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.
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 TRANSPOSE 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 mixers own documentation.

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:

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.

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. Dont forget to try SUSTAIN SLOPE (SHIFT + SUSTAIN). You should try adjusting ENV AMOUNT and RESONANCE again filter parameters are highly interactive!

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 filters 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

REVERB

Now lets add some reverb to the delay (which, by the way, was not possible with earlier Virus models): Press the upper SELECT button in the EFFECTS section once, and try adjusting the same three knobs (now SEND, TIME and DAMPING).
Although often overlooked, the 3-band equalizer is a very powerful feature of the later Virus models. Of course EQ can be used in a conventional way to manipulate the overall tonal characteristics of a sound, but at least the MID band can be used a little more creatively than that:
Restore ROM-A127. Transpose down an octave. Select MID EQ in the EFFECTS section. The three knobs now control EQ GAIN, EQ FREQ and EQ Q-FACTOR respectively. Experiment with these knobs to change the character of the raw oscillator sound for a while, then try this: Make sure MID EQ is still selected, press EDIT and set the QFactor to maximum (15.4). Set Gain to maximum (+16) and Frequency to around the centre (747.8). The sound should now be rather nasal. Press LFO1 SELECT repeatedly until you see the page containg the Assign Target parameter. Change this to "EQ Mid Frequency" and Amount to +32. The result is an automatic wah-wah effect which is independant of the filter section try adjusting CUTOFF, RESONANCE and ENV AMOUNT. The following effects are accessed using the lower half of the effects section.

Analog Boost

Analog Boost is a special type of equalization used to emulate the tonal characteristics of real analogue synthesizers. These tend not to have a flat response. The difference is often subtle, but well worth trying out after you have programmed a basic sound.

Chorus

Chorus is especially useful to give pads more movement. In combination with Feedback, the Chorus in your Virus is also capable of Flanging and other related effects: Restore ROM-A126, select CHORUS and turn the MIX level up to 64 (via the TYPE/MIX knob). Experiment with the INTENSITY knob (controls Feedback). Press the lower EDIT button once and try out all those other parameters.

Distortion

Especially if you remember your experiments using Saturation, this effect should be fairly obvious the names of the distortion types are the same. The difference between (filter) Saturation and (effect) Distortion is that the former is applied to each individual voice, whereas the latter is applied to the sound as a whole. This means that if you would like e.g. to emulate the sound of an overdriven guitar amplifier, you should use Distortion, not Saturation.

Please ensure a stable power supply whilst installing the firmware, and dont go touching any knobs, no matter how tempted you may be, until the installation is completed!! It always makes good sense to perform a system reset after updating the firmware to do this, simply power off the Virus by pressing both of the Transpose keys, and press ARP EDIT. In the unlikely event that the installation process fails, you will need to put the Virus into Update Mode before running the firmware installer again. To do this, remove the power cable and hold down the EXIT button whilst you reconnect it.
Sequencer host related tips & tricks Installation on Mac OS X
Connect you Virus TI to any USB port 1) Run the file Install Virus TI Software.mpkg 2) Follow the onscreen instructions carefully. Although its not mandatory, its always a good idea to run Disk Utility after an installation and perform repair permissions. Once the driver installation is complete, you will be presented with the Virus TI Firmware Installer. Please run this to ensure that the OS in your Virus TI is up-to-date.
Before you start working, please have a look at the setup hints within the host tutorials. At the time of writing there are tutorials for Apple Logic, Steinberg Cubase and Ableton Live.

Loading VirusControl

Before you start your host application, please ensure that the Virus TI is switched on, and connected to your computer via USB. Once the host application is running, load VirusControl in exactly the same way as you would any other VSTi/Audio Units please refer to your hosts manual for details on how to do this. When you open the list of available VSTis, VirusControl is listed under Access Music as Virus TI Whenever you load VirusControl in your host software, you will see a progress bar in the VirusControl, and a Syncing Patches message in the TIs display this process is necessary to ensure that the RAM banks in VirusControl are a true representation of those in the TI. Please wait until all messages have disappeared before attempting to play anything, since playback is disabled during this process. Please be aware, that since a single instance of VirusControl manages all 16 parts of the Virus TI, it is not possible to open more than one instance in your sequencer, and as such you should not attempt to do so. For specific information on how best to use VirusControl in your chosen host, please refer to the host-specific tutorials which are included in the installation.

Part Status

No matter which page you are on, the left side of the VirusControl will always display the status of each of the Virus TIs 16 parts. The text of the part currently selected for editing is displayed in red.

Page Tabs

Across the top of the VirusControl interface you will see a row of tabs, labelled Easy, Browser, Osc etc. Click on these to switch between the available pages. To the right of this row, there is a switch labelled Patch and Utility. Patch displays all the pages containing parameters which affect only the currently selected part - select Utility to access the Remote page.

Adjusting Parameters

Click+Hold on any knob, slider or parameter value, and drag the mouse to adjust. To achieve a finer resolution, hold the Shift key while you adjust the parameter. When adjusting knobs, try moving the mouse away from the knob, and following a wider arc. To set a parameter to its default value, hold the Ctrl key (Mac users hold the Cmd key) whilst clicking on it.

55 VIRUSCONTROL

Most pages contain certain parameters can be adjusted by clicking the graphical representations of the parameter and dragging them with the mouse. For example: both resonance and cutoff can be controlled simultaneously by dragging the little square in the middle of the Cutoff knob for that filter; the oscillator waveforms can be adjusted by grabbing the picture of the waveform and moving the mouse in fact, nearly every page of the VirusControl offers the user an opportunity to manipulate the parameters of the Virus in a more intuitive and fun way than just turning another knob. Alternatively, you may wish to use the knobs and buttons on the hardware itself - youll be glad to know that any change you make on the hardware will be reflected in the Virus Control simultaneously.
If you wish to send CC data to your host instead of automation data, then you can use the Virus Default template in Remote Mode (see REMOTE page). Automating Volume and Panorama can be somewhat special. Some hosts, such as Apple Logic for instance, do assign Ctrl #7 and Ctrl #10 to the channel strip controls and therefore filter those data. In order to automate Volume and Panorama with those hosts, you need to choose the appropriate entries within the list of automatable parameters instead.

Information Bar

Extending along the bottom of the VirusControl you will see a black rectangular box with blue text. This displays the full description of the parameter on which the mouse pointer is positioned.

Automation of Parameters

Hierarchical patch-management
It may be helpful to organise your libraries in separate folders within the Patches folder. The Virus Control will list them in a hierarchical manner when you click on the Libraries menu. Renaming a patch If you wish to rename a patch (RAM or user library only) you can do so by Alt+Click. The name will be highlighted blue, at which point you can type in your preferred patch name. Deleting a patch
Drag/drop a patch from one slot to another within the same bank the patches at either location will swap places. It is also possible to swap blocks of different patches like this Shift+Click on a second patch to select several continiguous patches and then drag/drop them all in one go. To select discontiguous patches, Ctrl+Click (Mac = Cmd+Click) on the patches you wish to select. Copy If you drag/drop patches from one library to another, this acts as a Copy function.
You can delete any number of patches from a user library by right-clicking on any selected patch and choosing Delete selected patches. Please note that it is not possible to do this with the RAM or ROM banks of the TI, hence the option is not available for these libraries. Undo If you make a mistake in the Browser, simply Right-click (Mac = Alt+click) anywhere within the libraries and select Undo last operation.

