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I got a Volca Keys and dig it. Lots of fun, stand alone and with my laptop. I'm thinking of maybe getting some more - for use with each other in a minimalist setup, but also to use with my laptop via MIDI. I'm wondering if I should get another Keys and maybe the Beats.

What do you think? I've read some reviews where folks say the Keys is the best out of the bunch. Anyone have all 3 or used the Beats or Bass? Your thoughts on them?

I have keys and beats, and they work perfectly together. The keys can do most of what the bass can do (getting some seriously low frequencies), so I don't see the point of having both. The beats is by far my favourite. I bring it with me almost everywhere (headphones on public transport, the beach, camping etc) and it's so much fun running it through pedals and mangling the fuck out of it.

...damn, I want to play with my Volca's now.

don't forget to consider the sample too. its a lot of fun even tho u have to load your sounds via phone.

I guess I'm still confused with the Sample. It's not a sampler in the sense of you can put in or record your own sounds but are there additional sounds from Korg you can load in? I thought it was just fixed with the sounds that came with it.

yea thats right, its not a sampler in the traditional sense so you can't record your own sounds directly into the unit.

but you can upload any of your own sounds that you want into via the iOS app, or the free caustic editor that is more universal (computer, iOS, android) and it has some additional sound editing features and fx.

you transfer the sounds over an audio cable from your device to the sync in on the volca, and it transfers the sounds like an old school modem would

Ahh, ok.

I'd get the Sample. You can get really interesting things with that one from almost any initial sample.
So load it with some sounds you like and you'll probably be very happy. Unless you really want analog drum sounds (in which case the Beats wins)...

The absence of an 'r' in the Volca Sample's name is more significant than it might initially seem. While it can't be used to capture sounds it's very good for mangling and arranging pre-recorded samples.

Faldoe wrote:I got a Volca Keys and dig it. Lots of fun, stand alone and with my laptop. I'm thinking of maybe getting some more - for use with each other in a minimalist setup, but also to use with my laptop via MIDI. I'm wondering if I should get another Keys and maybe the Beats.

What do you think? I've read some reviews where folks say the Keys is the best out of the bunch. Anyone have all 3 or used the Beats or Bass? Your thoughts on them?

Bandmate got all of them and he loves all of them. i think its just ok to be honest... Bass is pretty cool but i dont like the overall sound and the overall output seems very low. At least, i had problems to get a proper signal in the recording setup. Beats are fun but i am simply not a fan of the sounds you can get out of it. defintly the old elctro route... Also the bass has this typical flavour, no matter how you tweak the knobs... i plan to try them in a proper midi control setup...

long/short: not bad for the money and of course you can get a lot of nice sounds out of it.

The Beats has a lot of merit. My drum machine dollars have been in limbo while the TR8, Beats and Rhythm Wolf are in a Mexican standoff. I like the idea of connecting other Volca units together for some hypnotic drones, plus battery operation and headphones make for good travels. The Sample would be much more interesting to me if it had a built in mic or even a mic input.

the sample gets into granular territory. lots of really awesome tweaking features on that one. if it had an audio input and could sample on its own, i would have def kept mine.