Unofficial Volca Sample Firmware (BETA6) by Pajen

Published on Mar 26, 2020 StreamLabs - Eunjae Im

Intro 00:00
New Global Setting 00:15
How to enter global setting mode 00:19
Global Setting #9 - Original MIDI 00:34
Global Setting #10 - Sequencer MIDI 00:49
Extended Menu Setting 01:00
Ext Menu - SEL 01:22
Ext Menu - SAMP 01:49
Ext Menu - Patr (Pattern Map) 02:13
Ext Menu - Py.2/3/4 (Polyphony) 02:37
Ext Menu - BrFL (Bar Filter) 02:58
Ext Menu - ntFL (Note Filter) 04:00
Ext Menu - dron (Insta-drone) 04:14

Details:

"Here is a beta of an unofficial FW for the Volca Sample. It can be installed on any Sample, it is not locked to certain devices.

The last Beta was ambitious and a bit bloated and hard to describe, hard to understand - here I have tried taking a step back and going forward in a slightly different direction.

Goals were:
A) keeping the original MIDI implementation for people that actually like it.
B) adding a "sequencer channel" - cramming all parts into one MIDI channel, including all standard CCs.
C) making it possible to deactivate channels 1-10 to free them up.
D) adding _true_ chromatic response to note in, none of that RK-002 out-of-tune misery.
E) adding velocity sensitivity on MIDI in.
F) making note triggering, pitch and velocity sensitivity optional per-part, per-pattern.
G) adding new CCs for changing patterns, reverb, mutes, reverse etc.
H) unlocking 2 new reverb programs.
I) "Omni mode" - helping connecting a midi keyboard for live playing with a variety of features.
J) probability triggering for variety; per part, per pattern.
K) "bar filtering" - adding capability to tell parts to skip certain bars in a 4-bar sequence. Makes it possible to create patterns that are up to 4 bars, while keeping full motion seq resolution.
M) optional instant drone mode for noise fiends.

additional CCs:
#define CC_SAMPLE 50
#define CC_REVERB_LEVEL 51
#define CC_REVERB_TYPE 52
#define CC_PATTERN 53
#define CC_SELECTED_PART 54
#define CC_LOOP 55
#define CC_REVERSE 56
#define CC_REVERB 57
#define CC_MUTE 58
#define CC_SOLO 59

GLOBAL SETTINGS:
setting 9: "original MIDI" on/off: if "off" the original mapping of channels 1-10 to parts 1-10 will be deactivated. THIS IS DEFAULT OFF!
setting 10: "sequencer MIDI" on/off: maps MIDI channel 11 to all parts and all original CCs. See old post on how it is mapped?

EXTENDED MENU:
In original "LIVE" mode (not step mode please), press and hold "FUNC" and turn the sample knob to enter Extended menu.
Select menu item and release FUNC. Select sub-menu alternative and press FUNC to activate.
menu items:
* Omni: Omni MIDI mode. This will route all remaining MIDI channel inputs (see GLOBAL SETTINGS) to CURRENT SELECTED PART. The idea is that it help in a live performance setting. Omni setting is global and is not remembered when powering off.

OFF: deactivated (default)
SEL: play in standard way on selected part
SAMP: maps sample 1-100 on to keys 1-100. Good to audition sounds etc.
PAtr: maps keys C-A to activate patterns 1-10
Py2, Py3, Py4: plays incoming notes on selected part, and neighboring 1,2 or 3 parts for polyphony.
* PROB: sets the probability that any given trig in a part will generate sound. Defaults to 100%. Remember you can use "<" and ">" or the part touch pads to select which part probability to edit. Stored together with the pattern.
* BrFL: "Bar Filter": Sets which bars in a 4-bar sequence that that part will sound. Makes it possible to sacrifice parts to get longer sequences. Remember you can use "<" and ">" or the part touch pads to select which part bar filter to edit. Values range from 0-15. Try changing it while running the pattern to see and hear the effect. Stored together with the pattern.
* ntFL: "Note Filter": Sets (per part) what incoming MIDI notes should influence. Default is "tnv" - trig, note and velocity. Any combination is possible. E.g. "-n-" will disregard velocity and trig, only changing note pitch - can be used to change a preprogrammed bass line pitch (M.sequencing off). "t--" is like the original - only using the trig, ignoring pitch and velocity. Remember you can use "<" and ">" or the part touch pads to select which part note filter to edit. Stored together with the pattern.
* Rb.ty: Reverb type. Switch reverb program 0-2. "2" is the standard one. This setting is global and is not remembered when powering off.
* dron: Insta-drone on or off. Insta-drone makes a decay setting of "127" infinite for looping parts. If it is off, it works like the original.

The firmware can be overwritted with any other FW files, e.g. the KORG official ones.

Sorry for being a bit unresponsive lately. I hope will get more time to spend on this in the near future, I find it very soothing. Really appreciate your assistance in testing these FWs out. :-)"