Korg Volca Drum

Take your live electronic performances to the next level with the Korg Volca Drum Synth. Compact and highly versatile, this digital percussion synthesiser offers a broad palette of rhythmic possibilities.

With its 16-step drum sequencer, you gain complete creative control to shape beats, craft grooves and design textures that stand out.

The Volca series has always been built on accessibility, and the Drum Synth continues this tradition by giving both newcomers and seasoned producers a tool that is simple to use yet deep enough for advanced experimentation.

For setting up your first live rig or expanding an existing studio, the Korg Volca Drum brings a new dimension to your sound.

Innovative DSP Sound Engine for Unique Tones

At the heart of the Volca Drum is a six-part DSP engine designed to break away from the limitations of traditional drum machines. Instead of relying on static PCM samples, it uses advanced digital modelling to generate fresh and unpredictable percussion sounds.

This approach allows you to create everything from punchy kick drums and sharp snares to metallic strikes and futuristic, experimental tones.

Each of the six parts features a dual-layer structure, allowing you to combine oscillators, modulation, and envelopes in countless ways. Unlike conventional drum kits, where each part is fixed, the Volca Drum gives you the freedom to assign sounds however you want, ensuring no two kits need to sound the same.

Up to 16 fully customisable kits can be stored, with 10 preloaded to get you started straight away.

Sound Shaping and Customisation

Sound design on the Volca Drum goes beyond basic drum programming. You can select from oscillator waveforms such as sine, sawtooth and noise, then shape them using pitch modulators and amp envelopes optimised for percussion.

Add character with bit reduction, intensity with overdrive, or complexity with the wave folding function.

This means every sound can be crafted to match your performance or production style, whether you’re aiming for raw electronic beats, glitchy textures or layered, cinematic percussion.

By blending layers or doubling sounds for extra weight, you can achieve a level of sonic depth not typically found in compact drum machines.

Waveguide Resonator for Expressive Depth

The waveguide resonator gives the Volca Drum a unique edge, adding natural-sounding resonances to your beats. Choose from “tube” mode, which simulates the body of a drum or pipe, or “string” mode for shimmering metallic tones. With simple controls for decay, body and tuning, it’s easy to adjust the resonance to fit your track or performance.

This feature is compelling in live settings, as minor tweaks to the resonator can completely transform the mood of a sequence, providing evolving textures that keep your sound fresh and engaging.

16-Step Sequencer with Powerful Performance Features

The built-in 16-step sequencer is designed for creativity and spontaneity. You can quickly program beats step-by-step or record patterns in real-time while looping playback.

The sequencer also supports motion sequencing, allowing you to capture knob movements and play them back, adding dynamic variation to your tracks.

With the ability to chain up to 16 sequences together, you can build evolving arrangements of up to 256 steps. Features like active step, step jump and slice functions give you the power to experiment with short loops, irregular rhythms, polyrhythms and rapid-fire drum rolls.

Accents can be applied with 16 levels of intensity, letting you add subtle groove and nuance instead of simple on/off dynamics.

Creative Tools to Inspire New Ideas

The Volca Drum isn’t just about precision; it also encourages experimentation. With built-in randomisation functions, you can instantly generate new sounds or sequence variations, sparking ideas you might not have found otherwise. These tools are perfect for live sets where unpredictability and surprise can keep your audience engaged.

Additionally, the choke function ensures that overlapping sounds, such as open and closed hi-hats, behave naturally, with one cutting off the other for a tighter, more realistic rhythm programming.

Build, Design and Integration

The Volca Drum features a durable aluminium panel created through an etching process, giving it a professional, high-quality finish. Its custom LCD display provides excellent visibility and allows for fast, intuitive control, ensuring that even complex settings are easily managed during a live set.

For connectivity, the unit includes a MIDI in port and a sync jack, making it easy to integrate with other Korg Volca units, Electribes or your DAW. This makes the Volca Drum equally at home in a studio production environment or as part of a live performance rig.