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Access Music
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Virus A
User Manual
35 pgs174.01 Kb0
Owner's Manual
80 pgs1 Mb0
Table of contents
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Access Music Virus A User Manual

Important additions and remarks for the VIRUS b/kb
Please visit our homepage to download software updates
and the latest news.
http://www.access-music.de
Software Addendum
Kapitel |
Content
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Copyright 1999 access music electronics, germany. Please visit our website at www.access-music.de to download the lastest subrelease of the VIRUS operating system and read the latest news. DTP and PDF creation by Babylonwaves Media, Cologne. babylonwaves@home.ivm.de. Translation by Marc Schlaile (marc.schlaile@home.ivm.de). Thanks to Andrea Mason who was foxed by the lingo :-)
Software Addendum
Kapitel |

Installing the software update

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Dear Virus-User,
the VIRUS operating system consists of two parts, ”first25x.mid” and ”secon25x.mid”. The file ”first25x.mid” contains the actual operating system; the file ”secon25x.mid” holds the factory single and multi-patches. Upload the file ”secon25x.mid” only if not discribed in a different way in the read-me file which comes with the software version. The single and multi-sounds in ”secon25x.mid” are being stored into the flash-ROM (like the operating system) and can be accessed via bank C and D
If you’ve already created and stored sounds into your VIRUS, you should perform a bulk dump into your sequencer, for safety reasons (this can be done in the MIDI menu which can be accessed by pressing the CONTROL key)
Installing the software update
g Switch your VIRUS off. g Load the file ”first.mid” into your sequencer and make sure you have chosen the
right MIDI channel and port settings.
g Ensure that the MIDI clock option is disabled (mixing SysEx data and the MIDI
clock can lead to malfunctions of your MIDI interface).
g Hold the STORE key while switching your VIRUS on until the display shows
”SYSTEM UPDATE Receive”.
g Now press the STORE key again to activate the receive mode. g Start your sequencer to playback the MIDI-file.
At this stage, you should be able to watch the VIRUS counting up the received blocks. If the display shows ”RECEPTION FAILED,” then a transmission error has occurred. This can be caused by a buffer overrun of the MIDI interface. In this case, you will need to upload the entire file again. Lower the tempo of your sequencer before uploading (e.g. 60 bpm). To proceed, press any key followed by STORE which will again enable the receive mode. After a successful upload, press STORE to burn the new operating system into the flash-ROM.
Software Addendum
Kapitel |
Installing the software update
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Never switch off the VIRUS while burning the data! Please ensure stable power conditions during this procedure which should take approximately 30 seconds. As soon as the new software version is successfully burned, the VIRUS will request that you switch off. After switching the VIRUS on again, you can use the new operating system!
If you get the impression that the VIRUS is behaving unstable or indeed strange, we suggest you perform a system reset. Holding the keys LFO 1 SHAPE and LFO 2 SHAPE while switching the VIRUS on, performs a system reset. No data will be lost during this procedure, although some system settings as ”Soft Thru” will be reset.
Enjoy the new features, yours VIRUS-Developer-Team, Summer 1999
Software Addendum
Kapitel |
The user interface of VIRUS b/kb
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The user interface of the VIRUS b/kb

We have revised the user interface of the VIRUS b and kb, to give you even more intuitive access to the parameter menus. The VIRUS b and kb host five additional buttons for LFO1, LFO2, Oscillators, Filters and Effects related operations. Each allows you direct access to a local menu. Obviously, the local menus only show parameters which deal with the corresponding function.
When consulting the users manual, please bear in mind that some of the functions located in the ”Single Edit Menu” of the VIRUS can now be accessed directly via the new VIRUS b’s and kb’s buttons. The buttons lead to the local menus mentioned above. The new models also have two dedicated buttons to select the ”parts”. Furthermore, we have slightly redesigned the LFO section of the panel.
The supplementary functions of the VIRUS kb are described at the end of the addendum.
For details please refer to the appendix of this addendum (Overview of the VIRUS b/ kb menus).
Software Addendum
Kapitel |
The vocoder