OSC Page

Here you will find all the parameters relevant to the oscillators as well as the mixer section of the Virus TI.
sine<>saw<>pulse. Notice how horizontal movements affect the width of the pulse wave Click+Drag the little square in the Pulse Width display beneath the dial to adjust. When the Shape dial is turned to the left of centre, the graphic underneath will display the currently selected spectral wave. By dragging the wave vertically you can scroll quickly through all of the available waves alternatively you can click on the little arrow beneath Wave xx to open a list of all the waves. When you switch the oscillator to HyperSaw mode, you will see some red vertical lines instead of the waveform. These represent the individual sawtooth waves within the HyperSaw oscillator as you increase Density the number of lines increases toward the maximum of 9, and as you increase Detune Spread the lines move further apart. Try grabbing this graphic with the mouse and dragging it around vertical movements affect Density, whilst horizontal movements affect Detune Spread. Try diagonal movements to adjust both at the same time! In Wavetable mode, the graphic displays the name of the wavetable above the current Index position. Click+drag the wavetable name to scroll quickly through the tables, or click on the wavetable name beneath the dial to open a list of all available tables. The abbreviation Vel, i.e. Vel>Osc1 is short for Velocity.

These buttons are used to switch between the three LFOs the upper row of controls (ENV MODE, SHAPE and RATE) will apply to the selected LFO only. Pressing an already active SELECT button will jump into the LFO destinations menu, and pressing it repeatedly will step through the pages.
> 1/64. 16/1: LFO1 rate is synchronized to the Clock, expressed as a fraction of one bar in 4/4 time. See Tempo on page 129.
Accessible from the panel via the RATE knob if Clock is set to Off. > 0 to 127: The speed of LFO1 when not synchronized (see Clock above). Modulation destination LFO1 Rate.

> EDIT MENUS

> Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Square, S&H, S&G, Waves 3 to 64: Specifies the LFO waveform. If S&H, S&G or one of the additional waves is selected, this can be accessed directly from the panel via the SHAPE button (select WAVE). If Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth or square is selected here, the status LEDs will move accordingly.
Accessible from the panel via the RATE knob if a value is defined here. > Off: LFO1 is not synchronized.

Contour

Accessible from the panel via SHIFT + RATE. > -64 to +63: Continuous control over LFO waveform. Modulation destination LFO1 Contour.

SHAPE NEGATIVE POSITIVE

Envelope Mode
Accessible from the panel via the ENV MODE button. > Off: Standard (cyclic) LFO mode. > On: The LFO effectively becomes an additional Envelope. LFOs in Envelope Mode are unipolar (see glossary) and stop after completing exactly one cycle. The start/finish point within the wave can be specified via Trigger Phase.
Sine Triangle Saw Square S&H S&G 3 to 64
to Triangle to falling Saw concavity pulse width <50% ----zoom into wave
to Square to rising Saw convexity pulse width >50% -------

Trigger Phase Mode

> Poly: Each voice has its own LFO, and these are slightly detuned against each other. > Mono: All voices share a common LFO. Only applies if the parameters Envelope Mode and Trigger Phase (see below) are both set to Off. > Off, 1 to 127: When set to Off, LFO1 runs freely i.e. its phase is not reset by every note played (except in Envelope Mode). All other values set the starting point within the wave.

Key Follow

> Off, 1 to 127: How much LFO1 rate (see Rate on page 82) is affected by MIDI note number. Note that Key Follow does not apply when LFOs are in Envelope Mode (see Envelope Mode on page 83) or are synchronized to the Clock (see Clock on page 82).

LFO 1 Destinations

All edit parameters for LFO2 are the same as those for LFO1 see LFO 1 on page 82.

Osc1 Pitch

> -64 to +63: How much LFO1 modulates oscillator 1 pitch. Modulation destination LFO1>Osc1 Pitch.

H-Sync Offset Balance

Accessible from the panel via the OSC BALANCE knob in the MIX section. Accessible from the panel via the FM AMOUNT knob. If HyperSync (see above) is set to Off, this parameter will not be available. > 0 to 127: The frequency offset of any HyperSaw (both oscillator 1 or 2) with respect to its own internal master oscillator. Modulation destination FM/HyperSync.
113 SOUND PARAMETERS REFERENCE

Oscillator 1 WaveTable

Accessible from the panel via the SEMITONE knob.
Accessible from the panel via SHIFT + oscillator SHAPE knob. > Classic, HyperSaw, WaveTable: Selects the basic type of oscillator. > -48 to +48 semitones: The nominal pitch of oscillator 1. Modulation destination Osc1 Pitch.

Key Follow Index

Accessible from the panel via the SHAPE knob. > 0 to 127: Selects the nominal position within the WaveTable. Modulation destination Wavetable 1 Index or Osc1 Shape (these are equivalent). > -64 to +31, Norm, +33 to +63: How much the pitch of oscillator 1 follows the keyboard (i.e. MIDI note number). Press both VALUE buttons at the same time for normal tuning (Norm).
Accessible from the panel via the OSC BALANCE knob in the MIX section.
> Sine. Violator: Selects one of many wavetables.
As in oscillator 1 see Wave Select or Pulse Width on page 111. Modulation destination Osc2 Wave Select or Osc2 Pulse Width.

Oscillator 2 Classic

Semitone Mode
Accessible from the panel via SHIFT + oscillator SHAPE. > Classic, HyperSaw, WaveTable: Selects the basic type of oscillator. As in oscillator 1 see Semitone on page 111. Modulation destination Osc2 Pitch.
As in oscillator 1 see Key Follow on page 112.
As in oscillator 1 see Shape on page 111. Modulation destination Osc2 Shape.
Mirrors the Balance parameter in the oscillator 1 page see Balance on page 112.
> In L, In L+R, In R: One or both of the Audio inputs (see rear panel).
Accessible from the panel via FM AMOUNT. > 0 to 127: The intensity of frequency modulation. Modulation destination FM/HyperSync.

Detune

Accessible from the panel via the DETUNE 2/3 knob when oscillator 1 or 2 is selected. > 0 to 127: Fine-tunes oscillator 2 upwards. Modulation destination Osc2 Detune.

FM Mode

Specifies the source of FM modulation: > Pos Triangle: Unipolar triangle wave from oscillator 1. > Triangle: Bipolar triangle wave from oscillator 1. > Wave: The selected wave from oscillator 1 (see Wave Select or Pulse Width on page 111). > Noise: The Noise signal.

FiltEnv>Pitch

> -64 to +63: How much the filter envelope modulates the pitch of oscillator 2. This was implemented in previous Virus models to facilitate sync sweeps, and has been retained for compatibility reasons. Modulation destination FiltEnv>Osc2 Pitch.

