Access Virus TI Desktop User Manual
Virus TI User Manual
Copyright 2004-2006 Kemper Digital GmbH. All rights
reserved.
This manual, as well as the software and hardware described
in it, is furnished under license and may be used or copied only
in accordance with the terms of such license. The content of
this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to
change without notice and should not construed as a commitment by Kemper Digital GmbH.
Kemper Digital GmbH assumes no responsibility or liability
for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this book.
Except as permitted by such license, no part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of Kemper Digital GmbH.
Virus is a trademark of Kemper Digital GmbH. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective
owners. All features and specifications subject to change without notice.
For the latest revision of this manual, visit our website:
www.access-music.de
2
Table Of Contents
Introduction
WELCOME 8
THE VARIOUS CHAPTERS 8
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 9
MAINTENANCE 9
THE REAR PANEL 10
ROTATING THE SOCKETS 11
SETTING UP 11
SWITCHING ON AND OFF 12
SELECTING PROGRAMS 12
ABOUT THE MENUS 13
DIFFERENT WAYS OF WORKING 14
ABOUT USB CONNECTION 16
CREATING NEW SOUNDS 17
ABOUT POLYPHONY 17
First Steps
CHEESE FOR STARTERS? 20
THE AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE SECTION 21
THE FILTERS SECTION 24
THE FILTER ENVELOPE SECTION 29
THE OSCILLATORS SECTION 30
THE MIX SECTION 35
THE MODULATORS SECTION 37
THE MATRIX SECTION 39
THE ARP SECTION 40
THE EFFECTS SECTION 41
THE MASTER SECTION 44
HYPERSAW AND WAVETABLE 47
VirusControl
INTRODUCTION 50
3
COMPATIBILITY 52
STARTING UP 53
LOADING VIRUSCONTROL 55
EASY PAGE 57
BROWSER PAGE 58
OSC PAGE 63
FILTER PAGE 65
LFO PAGE 67
MATRIX PAGE 68
ARP PAGE 69
FX PAGE 70
COMMON PAGE 71
REMOTE PAGE 72
GENERAL HINTS AND TIPS 74
Sound Parameters Reference
ARP 76
ARPEGGIATOR 76
MATRIX 79
SLOT 79
MODULATORS 81
LFO 1 82
LFO 2 84
LFO 3 84
LFO 1 DESTINATIONS 84
LFO 2 DESTINATIONS 86
LFO 3 DESTINATION 87
EFFECTS (UPPER ROW) 89
DELAY 90
REVERB 91
LOW EQ 93
MID EQ 94
HIGH EQ 94
EFFECTS (LOWER ROW) 95
DISTORTION 95
ANALOG BOOST 96
CHORUS 97
PHASER 98
VOCODER 100
VOCODER TABLE 104
INPUT FOLLOWER 105
INPUT RING MODULATOR 106
OSCILLATORS 107
OSCILLATOR 1 – CLASSIC 110
OSCILLATOR 1 – HYPERSAW 112
OSCILLATOR 1 – WAVETABLE 114
OSCILLATOR 2 – CLASSIC 115
OSCILLATOR 2 – HYPERSAW 117
OSCILLATOR 2 – WAVETABLE 118
OSCILLATOR 3 120
4
COMMON 121
SUB OSCILLATOR 123
NOISE 124
RING MODULATOR 124
MASTER 125
COMMON 128
UNISON 131
VELOCITY MAP 132
INPUTS 133
SURROUND 134
CATEGORIES 134
SOFT KNOB 135
STORE 136
STORE 136
MIX 137
FILTERS 139
SATURATION 140
FILTER-1 141
FILTER-2 143
COMMON 144
FILTER ENVELOPE 145
AMP ENVELOPE 146
FILTER ENVELOPE 148
AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE 149
Configuration Reference
RANDOM PG 152
MIDI 152
MIDI DUMP RX 154
MIDI DUMP TX 154
KEYBOARD 155
MIDI CONTROL 157
INPUTS 158
AUDIO CLOCK 159
SOFT KNOB (GLOBAL SETTINGS) 159
KNOB BEHAVIOUR 160
GLOBAL TUNING 160
SYSTEM 161
Multi Mode Reference
PATCH 166
Appendix A - Legal Declarations
COMPLIANCE 172
DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY 174
WARRANTY REGULATIONS 175
5
Appendix B - Glossary
GLOSSARY 178
Appendix - Patch Names
ROM-A 192
Index
INDEX OF FUNCTIONS ETC. 210
6
1: Introduction
Welcome
Dear Virus owner
Congratulations on choosing the new Virus TI, the latest generation in a deliberate process of evolution that has kept the
Virus name at the forefront of synthesizer technology for many
years. TI stands for Total Integration, meaning that the hardware can be fully integrated into a PC or Mac-based studio via
the VirusControl
Before switching your Virus TI on, please read this chapter
thoroughly!
