Korg has announced a new Volca groovebox in the form of the Volca Kick, arriving alongside the Odyssey desktop module and microKorg S. But don't throw away your Volca Beats just yet, as the new Volca Kick is a different beast altogether.
Instead of taking a typical approach to kick drum synthesis, starting with a sine wave, the Volca Kick uses the resonant sound of the original MS-20 filter. The Rev.1 filter of the MS-20 self-oscillates when resonance is increased to the maximum, and this enables you to create a wide range of kick sounds, ranging from solid kick drums to crisp kick basses.
Utilising the MS-20 Resonator controls - Pitch, Bend and Time - the sound is further sculpted using the Pulse Colour and Level controls to adjust the clip components and to control the sense of attack. Then the Amp Attack and Decay functions enable you to intuitively control the shape of the sound.
Perhaps much of the character of this little analogue synth will come from the Drive and Tone controls. This is where you are going to get the grit, colour and distorted tones for your kicks, toms and bass sounds.
Just as with the whole Volca series, there is the trusty 16-step sequencer and live effects control for realtime cuts, breaks and fills, and as the video above shows, you will definitely be getting more out of this machine than just kicks.
Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but we know that Korg hope to release near the end of October 2016. In the meantime you can find more information in the Korg website.
Korg Volca Kick features
- Analogue kick sounds generated by MS-20 filter oscillation
- Control the sound using Drive and Tone controls
- 16-step sequencer allows automation of all parameters
- Active Step generates new beats and bass lines by removing or inserting steps
- Use Accent, Slide, and Bend Reverse to power-up your sequences
- Touch FX controls realtime sequence effects with for instant cuts, breaks and fills
- Playback can be synchronized with another unit
- Compact size, battery powered, built-in speaker
