Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

Hey there - first post on here so sorry if i dont follow some of the normalities!

I own a Microkorg, and recently purchased a boss dr220a. I want to sync the two together so that the arpeggiator plays in time with the drum patterns on the drum machine. Ive searched quite extensively looking for an answer as to how to connect the two seeing as the boss does not have midi (only has a trigger in/out). If the answer is staring me square in the face then i apologise, but i just dont get it!

Cheers
ben

You need an audio source to generate the trigger and that audio has to be high in level to do so....the DR requires a pulse ot at least 5 volts to trigger. Each trigger advances the DR sequencer by one step, so if you want each step to be a 16th, your triggering source should fire 16 notes per bar.

For example, you could synchronize the MicroKorg by MIDI clock to a DAW playing an audio loop with 16 pulses (kick drum, snare, click, whatever) per bar. The patch the audio out from the computer to the DR trigger in.

Want to avoid a computer? Well, this will sound completely stupid but take any cheap MIDI drum machine and create a 16 step pattern for the trigger. Patch the audio out of this second drum machine to the DR trigger in, max the volume and then experiment to find which drum sound works best as the trigger.

If neither the computer or second drum machine out reaches 5 volts, then you have to amplify that audio somehow...see how this just gets more and more complicated?

I hope you got that DR really cheap

The answer isn't staring you in the face, so don't sweat it.

Meatball has given you some good options.

There is another option that involves a cheap piece of gear. The Korg Volca Keys has MIDI in and Sync IN and OUT. What that means is that you can send MIDI in to the Keys from the Microkorg (make sure you're only sending Clock, not notes), and then use a small minijack cable from the Sync OUT of the Volca Keys to the Trigger input of the DR.

I suggest the Keys instead of the Volca Beats because the Keys has a feature that allows you to choose 1/4, 1/2 or full time steps. Korg and Roland (Boss) are literally out of sync when it comes to analog syncing. You need to choose 1/2 on the Keys, I believe. Then everything will play in time...

MicroKorg MIDI Out--->Volca Keys MIDI In
Volca Keys Sync Out--->DR 220A Trigger In

This is not necessarily the best option, but it could work.

OR....

You can just get a Volca Beats and sync it to the MIDI output clock of the MicroKorg to play in time with the arpeggiator...

What you will lose is the ability to sequence full song tracks.

Whatever you do, you won't be able to sync them with just those two devices, unfortunately.

As an aside, I do have to say I actually really like the character of the drum samples on the DR. 220A. They're low resolution but very nice and punchy. The kick is nice and solid and the toms are beefy. It's good for hip hop and italo disco and also some basic synthpop rhythm tracks.