I just got my volca FM and having no prior knowledge of FM synthesis, you and your videos on the volca fm are by far the greatest resource to not only lerning the volca fm but understanding fm in general. Thanks a lot!
I keep coming back to these videos, it is just the best resource out there for learning fm synthesis. I love the volca fm, what it can do for such a low price. These videos are timeless. Thank you.
Thanks a lot for the whole series on the Volca FM. Your explanations are cristal clear and these final videos on patch creation are just amazing. Cheers!
If I had gotten the FM first, i might not have gotten the other volcas, maybe. I have the keys, bass, and modular. I do like them all, however and do not regret getting them. Your series has really added to their usefulness/value. THANKS!
Hey. So Synthmata works perfectly with my Focusrite 18i20, but when I use my DoRE midi hub, I can't get it to communicate with the Volca. It recognizes the device but no back and forth. The midihub communicates btwn Logic Pro X and the Volca just fine though. Any ideas?
I've had some problems with generic unbranded midi interfaces not working properly with synthmata and it seems to be related to their buffer size being too low, so that the whole patch isn't getting through, so I suspect it'll be that. I know that at least one user I spoke to (who was on Linux) suggested that you could mess with the driver to get it to work, but otherwise I'm not sure that there's an easy solution.
sorry for probably a stupid question, but i'm not seeing the panel where i should choose the device and get it connected... my device is Volca FM connected through Steinberg UR22 card. would appreciate the help with getting it connected as this tutorial and your tool is amazing, very promising
Hey Osc. Thanks so much for your vids, knowledge sharing, patches, etc.. I need your help with a basic question. When you were building this patch, were the sounds that we were hearing coming from your Volca FM live connected via USB midi. Really struggling with this concept and I really want to use Synthmata to learn FM synthesis. Thanks so much. Darren
Hello! The sounds you're hearing are coming from the headphone output on the Volca which is connected to my audio interface so I could record it. I'm controlling the patch via midi a midi cable plugged into my computer (via my interface again, as it happens, but a USB MIDI cable would work as well). MIDI does not carry sound, just control messages. Does that answer your question? If you're looking to buy a USB midi cable I can recommend the Roland UM-ONE mk2. Not all cables are created equal and some have issues with sending the sysex patch data - the Roland one works great.
Wow! Thanks so much for the quick reply. Yes, answers my question!! Ordering that cable today. Synthmata is brilliant!! FM synthesis was giving me anxiety with all the menu diving on the Volca, the visual interface of Synthmata is a game changer for sure. Hope I can get my Laptop to talk to my Volca this week. Thanks again for all of your help. Loved your vid on the Monologue secret third oscillator. I would have never figured that out. Cheers!!
had my FM for a while and not really delved in but definitely keeping it; how do you get the init patch? Any tips on how to play the update file into the unit? Nothing I've tried works. Love the tutorials, thank you.
Init patch: use my free editor - synthmata.com/volca-fm/ The update...I'm guessing that you're already using a stereo cable right? Honestly I've never had an issue, I've always just played them out of my phone a couple of notches down from full volume and it has been fine. Oh - use a power supply, they don't seem to work so well on batteries, especially if they're not totally full would be my other tip.
Thanks for this great tool! Just a question, I have Synthmata recognizing my volca and uploading patches to it, but as I change parameters on Synthmata nothing changes on the volca. Am I missing something? Regards
+Glychee S pretty much! I've tried it both with my Focusrite interface and a cheap generic USB to MIDI cable and both work great. As long as the OS recognises it as a MIDI device, you should be golden!
+Luis Luzia I don't find it unduly noisy. It's not silent, but if you get your gain staging right (I find its better with the volume nearly full on the Volca for example) it's not going to get in the way in an actual finished track. Also, noise can actually help gel a track together, it's not always a bad thing to have some gentle noise in the mix.
+Til Top strange, were you following along in synthmata, or on your Volca FM? Did you start from the Init Patch? There is a link to the finished patch in this video's description - maybe take a look and compare?