™
plug-in (VSTi or Apple Audio Unit).
The Various Chapters
This manual is structured as follows:
> Introduction: What you are reading now. Fundamental infor-
mation you should know before trying out your Virus.
> First Steps: A practical guide for beginners, intermediates
and experts alike. The best starting point before delving into
the reference chapters.
> Sound Parameters Reference: The main body of this man-
ual. Every parameter concerning sound generation and
treatment is listed here, with brief explanations and crossreferences.
> Configuration Reference: All global settings – parameters
used to adapt the Virus to suit your way of working.
> Multi Mode Reference: A list of the Multi Mode parame-
ters, with brief explanations.
> VirusControl: Introduction to the VirusControl application.
> Appendices: Legal matters, charts, diagrams, glossary.
>Index: Where to look when you are not sure where to look!
8
Safety Precautions
Please read the following carefully. Some of this advice concerns your health as well as that of your instrument!
Avoid exposing your Virus to moisture, dust or dirt. Do not place
open liquids (e.g. coffee cups) anywhere near the unit. If any
substances get into the Virus housing, you should switch it off,
disconnect the power supply and contact a qualified service
techician.
Avoid exposing the unit to excessive heat or direct sunlight.
Especially when rack-mounting your Virus (desktop version),
please ensure that relatively cool air can circulate freely around
the unit.
Avoid exposing the unit to physical shock or vibrations. Make
sure it is placed firmly on a flat surface or properly secured in a
rack.
If your Virus model requires a 12V DC external power supply,
only use the one that was included with the unit. Never connect
the Virus to a power outlet that does not fully comply with
national safety regulations. Never use an external power supply
which wasn’t designed to match the local voltage requirements.
Disconnect the power whenever you are unlikely to use the
Virus for a long period of time. Always pull on the plug itself, not
on the cord. Never touch the mains plug with wet hands.
The Virus is capable of generating levels that can cause irre-
versible damage to your ears, either via an external amplifier or
when using headphones connected directly to the unit. Please
keep levels reasonable at all times! Make sure that the equipment you connect the Virus TI to matches the Virus’
requiremtents (+4dB Outputs etc.)
Maintenance
Updating the OS
Access Music is famous for improving their products via free
updates to the operating system. We recommend that you visit
www.access-music.de regularly and download the latest OS.
Cleaning
Only use a soft, dry cloth or soft brush to clean the panel – do
not apply any liquids. Note that industrial or household solvents
can cause severe damage to surfaces.
Repair
Never open the Virus yourself – there are no user-servicable
parts inside. If your Virus ever needs repairing, please contact a
qualified service technician.
9
Replacing the Battery
To prevent your sounds from being lost whenever you switch
off the power, there is a battery inside your Virus. This may
need replacing after 4 or 5 years by a qualified service technician. Remember to backup your data beforehand!
The Rear Panel
Sockets
>USB: Audio and MIDI communication with computers.
Disposal
Disposal of old Electronical & Electronic equipment (Applicable
throughout the European Union and other European countries
with seperate collection program).
The marking shown on the product indicates that it should not
be disposed with other household waste. Please take your
Virus TI to an applicable collection point for recycling of electronical and electronic items.
For further questions on an ecological friendly disposal of this
product, please contact your Access dealer respectively your
local government office.
> MIDI IN / OUT / THRU: The usual trio
>S/PDIF: Digital audio I/O
> INPUT: Audio input jacks
>OUTPUT 1: Main audio output jacks
>OUTPUT 2 / 3: Additional audio output jacks
> 12V DC IN (desktop model): Power supply input socket.
> HEADPHONES: Stereo audio output jack.
