You are *NOT* a grandpa (well maybe you really are but whatever), You are a MAN with experience of having toured, performed with some really great synths and I appreciate your vast experience in this realm of musical expertise. Continue to stream on my friend.
Great video man ! I have produced almost 10,000 sounds on it. This is probably the only synthesizer that has kept surprising me for over 10 years. It is a solid hardware.
I have been checking through quite a few of your sounds. Some really amazing work. I'm sure you've helped a lot of Virus users make the most of their hardware.
Great video! I have had my Virus TI2 for almost ten years, and it can still make me go "wow" as I create sounds on it. I don't know any other synth that can do as much and whose sound just doesn't get old. It's one of two synths that I would never sell, the other being my beloved Yamaha DX7II.
awesome to hear, I also had a pretty serious DX addiction back in the day. I did a shipload of custom programming on it, and yeah, it was also a piece of gear which really maintained my attention and respect....
I saw an advert somewhere (maybe 20 plus years ago) for the Virus and I’ve been enamored with them ever since. I’ve always felt that the Virus is one of the most radical looking sound machines. I had a grad student/professor in one of my undergrad electronic music classes and he brought his Virus’ into class one day to demo synthesis and waveforms. I was completely smitten by that thing. That’s the only time I’ve seen or listened to the Virus in person and aside from adverts I haven’t seen or heard about them since then. So, this video is great because for me this particular synth really does have a hint of mystique and I’ve enjoyed learning about them. Thanks.
Like you, I'd known about the Virus line for a long time, but I'd never owned one. I was pretty much blown away by it's abilities, and it has some really distinctive features. It unfortunate and sad that it seems to be a bit orphaned by the company.....
@@willswitchcraft I’m in the mood to share some comments at the moment, so pardon my chatter here. I studied A/V design, art history and a dash of architecture in college. And I lived in London for a brief time while in school, circa 2002. Andy C, High Contrast, Mouse On Mars, Dieselboy, Amon Tobin, Squarepusher, Autechre... these were all happening around town and I had never heard anything quite like it - truly exhilarating. I returned to the states renewed and refreshed; loaded to the gills with inspiration; mostly from contemporary circles and regular visits to various venues around town, such as: SoHo, ICA, Fabric Live, the Tate museums, and actually several outstanding London libraries (the books I found about contemporary art and electronic music were so mint and cutting edge). All of that fantastic energy flowing through a single place, the urban metropolis that is saturated with throbbing grit and creative life there in London. Anyway, the music and contemporary art scene was especially inspiring. So, first thing I did upon returning from Europe is I went out and bought my first synth - a brand new Korg Electribe EA-1 (it’s okay, go ahead and laugh); a used drum machine (Boss Dr. Groove DR-202); and a crappy Tascam Portastudio (4-track cassette tape recorder). Those were golden years. Unfortunately, my passion for music making and audio design took sort of a back seat to my other studies (emphasis on visual design, engineering and graphics), and later my career pulled me into the direction of professional graphic design and international photography circles. So, unfortunately music faded away from my creative practice (for almost a decade) with my only “music making” exercise being late night reading up on the newest instrument designs, released by companies like - Teenage Engineering, Moog, Gamechanger Audio, Roger Linn, etc. Anyway, I’ve just recently in the past few years started catching up again with my passion for music and especially musical instrument design (drums > bass > synth, in that exact order). Today, I’m happy to say, I’ve built my own home based fabrication/design studio, and I build my own instruments (boutique electric basses, kalimbas/mbiras and other quirky R&D projects) which is really something I had always wanted to do back in the early years of academia but I didn’t quite figure that out until later down the road. Anyway, this is a long way of saying that after watching your Virus walkthrough, you reminded me about this particular synth and how much I appreciated, all those years ago, this instrument for its incredible German engineering and slick design. I’ve been buying and trying out a new piece of synth gear (about 1 or 2 per year) to find something with a particular sound design palette for the purpose of building my audio sound scape works in tandem with my acoustic drum kit and electric bass looping setup. It’s become a bit of a ritual actually to buy some new piece of synth gear, work with it for 6 months or so and then sell off the newly acquired gear in search of another synth that might work better with the vision I have for this particular - drums/bass/synth - rig setup. That’s been the goal for the past few years but so far no luck pinning down the right synth for my setup. So then, I completely forgot about the Virus synths and I was recently just getting ready to buy this years trial synth (I was looking at the Moog DFAM, Subharmonicon and an older Roland synth, Sh-32). But then I encountered your videos on the Virus and voila! That’s the one - the missing link. So, needless to say, you motivated me and I finally bought the Access Virus B (Rack Classic), just yesterday. I’m stoked. So then, I hope you don’t mind if I send you a tech question or two, now and then. Thanks again for the overview and for reinvigorating my long lost interest in the Access Virus. ✌️😎👍💥🎹💥
Thanks for the insights.....I too have been into the synth thing forever, and also have worked as a graphic designer, and cinematographer, etc. I often buy and sell gear, just so that I can try different pieces without collecting (like I used to do when Was doing it as a full time professional). I also spent many years designing and building my own 'art house' in the wilderness, with my wife, and am just now finding more time for music again.......BTW - I had an Electribe (I think it was an EMX, it was awesome, so no, I wouldn't laugh) Glad to hear about your Virus purchase. I'm hoping that it will be everything you need.
