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QuNexus + Volca Sample

will.dstgd
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon May 25, 2015 10:18 am

QuNexus + Volca Sample

Postby will.dstgd » Mon May 25, 2015 10:27 am

Hey guys, I'm at the end of my rope here, i could really use some help in the CV department. The QuNexus and the Volca sample are my first steps into the world of CV, and I am having zero luck getting them to play nice together. Basically my first/main goal is to be able to use the QuNexus as a bridge so I can slave the Volca to Ableton's tempo, (or the other way, i just want the sequencers to be in sync). I am all out of ideas. Maybe I misunderstood the CV capabilities i'm looking for but if this is in any way possible i would really like to know one way or another so I can get my sanity back :lol: .

Thanks in advance for any advice!
emmett@KMI
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 1:00 pm

Re: QuNexus + Volca Sample

Postby emmett@KMI » Tue May 26, 2015 4:45 pm

Hi Will,

CV can be complicated, what have you tried so far?

One thing to know is that your Volca has a MIDI jack so you should be able to bypass the CV sync and go straight from your computer into the Volca MIDI jack.

Another thing to know is that the Volca's CV sync input is looking to receive a series of high voltage triggers, each time a trigger is received the sequencer moves forward. How many triggers are needed per 1/16th measure on the Volca is determined by the Volca's internal sequencer resolution.

If you have the QuNexus CV cable kit and are not using your QuNexus for anything else then you can send sync triggers to your Volca. The easiest way is to create a looping MIDI clip in Live and have it send a constant stream of short notes. Then you will need to route that MIDI track to QuNexus MIDI port 3 on channel 2. Last, plug the "Gate" end of the QuNexus CV output cable into the Volca sync input.

Does that answer your question?
will.dstgd
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon May 25, 2015 10:18 am

Re: QuNexus + Volca Sample

Postby will.dstgd » Thu May 28, 2015 1:58 pm

Hey Emmett, thanks for the reply! I'm trying to use the Volca as part of a more portable "travel rig" so so i'm trying to avoid bringing my interface, which makes MIDI not an ideal option.

What you suggested is basically what i've been trying. Is the Cable kit the only way to sync the QU? I was using the RTS cable that came with my volca to try a QuNexus>volca sync and i also purchased a RTTS cable for $5 (i'm a cheap ass :mrgreen: ) to try a volca>QuNexus sync, but neither seem to work.

Strangly enough, I accidentally discovered that if i press certain chords on the QuNexus keys that I can get the volca to jump forward a step, but programming those same chords in a MIDI clip in Ableton does not move the sequencer at all.
emmett@KMI
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 1:00 pm

Re: QuNexus + Volca Sample

Postby emmett@KMI » Mon Jun 01, 2015 2:24 pm

Hi Will,

You don't have to buy the cable kit exactly but you will need a custom cable or you will need to modify a cable because it is not a common cable. Ideally you will have a TRS to dual mono cable like we have in the QuNexus cable kit but if you want just a gate out with no pitch information you could also use a TRS to TS (also called mono) cable where:

1. The ring of the TRS side is wired to the tip of the TS side
2. The tip of the TRS side is discarded.

The reason why you were getting steps moved is likely because the pitch cv is being routed to your Volca's sync input. You may have hit a low enough note that it was under the Volca's gate input voltage threshold followed by a note high enough to trigger the sync input. You could test this by sending a series of notes that alternate between the lowest note and the highest note (C0 - C7). It may take several alternations to move one step or the sequencer may move once each alternation.

While the QuNexus is in your mobile rig, am I correct in assuming that you are going to want to use the QuNexus for a reason other than a clock generator? If so you may want to use out CV2 or CV3 for this task. You can program a pseudo gate by drawing in CC automation on a MIDI clip in Ableton Live. The automation will look like a square or pulse wave - full on then full off, alternating in a loop. If my theory about why your chords were advancing the sequencer then you should be able to use your existing cable with CV2. If my theory was wrong then you would need a new cable.

For more help with how to automate with CC data for QuNexus CV conversion you may be interested in a tutorial I made on the KMI Blog:
http://www.keithmcmillen.com/blog/seque ... onversion/

Let me know what you find!

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