The Korg Volca Modular is an affordable micro modular synth that pumps out electric West Coast beats
Analog or bust
If you’re keen to dabble in the world of electronic music but have been put off by the hefty price tags usually slapped on synths, Korg has got you covered. The Japanese company has just launched an affordable West Coast style semi-modular analog synthesizer called the Volca Modular (£179) that looks to be an ideal starting point for budding digital maestros. The pocket-sized unit features 50 patch points, with color-coded inputs and outputs and easily identifiable audio, control, gate, and trigger signals. It also comes with twenty pin cables so you can begin weaving together beats straight out of the box, and is equipped with a full-fledged 16-step sequencer that facilitates realtime recording and automatic performance, even when used standalone. As you can tell from the amount of jargon we’ve just thrown at you, there’s still a pretty steep learning curve when learning to master any synth, but at least you won’t have to break the bank to get started with the Volca Modular.