Korg Volca series

[Peter Korsten]

Hi Andy,

> Sure, nothing against VA's but I feel like they need to have something 
> new or special about them to make it worth it to make a hardware 
> version as opposed to software.

Perhaps we shouldn't look at hardware synths like that: "Oh, I can do 
that with Moog Big Softie (VST/AU), so why would I bother buying a 
hardware synth?"

For me, personally, hardware synths have a very big advantage over 
software synths, namely, that they're not software. I write software for 
a living, I'm surrounded by software everywhere I go, even my 12 year 
old car runs on software that sometimes fails (so I have to turn off the 
engine to get my speedometer to work again), so to have something that 
simply does what it's supposed to do, after you switch it on and it does 
its little light show, is very enticing.

If you prefer software, because of all the integration, or because you 
can carry 20 synths without having to hire a haulage firm, or whatever 
other reason, no hardware synth is going to lure you away from that – 
unless that hardware synth offers something that you can't possibly get 
in software, such are real analogue components.

One of the loveliest pieces of kit I've ever played on was a Yamaha C3 
baby grand. Totally impractical, but it had this little something that 
you won't get in even the best digital piano or sound bank.

- Peter