Setting up volcas

Hello people I have trouble setting up my pyramid so it controls 3 volcas separately. I have done all the settings as described here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzRDYh-8P_8 and set the volcas to channels 1, 2 and 3. when i hit play, all instruments start at once (also my drum machine on MIDI out B) and whatever i do in step mode does not make any difference. However all synths receive clock from the pyramid. This is my first sequencer so im kinda in the dark on this.

Yo,

I assume you want to programme the volcas using the step sequencer on the Pyramid - as opposed to the step sequencers on the volcas?

If so, you can send clock (aka sync in pyramid world) but NOT start/stop. That way they will still be able to do tempo related things (like tempo locked LFOs etc) but their sequencers won’t start playing when you hit play on the Pyramid.

Dunno what your setup is but I’m guessing you will need a MIDI splitter to send DIN MIDI separately to the 3 volcas from the pyramid as I don’t think they pass MIDI notes on/off, CCs etc over their mini jack sync channels. Just clock… I might be wrong. No doubt someone will correct me if so.

Have a volca kick here which is great for sub bass (never got any particularly pleasing kick drums out of it, mind) and never had any issues with working it from the Pyramid. It is possible! Don’t give up.

There are stop/start send/off settings for the MIDI A and B ports on the Pyramid so if you don’t want your drum machine sequences to trigger then just repeat the process on that port too.

Let us know how you get on.

jim

i got it to work now and shook my head for a while xD the problem was that the saved default pattern from the volcas was playing over whatever i put in the sequencer. so once i pressed delete all on the volcas it worked! feeling a bit stupid but happy now. thanks for the reply Jim!

Actually, I think even if you do send start/stop you should still be OK. Providing you delete any active steps you have programmed on the volcas. Can’t check now because I’m in the pub.

jim

Nice one. Our posts are criss crossing in cyberspace. Glad you got it working. jim

Actually using Pyramide sequencer along with the Volca’s internal sequencer can be fun. I am sometimes running a pattern sent from Pyramid to my Volca Keys, and i can add notes on the fly on the Volca Sequencer. I can then delete them with a quick key combination. Of course i could also do that only with the Pyramid sequencer, but this is quicker and intuitive. I guess this can be done with any Volca machine.

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