10
Rotating the sockets
The sockets on the rear panel of the Virus TI desktop model can
be rotated 90° so that the unit can be mounted in a 19” rack
without requiring free space above the “back” panel. Many
owners will consider themselves skilled enough to attempt the
following themselves – although this should ideally be done by a
professional technician. We recommend to contact your Access
dealer for further assistance.
Important notice: Kemper Digital GmbH takes no responsibility
whatsoever for any damage incurred while attempting to carry
out these instructions! Rotating the sockets does not void the
warranty of a Virus TI Desktop.
What you will need: A flat and soft working surface (e.g. your
couch), a bowl or similar for the screws, a suitable crosspoint
screwdriver and hexagonal key.
Remove any attached cables and turn the unit upside down.
Remove the end-cheeks using the hexagonal key.
Using a small cross-point screwdriver, remove the 6 screws in
the baseplate. Carefully remove the baseplate and set it aside
for the moment. Remove the 6 screws between the rear-panel
sockets.
Pull up the “sockets unit” a little and perch it on the ledge of the
back panel. Using both hands, carefully pull the 40-way con-
nector from its socket on the motherboard. The sockets unit is
now free.
Using the latest set of screws (i.e. the ones without pointed
ends), attach the sockets unit firmly into the baseplate, which
has all the necessary holes.
Position the baseplate (with the sockets now firmly in place) so
that the 40-way cable can reach the socket on the motherboard. Carefully but firmly plug it all the way in.
“Close the lid” and use the remaining 6 small screws to reattach
the baseplate. Turn the unit “right side up” and attach the power
cable to ensure that the 40-way plug has been properly fitted.
Setting Up
The following steps include several important precautions. In
addition to the simple setup described here, the Virus TI can be
connected in a variety of ways to suit virtually any audio environment.
Please do not plug the Virus into the mains power yet. First of
all, temporarily switch off any devices you will eventually be
connecting your Virus to, and turn all main volume controls
(mixer, amplifier) down to minimum.
If your Virus is a desktop version, connect the MIDI OUT from a
keyboard or sequencer to the MIDI IN socket on the Virus.
11
Connect both the OUTPUT 1 sockets (standard mono jacks) to
two line inputs on your stereo amplifier or audio mixer. Make
sure to only use qualified amplifiers. Check back with your
local Access dealer for further details. When using two separate mixer channels, pan them to the extreme left and right
respectively. If you prefer to use headphones, use the HEADPHONES socket on the rear panel.
Connect your Virus to the mains power. Press both TRANS-
POSE buttons at the same time to “wake up” the Virus. Switch
the rest of your equipment on in the following order: the MIDI
send device (keyboard or sequencer etc.), then the mixer and
finally the amplifier.
Set up the MIDI send device (keyboard or sequencer) so that it
sends on MIDI channel 1 (for now).
Turn up the MASTER VOLUME on your Virus to maximum and,
while playing some notes, adjust the volume controls on your
mixer/amplifier to a reasonable listening level. If you are using
a mixer, you might find some useful advice on setting optimum
levels in the mixer´s own documentation.
Switching On and Off
Virus TI models do not have a physical on/off switch. To put
the unit into standby mode, press and hold both TRANSPOSE
buttons until the countdown reaches zero. Press the same buttons to “wake up” the Virus again.
Selecting Programs
Your Virus TI has 20 banks of memory (RAM-A to RAM-D,
ROM-A to ROM-P), each containing 128 SINGLE programs
numbered from 0 to 127. A total of 2560 sounds...
To try out some sounds, make sure you are in SINGLE mode
and that no menu is open – you might have to press the
SINGLE button (in the Master section to the right of the display) first. There are three basic methods of selection:
Sequentially
The most obvious way to select programs is by stepping
through them using the BANK and PROGRAM buttons to the
right of the display. When any menu is open, these buttons are
used for PARAMETERS and VALUE instead – see “About the
Menus” below. To scroll automatically, hold one of them down
for a while.
A quick method of reaching any program within the current
Bank: Hold down SHIFT and turn the VALUE 3 knob.
