QuNexus with Korg Monotribe and Volca Keys Demo

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Here’s a quick demonstration on how to use the QuNexus to play the Korg Monotribe. To duplicate this technique you will need to update the Monotribe to version 2.10 or later then connect a TRRS mini jack to the sync in port on the Monotribe (tip is gate and the second ring is CV). All the cables you need are in the QuNexus cable kit. I also synched-up the Volca Keys for a simple chord progression. The parts on the Monotribe and Volca were recorded with “flux” mode. This is simply Korg’s term for non-quantized recording. Without “flux” mode on the parts would be made up entirely of 1/8th or 1/16th notes depending on the settings of each instrument (the Volca Keys can also do quarter notes on the 1/4 mode).

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About John CS Keston

John CS Keston is an award winning transdisciplinary artist reimagining how music, video art, and computer science intersect. His work both questions and embraces his backgrounds in music technology, software development, and improvisation leading him toward unconventional compositions that convey a spirit of discovery and exploration through the use of graphic scores, chance and generative techniques, analog and digital synthesis, experimental sound design, signal processing, and acoustic piano. Performers are empowered to use their phonomnesis, or sonic imaginations, while contributing to his collaborative work. Originally from the United Kingdom, John currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he is a professor of Digital Media Arts at the University of St Thomas. He founded the sound design resource, AudioCookbook.org, where you will find articles and documentation about his projects and research. John has spoken, performed, or exhibited original work at New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME 2022), the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC 2022), the International Digital Media Arts Conference (iDMAa 2022), International Sound in Science Technology and the Arts (ISSTA 2017-2019), Northern Spark (2011-2017), the Weisman Art Museum, the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Walker Art Center, the Minnesota Institute of Art, the Eyeo Festival, INST-INT, Echofluxx (Prague), and Moogfest. He produced and performed in the piece Instant Cinema: Teleportation Platform X, a featured project at Northern Spark 2013. He composed and performed the music for In Habit: Life in Patterns (2012) and Words to Dead Lips (2011) in collaboration with the dance company Aniccha Arts. In 2017 he was commissioned by the Walker Art Center to compose music for former Merce Cunningham dancers during the Common Time performance series. His music appears in The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (2012) and he composed the music for the short Familiar Pavement (2015). He has appeared on more than a dozen albums including two solo albums on UnearthedMusic.com.

17 thoughts on “QuNexus with Korg Monotribe and Volca Keys Demo”

  1. Hi there! Nice vid. I just bought a Qunexus and I wanted to use it to control my Arturia Microbrute through the CV ins and outs. I can’t seem to figure out how to get it to work properly. I’m new to working with MIDI and CV stuff. I was wondering if you could make a tutorial on how you got it to work. First I tried to follow the instructions on the Qunexus website; it didnt work so then I tried every combination of ins and outs on the boards and it still wont trigger even a sound. I was thinking maybe my particular controller was defective. I was told it would be pretty easy to set this up, just plug and play.. Please help if you feel so inclined!

    Tom

  2. Hi Tom. I’d love to make a tutorial but I don’t have a Microbrute. However, perhaps I can steer you in the right direction. It’s not quite plug and play. Usually the process will require calibration on the synth that you’re controlling, or alternatively, the QuNexus can be configured for different voltage per octave settings. In my case all the setup was on the Monotribe, so perhaps you’ll have to start with Microbrute documentation. Also, it is critical that you have compatible cables. I used th KMI QuNexus cable kit (sold separately). Do you have the cable kit? Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes.

  3. Hi. thanks for the reply. Do you think you could make a general Qunexus to CV tutorial? I have the right cables, but not from KMI. It’s just weird that I’m not getting any sound at all, so I’m wondering if when I plug the Qunexus in I have to change some setting on it or something.

  4. No settings should need to be changed on the QuNexus. You’ve probably seen it, but this page explains the cv/gate functionality: http://www.keithmcmillen.com/qunexus/cv

    You’ll need a breakout cable. 1/8″ TRS male to two 1/8″ mono male outs. Plug the TRS end into the “Gate CV1″ port on the left side of the QuNexus. Now you have two mono 1/8” outs. One is gate the other is CV. Make sure you plug them into the proper places on the Microbrute and things should start to happen.