Lots of coincidences here .... i am sort of "grandpa" too, i have had (and still have) tons of synths too, and i am now enjoying the Virus line of synths (like you) after so many years of "skipping" them. To me, the Access Virus and the Novation Supernova are the top of the tops in VA synth design. Thank you for a great video.
Very cool to hear from you! The Supernova was also incredibly powerful and offered the multi channel options (as did the Yamaha TX816) I'm still a fan of a lot of the Novation stuff. Thanks for watching and saying hello.
Thank you so much for taking the time doing this video Grandpa!!... I was needing this information on the Access Virus line to decide which one to buy and you made it possible..
Thanks so much for your comment. I've done a few Virus videos now. I wasn't really sure anyone would be interested, but it's wonderful to get responses like yours - makes it all worthwhile.......
what a welcome comment. Thnx so much Rob - truly appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment (I have quite a few Virus videos here if you're interested)
I haven't used an M1 chip, but I seriously doubt it, because Access is NOT even making their software compatible with the 64 bit mac OS (Mojave, etc.). I uploaded another video about an alternate software editor - it would be a good choice to look into....
I have just completely renovated a Virus-C as a keeper. Well over a 100 components changed, it's an absolute joy to use / play. Sights are clearly aimed at a little Snow desktop to compliment it
Wow, sounds interesting. Great to know that parts are still available, or perhaps you were 'hotrodding' the synth, and using different components. Thanks for the comment..................
@@willswitchcraft i loved to start with presets, but then they became boring. By now i can do simple sounds, but complex modulations and arps are quite challenging. Sometimes i want to get vacation just to lock up in the room with synths and dig them all completely
Sound design isn't simple that's for sure, but still very approachable. I think people who are new to it should always remember to finish the sound, make sure it has a beginning, middle and end. From what I noticed is beginners and even intermediate can be prone to not putting the full contour on sounds, it ends up being more of a tone than a finished sound. I'm not saying that's anyone here, but since learning was mentioned I thought I'd give my little tip :) I guess also I would want to say sometimes simple is good, the simple sounds often carry the most weight. Cheers everyone and I hope to see more virus vids from you this channel and well, more virus vids in general because I think I"m getting one. I really never gave these synths a fair chance and I regret that because they seem pretty perfect for what I need now.
It is such a service to have a straightforward rundown. I was shocked when I first discovered how powerful the TI series was, especially because of the reputation of the virus as primarily a VA synth. Understand the snow in particular was useful because it was never clear to me how it related to the others. Also, great to hear about the rack mount 90 degree flip. Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to sell to get one.
thanks....It's great to know that there are people who get something from the videos.........As far as buying one, the cheapest model is the little SNOW. Still uses the same basic sound engine, same effects, etc. but can only handle a smaller voice count, etc. (I guess we all have gear that we lust after, and begin to think about what we could 'release' to get...)
Great vid, thanks. It's helpful to learn the differences between the Viruses, in my case, I was looking for differences between the Indigo 2 and the TI2 Polar.
thanks for the comment. I've never had my hands on an Indigo 2, so I'm not going to be much help......Maybe you can glean some info on the Virus Users Forum (free to join, etc.)
Thank you so much for this access virus history lesson! I really enjoyed watching and learning about all the models. I had one of these synths as a kid, but couldn't really appreciate or understand what I had at the time.
Filterbanks are amazing, you can form sound as a plasticine. That's make TI line unique. I've been virused for almost 20 years (С&TI) and it's really great. Thanks for a video!
Really enjoying your videos on the Virus series, but gotta say the intro for this one is just magical. I can't think of any intro on YT I've liked enough to rewind several times lol
So good to hear.......Do you mean an old guy in the great Canadian winter? or do you mean the start of the 'meat & potatoes' of the video? (This was one of my earlier videos, and I thought I'd inject a bit of 'reality', but then, realized that most people just want to get to the content) Lots of time, when I'm hunting on YT, I just feel like skipping the whole first part of the videos, as people are just babbling........so I guess it depends what you're looking for. Either way, thanks for taking the time to comment, .....I appreciate it!