12
By Category
Because there are so many sounds to choose from, programs
can be assigned one or two so-called “Categories”. This information is stored within each program. A practical demonstration:
Press the SEARCH button to the left of the display and use the
VALUE 1 knob to change the category to “Drums”. Then use the
VALUE +/- buttons to browse through programs – in the bar at
the top of the screen you will see programs that are in the
“Drums” category only. When you have found a suitable program, press the
ÛEXIT button.
About the Menus
How to open menus
The main menus are opened via the EDIT buttons you will find in
most of the sections. The usual method is to SELECT an element first (e.g. LFO1, OSC 2 or REVERB) then press the EDIT
button in that same section.
All buttons in the MATRIX section as well as CONFIG in the
Master section also open menus.
Via MIDI
All MIDI sequencers and professional MIDI keyboards are capable of transmitting Bank and Program change messages via
MIDI.
How to make full use of Edit Buttons
If pressed repeatedly, the EDIT buttons in the FILTERS and
MASTER sections will step through the menu pages. Those in
the OSCILLATORS and lower EFFECTS sections toggle
between the selectable (element-specific) pages and additional,
non-selectable parameters e.g. the Vocoder. Similarly, the one
in the MODULATORS section toggles between the selected
LFO’s main settings and its Destinations menu.
How to navigate within menus
Many menus in your Virus require more than one page. These
can be found by using the PARAMETERS buttons (in the Master
section, to the right of the display).
13
If a menu is already open, selecting a different element within
the same section (e.g. LFO3 instead of LFO1, OSC1 instead of
OSC2 or LOW EQ instead of REVERB) will jump to the new
menu.
How to change values within menus
Use the VALUE knobs below the display. Whenever you enter
a menu page, one of the parameters will already be active
(indicated by a triangular cursor). Its value can be decremented/incremented via the VALUE buttons. To move the cursor without changing values, hold down SHIFT and press one
of the PARAMETERS buttons.
There is actually a system parameter which governs how the
PARAMETERS buttons work – see “Navigation” on page 163.
How to close menus
To exit any menu, press the ÛEXIT button to the left of the display. It is not necessary to press
menu. Re-selecting the current basic mode (SINGLE, MULTI)
will also exit menus.
ÛEXIT before opening a new
Different Ways of Working
Single mode
This is the standard mode for playing just one sound at a time.
The next chapter is a simple but detailed tutorial to help you
become familiar with Single mode operation.
Multi mode
Your Virus can play 16 different sounds at the same time:
MULTI programs contain 16 PARTS, each equivalent to a
SINGLE program plus a few additional parameters such as
MIDI channel, fine tuning, key range etc..
Unlike earlier Virus models and many other synthesizers,
MULTI programs in the Virus TI do not simply reference individual sounds, but actually contain the data, including all
effects. Multi mode is therefore predestined for more complex
programs.
Whenever the Bank or Patch parameters (see “Patch” on
page 166) are changed, the corresponding Single program is
copied into the current Part of the Multi program. For details
about Multi mode parameters, see the “Multi Mode Reference”
on page 165.
14
Sequencer mode
Whereas Multi mode offers maximum flexibility for layering
sounds, defining keyboard splits etc., Sequencer Mode is usually the better choice for multitrack MIDI sequencing purposes.
Press the MULTI and SINGLE buttons at the same time (or start
the VirusControl application – see below). Sequencer Mode
accesses an area of memory containing 16 Single programs. It
couldn’t be simpler: the MIDI channel is always the same as the
PART number (1 to 16).
Remote mode
The Virus TI can be used as a MIDI controller i.e. the controls
can be configured to suit a variety of MIDI devices. There are
several Remote setups suitable for popular devices already
included in your unit. Remote mode is accessed by holding
down SHIFT and pressing the CONFIG button to the left of the
display. User-defined remote setups can be created using
VirusControl...
VirusControl
The VirusControl application (for PC or Mac) makes the Virus TI
appear to be a multi-channel VST/AU soft-synth within any suitable host program e.g. Logic, Cubase etc.. Virus TI is the
world’s first hardware synthesizer featuring sample-accurate
timing and delay-compensated audio/MIDI. See “VirusControl”
on page 145 for details on setting up, compatibility and how to
work with this revolutionary feature.
