Nice analog bass unit. 3 Independent oscillators with adjustable pitch. Sounds great too. Great for the price.

The Korg Volca Bass is a fun but very limited analog semi-mono synth. I say semi-mono because each voice can have its own lane for sequence information. And the coolest part of this is that each lane can have its own step length. So with three sequences playing at once, paraphonicly (single filter for all three oscillators), you can get some very evolving sequences. I would say each iteration of the dynamic loop isn't always as useful as the previous or the next. To remedy this, I record the sequencer playing itself into my DAW and just chop up my favorite combinations of the odd sequence alignments. The sound of the Volca Bass is not fat by any means. It can do bass but with the octave knob can be dialed into higher registers as well. Three note minor chords are particularly welcome. I bought this specifically for adding three tunable oscillators to my Korg Monotribe, which has a filter in. Since I have a modded MIDI out on my Monotribe, I can drive the Volca Bass with the sequencer of the Montribe and tune each oscillator for slight detuning around the pitch center of the Monotribe or I can tune three intervals above and/or below the Monotribe. In this setup with the filter all the way open and the volume at 50% on the Volca Bass, I now have essentially a four oscillator MS20 with a sequencer and the oscillators of the Volca Bass sound identical to the Mobotribe's to my ears. One drawback of the Volca Bass is its inability to store every function parameter as part of the memory location. The VCO Group type is naturally saved, as that dictates how many lanes of sequence there are, but all the rest of the parameters - LFO Target, LFO Wave, VCO Wave, Sustain On, and Amp EG On - don't get stored within memory. Indeed they will remain the same from memory to memory when you change a setting. I see this as a limitation especially for live performance because there can be no recall of contrasting settings upon loading a new memory. It seems that the Volca Bass is best suited for studio recording with maybe all eight memories thoughtfully programmed and then performed. Just be sure you have your settings set as you actually intend to have them. The only other drawback of the Volca Bass, and this is a matter of personal preference, is that, above 3 o'clock on the LFO Rate, it seems a bit unusable for the filter and the amp. Above that modifying pitch can get some very aggressive analog-FM tones but I would honestly prefer the LFO to go even faster for heightened analog-FM. All in all a decently cool synth but very limited. Great for adding oscillators to something with a filter in and, honestly, that might be what it's best suited for.

This is a super fun synthesizer to use, and I had no problem getting it set up! I'm new to using analog synths and this was easy to pick up and figure out the controls, only had to reference the instructions a few times

Have fun with it. Learning mostly on how to use it for making songs backing on my videos. It IS a cool little machine! Also own Sample 2 @ Kick with the FM 2 on order.

You can't really beat what this thing offers for the price. If you're just dipping your toes into synthesis and you want a rich and fat analog sound, a small little box that is easy and intuitive to use, this is it. You definitely want headphones or good speakers to get the most of this. I own most of the Volcas and I definitely would have gotten this one first now knowing what it is capable of and how fun it is to program and play with. I do not have the Volca Keys (I have so many keyboard synths in general), though I hear that one is quite popular too and could very well be a good first choice.

Lovely little bass synth with a classic analog sound and a great sounding filter! Pairs well with Korg Vulca Drum.

I picked this up to pair with a 'main' synth, and it's great to play with. The controls seemed overwhelming at first, but after my first real session with it, I understood it entirely. It's not as complicated as its cramped design initially appears.

If I had one complaint, it would be that I wish you could save your patches. You can only, to my knowledge, save sequences, which is not how I'm using it. But this is not much of a dealbreaker for the price.

I bought the Korg Volca to use as a bass synth for a set of organ style midi bass pedals. The unit is perfect in size for setting on my main keyboard. Allowing me to have full control of what parameters are needed for my feet. Almost like having a Taurus II controller. I've never used any form of sequence format in my 40 years off and on as a keyboard player. My world of new awaits as I acclamate to the possibilities of bass pedal style playing with the Volca capabilities. Right on Korg. Thank you Ed Needler at Sweetwater.

I definitely would not consider myself a "musician", but I really enjoy playing with sequencers and stuff like that. This thing is definitely fun. The analog sound is great. You can get some super deep bass tones with it -- and on the other side of that coin, also some screaming high notes. It's pretty compact, so I can bring it to work and fiddle on my lunch break if I want to. I've had an old Korg Electribe ES-1 for nearly 20 years and it still works just as well as the first day I got it. This seems to have the same quality, and is a cool component to add into the mix. I also picked up the Monotron Delay and use it with this for some cool delay sounds. They work well together. I'm interested to hook it up to a midi keyboard and see how it works. I'll probably pickup some of the others in the Volca series, as they look real fun too. Here's why I only gave 4 stars, and these reasons may be petty.... 1) I wish you could apply the EG separately to each VCO, but that's ok. 2) If you change the pitch of a VCO, it changes across all your patterns. 3) The "keys" are somewhat small. But I have little Trump hands, so it suits me well. I can see it being an issue for others though. 4) I don't know why there is no power cord in the package? I bought the cord suggested by another reviewer here and it works just fine: Korg 9V 1700mA KA-350 Pwr Supply for $27. I havbe to say, sales engineer Michael Wuchter is great. He's helped me to find some cool stuff and even has called me to talk about my purchases. That's a top-notch level of customer service that you just don;t see too often these days. Cheers all!