Oscillator Sink I was doing it from the volca fm, I didn't start from an init patch but I adjusted all the values and operators the same way you did. I'll go ahead and take a look, thanks so much for these videos btw. It's really great of you to take the time to share this
+Til Top so, it sounds like there were other parameters set differently (based on whatever patch you started with) that I didn't tweak along the way that would have had sonic effects left over. If you can get the Init Patch from synthmata, then you'll be starting from the same place and you should end up at the same destination!
@@Noah-bo2jk i think i know what happened - the front-panel controls on the volca will bias anything you do to the program - so make sure those attack and decay ones are all at 1200 - neutral,
Hi! I have a problem with connecting my korg volca to synthmata - I have different audio interface that doesn't have midi-out. It's scarlett but previous edition. Is there any other way to connect them? Or is there any device that can do it (if I don't want to buy new interface)?
I just got my volca FM and having no prior knowledge of FM synthesis, you and your videos on the volca fm are by far the greatest resource to not only lerning the volca fm but understanding fm in general.
Thanks a lot!
So happy I could help! It's amazing to hear I got you started on your FM journey!
I keep coming back to these videos, it is just the best resource out there for learning fm synthesis. I love the volca fm, what it can do for such a low price. These videos are timeless. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad I've put something out there that people find useful!
Reminds me of late 90s Autechre. Like something off of Chiastic Slide. These tutorials are great!
Thank you, on both counts!
Thanks a lot for the whole series on the Volca FM. Your explanations are cristal clear and these final videos on patch creation are just amazing. Cheers!
Thanks for watching!
If I had gotten the FM first, i might not have gotten the other volcas, maybe. I have the keys, bass, and modular. I do like them all, however and do not regret getting them. Your series has really added to their usefulness/value. THANKS!
Thank you for the awesome videos. You helped me make my own preset pack
What adventure in these séries! Greetings from Brasil!
obrigado!
@@OscillatorSink De nada!😃
Absolutely brilliant walkthrough!
Thank you!
Really cool patch. I'm exactly the same with the gentle pitch sweep on a pad.....just adds that little something special. Otherworldly
This is first class. Thank you so much for taking the time to make and share this. Have learnt bundles.
+Jack Harman that's awesome to hear! Lots more to come in this series; I really enjoyed making this one!
Thank you very much for sharing your works and help gently for free , That's great ;-)
+Mr XavieR you're very welcome!
Hey. So Synthmata works perfectly with my Focusrite 18i20, but when I use my DoRE midi hub, I can't get it to communicate with the Volca. It recognizes the device but no back and forth. The midihub communicates btwn Logic Pro X and the Volca just fine though. Any ideas?
I've had some problems with generic unbranded midi interfaces not working properly with synthmata and it seems to be related to their buffer size being too low, so that the whole patch isn't getting through, so I suspect it'll be that. I know that at least one user I spoke to (who was on Linux) suggested that you could mess with the driver to get it to work, but otherwise I'm not sure that there's an easy solution.
good job on the editor and nice patch tutorial
+KILLAGORILLA7000 thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
sorry for probably a stupid question, but i'm not seeing the panel where i should choose the device and get it connected... my device is Volca FM connected through Steinberg UR22 card. would appreciate the help with getting it connected as this tutorial and your tool is amazing, very promising
What browser are you using?
Did you get it working?
Love the site, great resource
+Pterrordon12 thanks you!
Hey Osc. Thanks so much for your vids, knowledge sharing, patches, etc.. I need your help with a basic question. When you were building this patch, were the sounds that we were hearing coming from your Volca FM live connected via USB midi. Really struggling with this concept and I really want to use Synthmata to learn FM synthesis. Thanks so much. Darren
Hello! The sounds you're hearing are coming from the headphone output on the Volca which is connected to my audio interface so I could record it. I'm controlling the patch via midi a midi cable plugged into my computer (via my interface again, as it happens, but a USB MIDI cable would work as well). MIDI does not carry sound, just control messages.
Does that answer your question?