  5. John, thank you for this video. Do you know if you can control Volca series by CV with QuNexus also? Can you control other parameters ( filter cut-off, pitch, amplitude) on Volca with pressure ( side by side and up and down) on keys like in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxohjglTleo ?
    Thank you.

  6. Hey Derek. Looks like what they are doing in the video is not a function of the QuNexus, but a spring loaded pitch bend device that is independent from it. As far as I know there is no way to send CV to the Volcas without modifying them. Obviously they all send and receive a gate clock signal, but CV is not enabled currently. Barring a software update from Korg you’ll have to look at mods to handle CV like so:

    http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/08/14/korg-volca-beats-mods/

    That said, the Volcas have MIDI and the QuNexus can do MIDI through a computer with an interface, or with the KMI MIDI Expander. You can even add a MIDI output mod very easily. I’ve actualy done this to my Volca Keys:

    https://audiocookbook.org/korg-volca-keys-midi-out-mod/

    EDIT: With the QuNexus via MIDI you should be able to map the tilt feature to bend notes on the Volca Keys, although I have found it awkward because it is up/down versus side to side.

  7. Hi John, this is awesome! Trying to do the same (QuNexus+Monotribe), but for now I can only play a C on the QuNexus whole key range… The calibration (as described on Korg’s instructions) doesn’t seem to work (or I am missing something at this step)… Seems I’ve done the right connections between the TRS and the TRRS cables (as shown on your video : TRS red on TRRS red / TRS black on TRRS yellow)… Any suggestions ? Peace /Jé.

  8. Hmmm… If you’re getting a C then the gate must be working. Does the sound turn on and off when you play a key on the QuNexus? Have you tried other cables? Cheers!

  9. Thanks for your answer! Yes the sound turns on /off. You’re right, it comes from the cables: with the QuNexus cable set, the Monotribe “answers” in a chromatic way, but inverted (the sound holds after releasing the key and turns off when pushing). Inverting the connexions doesn’t solve the problem (at all): better to build my own cable ;-) Think KMI should include this specific cable to the next version of its cable set… Anyway, thanks again for your help, John!

  10. Solved!
    With the QuNexus cable set.
    CV/Gate mode setup on the Monotribe: step 1 = led on / step 2 and 3 = led off.
    ;-)

  11. Glad you solved it! I remember fussing with the settings as well, but I thought since you were getting gate that it must have been your cable to the CV in. Nice one!

  12. Hello John,

    I really like the setup you have here and am trying to get it to work for me – it has inspired me to dust off my Monotribe. Basically I have all the necessary CV cables from KMI, Qunexus, Monotribe 2.11 and followed your and the Korg Gate mode instructions to the letter. Alas, nothing apart from the odd single sustained note will occur, no matter how many plug variations I try. Do you know of a step by step tutorial resource to actually get this thing working. (Yeah, I’m a bit of a noob.) Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thx very much, very nice site, Matt

  13. Hi Matt. Thanks for the comment. I seem to remember having to run a calibration sequence that was detailed in the 2.11 documentation. Have you tried that?

  14. Hi John,

    thanks for your quick reply. I actually did the 2.11 calibration sequence (repeatedly). Still not working… As of now my guess is that the CV port is probably damaged as I only get any sound transmission when the plugs are inserted a quarter of the way in both sockets on the left. I’ll see if things change when the new QuNexus arrives. Have a good weekend, Matt

  16. I haven’t and it’s not possible on the Volcas without modding them. The 1/8″ input is only for sync with other Volcas, the Monotribe, or an audio based sync signal from another source (i.e. Sampler, DAW, etc.). The Monotribe on the other hand can receive gate/pitch via CV with lastest firmware upgrade. I made a video demonstrating that here:

    https://audiocookbook.org/qunexus-monotribe-demo/

  17. I really appreciated the demo of the qunexus with the monotribe. The KMI cable is TRRS to TRS/ TRS, right? I had some issues with my Korg SQ-1 – clock works, but pitch completely fails. I just tried it with 1/8″ mono cables. I don’t know what I am doing wrong, as I own a similar TRRS to TRS/ TRS cable. What could I be doing wrong? Of course, I am assuming you have an SQ-1.

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