Portamento Key Mode

Specifies how voices are assigned: > Poly: Polyphonic. > Mono 1: Monophonic, multi-trigger, full portamento (see Portamento on page 122) > Mono 2: Monophonic, multi-trigger, legato portamento > Mono 3: Monophonic, single-trigger, full portamento > Mono 4: Monophonic, single-trigger, legato portamento > Hold: Polyphonic. Notes are held until they are all released and a new note is played. > Off, 1 to 127: Determines how slowly the pitch of notes glides from one to the next. The actual effect of portamento depends on the KeyMode (see Key Mode on page 122). Modulation destination Portamento.
> 0 to 127: Enhances the percussive effect of short Attack times in the amplifier envelope. At higher values, Punch becomes a noticeable snap at the start of each note. Modulation destination Punch Intensity.

FiltEnv>H-Sync

Only visible if at least one of the oscillators is in HyperSaw mode. > -64 to +63: Controls how much filter envelope is applied to HyperSync Offset (see HyperSync Offset below). Analogous to FiltEnv>FM in the other oscillator models. If oscillators 1 and 2 are both HyperSaws, this parameter modulates the Sync Offset of both oscillators at the same time. Note that it will not effect oscillator 1 if SYNC is not active (see About HyperSaw and Sync on page 107). Modulation destination FiltEnv>FM/Hsync.

Sub Oscillator

An extra slave oscillator tuned an octave below its master oscillator. If oscillator 1 is in Classic mode, the sub-oscillator is a Square or Triangle wave slaved to oscillator 1. See Oscillator 1 Classic on page 110. If either oscillator 1 or 2 is in HyperSaw mode, the sub oscillator is HyperSub instead see About HyperSaw and Sub Oscillators on page 107 and Oscillator 1 HyperSaw on page 112.
Only visible if at least one oscillator is in HyperSaw mode. Directly accessible from the panel via FM AMOUNT. > 0 to 127: The frequency offset of the audible HyperSaw with respect to its own internal master oscillator. Modulation destination FM/HyperSync.
Accessible from the panel via SUB OSC VOLUME. > 0 to 127: Sub oscillator mix. In HyperSaw mode, this parameter crossfades between HyperSaw and HyperSub. See About HyperSaw and Sub Oscillators on page 107. Modulation destination Sub Osc Volume.
Not available if oscillator 1 is in HyperSaw or WaveTable mode. See About HyperSaw and Sub Oscillators on page 107. > Square, Triangle: Selects the sub oscillator waveform.
> -64 to +63: Adjusts the noise frequency range. Negative values are darker, positive ones are brighter. A value of 0 is standard white noise (see glossary). Modulation destination Noise Color.

Patch No.

> 0 to 127: Selects the program number you wish to overwrite. After selecting a bank and patch number, press STORE again to edit the name (see Editing the Patch Name below).

Patch Name

> (dynamic): Displays the name of the program currently in the location of Patch No. To name the new patch, press STORE a s econd time.
> RAM-A to RAM-D: Select a bank to store to. > Dump Single: Send the current program via MIDI to an external device e.g. computer or another Virus. When you are ready to transmit the program (e.g. another Virus is connected via MIDI or your sequencer has started recording), press STORE again.

Editing the Patch Name

> (dynamic): Use the PARAMETERS buttons as cursor and any of the VALUE knobs/buttons to change the character. When you have finished, press STORE a third time to finally save your program.
This section controls the relative levels of all sound sources except audio inputs. The MIX section has no EDIT button you will find all MIX parameters in the oscillators edit menu.

Original Value Indicator

This LED lights up briefly when the original value of any parameter (as stored in memory) has been reached.
Controls the overall level of the 3 oscillators plus the sub-oscillator, but not the noise and ring modulator levels. Note that positive values do not increase the volume, but only the saturation intensity. See Osc Volume on page 122 and Saturation on page 140.
Cross fade between oscillator 1 and oscillator 2. See Balance on page 112.
Via SHIFT + OSC BALANCE. Position of the signal output across the stereo field.
Via SHIFT + OSC VOLUME. Filter saturation type. See Saturation on page 140.
Sub oscillator volume. See About HyperSaw and Sub Oscillators on page 107.
The level of the noise signal, independant of OSC VOLUME. See Noise on page 124.

OSC3 VOLUME

Via SHIFT + SUB OSC VOLUME. The volume of oscillator 3 when it is switched on (via the OSC3 ON button).
Via SHIFT + NOISE VOLUME. The level of the ring modulator signal, independant of OSC VOLUME.
The inputs to the ring modulator are always oscillator 1 and oscillator 2 (including any FM). The ring modulator is disabled in Split mode. See Routing on page 144 and Ring Modulator on page 124.

FILTERS

The Virus TI has two multimode filters that can be configured in series, parallel or split (i.e. separate left and right channels with differing signal sources).
Via SHIFT + RESONANCE. The resonance of filter 2, whatever the status of the two SELECT buttons.
The amount of filter envelope applied to cutoff. Applied to one or both filters at the same time, depending on the status of the two SELECT buttons.

KEY FOLLOW CUTOFF

The cutoff frequency of filter 1 (see Cutoff on page 141). If Cutoff Link is on (see Cutoff Link on page 145), this will also control filter 2 Cutoff. Via SHIFT + ENV AMOUNT. How much cutoff follows pitch so that e.g. higher notes are brighter than lower ones. Applied to one or both filters at the same time, depending on the status of the two SELECT buttons.

Via SHIFT + ATTACK. Quick access to the Patch Volume parameter, used for balancing levels between different programs. See Patch Volume on page 129.
Via SHIFT + RELEASE. Quick access to the internal clock rate see Tempo on page 129. In Multi Mode, this controls the Master Clock parameter (see Master Clock on page 168).
5: Configuration Reference
This menu is opened by pressing the CONFIG button to the left of the display. It contains global parameters that determine how the entire Virus works. Configuration data does not have to be explicitly stored.
> 0 to 127: How many program parameters will be affected. Note that if this value is set very high, successive use of the Random PG will tend to create sounds will little or no tonality.

Random PG

The Random Program Generator global settings. Use the RANDOM function (SHIFT + STORE) to randomly modify an existing program.

Global Channel Strength

> 0 to 127: How drastically the Random function will affect program parameters. > 1 to 16: Specifies a MIDI channel used for SINGLE mode, as well as for switching between MULTI mode programs via the MIDI message Program Change.

Soft Thru

> Off, On: Specifies whether received MIDI data is also directly routed to (i.e. mirrored at) the MIDI out socket. Before switching this parameter on, make sure there will be no MIDI loop in your system.

MIDI Clock

> Internal Sync: Any received MIDI Clock will be ignored. An internally generated clock is used instead. > Sync to External: Received MIDI Clock will be recognized. This is the standard setting. > Send: Internally generated MIDI Clock is sent to the MIDI output.

MIDI Device ID

> 1 to 16, Omni (17): Identification number for transmitting/ receiving System Exclusive data (see glossary). To allow SysEx communication between two devices, they must be set to the same device ID. If set to Omni, the Virus will receive Sysex data with any ID, and transmit with ID = 17.