The vocoder of the VIRUS

u Talking about vocoders
The VIRUS now has a vocoder. Although vocoder sounds have seen a comeback in the recent time, many musicians do not specifically know how they work or even more importantly, how they sound!
A Vocoder creates a new sound by combining two signals. The timbre of the so called analysis signal (or modulator signal) forms the carrier signal. A typical example for a modulator signal is the human voice, another suitable carrier signal can be a steady tone with rich harmonics.
The sound characteristic is being rendered into the new sound by two cascades of bandpass filters: The modulator signal is being send through several parallel bandpass filters, which only pass through a certain part of the whole spectrum. Every bandpass filter is followed by an envelope follower which uses the level of the signal to create a control signal. This part of the vocoder is called a modulator bank.
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The carrier signal is treated in a similar way. It is split into several bands by a chain of bandbass filters. Different to the technique used above, the bandpass filters are not followed by envelope followers. The circuit uses amplifiers which are levelled by the control signal output of the envelope followers of the modulator banks. This part of the vocoder is called the carrier bank or synthesis part.
As soon as the modulator detects a signal in a certain frequency range, its envelope follower levels the corresponding band in the synthesis part. In other words: Just the frequency band of the carrier signal (the steady tone), which is a part of the modulator signal (the spoken voice) in this second, is being passed to the output. This is because the steady tone starts to vocode.
The pitch of the output signal depends on the carrier. If a cord, e.g. a polyphonic pad sound is being used instead on a single tone, you can listen to a typical vocoder choir. Of course, you can use a different Modulator than a spoken voice. Have a try with a drumloop!
All you need is the internal synthesizer of the virus. It is also possible to process external signals. The feature set of the VIRUS includes 32 filter bands, shifting the frequency’s relation of modulator and carrier, adjustable quality (Q-factor) of the filter bands and much more.
Software Addendum
Kapitel |
u 1. the Modulator Bank
u 2. the Envelope Follower
u 3. The Carrier Bank
The vocoder
By using a multi patch and the auxiliary sends, sounds can be filtered or combined (see above). The vocoder substitutes the whole filter section of a single sound. Therefore, you can access the vocoder’s parameters via the filter section on the front panel (see Filter Envelope Release and additional notes).
The VIRUS’s vocoder consists of different sections which perform different tasks:
This cascade of bandpass filters split the frequency spectrum of the modulator into slices, quite similar to the way a studio frequency analyser would.
The level at the output of each bandbass filter is measured by the modulator bank. The resulting control signal can be modified by an ATTACK and DECAY parameter. These signals are no audio signals, as they contain the envelope of the signal being analysed.
The signal is treated in a similar way to the signal which passes the modulator bank. In this case, the carrier signal is split by the bandpass filters. Each bandpass of the carrier bank corresponds to one of the modulator bank. Usually, both bandpasses use the same frequency slice. Similar to a synthesizer’s envelope, the signal level being measured by the envelope followers of the modulator, is used to control the level of the carrier’s filter. Last, but not least, the individually controlled signals of the carrier bank are reunified to create the vocoder’s output sound.
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Software Addendum
Kapitel |
The parameters of the vocoder