15
About USB Connection
Don’t use a hub! To achieve the level of performance and integration the Virus TI series provides, you must reserve a USB
slot exclusively for the Virus TI i.e. this specific port should not
be shared with any other USB device. During beta-testing with
various PC and Mac setups, we found that using certain USB
hubs not only slowed down the connection speed but often
made the entire connection unreliable. For this reason, we
eventually decided not to support the use of USB hubs at all.
Note: Virus Control constantly checks the MIDI and AUDIO
connections and displays an alert message if it sees any problems.
A Typical Setup
Changing knob response
A global parameter (see “Response” on page 160) affects how
most of the knobs on your Virus react, and the current value of
this parameter may not suit your needs...
16
Press the CONFIG button to the left of the display and use the
PARAMETERS buttons to scroll through the pages until you
reach the one shown above. Using the VALUE 1 knob, change
Response to “Jump” if this is not already selected. Press the
ÛEXIT button to return to normal operation. Later on, you may
prefer one of the other options (Snap or Rel) to prevent glitches
during live performance.
Note that some knobs will have no audible effect because they
depend on other parameters e.g. the RATE of an LFO that isn’t
being used, or the DECAY of an envelope when SUSTAIN is at
maximum etc..
Creating New Sounds
The INIT Programs
The end of bank ROM-A has been reserved for a few simple
templates, which you can use whenever you want to create
sounds “from scratch”. For instance, the instructions in the next
chapter will often ask you to select one of those.
About Polyphony
The average number of voices the TI series (with its two DSPs)
can deliver is quoted at about 80, with a maximum of more than
100. However, to reach such giddy heights, the TI makes very
dynamic use of resources i.e. using certain features can lower
polyphony to well below these figures. For instance, doubling
the number of Unison voices e.g. from 3 to 6 will reduce
polyphony by half.
If you ever find you need to maximize polyphony (e.g. in Multi
mode), try minimizing your use of the following “prime suspects” first: Unison mode, Reverb, Analog Filter models and
Oscillator 3.
17
18
2: First Steps
This hands-on tutorial introduces every physical control on the panel, as well as a few important parameters in the menus.
Cheese for Starters?
If your Virus TI is a desktop model, you should have a MIDI keyboard connected...
The most effective way of getting to know your Virus is by performing very simple exercises “hands-on”, and that’s why
many of the sounds you will be asked to make are cheesy to
say the least! Despite the risk of compromising your aesthetic
sensibilities or overstating the obvious, I hope you will appreciate the advantages of this method.
Throughout this chapter you will often be asked to “Restore
ROM-A126” or “Restore ROM-A127”. To do this, press the
ÛEXIT button (closes any open menu), then use the VALUE
buttons to step to the neighbouring program then back again.
Make sure you are in SINGLE mode, then select program
ROM-A127 (i.e. Bank ROM-A, program number 127). Play a
note on your keyboard. Like an organ, the sound starts
abruptly, sustains as long as you hold down the key, then
stops abruptly. Unlike an organ, you can change this behaviour
by adjusting a few “envelope” parameters...
20
The Amplifier Envelope Section
The four knobs at the bottom right of the panel control the
amplifier envelope i.e. how volume changes during and immediately after each note you play:
ATTACK
Turn the ATTACK knob down to minimum to reach the value
already stored in ROM-A127 (which is 0). Now turn it up slowly
while repeatedly playing notes on your keyboard – you will hear
the start of each note becoming progressively slower. Leave
ATTACK at around 40 for now.
>ATTACK: How long it takes for the level to go from silence to
maximum.
>DECAY: How long it takes from maximum to the SUSTAIN
level...
> SUSTAIN: The level of sustained notes immediately after
DECAY.
>RELEASE: How long it takes to fade out after notes are
released.
Here are a few practical experiments for novices.
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DECAY
Turn the DECAY knob up to maximum. The original value was
already 127 – you should see the white “original value indicator”
LED in the MIX section light up. Slowly turn DECAY down while
repeatedly playing a note on your keyboard. You will hear the
note getting shorter until it becomes a very short blip when
DECAY reaches minimum. Leave DECAY at minimum for now.
SUSTAIN
Turn the SUSTAIN knob down to minimum (the original value
was already 0). Now turn it up again while repeatedly playing a
note on your keyboard. The original value indicator should disappear, and you should hear the volume of the sustained note
change accordingly. Leave SUSTAIN at 64 and take DECAY
back up to around 40.