If you're looking to buy a USB midi cable I can recommend the Roland UM-ONE mk2. Not all cables are created equal and some have issues with sending the sysex patch data - the Roland one works great.
Wow! Thanks so much for the quick reply. Yes, answers my question!! Ordering that cable today. Synthmata is brilliant!! FM synthesis was giving me anxiety with all the menu diving on the Volca, the visual interface of Synthmata is a game changer for sure. Hope I can get my Laptop to talk to my Volca this week. Thanks again for all of your help. Loved your vid on the Monologue secret third oscillator. I would have never figured that out. Cheers!!
Great tutorial. Thanks.
+Synth_Boi_710 and thank you for checking it out.
had my FM for a while and not really delved in but definitely keeping it; how do you get the init patch? Any tips on how to play the update file into the unit? Nothing I've tried works. Love the tutorials, thank you.
Init patch: use my free editor - synthmata.com/volca-fm/
The update...I'm guessing that you're already using a stereo cable right? Honestly I've never had an issue, I've always just played them out of my phone a couple of notches down from full volume and it has been fine. Oh - use a power supply, they don't seem to work so well on batteries, especially if they're not totally full would be my other tip.
Thanks for this great tool! Just a question, I have Synthmata recognizing my volca and uploading patches to it, but as I change parameters on Synthmata nothing changes on the volca. Am I missing something? Regards
So if you use one of the patch links the patches load OK? But moving sliders in synthmata isn't doing anything?
Are you just going midi out from your interface directly into the Volca and this software is sending midi info to the volca
Yes.
@@OscillatorSink great videos by the way. I have em all saved in a volca fm Playlist.
@@LoVeAmBiEnT thank you, I'm glad I could help out!
Do you have too update the volca fm too unofficial 1.9 you use the patches?
No, not at all. This was back on 1.04.
Any instrument from tim follins time trax would be cool. Also, are we sure the default for detune isnt 7?
+Big_B_Radical interesting question. I'll check the DX7 manual...
it' says it's 7 doesn't it? 0-14 ??
Noob question, do I need just any generic USB to MIDI IN/OUT converter to upload?
+Glychee S pretty much! I've tried it both with my Focusrite interface and a cheap generic USB to MIDI cable and both work great. As long as the OS recognises it as a MIDI device, you should be golden!
this pad sounded awesome in the low register; I think my decision is settled...
Thank you! You can (and should) always get the Monologue later anyhow.
I definitely will, as soon as I save up for it!
That's the spirit!
Some say Volca Fm is quite noisy (backgroung hum and such). What are your thoughts on the subject?
+Luis Luzia I don't find it unduly noisy. It's not silent, but if you get your gain staging right (I find its better with the volume nearly full on the Volca for example) it's not going to get in the way in an actual finished track. Also, noise can actually help gel a track together, it's not always a bad thing to have some gentle noise in the mix.
Quod audire non-silentio mali-sonitum et per mathematica subtrahe?
I followed step by step on my fm and my patch sounds nothing like yours, weird.
+Til Top strange, were you following along in synthmata, or on your Volca FM? Did you start from the Init Patch? There is a link to the finished patch in this video's description - maybe take a look and compare?
Oscillator Sink I was doing it from the volca fm, I didn't start from an init patch but I adjusted all the values and operators the same way you did. I'll go ahead and take a look, thanks so much for these videos btw. It's really great of you to take the time to share this
+Til Top so, it sounds like there were other parameters set differently (based on whatever patch you started with) that I didn't tweak along the way that would have had sonic effects left over. If you can get the Init Patch from synthmata, then you'll be starting from the same place and you should end up at the same destination!
@@Noah-bo2jk i think i know what happened - the front-panel controls on the volca will bias anything you do to the program - so make sure those attack and decay ones are all at 1200 - neutral,
Hi! I have a problem with connecting my korg volca to synthmata - I have different audio interface that doesn't have midi-out. It's scarlett but previous edition. Is there any other way to connect them? Or is there any device that can do it (if I don't want to buy new interface)?