The parameters of the VIRUS vocoder

u VOCODER MODE
(located in the Single Mode/edit menu after the input parameters) here you can enable the vocoder and choose the signal source for the carrier bank at the same time:
u OSC
The ”OSC” mode uses the whole oscillator section of the Virus, including the noise generator as the carrier signal. The oscillators can be played polyphonic which enables the amplifier envelope to work as usual. The difference is in the filter section. The oscillator signal does not pass the filter section, as this section is being used to control the vocoder. It is possible to feed the vocoder with a single sound which uses the whole filter section. Just use the aux-sends in the multimode to feed the vocoder’s input with a single sound created within another multipart. Use this certain auxiliary send signal as the carrier signal within the vocoder.
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u OSCHOLD
This setting is identical to ”OSC” although the hold-mode (which also is available at COMMON/KeyMode) is activated.
u NOISE
White noise is used as the carrier. The oscillator section is disabled.
u IN (L / In L+R / In R / Aux L ...)
The analog inputs or the aux-sends are the carrier signal. If a stereo source, like L+R, is chosen, the left and right signal is mixed to create a mono signal.
u OSC VOL (Pre setting: 0 (middle))
OSC VOL adjusts the output level of the vocoder. This is independent of the signal source (which can be assigned using the vocoder mode parameter)
u INPUT SELECT (in the Edit menu)
The modulator bank input can be assigned here. This will only work if the vocoder is activated. Again, stereo sources like L+R are mixed to a monophonic signal.
Software Addendum
Kapitel |
u FILTER ENVELOPE RELEASE
u CUTOFF (Pre setting: 64 (middle)
u KEYFOLLOW (Pre setting: +63 (hard right)
The parameters of the vocoder
It is possible to control the number of filter bands here between 1 and 32. This parameter changes the sonic complexity of the sound, by using more or less filter bands. Less filter bands result in a typical vocoder sound. More filter bands increase the quality of the signal’s reproduction (e.g. how easily you can ”understand” a vocoded voice). The Virus’ polyphony might vary depending on the number of active filter bands.
The central frequency of the bandpass filters in the modulator- and carrier bank. Using a high Q (filter quality parameter, which is controlled using KEYFOLLOW) you can adjust the central frequency of the spectrum you edit.
The spread of the filter bands used by the modulator and carrier bank. This parameter can adjust both banks together or separately. The mode depends on the setting of the filter select buttons. FILT1 is assigned to the carrier, FILT2 controls the modulator. With maximum KEYFOLLOW (+63) the filters cover the whole frequency spectrum. Reducing the KEYFOLLOW results in narrower spread, whereby just a part of the frequency spectrum is covered. CUTOFF 1+2 define the centre frequency. Linking FILT1 and FILT2 results in identical frequencies for the modulator and the carrier. If only the spread of the carrier bank is being reduced, the analysed spectrum is being rendered on a part of the carrier signal. If you reduce the spread of the modulator bank (FILT2), just a part of the modulator signal is analysed but applied on the whole carrier signal. This leads to an increased spread of the spectrum. If one of the two KEYFOLLOW parameters has a negative amount, the modulator spectrum is applied on the carrier spectrum in a mirror symmetrical way. This causes a very interesting change in the bands. The modulator’s treble frequencies control the carrier’s bass frequencies and vice versa, for instance a human voice still has the sound of the human voice but it would be virtually impossible to understand anything. We want to encourage you to experiment with mirror symmetrical sounds using this function. It is definitely worth a try!
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Software Addendum
Kapitel |
The parameters of the vocoder
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This picture shows the filter section in vocoder mode.
u CUTOFF 2 (Pre setting: 0 (middle))
A linear shift of the modulator bank’s central frequencies against the carrier bank, results in pitch-shifting and ”mickey mouse” effects. CUTOFF2 creates an offset of the modulator to the carrier bank.
u RESONANCE
The resonance parameter controls the quality of the filter bands (like an equalizer’s q-factor). Depending on the filter select setting, the banks are adjusted together or independently. FILT1 is assigned to the carrier, FILT2 controls the modulator. A low quality factor of the carrier bank leads to a fairly neutral reproduction of the carrier signal. A higher quality creates a higher resonance in the filter bands, which therefore make the overall sounds more artificial. The effect is less effective on the modulator bank. Here, the filter quality controls the ”gab” in between the individual filters. Depending on the modulator signal, if you soften or tighten the ”gab,” it could lead to interesting changes, although in most cases this will result in a rather subliminal change.
Software Addendum
Kapitel |
u FILTER ATTACK (Pre setting: 0 (hard left))
u FILTER DECAY (Pre setting: 0 (hard left))
u FILTER BALANCE (Pre setting 0 (middle))
The parameters of the vocoder
The attack time of the envelope follower. This parameter controls how fast the carrier bands react on a change of the modulator signal’s frequency energy. Higher values result in a ”flabby”, lazy, even delayed response from the vocoder.
The decay time of the envelope follower. This parameter controls how fast the carrier bands reflect if a certain frequency disappears from the spectrum of the modulator signal. Here, higher values result in a kind of sustain in the carrier bands. High attack and decay times lead to less speech recognition, although it is possible to create a really nice sounding synthesizer pads with.
FILTER BALANCE creates a mixture of the vocoder signal and the modulator­respectively carrier signal. Turning FILTER BALANCE to the left adds a certain amount of the carrier signal to the vocoder signal. A turn to the right adds the modulator signal. Turning the FILTER BALANCE hard left or right can be used to monitor the vocoder’s input signals only.
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Several vocoder related parameters can be modulated by LFO 1 and LFO 2
u LFO 1 RESO 1+2
modulates the bandpass filter quality of the modulator and carrier bank.
u LFO 2 FILT 1
modulates the bandpass filter frequency of the carrier bank.
u LFO 2 FILT 2
modulates the bandpass filter frequency of the modulator bank.
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