21 FIRST STEPS
RELEASE
,
-
6
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Turn the RELEASE down to minimum (the original value is 4).
Then, while playing notes on your keyboard, gradually turn it
up again: The sound fades more slowly after you release keys.
Set RELEASE to around 40 – the amplifier envelope now looks
something like this:
PATCH VOLUME
Via SHIFT + ATTACK. The overall volume, stored as part of
each program. Mainly used for balancing levels between different programs. The best value to start with is 100, leaving you
some headroom to make this particular program louder in
future.
6
SUSTAIN SLOPE
Via SHIFT + SUSTAIN. If SUSTAIN SLOPE is set to any value
other than 0, the sustain phase (which is normally flat) turns
into a gradient:
-
,
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/
All the red labelling (blue in the case of the Pølar model) you
can see on the panel identifies the SHIFT functions. To access
these, hold down the SHIFT button to the left of the display
immediately before using the knob or button, then release it
afterwards.
22
Take SUSTAIN SLOPE down to -32. Negative values cause the
sustain phase to fall (eventually reaching silence – you can
check this by playing a relatively long note on your keyboard).
So what do positive SUSTAIN SLOPE values do to an envelope? The sustain phase rises, eventually reaching maximum if
you don’t release the note beforehand. Set SUSTAIN SLOPE to
+32 and play a long note.
6
-
,
ÌiÊ"vv ÌiÊ"
/
All these envelope “times” (Attack, Decay and Release), as well
as what appears to be a gradient (Sustain Slope), are actually
rates. This technicality can be safely ignored in practice.
TEMPO
Via SHIFT + RELEASE (in the AMP ENVELOPE section). The
Virus has a master clock to which the arpeggiator is always synchronized. LFOs and delay effects can also be synchronized to
this clock.
Locate the program ROM-A 26 “Dr.What?HS”, switch on arpeggio HOLD (via SHIFT + ARP ON), and play a note on your keyboard. You can see the LFO1 indicator blinking in time with the
arpeggio because, in this particular program, it is synchronized
to the clock. Now experiment with TEMPO (SHIFT + RELEASE
in the AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE section). Did you notice how
smoothly the delay effect catches up with any tempo changes
you make?
TEMPO has a range of 63 to 190 bpm. However, the master
clock automatically slaves to any incoming MIDI clock data
(including rates which are beyond these limits). In this case, the
TEMPO parameter is simply ignored.
23 FIRST STEPS
The Filters Section
In comparison with “Dr.What?”, the few sounds you have been
asked to create so far have been primitive and harsh. In subtractive synthesizers such as the Virus, the tonal quality of the
oscillators can be radically altered by sending them through filters.
There are two main filters in your Virus, but before learning how
to access them individually, let’s start by experimenting with
the three parameters you will find on any subtractive synthesizer: CUTOFF, RESONANCE and ENV AMOUNT (as it is
called in the Virus):
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CUTOFF
Restore ROM-A127. Vary the CUTOFF while playing notes on
your keyboard. At low values, even medium frequencies are filtered out – the sound is very mellow.
As you turn CUTOFF up, higher frequencies are allowed to
pass through the filters, until the sound becomes brightest at
maximum CUTOFF. This is typical of lowpass (LP) filters, one
of the four basic types available in the Virus.
You have actually been using two lowpass filters in series here
– in ROM-A127 they have been configured to appear as just
one “double-strength” filter – we will come to the responsible
parameter (“Routing”) shortly.
RESONANCE
RESONANCE emphasizes any frequencies close to the cutoff
position. Play a note and sweep CUTOFF as you did just now,
then turn up RESONANCE and try again. At higher
RESONANCE values, the cutoff frequency becomes quite
dominant. You should be able to hear individual harmonics
being picked out if you turn CUTOFF slowly enough. If you like,
go back to program ROM-A 26 and try a lot more
RESONANCE.
24
ENV AMOUNT
Controls how much the filter envelope affects cutoff – like automating the CUTOFF knob with each and every note you play.
