Does it work at all with lsdj, or just incorrectly? I know analog ticks need to be set at "c" for the volca to sync correctly. I've only used my cable from volca out to lsdj, and the tempos lock and stay synced even with the extra wire connected. I don't have nanoloop to check it, but my multimeter confirms all three pins are active.

Strange, my working cable for nanoloop doesn't work for LSDJ.

Yep, I used the nanoloop diagram, but also referenced the one in the lsdj manual, around page 53? Or so. Nanoloop just has an extra wire connected for 'out'. Basically the lsdj diagram is exactly the same as nanoloop, only it doesn't show the bottom left gb pin as connected. The nanoloop wiring works fine for lsdj, and I figured I may as well add the extra connection for future flexibility.

Hi there. Can you tell me if the pinout you used was the same as the nanoloops setup? I can't seem to find much wiring information for the lsdj to korg volca cable, only a diagram for nanoloops

Yeah, you're not wrong. My question isn't clear at all. In the end I think I clarified it for myself in the process of typing out that first post. The whole post comes across as someone thinking out loud, which for me isn't exactly conventional, linear, or easily communicable.

It was the start situation that I was curious about, as to what the norm should be for this setup. I tinkered with it, and everything seems right with the actual timing. Sorry about the confusion, I just lack a bit of confidence with this stuff and my thought process isn't super conducive to forum posts, so I don't post often. Still, I really appreciate all of the info that you guys put out there.

I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to do (your post is a bit unclear!), but there are different kinds of MIDI Synch available with LSDJ.

Master mode sends the MIDI clock from LSDJ only. No notes are sent.
Slave mode receives MIDI clock from an external source, and awaits a start signal. No notes are played on receipt.
MIDIOUT mode sends the MIDI notes/CC values etc that you assign in LSDJ (Q00 is your friend).

(and LIVEMAP/SYNCMAP, but I've never used them)

I made a demo video to show exactly how to set up the MIDIOUT portion here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZfVMUw19_c

If you are only trying to synch the devices, and not send notes from the Game Boy, then I would set both at the same tempo first (both the Game Boy and the device you want to synch). I can't remember off hand if the Volcas require you to hit start manually for this kind of synch, but I know that they don't react to start messages when synching with other Volcas - so that would make sense.

If you hit start on one, and then the other at the beginning of the phrase, then the clock from the Game Boy should over-ride the tempo set in the Volca, and you can then alter it accordingly.

There's a great jam by jefftheworld that shows some of what you can do here when you get everything swinging away:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zshieLhp8cw

Just tinkering with analog sync after picking up a volca beats. Full disclosure, I wired up the cable with the extra wire in case I ever snag nanoloop.

Just checking with you guys to see exactly how I should expect this set up to behave, I'm new to this sync stuff.  Is it normal to have to hit start on the gameboy at just the right time to make the phrases line up properly? As I have it, once I do hit start on the gameboy the tempo changes in sync as I adjust it on the volca and it starts out in a kind of tempo lock also- all good. Should I expect them to start together though? Or for them to line up automatically, with one waiting for the other? After typing this all out I'm guessing this is normal since the only info sent is a tick, but I just thought I would check with y'all.