This is not a bad little bass synth I will use it in my album if you really work with it you can get some great bass sounds out of this easy to use good for traveling

get a good controller ans this thing holds up to synthesizers at a price range way higher. the only reason it did not get 5 stars is the fact that there is no control for the portamento/slide time on the unit. i control the volca bass with my behringer deepmind 12 and the portamento can be turned off by midi but not adjusted so its either on or off but only by an external controller. the sequncer although isnt really my thing on synthesizers i really like the volca bass sequencer. its easy to use and you can record each of the 3 voices separately so you can create melody in bass with a 2 by 1 or create chords by recording each voice on the same note. or just have three different sequences going at once. its features are limited to the basics but at the price range it can't be beat. by the way it is analog and other than the filter it sounds quite similar to my korg ms20 mini. at the price dont pass this up.

Sound quality is great for the price. This is the cheapest way to get some of that analogue magic. I use soft synths all the time. I think they are great and easy to use, but the difference in sound quality is undeniable compared to the real thing, even if it is the cheapest analogue synth out there.

Is WAY more functional than I initially thought it would be! Speakers are great for on the fly improv jams, but do not compare to quality earphones. For the price sound is truly great! Knobs, while not as sturdy as Roland's line of Boutiques, do feel good enough for the price. Overall, these machines do fill a gab in gear ranges. Totally capable of producing magic.

This is a really good synth for the price.

For the price, there's just no competition out there anywhere. Tats and the Korg team really did great on this one, presenting us a powerful affordable analog in a 303's clothing. Great for when you're on the go, recording or performing. If you throw some chorus, delay, or reverb on this guy, it sounds like a million bucks. From the sound alone, there's no telling that you got it for $160.

I actually use this more than my microbrute and bass station 2 for bass. What makes it a go to instrument is it's simplicity, it's so easy to get great sounds. I use it with the Beatstep Pro and in that way can get pretty much unlimited bars of sequencing. Set the Beatstep running and twiddle the controls on the Volca Bass to your hearts desire. The stacked oscillator mode is very impressive.
Best value synth you can buy.

There's not much to say that hasn't already been said, but I have to add my 2 cents. The filter is amazing, and the ability to shape and modulate the sound adds a pleasing complexity to a simple 16 step pattern. I use this mostly for sweeping drones, and the occasional bassline, but have also sequenced it via MIDI with my BeatStep Pro to add more variation to my sequences. This little beast also has 3 oscillators that can work either together or independently - adding the ability to run up to 3 individual patterns simultaneously from a single box!

The fact that this has no patch memory is a bit of a drag at times, but with its simplicity, it's not that difficult to reproduce the sounds that I've created.

I also have the Keys and Sample, with the Beats on its way to complete the collection (so far). Although the other two are also impressive, I think this one in particular produces a great sound, and is very versatile - especially being the Volca with the least amount of knobs.

It's also a great time killer at the kids' sports practices or just sitting in the living room during commercials. I'm confident in saying that the Volca Bass has earned a permanent home in my studio. If you are looking for a meaty bass synth/sequencer for not a lot of dollars, this is the one to get.

This synth sounds huge! I have the Keys as well, you cannot beat these for the price, and there isn't much comparable at any price, as the Volcas are so easy and intuitive to use.

By far not a 303 but it's bad, phat, and incredible! So simple to use and the sounds makes this bass a production tool that will be well sought after for years to come. I'm very impressed with this product at this price point. You really can't ask for more than what you get from the Volca Bass being this affordable. I can almost promise you if you purchase one you will not regret it.

I bought this thinking I was going to use as a inexpensive 303 sound and not have to use VST's. After the first time i pushed the peak up and resonance up, I knew its filter is totally different. This thing screams. It can do the bubbly 303 type lines as well, but it also does so much more. You can stack all 3 oscillators and detune them into a reece sound. You have a LFO that you can control pitch, filter, and amp with. The filter envelope has a attack. I have made everything from typical 303 sounds, to huge reese sounds, to crazy video game sounds with this box. If you use Ableton Live, you can use max for live easily to create a controller for it using the online midi charts, I had mine working in about 10 minutes. For the money you can't go wrong. This machine can not be beat for the price. I am buying at least 2 more for my live rig.

Definitely my favorite out of the Volca series. Squiggly, squelching, little bass box. Very fun and easy to use.

Not much for sound-design, it has a very straight-forward tone that is consistent. The only sound-shaping mechanism is a simple filter which also has a very straight-forward tone.

The old saying of "You get what you pay for" -- in this case: You pay a very low price for an extremely simple but effective analog bass synthesizer. The controls are limited, but it sounds good.

I could not put this one down when I picked it up last night. I played with it for 5 hours straight.Sadly my night was over before I new it but it was worth it. It really has it's own sound compared to the Volca Keys. The slide function, the pitch option for three vco's offer you some interesting options when creating a tone. Volca Keys kinda sounds generic I find. Especially if you own any other analog synth, but the Bass rocks.Get it!

Great value, great sound, tons of fun for hours. Only complaint is the lack of a balanced 1/4 output, ended up reamping it to get a quality signal for recording. Can't beat it at all for the price

Been a 303 fan for years and have used many emulations. The Volca Bass is simple to program and sounds fantastic. The resonant filter is insanely good and goes into a squelchy overdirve mode when pushed to it's limit. Three oscillators, MIDI, built in reference speaker, battery operated, analog and an excellent price! It's easily a no brainer for synth-head, music making, mad scientist geeks.