Here's how to make a very simple analogue bass sound:
Restore ROM-A127 and turn CUTOFF down to minimum. Play
individual notes while adjusting ENV AMOUNT until you hear a
satisfying “plunk” (somewhere around 70), then take the RESONANCE up a little. Locate the TRANSPOSE buttons to the left of
the display, and change the setting to -1 or -2. Play your favourite funky bass riff…
The FILTER ENVELOPE section has the same structure as the
AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE, so you should already know how to
use these knobs effectively to modify your bass sound. Don’t
forget to try SUSTAIN SLOPE (SHIFT + SUSTAIN). You should
try adjusting ENV AMOUNT and RESONANCE again – filter
parameters are highly interactive!
FILTER BALANCE
At -64 you can only hear the output of filter 1. In the central
position (0), both filters contribute equally. At +63 you can only
hear the output of filter 2.
SELECT (FILT 1, FILT 2)
Use these buttons to select which of the filters you would like
the RESONANCE and ENV AMOUNT knobs to control. If you
press both buttons at the same time, the knobs will apply to
both filters simultaneously (as they already do in ROM-A127).
CUTOFF 2
A separate cutoff control for filter 2. This can be either an offset
(i.e. a constant amount below or above filter 1) or an independent value, depending on another parameter in the filter’s EDIT
menu (see “Cutoff Link” on page 145).
MODE (FLT1, FLT2)
Using the FILT1 and FILT2 buttons, you can set each filter to
one of following types:
> LP = Low Pass: Allows frequencies below the cutoff point to
pass through i.e rejects those above the cutoff point
> HP = High Pass: Allows frequencies above the cutoff point to
pass through i.e. rejects those below the cutoff point
> BP = Band Pass: Allows frequencies close to the cutoff point
to pass through i.e. simultaneously rejects those above and
below the cutoff point
25 FIRST STEPS
> BS = Band Stop: Rejects frequencies close to the cutoff
point (within a certain “band”) i.e. allows frequencies above
or below the cutoff point to pass through.
Your Virus actually has yet another filter mode which simulates
the classic Minimoog
oscillation). This cannot be selected directly from the panel,
but only from within the filter EDIT menu. If you simply can’t
wait to try it out, bookmark this paragraph and see “Mode” on
page 142.
At this point you should experiment with each filter mode in
isolation i.e. listen to only one of the filters at a time: Restore
ROM-A127, take FILTER BALANCE down to -64 (this isolates
Filter 1), and use the FILT1 button to select another mode. Play
your keyboard while adjusting CUTOFF and RESONANCE.
Repeat until you have become familiar with all four modes.
While experimenting with BS (Band Stop), did you notice how
turning the RESONANCE knob up doesn't actually add resonance, but narrows the band instead? Very subtle...
™
low pass (including it’s typical self-
SHIFT + RESONANCE for on-the-fly adjustments because you
don’t have to check the status of the LEDs above the SELECT
buttons first.
KEY FOLLOW
Via SHIFT + ENV AMOUNT. High notes are generally brighter
than low notes when played on acoustic instruments.
KEY FOLLOW can emulate this effect by making Cutoff follow
the notes you play...
Restore ROM-A127, take CUTOFF down to around 64 and
play the keyboard to get used to the sound of a “flat” filter
across the entire keyboard. Then hold down SHIFT and turn
KEY FOLLOW (i.e. the ENV AMOUNT knob) up to maximum.
Play your keyboard again.
>Into the Filter Menu
RESONANCE 2
Via SHIFT + RESONANCE. Filter 2 resonance only. Although
you can press the SELECT button labelled FILT2, then use the
RESONANCE knob (without SHIFT), it is often faster to use
There are several important parameters in the filter menu, a
few of which have already been mentioned in passing – here
are the ones you should become familiar with first. Press the
EDIT button in the FILTERS section and use the PARAMETER
buttons to find the following page:
26
Routing
Here’s that “Routing” parameter mentioned earlier – twist the
VALUE 1 knob to see the various options...
So far you have used the filters either in series (the output of filter 1 is sent to the input of filter 2) or in isolation (by setting
extreme FILTER BALANCE values). Here is a list of all four routing options – you might like to look up the word “Pole” in the
glossary:
> Serial 4: The filters are routed in series, with two poles each
(12dB per octave). This adds up to a total of four poles (i.e.
24dB per octave) if FILTER BALANCE is dead centre (0).
> Serial 6: The filters are routed in series. Filter 1 has four poles
(24dB per octave) and filter 2 has two poles. This adds up to a
total of six poles i.e. 36dB per octave if FILTER BALANCE is
dead centre (+0).
