe the next time I watch the video, I’ll see that the answer was there. Speaking of, I KEEP WATCHING this video over and over ad nauseam, and still say if—purely—FM is your aim, this little box seems like more bang for buck than spending $200” for OPSIX NATIVE.
Other than my question embedded above, does OPSIX have this same DX7 patch sharing capability ?

Thinking that owning 1 FM synth will be mental burden enough for me. Perhaps I show my ignorance, but…although I DO own Arturia’s huge synths-bundle, I cannot bring myself to name “my 1 FM Synth” the Arturia included one. So, I must buy THE ONE. I did just THAT after watching your review of Minilogue XD. Great decision! You know the Arturia one of which I speak. It may be amazing…dunno—you would. My lackluster passion there ia like this: A) they make a CS-80. It sounds fine… ‘😮nuf said. The dream team, meanwhile, over at GForce, makes OB-E and Tom signs it ; B) based upon nothing, I felt like Glen’s departure was, at best, like the company underwent a heart transplant… Donor Unknown.
Arturia does a truly respectable job at 100 synths. Companies like U-he knocks it out of the ballpark on a handful. But hey, I bought the package, full tilt edition and the. Rebought it and re-bought it for YEARS before finally asking WHY CONTINUE?? Twas only 2022 when I yanked off the tourniquet and gently pulled the USB NEEDLE from my vein.m. The price to re-up just keeps climbing.

Pardon the excessive amount of coot today—I guess I needed to write a letter to a friend.

Very good video explanation! By the way, what is the name of audio spectrum analyzer you used? Thanks!

This is very impressive. You could get a lot out of this. Even without diving into fm synthesis proper (which I doubt most will ever do)

Sequencing is interesting compared to the other classic volcas. Weird to not include individual step recording but then include the new warp feature instead.

I wish they all had the same pattern chaining

Great synth, great review!!

As a early 90s kid this thing is pure nastolgia. Fm niche solved with this little powerhouse.

Man, when will this be in stock?! FM and PD synth is all my ears can remember. So many new/old ideas 🎸

When you say "zero," it sounds just like a resonant filter closing.

No usb wtf korg 🥺

Loopop, superb video as always. I need your wisdom however! No matter where I ask, I just can't seem to get a straight forward answer...I figured if anyone knows, you will! Does the Volca FM 2 have portamento slide/glide functionality? Not the kind where you use a pitch wheel module, but the kind that bends automatically with a slide from note to note?

You don't have time to play a spiderman game looopop. We know!

Why does this guy sound like Carl Sagan ?

This this is so good, its such a completely differnt sound to the typical subtractive synth sound and just a million times more complex (sounding)

Hi, Whats your opinion on selecting this against Behringer Crave? TIA

@loopop which cable did you use for connecting Artura keys? I'm looking for midi -> usb b cable

Does it have the same sounds as the 1?

The results are in!!
You are definitely MORE excited about Volca FM2 than you are with that weird thing…what is it again ? Oh yeah, OPSIX
The V2 just nails that DX7 Juicy-Ness!

This is very cool.
I’ve got Dex. What am I missing ?

I do not know: is aftertouch just something that doesn’t come into play when one is a FM keyboard Man?

Hey, last thing. Please have Audio Thingies send you a Micromonsta2 and do a review, please.
I have a brand new one, but haven’t tinkered with it yet

@loopop I have problems in understanding how to connect an unbalanced headphones stereo output to the balanced mono line inputs of a sound interface for further processing inside a DAW.
Should i treat that single headphones stereo output as being 2 separate unbalanced mono line-level channels?
Can I split that headphones stereo output into 2 unbalanced 1/4 TS jacks cables and plug them into 2 balanced mono line inputs of my sound interface?
Or, as the headphones outputs are already amplified line levels, should not be connected to the line inputs of a sound interface?
What is the common practice?
Thanks!

Love this. Thanks. I've only had my volca fm2 for a couple of weeks and I'm deep in thanks to you. I've mapped all the surface buttons to my usb controllers and there's a midi implementation chart (in text format) that describes individual control of all six operators and the universal parameters too. Do you cover these buried system exclusive messages anywhere? I hope to map all six operators onto my controllers to have instant access to all of them (almost faking the layout of the opsix) but I don't know what to do with the data. I joined your Patreon and I've just opened your book looking for clues ... Thanks. BTW, that analogy about switching out cities is brilliant.

thanks for video! also beautiful examples you play :)

Question can you use the Arturia Key Step with the Volca FM2? Thanks

Another firmware update I’d like to see is the motion step sequencer from Volca Sample, it would really make programming changes in velocity much easier.

Who knew Carl Sagan was so into FM synthesis?

I know Volcas are usually purchased as first gear, but I think I’m going to get this one. I only have the Sample 2 but have all the POs other than Tonic, Arcade, Robot, and KO ( I have Megaman and the sampler version of the remake escapes me at the moment) as always I regret not getting those 3 thinking I’ll find them cheap somewhere! Always get the version or all of whatever when you can, before some a-hole wants $350 for Rick and morty on Mercari! Not the direction I expected them to go, but I use them constantly in writing and can’t help loveing them❤! lol my excuse for not getting the FM 1 or 2, I have QY100 and Qy300 and Motif, I git the real DX 7 FMs! I’ve become a collector so, I’ll have to include the volcas as well! Thank you Loopop for the video as always you left me well informed. peace!

Hi , can this VolkaFM2 do pretty much everything the old Korg 707 could do ? I have been trying to replace my 707 that I had in the 1990s.
Much appreciated.
✌️

Fantastic clean and amazing lesson ,Thanks .

So this is in typical Loopop fashion.. I'm like let me go and see if Loopop did a review of the Korg Volca keys... and then I see this.. and it's like ok I'm just buying this. LMAO

I watch loopop videos before deciding to pull the trigger on a piece of gear

Great value for money and doesn’t take up space

"This may seem complicated at first, because it is..." That made my day. 😀

Algorithm is a big word in these days. Isn't the operation between operators commutative multiplication f(carrier,mod)=c•m == m•c?!

the cow bell

I just got myself a Volca FM2 and a Volca Keys, after watching numerous videos to find out which one was right for me nd then couldn't decide in the end. I must say, the FM2 seemed pretty intimidating for a beginner, but your video really made it look a lot easier than expected. (excluding the whole 'sound desingn' part, that is kind of tough, and I will probably just skip that and enjoy the sounds available xD) So thank you very much for this video and the clarification on some things!

Does the FM2 respond to MIDI program change messages? (great tutorial)

does the velocity slider send velocity data to the midi out to control expression of external gear?

I wonder if this could be used to control a dx7 or dx21 or maybe a dx100???

Do OG FM patches work on the FM2?

Where to buy the nice neon MIDI cables? :D

Is there any improvement in the sound compared to OG FM?

Well, I don’t completely know what you were talking but you did a really bad job at convincing me that I don’t want this. Who wants to get me one of these for Christmas?!

Is this one better than the drum version of Korg?

man, I love it... yet 6 voices is still not enough!

Now they just need a 6-voice version of Keys.