MIDI Volume

> Disabled, Enabled: Specifies whether MIDI CC#7 (volume) will be recognized.

Arp Note Send

> Off, On: Specifies whether the notes created by the arpeggiator (see Arpeggiator on page 76) will be sent to the MIDI output instead of the original played notes.

Program Change

> Disabled, Enabled: Specifies whether the MIDI message Program Change will switch Single programs. This applies to programs in Single mode as well as PARTs in Multi or sequencer mode.
153 CONFIGURATION REFERENCE

Multi Prog. Change

> Disabled, Enabled: Specifies whether the MIDI message Program Change will switch the entire Multi Mode program if received on the global MIDI channel (see Global Channel on page 152).
> Enable: Bank data (128 sounds) will be stored to the Bank from which it was originally dumped, regardless of which bank is currently selected. > To Bank A: Bank data is always stored in bank A. > To Bank B: Bank data is always stored in bank B. > To Bank C: Bank data is always stored in bank C. > To Bank D: Bank data is always stored in bank D. > To Edit Buffer: Incoming bank data is not stored, but is treated as a series of individual programs. These will appear sequentially in the edit buffer useful for trying out sounds without having to overwrite an entire bank. > Verify: Incoming bank data is compared with the memory in the Virus, after which a status message appears. Use this setting to check whether a bulk dump has been successful.

MIDI Dump RX

Receive Dump
The Virus automatically recognizes the type of data appearing at its MIDI input. Whenever individual programs are received, they will appear in the Edit Buffer (see glossary), and must be explicitly stored (see STORE on page 125). Therefore, the following options only apply when receiving entire banks: > Disable: Program data arriving at the MIDI input will be ignored.

MIDI Dump TX

Transmit MIDI Dump
Transmits various types of system exclusive data to an external device e.g. a computer or another Virus. > Single Buffer: The contents of the single Edit buffer i.e. the current Single program (or Part without the Multi settings). This function is also available in the STORE menu for easy access see the Patch No option under STORE on page 136. > Single Bank A: All 128 programs in Bank A. > Single Bank B: All 128 programs in Bank B. > Single Bank C: All 128 programs in Bank C. > Single Bank D: All 128 programs in Bank D. > Controller Dump: A Single program, but in the form of a succession of individual parameter changes. These can take the form of MIDI CCs, Polypressure or Sysex, depending on the value of two other parameters (see MIDI Control on page 157). The Controller Dump setting is mainly used for updating the data in parameter-based editors (e.g. a Logic environment) and can be relatively slow. > Arrangement: All 16 sounds in the current Multi buffer or Sequencer mode buffer plus the additional multi settings. > Multi Bank: All Multi programs.

> Remote Patches: All Remote Templates.

Keyboard

Note: The Keyboard pages are only available in keyboard versions of the Virus.
> Off: Keyboard data (notes, modulation wheel, pitch bend etc.) is sent only to MIDI OUT, not to the internal sound generation. > On: Standard setting. The keyboard is directly connected to the internal sound generation as well as to MIDI out.
This parameter can be set in Single mode, but it only applies to MULTI mode. See Multi Mode Reference on page 165.

CONFIGURATION REFERENCE

> One Channel: The keyboard transmits MIDI data (notes etc.) to the currently selected Part via the MIDI channel defined in that Part. > Multi Channels: The keyboard transmits MIDI data (notes etc.) to all Parts, regardless of the assigned MIDI channel.

Mod Wheel

> 0 to 127: Specifies the MIDI CC number (see glossary) transmitted by the modulation wheel. The standard value is 1 (Mod Wheel).
> -64 to +63: Transposes (in semitones) either the sound engine (see glossary) or the keyboard, depending upon the value of Transpose Buttons.

Transpose Buttons

> Patch, Keyboard: Specifies whether the TRANSPOSE buttons on the panel will apply to the sound engine (Patch) or to MIDI note data from the keyboard.

Hold Pedal

> 0 to 127: Specifies the MIDI CC number transmitted by a device usually a Hold (sustain) pedal connected to the HOLD socket. The standard value is 64 (Hold).

Pedal 2

> 0 to 127: Selects the MIDI CC number transmitted by a device usually an expression pedal connected to the PEDAL 2 socket. The most common values for this parameter would be 4 (Foot Pedal), 7 (Volume) or 11 (Expression).

MIDI Control

Governs how Page A and Page B parameters are handled during MIDI communication with e.g. a computer or MIDI controller unit. Note that system exclusive data is always recognized, irrespective of the settings here. Further information, including a list of all parameters, is available at www.access-music.de.

Pressure Curve

> -64 to +63: Channel aftertouch sensitivity. Adjust this parameter to suit your playing style. The standard value (linear) is 0.

Page A

> SysEx: Page A parameters are transmitted/received as system exclusive packets. Controller data reception is disabled.

Velocity Curve

> -64 to +63: Keyboard dynamics sensitivity. Adjust this parameter to suit your playing style. The standard value (linear) is 0.
> Controller Data: Page A parameters are transmitted/received in the form of MIDI CC (see glossary) data.

Page B

Virus TI Series

Quickstart manual 5 Manual de iniciacin rpida 49 Schnellstart Anleitung 93 Guide de dmarrage rapide 137

www.access-music.de

Quickstart manual

QUICKSTART MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table Of Contents

11 Introduction
Welcome Health and Safety Maintenance Where do I find. How to get customer support?

Basic Operation

Power On/Off Connect it to your other equipment Audio I/O

Choose Your Weapon

Virus Control vs MIDI? What Is Total Integration? Host Software

Modes Of Operation

Mode / Exit Button Tap Tempo / Panic Button Preset Sounds Making Your Own Sounds Tutorial Patches

Parameter Overview

Oscillator Section Mixer Section Filter Section Envelopes Modulators Section Matrix Section Arp Section
Effect Section Effects In Upper Row Effects In Lower Row

Utility Buttons

Shift Search Store Random Patch Generator Undo Edit Config Exit Tap Transpose
About Virus Control Center
Backup and Restore Burn To Flash Update OS

About Polyphony

Level 1 Level 3 Level 5 Maximising Polyphony Conclusion

Compliance and Warranty

Enjoy making tunes :)

Legal Notice

Copyright 2009 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, by smoke signals 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.
www.access-music.de support@access-music.de

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Welcome

The Virus TI is the most powerful synthesizer Access have ever built. The dual DSP architecture is capable of delivering loads of voices over 16-part multi-timbral parts each with the full arsenal of effects to its disposal. The user-interface comprises 32 knobs and 42 buttons, and a elegant LC display to give you easy and intuitive access to its vast array of sound-sculpting possibilities. Coming as it does from the fine lineage of Virus synthesizers, the TI can draw upon a vast library of high quality sounds, created by some of the most talented sound-designers in the industry and spanning every conceivable genre of electronic music. The TI stands for Total Integration, and this is where we have redefined what it means to integrate a hardware synth with your computer and sequencer software. All audio and MIDI data can be streamed into and out of your compatible software host via USB, with the Virus Control plugin making your Virus TI appear as a VST/AU/RTAS multi-channel instrument, complete with patch browsing and full editing capabilities. All this means that the lines between hardware and software are so elegantly blurred, that from here on in youll find it hard to imagine how it could be any other way.