> Parallel 4: The filters are routed in parallel, with two poles
each.
> Split Mode: The filters are also routed in parallel, with two
poles each. Unlike the Parallel 4 mode, each filter processes a
different set of sources: Oscillator 1 and the sub-oscillator are
routed to filter 1, whereas oscillator 2, its FM signal and noise
are routed to filter 2. The ring modulator (see “RING MODULATOR” on page 137) is disabled.
To step through filter routings without having to open the menu,
hold down SHIFT and press the Filter 2 button (labelled FILT2).
Cutoff Link
When set to “Off”, the CUTOFF knobs are independent of each
other. CUTOFF controls filter 1, CUTOFF 2 controls filter 2.
When Cutoff Link is set to “On”, the CUTOFF knob can control
both filters at the same time – CUTOFF 2 becomes an offset i.e.
it determines how much lower or higher filter 2 is than filter 1.
Note that Cutoff Link is normally left on (as it is in most programs, including ROM-A126 and ROM-A127).
About Saturation
The term “Filter Saturation” was originally coined to describe
the effect caused by pushing the input of a filter beyond its natural limits. Jan Hammer’s work on “Birds of Fire” (Mahavishnu
Orchestra) is a classic example but, depending on your age
and/or musical tastes, you might be more familiar with the searing techno “bass lines” and various other distorted synthesizer
sounds used in more recent music.
27 FIRST STEPS
In the signal flow, the saturation stage comes immediately after
Filter 1. Therefore if you have added a lot of overtones, you can
still filter them out using filter 2 (assuming the routing is serial see above).
Access have kept the term “Saturation”, but greatly expanded
on the idea – several different Saturation types can be selected
(via SHIFT + OSC VOLUME). Here are a few experiments to get
you started:
Hold down the SHIFT button and turn the OSC VOLUME knob
to see the various SATURATION TYPEs. Select one of the
more drastic types e.g. “Digital”, release the SHIFT button and
experiment with OSC VOLUME (i.e. without using SHIFT). You
might like to filter the results now!
Now let’s try out some of the other saturation types. Turn the
SHAPE knob down to minimum and try out the Wave Shaper
and Rectifier types in turn. Again, you should experiment with
OSC VOLUME because this parameter affects the tone.
The Bit Reducer, Rate Reducer and Rate+Follow types can be
used to emulate the tonal characteristics of early digital synthesizers and samplers. You may not like these at first, but
they can certainly add “grit” to a sound.
Finally, you should try out the four additional saturation types
(which are actually additional filters). High+Follow is especially
useful for thinning out a sound without using filter 1 for this
purpose.
28
The Filter Envelope Section
This obviously has the same structure as the amplifier envelope.
Using your knowledge from previous experiments, use all the filter knobs and buttons (plus the Routing parameter in the filter
EDIT menu) to make a new sound from scratch. If you feel the
need to save your work at any point, bookmark this page and
read the information about “Store” on page 136.
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29 FIRST STEPS
The Oscillators Section
This is where the raw sound is generated. There are three main
oscillators but only one set of knobs in the top row, so we'll
start with a very important button – the one that selects which
particular oscillator you want those knobs to control...
SELECT
Restore ROM-A127 and take a look at the row of LEDs above
the SELECT button. OSC1 is currently active, so whatever you
do with the top row of knobs will only affect oscillator 1. There
is actually an exception to this rule (DETUNE 2/3), but we'll get
to that in due course.
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SHAPE
In your experiments so far you have only used one type of
wave – a Sawtooth. Now it’s time to try out some of the other
waveforms:
Restore ROM-A127 and play your keyboard while turning the
SHAPE knob. At minimum you will hear a pure Sine wave, in
the centre a pure Sawtooth, and at maximum a pure Pulse.
Listen to those extremes for a while, then try out different mixtures using the SHAPE knob. You will see the percentage mixture of waveforms being updated whenever you turn the knob.
Again, the Virus TI has much more under the hood than is
immediately apparant: As well as the “Classic” oscillators we
have been using so far, the TI offers two other highly interesting types called “HyperSaw” and “WaveTable”. Please be
patient – you will be trying these out soon enough!
30
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