There's a new unofficial firmware update from Paten via Reddit - it's for the Volca FM and version 1.09! Let's check out the new features:

- Sending Sysex from DEXED using it as a front end to sound design
- Fixes for the program change feature

Download link is on my website:

https://ranzee.com/volca-fm-firmware-...

Credit goes to the firmware author: Paten via reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/volcas/comme...

My channel is about synthesizers, music technology, electronica and geekery. I regularly show new gear, setup guides, live jams, original music, repairs & builds, music technology reviews, tutorials, retro gaming & computing! Please visit my channel: https://www.youtube.com/ranzee

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Ok, this jam will take a couple minutes to take off, just because i recorded everything live so.. stick with it until the beat comes at least, and meanwhile enjoy all the tasty organic sounds and textures.

As usual i’m using the TR-8s for drums. This time i played the bass with the Minilogue XD. First time i use it for basses but hey.. it sounds huge! Lot of options including frequency modulation and waveshaping for an ever evolving bassline.
The Waldorf Rocket gets midi notes from the Minilogue XD itself and is used to underline buildups.
The Minibrute plays some chirps, made using the noise lfo to modulate the self oscillating filter.

In the very beginning you can hear the Spacecraft iPad app granulizing two homemade samples: a recording of my dishwasher and a bunch of woodblock hits i recorded years ago.

As you can see i played some toys too :)
A toy xylophone, gift from my mother, which i pitched down two octaves.
A singing bell, repitched and reversed.
A triangle, also pitched up after recording.
All these sounds are passed through a cool plugin called Chiavika, by Stocaudio.
It is used to emulate the granular effects achieved by the early electronic music experimenters using tape machines.

Then i used a cassette for a crunchy clap and a tinbox hit with the xylophone stick as an offbeat percussion. Both are recorded with a contact microphone passed through an iRig Pro interface and then in the Bias Amp app on my old iPhone for crunchier sounds.

The 2 expression pedals, connected to an iRig Blueboard, are used to control the Minilogue XD and the Rocket filter cutoff plus the Chiavika wet/dry knob and some spatial effect, for transitions.

Ableton Live is used as a master clock, as a midi sequencer and for effects.
All audio tracks are passed through an Mbox Pro 3 soundcard or using usb audio, and then recorded in Ableton.

Effects are mostly Ableton stock plus Soundtoys and Native Instruments plugins.

Video is a continuous take from two cameras (an iPhone and an iPad). I put together the two videos with the audio track in Ableton and then saturated the color in iMovie.

Goa Trance with
Behringer TD-3
Korg Volca Bass
Roland Boutique TR-09
Korg Mini KP2s
Behringer Echo Machine
Xenyx 1002USB

For today's song-a-day I once again turned to acid (:D) but with a bit of a twist. Playing the part of a tb-303 in this video is Korg Ds10 running on a Nintendo Ds. Who knew Ds10 could make such a convincing 303 sound? Helped along by a dose of Zoom 1201 reverb it sounds the part to me! The Volca Keys plays a long 8 bar pad-ish sound using it's 'Fifth' setting, the Volca Sample is loaded up with 808 and 909 samples and the Pocket Operator Sub plays a deep bass line alongside everything. Reckon this one could do with being made into something longer, and turn those dam claps down!

Sync is running from the Ds to the Volcas and then to the Pocket Operator btw. It's the only way I can get it all to sync up. I'm also using the Sample as I 2 channel device with the kick panned left and all the other drums right so they can have reverb and not the kick.

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This time i drifted from my usual musical domain, because i missed playing bass and to pay tribute to a genre i like so much... Synthwave!

As usual i don’t like to use pre recorded patterns. So everything is played, looped and sequenced before your very eyes.

About the setup:

The TR-8s drum machine plays the drums with a kit made of mixed Linndrum, LM1, Drumtrax and 707 samples.
The Minibrute use its arpeggiator and is played live.
The Minilogue XD is used to play a wobbly pad, played and then looped through Ableton Live.
The classic synthwave bass sound is made by iPolisyx app on the iPad, sequenced by Rozeta bassline with notes triggered on the Nanokey Studio.
The Waldorf Rocket is the source of the sweet 80s chords lead in the last part of the jam. It is played live using Push 2 pads.
In the first part of the track are my beloved Fender Telecaster for funky rhythm chords and my trusty MusicMan Sting Ray for the groovy slap part.

There are 2 expression pedals, connected to an iRig Blueboard, i use to control the Minilogue XD and the Minibrute filter cutoff plus a whitenoise sample filter cutoff, for transitions.

Ableton Live is used as a master clock, as a midi sequencer and for effects.
All audio tracks are passed through an Mbox Pro 3 soundcard or using usb audio, and then recorded in Ableton.

Effects are mostly Ableton stock and Soundtoys plugins.

Video is a continous take from two cameras (an iPhone and an iPad). I put together the two videos with the audio track in Ableton and then saturated the color in iMovie.