Health and Safety

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 anywhere near the unit. If any substances get into the Virus housing contact Access support (www.access-music.de). Avoid exposing the unit to excessive heat or direct sunlight. 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. This Virus model may require 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 wasnt 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. The Virus is capable of generating levels that can cause irreversible 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 requirements (+4dB Outputs etc.) In addition to the above, please consider the following advice carefully: Please do not hide the Virus TI in the oven, in case you later forget and cook it by accident. Please do not place the Virus TI on top of your car whilst fastening the kids into their seats, in case you forget and drive off with it still there.

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/start/ 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 Access support.

Where do I find.

This quick start manual takes references to the following, additional resources:
Information Patch parameter reference Location Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the patch parameter reference. PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Manuals Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documens/Manuals/ Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the multi parameter reference. PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Manuals Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documens/Manuals/ Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the configuration menu reference. PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Manuals Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documens/Manuals/ Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the manual addendum. PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Addenda Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documens/Addenda/ Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the Virus Control tutorials. PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Tutorials Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documens/Tutorials/ Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the Virus Control Center tutorial. PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Tutorials Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documens/Tutorials/ Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the Virus Control Sequencer tutorial. PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Addenda Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documens/Addenda/ Click on the ? in Virus Control and open the Videos folder PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Videos Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documents/Videos/ PC: Start > All programs > Access Music > Virus TI > Documentation > Turorials Mac: Applications/Access Music/Virus TI/Documents/Tutorials/

Multi parameter reference

Config menu reference

Addendum
Tutorials for Virus Control
Tutorial for Virus Control Center

Tutorials for Sequencers

Tutorial videos

Tutorial songs

Additional resources can be found on the Access Music website.
How to get customer support?
First of all, please dont hesitate to ask for customer support. We like to help and improve your experience with our instruments. We prefer to be contacted my e-mail. Simply because it is easier to gather all information in writing than on the phone. Nevertheless call us, if you prefer to talk. Details on how to contact our international support team can be found here: http://access-music.de/support/

BASIC OPERATION

The following is intended as a walkthrough guide to show you how simple it is to use the Virus TI. Please read through it carefully, with the Virus in front of you.

Power On/Off

Plug the supplied power adaptor into the mains, and connect it to the POWER socket on the rear of the Virus TI. The first time you do this, the unit should power up straight away. If you unplug the mains when the Virus is in standby, it will still be in standby when you reconnect it. Press both the TRANSPOSE buttons together to bring the Virus out of standby. Please wait for a few seconds while the Virus boots the operating system. To return it to standby at any time, press and hold the TRANSPOSE buttons for approx. 3 seconds.
Connect it to your other equipment
USB Important: You must install the TI Software and drivers before connecting the Virus to your computer via USB. To install: Go to www.access-music.de/start/ and download the latest build of the Virus TI installer package for your chosen computer platform. Once downloaded, extract the archive and run the installer. Follow the on screen instructions carefully, and connect the USB cable when told to do so. Connect the USB port on the Virus to a dedicated port on your computer using the cable provided or one similar. DO NOT USE A HUB! Sorry to have to shout, but the importance of this cannot be overstated - the Virus needs a USB port all of its own if the large amounts of data involved are to flow freely! The firmware of the Virus TI will be updated automatically as part of the installation process.
MIDI For those of you who simply cannot wait even a couple of minutes to hear your new baby make its first sounds (dont worry - we sympathise completely), then you can simply connect the out port of any MIDI compatible keyboard to the IN port of the Virus TI and start playing.

Audio I/O

Outputs If youre scratching your head at this point and wondering why you arent hearing anything, thats because the Virus TI does not come with built-in speakers. If you wish to hear all the wonderful noises you are making, then you need to connect OUTPUT 1 LEFT and RIGHT to the inputs of a stereo amplification system (preferably via a mixer), or a pair of headphones to the HEADPHONE socket. Please lower the MASTER VOLUME (upper-leftmost knob) before you play anything, especially through headphones, as we really dont want you to break your ears before youve even started. If you have your Virus connected to a mixing desk, it is probably best to leave Master Volume at maximum (127), and adjust the levels on your mixer to suit. This will give you the best signal-to-noise ratio. Please note, that Master Volume will not have any effect when you are using the USB outs in Virus Control.

Inputs Connect your external audio equipment to input left/right if you wish to route it through the Virus TI. With these inputs you can use the Virus as a sound card for your computer, or you can use them to do all sorts of naughty things to your other equipment by running it through the Virus filters and effects. If you want the audio to pass straight through the Virus to the audio outputs, then simply adjust the Input Thru parameter in the CONFIG menu to the desired level. Now you have installed the Virus TI on your computer and connected it to your equipment, you can start to explore the full potential of your new favourite synthesizer.

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON

Virus Control vs MIDI?
There are three main ways you can work with the Virus TI: As weve already mentioned, you can simply plug a MIDI controller keyboard into the MIDI IN port and start playing. You can use a software sequencer host to route up to 16 different channels of MIDI to the Virus TI. All you need to do is select the appropriate MIDI port in your host, which is labelled Virus TI Synth, and put the Virus into Sequencer Mode. Program changes can be made as normal on the Virus itself, or via your se quencer. You can enjoy Total Integration between your compatible sequencer host and the Virus TI by using Virus Control.
What Is Total Integration?
The Virus TI comes bundled with the Virus Control software - the hub of the Total Integration concept. Virus Control allows the Virus TI to appear as a multi-channel VST/Audio Unit/RTAS plugin, streaming audio and MIDI data discreetly over USB in 3 stereo channels, with sample-accurate timing and delay-compensation. Every parameter of the Virus TI synth engine is represented in the graphical user interface, with automation of all relevant parameters possible within suitable host software. The Browser page allows comprehensive patch library management, including a powerful search tool, and total recall of all your settings means the Virus TI will always be exactly as you last saved it with each project. For detailed information on how to use Virus Control, please refer to the relevant section in the Virus Control tutorials, which can be accessed directly by clicking on the ? button in Virus Control itself, along with several other useful resources.

Host Software

At this stage, its worth mentioning that to make full use of the Virus TI, it is recommended that you have one of the compatible software sequencers installed on your computer, a list of which can be found at www. access-music.de. Whilst it is still perfectly possible to use the Virus TI in standalone mode, a compatible sequencer will allow you to record your work in minute detail, and experience Total Integration as it was intended. Since all the compatible hosts have a unique working method, it is recommended that you take a little time out at this point to watch the tutorial video specific to your host, which can be found on your computers hard drive. You can also view these at any time by clicking on the ? symbol in Virus Control and selecting the relevant option. Please note that a video tutorial might not be available for every supported host.

