The volca fm 2 from Korg shines with some improvements over the previous model while maintaining the same ease of use. Thus, the number has been doubled from three to six and also the number of internal memory locations has increased from 32 to 64. Additive to the chorus there is now a reverb effect, which helps the DX7 bells to the typical sound of the 80s pop culture. The MIDI-In jack had to give way, but now MIDI In and Out via separately available MIDI-TRS Type A cable is offered. The display also received an upgrade and now shines light blue instead of red.
Historical
In the early 80's Yamaha introduced the DX7, a digital synthesizer as the music making world had never seen before. Its sound and especially the extraordinary sound creation possibilities of the then new FM synthesis marked an important turning point and milestone in the history of synthesizers. To this day, the old DX series enjoys great popularity and can be found in numerous variations.
FM synthesis in the here and now
The volca fm 2 has the same sound architecture as its historical model and thus 6 operators and 32 algorithms that can be used to form a sea of classic synth sounds, but also totally wacky, atonal sounds with a metallic character. One of the special features of FM-Synthese is that even changing a single parameter to a few values tends to drastically change the sound depending on the configuration of the operators. Original sounds of the DX7 can also be imported via the MIDI connection. For deeper settings and a better overview of all parameters, Korg offers the free online editor SYNTHMATA. The sound generation, expanded to six voices, is rounded off with the two chorus and reverb.
Sequencer with parameter automation
The volca-type sequencer holds 16 patterns with a total step length of up to 16 steps in its memory. By chaining patterns, lengths of up to 256 steps are possible. For each pattern, several parameters can be recorded directly in a motion sequence. The sequencer is rounded off by live intervention options for the tempo as well as a Arpeggiator with nine different motifs, which should provide Italo disco moments especially in combination with the FM-Synthesis.
KORG volca fm (2nd Generation)
Review: Korg Volca FM2 vs OG // DX-7 based synth gets better
Features:
Manufacturer:
Korg
Construction / Number of Keys:
Desktop without keyboard
Sonicware LIVEN Ambient
Korg Volca Drum
Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O.