Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

I think Stab's on the money there, for the pricepoint they *are* toys, albeit intersting ones with some potential. Don't go thinking they're the next 808/303 etc, because they're obviously not.

Take them for what they are and you shouldn't be dissapointed. The emphasis is on fun, maybe sometimes they sound like s**t, maybe others they don't - but who cares? They're just meant to be cool little things to kick around the studio.

Personally I welcome anything that is a distraction from plugins.

All good points. I thought the Volca Beats sounded pretty good though. At this price and being battery powered, I'll still be picking them up when they're out.

I'm curious if they looked back on the mini pops series for the beats. Samba beats for at least 5 minutes until I get bored!

Hybrid88 wrote:I think Stab's on the money there, for the pricepoint they *are* toys, albeit intersting ones with some potential. Don't go thinking they're the next 808/303 etc, because they're obviously not.

Take them for what they are and you shouldn't be dissapointed. The emphasis is on fun, maybe sometimes they sound like s**t, maybe others they don't - but who cares? They're just meant to be cool little things to kick around the studio.

Personally I welcome anything that is a distraction from plugins.

Why should price determine whether it's a toy or not? Would we really take these Volca boxes more seriously at $400 a pop? IMHO, these things are pretty f**k full-featured for "toys," a term which I'd be much more inclined to apply to the Monotrons (or even maybe the monotribe) than the Volcas.

If you don't like how they sound, that's fine. There are synthesizers and drum machines that cost an order of magnitude more than these with a sound I'm not totally into.

Frankly, I think Korg is just the first manufacturer to start pricing stuff at appropriate levels, instead of what they think they can gouge from people.

Hybrid88 wrote:I think Stab's on the money there, for the pricepoint they *are* toys, albeit intersting ones with some potential. Don't go thinking they're the next 808/303 etc, because they're obviously not.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the 303 was marketed as a cheap practice aid for guitarists. It wasn't intended for making "real" music. Many people dismissed the 303 because of this. Later, more open-minded people embraced it while creating a new genre of electronic music.

Labelling the Volcas as toys puts them mentally into a category that could be thought of as "not valid". This could lead to people avoiding their use when creating "valid" music. I guess it's not my business to worry about how people categorize things. But I at least want to raise the point that labels, perception and outcomes are all linked.

People love talking s**t on things in subtle ways, especially on vse. It makes them feel better about their favorite gear, and you never know: maybe they need the confidence boost to take themselves more seriously as musicians?

Well I wasn't talking s**t, I just see anything as cheap and cheerful as a toy (that's not to demean it at all) maybe others don't - that's fine too

I actually see everything in my studio as "toys" haha

But nitpicking aside I don't think anyone will really care if they are called toys or not, they'll take them seriously if they find a practical use for them in their music. Which actually will be the real test.

But I mean think about it, what else can you get with these features for the money?

Not a whole lot! And yea, I wasn't trying to attack you specifically, I've heard that thrown around quite a few times, not just on the internet and figured I'd chime in. I look at my gear the same way actually! I like play, I think it's essential for being creative. But then there are good ways to look at something like a toy, and... Let's say negative ways as well. In a conversation like this the usage is all over the map.

Ah true

I guess generally in the world of music gear you get what you pay for (and decent gear is generally quite expensive) so that's all I meant by not taking these too seriously, but then again I guess 'serious' isn't really what music is about. It's more what appeals to you at the end of the day, and it's true the 303 wasn't exactly meant to be thought as as "professional" back in the day so these are perfectly valid tools in that regard.

I just haven't heard anything out of them that particularly wows me yet, but I guess we'll see when it gets in the hands of true musicians/experimentors.

Yea, I mean the music is the main thing. People think you can just turn it on and anything it plays is gold, but that's just the surface. It's an instrument, and you make it do what you want. If you've got it hooked up to a drum machine or something and you have an idea in your head, you realize how intuitive it actually is to tap it out, and then play with the notes, accents, etc. It's not a keyboard, that's for sure! Just like how people get inspired by their favorite guitarists, I like things like early platipus records, Jake Stephenson's many projects like optic eye, alien mutation, etc. It's all techno/ trance stuff, and honestly I'm shocked at how many people go nuts for the 303, yet how few people I come in contact with like to listen to trance/ techno stuff. I think a lot of people focus on some kind of minimal music with it, which I.don't really care for. Anyway, the point is if you're not obsessed with some music that heavily incorporates it first, I don't see any reason to force an interest in it or anything. Just like how I'm not particularly interested in accordions! I wouldn't seek out accordion music just to like accordions, but if I started to get into polka, I might consider picking one up!

supermel74 wrote:but I'd really like to see an example of this thing sounding even remotely close to a 303 or anything other than thin bleeps and blips.

Well, perhaps it isn't supposed to sound like a 303?

Nothing is supposed to sound like a 303, because it bombed on release, was revived with a music genre that noone plays or listen to anymore. So it really has nothing going for it except for nostalgic factor with some people, and they can buy a xoxbox or whatever-box to emulate it.

JSRockit wrote:

supermel74 wrote:but I'd really like to see an example of this thing sounding even remotely close to a 303 or anything other than thin bleeps and blips.

Well, perhaps it isn't supposed to sound like a 303?

I don't think it is, It's just styled after it, probably because It's a little analog bass-box type thing like the 303. The demos do not sound 303 like to me.

Bitexion wrote:Nothing is supposed to sound like a 303, because it bombed on release, was revived with a music genre that noone plays or listen to anymore. So it really has nothing going for it except for nostalgic factor with some people, and they can buy a xoxbox or whatever-box to emulate it.

troll much?

JSRockit wrote:

supermel74 wrote:but I'd really like to see an example of this thing sounding even remotely close to a 303 or anything other than thin bleeps and blips.

Well, perhaps it isn't supposed to sound like a 303?

I'll be more than happy if it can do a decent bass. Even the Monotron can do that so I suspect this will do just fine.