MODES OF OPERATION

Mode / Exit Button
There are 3 ways or modes to play your Virus TI. The Mode Select buttons are located to the right of the LCD display.
Single Mode This is the default mode, in which the Virus will only play one sound at a time across the whole length of your MIDI controller keyboard.
Multi Mode In Multi mode, you can have up to 16 different sounds playing at a time. Each of these 16 sounds is handled by a Part, and each Part has its own performance settings, such as volume, pan position, transpose etc. By assigning the same MIDI channel to each Part, you can easily create fantastic combinations of any of the available presets, which can be arranged in layers or split into different key zones. The Virus TI has 128 slots for storing your Multi set-ups. The first 16 (0-15) of these are embedded Multis, by which we mean that they store all the data for the patches they use, so any edits you make to the sounds are automatically preserved when you store the Multi, so you need never worry about breaking a preset. Multis numbered 16 and upwards do not store the individual patch data, but instead refer to patches stored in the Single RAM/ROM banks.
Sequencer Mode Sequencer mode is a simplified version of Multi mode designed for use with a software sequencer. Each of the 16 Parts is set to its equivalent MIDI channel, and the performance settings are mostly hidden, as it is expected that you would rather use your sequencer to control these things. The Virus TI will automatically switch to Sequencer Mode when Virus Control is activated. Please note that you cannot store your settings in Sequencer mode - if it is important to do so, you should use Multi mode instead.
Exit Pressing this button from within any of the edit menus will bring you back out into the top page of the currently selected mode.

Tap Tempo / Panic Button

Tap Tempo Tap this button repeatedly to set the tempo. This will set the rate of the clock to which any clocked parameters will sync, for instance the LFOs (in clock mode), the Arpeggiator, the Delay (clock mode) etc. Please bear in mind that only one global tempo can be set when working in Multi mode. Alternatively, you can find Tempo in the COMMON edit menu, should you wish to choose a more precise tempo.
Panic (OSC MONO + OSC SYNC) Hit this combo to kill any hanging notes, which can be caused by incoming MIDI errors, such as when your sequencer decides to crash, for instance.

Preset Sounds

RAM/ROM? The Virus TI contains 4 banks of RAM, followed by 26 banks of ROM for storing sounds or patches, with each bank containing 128 sounds. RAM stands for Random Access Memory, which means any of these locations can be overwritten with your own patches, whenever you like. ROM stands for Read Only Memory, meaning these locations are permanent, and you cannot store your edited patches here normally. It is possible to flash a ROM bank with a customised bank using Virus Control Center however, which is explained in detail later in this guide. The RAM banks of the Virus TI contain a showcase of sounds selected from the ROM banks, so you neednt worry about replacing any of them. Should you wish to restore them to their original state at any time, we have saved them as libraries in the Patches folder, which you can access with the Browser in Virus Control (for further details, please refer to the Virus Control chapter in the user manual).
Selecting Single Presets To select a particular RAM/ROM bank, use the PARAMETERS (BANK) < > buttons to the bottom right of the display. The banks are ordered RAM A-D, followed by ROM A-Z. To scroll through the patches within a bank, use the VALUE (PROGRAM) +/- buttons located near the bottom right of the display. To jump to the middle of a bank (patch 64), press both buttons together.
Selecting Multi Presets Since there is only one bank of 128 Multis, it is not necessary to select a Bank first; apart from this the procedure is exactly the same as in Single mode.
To select which Single preset you want to assign to a particular Part, you need to press EDIT followed by Multi, and then select the preset using the Bank and Program parameters.

Making Your Own Sounds

So, you didnt buy a synthesizer as powerful as the Virus TI to just play the presets, did you? Well, if you did, thats OK - with so many great presets to choose from, it was still a wise choice! But arent you just itching to start tweaking those knobs? In this section, well be walking through all those controllers that are immediately available from the front panel, to help guide you on the path to righteous synthesis. For this guide we will be focussing on the primary functions of the knobs and buttons only. To access their secondary function (written in smaller text beneath the primary function), hold the SHIFT button whilst turning or pressing them. For more detailed information on all features of the Virus TI, please refer to the user manual.

Tutorial Patches

We have included a selection of simple tutorial patches at the end of bank RAM B. To start, please choose patch ROM B-120 Tutorial 1 - a basic, one oscillator patch using the Classic oscillator mode. So, lets start with the Oscillator section, as this will be the starting point for creating most of your sounds.

PARAMETER OVERVIEW

Oscillator Section
Oscillator is the name given to a device that generates a continuous, cyclic waveform. Different waveforms produce tones with different characteristics or timbre - from the pure simplicity of a sine wave to the harsh buzz of a saw wave. The Virus TI offers several oscillator types, for a virtually limitless supply of different tones from which to start your sound. You can then combine up to three different oscillator types, to create all manner of rich, complex sounds. The top row of knobs in the oscillator section are all assigned by the OSC1/2/3 SELECT button. Press this button repeatedly to move the focus of these knobs to the desired oscillator. For now, please ensure that the OSC1 LED (directly above SELECT) is lit up. Press EDIT once to access parameters relevant to the selected oscillator. You can now use the VALUE 1/2/3 knobs beneath the display to adjust the displayed parameters, and the PARAMETER buttons to navigate the pages within the menu. On page 1, the following parameters are displayed:

Soft Knob #1 #2 #3 Parameter Mode Shape Wave Select Meaning Choose from eight different types of oscillators Adjust the value of the parameter assigned to the SHAPE knob Adjusts the parameter assigned to the Wave Select / PW knob
Press EDIT again to access the Common Edit sub-menu containing parameters common to the whole oscillator section. If at any time you want to return to the top page which displays the Single preset names, press either the EXIT button (top left of the display) or the SINGLE button.
Shape The SHAPE knob blends the waveform between a selection of waves determined by Oscillator Mode. Starting with patch ROM B-120 Tutorial 1, please take some time to explore the different modes and how the SHAPE knob behaves in each (first ensure that SELECT is focussed to OSC1)
Mode Classic Meaning Blends the waveform smoothly from a spectral wave (fully anti clockwise) to a saw wave at center position (default), to a pulse wave (fully clockwise) Increases the number of saw waves from 1 to 9

Hypersaw

Mode Wavetable. Formant Complex
Meaning Sweeps through the Index of the current wavetable
Wave Select / PW The function of the WAVE SELECT/ PW knob varies depending on the Oscillator Mode and the current value of SHAPE. Starting with patch ROM B-120 Tutorial 1, please take some time to explore the different modes and how the WAVE SELECT/PW knob behaves in each (first ensure that SELECT is focussed to OSC1):
Mode Classic Meaning If Shape = Wave>Saw 98% or less, the function is Wave Select, which allows you to choose between Sine (default) and 63 different spectral waves. If Shape = Saw. Pulse, the function is Pulse Width, which affects the width of the Pulse wave Adjusts the amount of detune between the saws Selects the wavetable
Hypersaw Wavetable. Formant Complex
Semitone Adjusts the base pitch of the selected oscillator in semitones. You can pitch each oscillator by +/- 4 octaves. Use steps of +/- 12 semitones to adjust the pitch by an octave. **Please select patch ROM B-121 Tutorial 2 before continuing.**
Detune 2/3 Use the DETUNE knob to create a slight offset in the pitch of either Osc 2 or 3. Suitable amounts of detuning between the oscillators can really help to make a sound warmer. If OSC SELECT is either OSC1 or 2 then the target parameter is always Oscillator 2 Detune.
FM Amount FM is an abbreviation of Frequency Modulation, a process by which the frequency (pitch) Oscillator 2 is modulated by the frequency of Oscillator 1. The resulting effect is often a dramatic distortion of the affected oscillator, but there are also sweet-spots to be found, where the effect is more subtle and harmonious. Experiment with different values for Osc1 and 2 Semitone and FM Amount. If you want a purer, less distorted FM sound, use a sine wave for Osc 2 (turn SHAPE fully anti-clockwise). The function of the FM AMOUNT knob varies depending on the mode of Oscillator 2:

