Volca Modular Analog Synthesizer

Korg Volca Modular

Korg’s Volca Modular is perhaps the strangest Volca to date: a semimodular environment geared toward exploiting the esoteric synthesis techniques of the West Coast school, with a design clearly inspired by Buchla’s iconic Music Easel. The Volca Modular provides a classic West Coast signal path even with no patch cables inserted, but via its patchbay offers a solid glimpse into the peculiarity and sheer flexibility of modular synthesis.

The Volca Modular’s signal path is comprised of a pair of oscillators with rich potential for deep FM, a wavefolder, two lowpass gates, and a spring reverb-like Space Out section. This is in essence the classic Buchla signal flow, borrowed directly from the Music Easel itself. Modulation sources include two function generators that offer various envelope and LFO-like potential, a smooth & stepped sample and hold labelled Woggle (shout out to Grant Richter!), a CV processor, and a clock generator with various available clock subdivisions. Each individual module offers CV input for control of their primary parameters, making the Volca Modular an ideal portable playground for sonic experimentation.

The Volca Modular also includes a specially-designed Volca sequencer with microtuning, sequence randomization, and Stochastic sequencing, enabling creation of complex but consistently musical results. And of course, Korg’s ingenious motion sequencing takes the Volca Modular to the next level of sonic animation.

With a huge array of internal sonic and modulation-related resources and dedicated CV inputs, the Volca Modular will prove a powerful addition to even the largest modular synth collections: but more importantly, it can provide an honest and raucously fun glimpse into the world of modular synthesis at an unprecedented price.

Volca Modular Features

• Desktop semimodular synthesizer based on classic West Coast designs
• Inspired by the Buchla Music Easel and other West Coast synths
• Tons of patchpoints with Dupont-style jumpers
• Integrated touch keyboard and sequencer
• Built-in modulation sources include Woggle generator, dual Function generator, modulation oscillator, and more
• CV inputs for easy integration with Eurorack, Serge, and other modular ecosystems
• FM & wavefolding abound
• Dual lowpass gates (LPGs) for bouncy bongos and organic percussive sounds
• Integrated Space Out reverb
• Support for microtuning
• Revised Volca sequencer with pattern randomization, stochastic patterns
• Motion recording, active step programming, and tons of other classic Volca workflows maintained
• West Coast at the best price yet