Culture
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Hi there, it's been awhile since i've posted here!
I've done a bit of research on on this, and am aware that you're able to trigger the korg volca keys and bass with the gameboy (using lsdj and nanoloop)
But I was wondering if it were possible to use the sequencer in lsdj to write melodies/ basslines for the korg volcas.
I would have tested this myself, but as I don't have a very stable gameboy the connection is quite weak already - even for just triggering the volca keys.

If this is possible, or can be made possible, I think this coud open up a whole new way of working with miniature hardware synths.

Thanks for reading,
and my apologies if this has been covered already

KeFF
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Turku, FIN

Its possible with aBoy and midiout from LSDj

Mrwimmer
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Los Angeles, CA

Yes, you need the midiout version of the LSDJ rom and an arduinoboy.  I've been doing exactly what you're describing, it works and sounds great smile

ForaBrokenEarth
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Nottingham, UK

I got a slightly dodgy sync going using the noise channel panned to one side. Any more than that, as the others said, requires an arduinoboy.

Last edited by ForaBrokenEarth (Jan 28, 2015 4:06 pm)

jefftheworld
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Yeah, it'll require external hardware to do but it works really well, skip ahead to the 1 minute mark in this video for an example of all three volcas sequenced by a single Game Boy running LSDJ:

http://youtu.be/zshieLhp8cw?t=1m1s

Note: some of the internal Game Boy Channels are also used at points for layered affects and additional voices.

Last edited by jefftheworld (Jan 28, 2015 7:45 pm)

herr_prof
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just popping by to say that jam is great.

jefftheworld
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
herr_prof wrote:

just popping by to say that jam is great.

I'm not going to lie, I went on for another 20 minutes. Jamming is always super fun with a setup like this. To the OP and anyone else, I highly recommend trying something like this if you're a chiptune/tracker person looking to get into some knob and keyboard action. It's the best of both worlds.

Last edited by jefftheworld (Jan 29, 2015 4:16 am)

Culture
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Awesome! Thanks for all the replies guys. This is awesome. I guess i'll have to get saving for a modded gameboy as my soldering and electronics skills are not so great... at all haha

One more question;
Forgive me if I've completely missed something here, but whilst viewing Jefftheworlds's video of his jam session, I noticed all the sounds -minus the kick drum (i think)- were 8bit sounds being run through the modulators of the volcas etc. Is it possible to have it so you just write the sequence in lsdj, but use the analog sounds of the volca keys?
Basically I want to use lsdj as a sort of midi sequencer for the volca.

If that comes with the deal of the rest, then I am definitely going to be spending money when I shouldn't be tongue

Thanks again for all the responses!

p.s
That jam was amazing, jefftheworld! It's made me hungry for more hardware!!!

Mrwimmer
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Los Angeles, CA

Yes, that is what Jefftheworld was doing.  You still get to use the internal channels from LSDJ in addition to whatever you're sequencing

Culture
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sweet! That's all I needed to know. Gonna look into getting a decent gameboy mod. Thanks man.

..and thanks again for all the info guys!
been a great help!

jefftheworld
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Yeah, there are a couple voices being done by the Game Boy but it's mostly the Volcas. The only thing here to keep in mind is that LSDJ's control over MIDI CCs is rather limited and so you'll have to be more involved in knob twisting and unable to really push the Volcas to weird places.

With more powerful external sequencing - Renoise, in my setup - you can do some really intense things with fast MIDI CC use.

Last edited by jefftheworld (Jan 31, 2015 4:20 am)

LazierGunz
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Cleveland, Ohio

Arduinoboy + LSDJ Midi out to volcas works very well as a midi sequencer. Here's a live recording of a test cover song I did; it's 1 GB with LSDJ sequencing Volca Beats and Volca Bass via Midi Out (I just used a midi splitter) as well as having the LSDJ sounds. It's all running through a mini KP for FX. I was planning on eventually making more tracks and videos showing this setup..

https://m.soundcloud.com/laziergunz/eve … -stay-down

Note!
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Brooklon

If you want to control multiple synths (I have LSDJ sequencing an MFB-522, MFB Nanozwerg and MSX) you'll need a midi patchbay or splitter. I use a Kawai Mav-8 and it does the job perfectly. Jefftheworld is right though - CC through LSDJ is a pain. If you are just trigger notes and program changes though, you'll be fine. Once you have a handle on how you need to coordinate your Q- N- and Y- commands with the rest of your information in LSDJ, you'll be flying.

Just beware of ghost MIDI information - I get a fair bit of it when using a DMG. Moving to a GB color helps a bit (better processor) but I still get some MIDI garbage from time to time.

Have fun! LSDJ as sequencer is great fun.

herr_prof
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you can mess with the delay settings in the max patch editor to remove the ghosting... also running through a smart midi filter spliter whatever like the motu micro seems to help prevent garbage midi... as does clean power.

Note!
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Brooklon
herr_prof wrote:

you can mess with the delay settings in the max patch editor to remove the ghosting... also running through a smart midi filter spliter whatever like the motu micro seems to help prevent garbage midi... as does clean power.

oh laaaawd I messed with those delay settings so many times. Never could find a setting that would fully get rid of ghost notes. Talked to tim about it and there was apparently something in the last aboy rom that was screwy. I need to get back to him about that actually...

Never considered that the midi patchbay could be part of the problem. Though I still get garbage when going straight from GB to synth..

Last edited by Note! (Feb 3, 2015 4:12 am)

PULSELOOPER
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São Paulo, Brazil

LSDJ + Volca bass = FUN.