Env Amount (Filter 1 and 2 Envelope Amount) Use the ENV AMOUNT knob to control by how much Cutoff 1 and 2 are affected by the Filter Envelope. The effectiveness of this parameter is highly dependent on the current position of Cutoff 1 and 2 - in the Tutorial2 patch, please turn CUTOFF all the way down to 0 and ENV AMOUNT to 127. Now play some keys, and listen to how the filter now closes automatically.
Filter Balance Use the FILTER BALANCE knob to change the way the signal flows through the filters. In the centre (default) position, the filters are arranged in serial, so you will only hear the combined effect of both. Turn FILTER BALANCE fully left to hear only the output of Filter 1, and fully right to hear only the output of Filter 2.
(Filter) Edit Press the EDIT button to enter the Filter Edit menu. This menu contains all of the parameters relevant to the filter section, including Filter Routing and both the Filter and Amplifier Envelopes. Use the PARAMETER buttons to move through the pages - if you want to navigate more quickly, you can use the EDIT button to jump from one group of parameters to the next.
Cutoff 2 This determines the offset of Filter 2, relative to that of Filter 1. Filter 2 Cutoff is set by default to follow Filter 1 Cutoff at the same frequency. By adjusting this parameter, you cause Filter 2 to operate at a different frequency from Filter 1, which will change the perceived depth of the filters. Please note this parameter is highly dependent on other parameters within the filter section (such as Filter Balance, for instance) and may not always have an audible effect. Tip: If you want Filter 2 Cutoff to behave independently, you need to switch Cutoff Link to Off in the Filter Edit menu.
Filt 1/2 Mode Use the FILT 1 and FILT 2 MODE buttons to select different filter types for either filter. The following modes are available for both filters:
Mode LP Meaning Lowpass for removing frequencies above the cutoff
Highpass for removing frequencies below the cutoff Bandpass for removing frequencies above and below a narrow band around the cutoff Bandstop for removing frequencies within a narrow band (sometimes called a notch filter) AF Analog 1-4 pole inspired by the 4-pole lowpass ladder filter from the Minimoog tm. This mode is only available to Filter 1
The Analog filter modes are available via the FILTER EDIT menu, or alternatively, you can use SHIFT+FILT1 MODE to select between Analog 1/2/3 or 4 pole. If you want to set it up as an accurate emulation of the Minimoogs filter, select Analog 4 pole mode, turn FILTER BALANCE to -64 and OSC VOLUME to +0.

Filt 1/2 Select The FILT 1/2 SELECT buttons are used to determine which filters are affected by the RESONANCE and ENV AMOUNT knobs. Select either filter by pressing the corresponding button, or select both (default) by pressing the two buttons together. When both are selected, any adjustments cause the target parameter of both filters to snap to the same value, regardless of their previous setting.

Envelopes

The term envelope is used to describe the parts of a synthesizer we use to shape the timbre and volume of a sound over time. The Virus TI has two envelopes, one for the Filter section and one for the Amplifier. They both behave in exactly the same way, and are therefore equipped with the same selection of knobs.
Segment Attack Decay Meaning How fast the envelope opens when you first press the key How fast the envelope closes to the Sustain level once the Attack phase has completed The level at which the envelope then remains until you release the key How long it takes for the envelope to close completely once you release the key

Sustain Release

A further parameter Sustain Slope is also available to both envelopes by using SHIFT+SUSTAIN. At centre position (+0), this will have no effect on the sound. Positive values will cause the envelope level to rise back up to maximum once it reaches the Sustain phase. Negative values will cause the envelope to fall to zero once the Sustain level is reached.
Filter Envelope Use the Filter Envelope to automatically control the cutoff frequency of one or both of the filters. For these parameters to have any audible effect, you must first set ENV AMOUNT and CUTOFF to suitable values. With the Tutorial 2 patch, turn the CUTOFF knob to 0 and ENV AMOUNT to 127. Tip: If you want the Filter Envelope to sweep the cutoff in the opposite direction (i.e. Down>Up), enter the Filter Edit menu, and set the Env Polarity for both filters to Negative. You will probably have to find new values for Cutoff, as well as the Filter Envelope parameters, though! For some really interesting shapes, try setting one to Positive, and the other to Negative.
Amplifier Envelope Use the Amplifier Envelope to automatically control the volume of the sound. For a short, percussive sound try: ATTACK=0, DECAY=25, SUSTAIN=0, RELEASE=25. For a long, soft pad try: ATTACK=90, DECAY=XX*, SUSTAIN=127, RELEASE=70 Now try messing around with different shapes for both envelopes. Notice how the shape of either one can affect your perception of the other! Understanding how the envelopes behave is is a very important part of sound-design. *Note that when Sustain=127 (max), the value for Decay is irrelevant.

Modulators Section

Modulation is the term used to describe a function which changes the value of another parameter over time. Specifically for this purpose, the Virus has 3 LFOs or Low Frequency Oscillators. These are different from the oscillators used to generate the sound, as they operate at much lower speeds. The LFOs have been designed to run at independent rates, or to slave to the overall tempo of the current patch or Multi. If they are set to Rate, then you can choose a value between 0 - 127, and if they are set to Clock, you can choose a divider setting, based on a whole bar of 4/4, whereby 1/4 represents a rate equivalent to quarter notes or crotchets. Please select patch ROM B-122 Tutorial 3 before continuing.
LFO 1/2/3 Select Each LFO has its own SELECT button, which has two purposes: Firstly, it brings the RATE knob and the buttons on the top row to the focus of the selected LFO. Secondly, it allows direct access to the parameters assigned to the selected LFO via the VALUE knobs beneath the display - press SELECT repeatedly to cycle through the available options (watch the display!). LFOs 1 and 2 can target several parameters at once by this method - once you have set the value of any parameter to anything other than +0, the respective LED will light up to indicate that this parameter is being modulated. LFO 3 can only target one parameter from the Assign Target list which you select with the VALUE 2 knob. Listen carefully to the Tutorial 3 patch which uses all 3 LFOs, and see if you can hear all the modulations happening within it. By adjusting the RATE knob for each LFO, you should find it easier to hear what each one is doing.
(LFO) Edit Press the (LFO) EDIT button to access parameters relevant to the selected LFO.
Env Mode In some situations it can useful to have the LFO generate only a single cycle, which effectively makes it behave just like an envelope. Press ENV MODE to toggle between the normal, cyclic mode and Envelope (oneshot) Mode.
Shape Press SHAPE repeatedly to cycle through the basic selection of waveforms for the selected LFO. WAVE defaults to S&H (Sample & Hold) which generates random values, but you can also select from S&G (Sample & Glide) or any of the spectral waveforms in the EDIT menu.
Rate The RATE knob affects the rate or speed of the selected LFO. You can adjust the rate continuously from 0-127, or you can use it to select clock divisions by first enabling Clock mode in the EDIT menu. Please select patch ROM B-123 Tutorial 4 before continuing

