2019 Meets 1979 - Volca Modular Through Korg Ms10

video by ChrisLody

"Apologies that this is a bit long and self indulgent, I was having way to much fun here. This is something I've been meaning to try for a while, running the Volca Modular through the Korg Ms10 via a prototype breadboard. I don't have a modular system (yet) but it turns out this is a great way to have some fun. The Modular and the Ms10 are from totally different eras obviously and don't even appear to be compatible. The Ms10 uses the Hz/V for it's oscillators and S-Trigger to trigger it's envelope, meaning when the input receives a ground pulse it is triggered. The Volca Modular uses it's own weird 0.5v/Oct pitch standard so CV from the VM to the Ms10 is not possible, and uses the more conventional triggering method of positive pulses triggering it's envelopes. Luckily though connecting the output pulse of Function 1 is completely reversed and is a gate not a trigger so will even preserve note length so this is used to trigger the Ms10 envelope. The Volca Modular can convert incoming voltages into it's standard but that does not include the Hz/V standard unfortunately, so I'm just running the audio out into the Ms10 and using the raw oscillator outputs as audio rate modulators. Also we can use the noise output routed to the VM as a noise source.

So the top 2 sections of the video were recorded at the same time along with the sync out from the VM into Reaper. I then recorded the bottom 2 sections while the sync pulse plays back into the VM so it all syncs up.

In the top half I'm running audio to the Ms10's input from the VM, triggering the envelope from the VM's Function 1 which controls the envelope routed to the filter. The noise output on the Ms10 is fed back to the VM and i'm using the LFO output on the Ms10 to control the length of Function 2.

The bottom half of the video has the output of LPG1 routed to control the filter which gives us some tasty filter FM. Also the raw output of one of the VM's source oscillators is routed to the oscillator frequency also giving some nasty sounding FM tones. Additionally I have a modded Fab Echo pedal set up which is a pretty cool delay, much nicer than the stock echo it used to make.

I'm sure there's much more to explore here so this will probably pop up again soon I imagine. Once I've fully explored this I'll make a tutorial. I imagine this would work on an Ms20 too.

Life blog bit: I had my first Astra Zeneca jab yesterday and it was pretty nasty. I got the jab at 4.30pm, went to bed at 11.30pm shivering uncontrollably then woke up feeling like I'd been beaten with hammers all night. It took until about 11.00am until I had the energy to get up and I'm still not quite right at 3.30pm the day after. Apparently the second dose is worse. Not looking forward to it now!"