Matrix Section

The Modulation Matrix is a very powerful tool for adding movement and dynamics to a sound. It comprises 6 main slots, each of which can patch a control source into 3 different parameters. This means you can have up to 18 different modulations happening all at once (not including those already assigned to the LFOs and Envelopes!) in a virtually unlimited number of configurations. Creative use of the Mod Matrix can make the difference between an average patch and something truly spectacular!
Mod Select Press the MOD SELECT button repeatedly to move the focus of the VALUE knobs through Slots 1-6. Once you have selected the Slot, use the VALUE knobs as follows:
Soft Knob #1 #2 #3 Parameter Source Amount Destination Meaning Select the source of the modulation, i.e. Mod Wheel, Velocity, LFOs etc Determine the depth of modulation - set either a positive or negative value Select the parameter to be modulated
Once a parameter is highlighted, you can use the VALUE buttons for fine adjustments. The SLOT 1-6 LEDs illuminate once their respective Slot has been assigned a Source and a Destination, so you can easily see which ones are active.
Destination Use the DESTINATION up/down buttons to move the focus of the VALUE knobs through each of the 3 routings within each Slot. If you continue to press the same direction, you will move on to the next Slot. You can also use the PARAMETER buttons to do this, if you prefer. Note that the VALUE knobs are always focussed collectively on one row at a time. Take a look at all the modulation routings used in patch Tutorial 4. It uses a combination of realtime controllers like MIDI Note On Velocity and the Modulation Wheel, as well as assigning LFOs and the Filter Envelope to modulate different parameters. Experimenting with different Amount values for each should help to give you an idea of how powerful the Modulation Matrix is.

Arp Section

The Arpeggiator is used to create automatic arpeggios (broken chords) out of any notes you hold together. You can select from any one of 64 pre-defined rhythmic patterns, or even make one of your own (User) using the pattern editor in Virus Control.
Arp On Switches the Arpeggiator on/off.
(Arp) Edit Press this to gain access to all parameters relevant to the Arpeggiator. Please note that most are unavailable when the Arpeggiator is switched off.

Effect Section

Effects are like the final icing on your cake of sound. The entire output of the sound-engine passes through the Effects section, where you can use several different FX types to take a basic sound and turn it into a production-ready epic.
Select Each row of effects has its own SELECT button. Press it repeatedly to move the focus of the adjacent knobs through the selection of effects in that same row.

Random Patch Generator

Press SHIFT+STORE if you wish to trigger the Random Patch Generator.
Press UNDO to undo the last edit you made. Press again to redo it. If you havent made any edits to the currently selected patch, pressing UNDO will revert to the previously selected patch, including any edits you made to it before you accidentally changed patches.
Press EDIT to enter the Single Edit menu, where you will find many important parameters, such as Patch Volume, Panorama, Transpose, Unison mode, and many preset Velocity routings. If you are in Multi mode, pressing EDIT will enter the Single Edit menu for the selected Part. If you wish to enter the Multi edit menu, you must press SHIFT+EDIT.

Config

Press CONFIG to enter the Configuration menu, where the global parameters are located. All hardware and system-related parameters are here, including MIDI communication options. Please refer to the User Manual if you need help with a specific parameter.
Press EXIT at any time to return to the Single or Multi page you were in. This button is the only way to get out of the Store menu without completing the Store process.
Use the TAP button to set the tempo of the current Single or Multi patch. Simply tap the button at the required tempo. Please bear in mind that this will not work if the TI is slaved to an external MIDI clock.

Transpose

To the left of the SHIFT button are the TRANSPOSE buttons. Use these to adjust the pitch up or down by up to 2 octaves.
ABOUT VIRUS CONTROL CENTER
Virus Control Center helps you handle Virus TI data backups and allows you to overwrite the content of the ROM preset banks. It can also update your Virus TI to the latest OS version, although the Virus TI software suite installer usually takes care of this.

Backup and Restore

Backup and Restore allows you to write the entire memory content (including all RAM and ROM banks along with all multi patches) to one single file on your hard drive. To perform a backup, select the Backup and Restore tab, hit Backup and choose a filename and file location. Once thats done, confirm by clicking OK. Depending on your Virus TI model, backing up the entire memory takes between 5 and 25 minutes. Restoring a backup file is equally simple. Switch to the Backup and Restore tab, hit Restore, select the file you wish to restore from and click OK.

Burn To Flash

Burn To Flash allows you to overwrite the content of the ROM banks in your Virus TI. As you may have already noticed, the Virus TI memory has been expanded to 26 ROM banks and all the new ones are only filled with INIT sounds. All those unused banks are waiting to be filled using Burn To Flash. In order to transfer a bank of sounds to the ROM section you need to select a source bank first. The Select source bank menu shows exactly the same choice of banks you see in Virus Control. Next you need to decide where you want to write the bank to. By clicking on the letters A-Z you select the target for the transfer, as well as see the present content of the bank to be overwritten. Once you made up your choice, hit OK and proceed from the top again in case you want to overwrite more banks in your Virus TI. The user bank icon indicates which banks already have been overwritten in the past. To restore the original banks later, see Advanced Menu below.

Update OS

In most situations you will never need to manually install an OS update. The Software Suite installer automatically takes care of it. In the unlikely case that the firmware update wasnt successfully transferred you can use the Virus Control Center to manually install the firmware again. Since OS 2.7 your Virus shows an alert during boot up if the firmware wasnt successfully installed. To update your Virus TI operating system press Start update

ABOUT POLYPHONY

So, how many voices (notes) can you expect from the Virus TI at a time? The answer is that since the Virus TI sound engine is highly dynamic, the voice count can vary dramatically from one sound to the next, depending on which features are being used. To help give you a rough idea of how many voices you can expect to achieve with your chosen patch, we have provided a patch complexity meter in the top right hand side of the display. There are five levels of complexity, with level 1 being the least complex, and hence allowing for the highest voice-counts. Since it is too complex to explain all the different scenarios, we have provided the following three examples*: *Please be aware that maximum polyphony can only be achieved when playing one Part at a time.

Level 1

Patches using e.g. 1 or 2 simple oscillators, one or two mod routings and one or two effects can achieve upwards of around 64 voices. With the very simplest of patches you can achieve far more than this - for example, please check out ROM B-124 Tutorial 5, a nice, warm PWM pad with Delay and Chorus, capable of being played with more than 100 simultaneous voices.

Level 3

Patches using e.g. 3 simple oscillators, 3 or 4 mod routings and several effects can achieve upwards of around 40 voices.

Level 5

Patches using e.g. the Grain or Formant oscillators, several mod routings, lots of effects and the Analog 1-4 pole filter can achieve between about voices.