@@willswitchcraft The shot of the stove together with the dog followed by the cut to the winter scenery + the coffee mug & then you giving the intro dialogue with the scenery in the background....just very well done visually.
@@willswitchcraft Sure...Well, I'm a huge coffee addict #1 & also live in the Southern U.S. where no snow, mountains or any of that exists whatsoever lol Sure that has something to do with it, but IDK it just felt visually stunning & gave off a relaxing vibe, the dog added to it as well.
Nicely done, thanks for the helpful overview ! As a german "Besserwisser" I have to comment on some facts though. The city of Berlin is often referred to when talking about electronic music. The "Berlin school" is a known term. But no of the companies you mention and bind to Berlin has actually its roots there. PPG is from Hamburg, Waldorf originates from Waldorf /now Remagen, Access is from Recklinghausen. The only obvious one that comes to my mind is MFB (Manfred Fricke Berlin). Other german synth manufacturers like Doepfer, the former Quasimidi / Radikal Technologies are not Berlin-based either.
Interesting observations and information Thomas. Thanks so much for the clarification. I haven't been to Germany for a long time now, but it's always seemed like a very unique place with a creative and innovative bunch of people.......Good to know more facts......thanks for commenting!
I had the A in 07 and I like it. I upgraded to TI2 later on and it is really synth /sound module because even the presets that come is I feel is complete. Has bread n butter sounds and tweakable presets. I really like the that the Virus doesn't come with a jillion wavetables .
Yes, however it might be cool if there was a better way to name/organize the wavetables.....If you haven't watched, you might enjoy this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5o4KVDtpBAo.html
@@willswitchcraft Thanks Will, its turned out to be one of the best investments I've ever made. Totally killed off my GAS, which strangely is kind of a relief TBH.
That's a big, difficult question. There's so much great, sample based gear out there. I often just used some of the excellent sample libraries and a laptop. I can tell you what would be the most affordable option for a keyboard, synth and sampler.... Years ago, Korg came out with the 'Karma'. I don't think it ever really caught on, but it has some great sounds, and you can often pick them up for about $500. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-G9MKyC0DS1c.html
Very useful, thank you! Keep up the good work, it's great to see an educational video on the Virii by someone who understands what they are capable of :-)
man your energy is contagious. I can really tell you know extremelly well what you are talking about and that's awesome (and very informative!). Thank you Will; subscribed!
So happy to hear that my energy level and enthusiasm are a benefit to these videos.......Hope you find other stuff you like on my channel......(lots of different things hidden there)
What's funny is I saw a post of someone taking the Virus TI Keys apart and the sound module was just a tiny little palm sized PCB. Which is rich, because the Ti1 is the heaviest brick of a synth I have.
This was very helpful. Made a subscriber out of me. Hello from Fort Wayne Indiana. I happen to love the sound of these. I don't know how many know about this, but Access Virus made a software version of Indigo that was only available for Pro Tools HD/TDM. It had a polite little indigo GUI and was stuffed full of fantastic patches. It was my go-to synth on a previous system. I used it on a song I wrote while courting my wife so I could say Indigo practically got me hitched. hah I'm half tempted to revive the Pro Tools HD 2 Accel system (on power mac dual G5) and set it up as a slave, just so I can use that synth. :D Buut I may just be buying one of the new versions when the time is right. Funny it went from that to now they don't even make an AAX version of their current plugin. Cheers
Didn't watch the whole video yet, but i have a question i cant get An.amswer too. I have a Korg Electribe Emx-1 and i send the synths to a Virus Rack. And when i made a multi program, i cant save IT togheter with pattern i made on the Korg. So when i switch a pattern on the Korg, the Virus doesn't switch with IT. Is this soundimg crazy? I only doing this a year, so im quite green
That's a difficult one. It depends on so many factors. First of all, if you watched my Hydrasynth video, I point out a few things that really bugged me - the most important being, whenever you go to SAVE a patch, all the audio stops for a few seconds. I found that really annoying. Secondly, when you go to switch patches, the first patch cuts out. Aside from those - the Hydra is 8 voice, but the Virus is capable of up to 80, and can do 'Multis' - up to 16 different patches at a time, so it is a true sound source. Keep in mind - I don't know if ACCESS is going to continue as a company. You'd have to use another companies patch librarian/editor (I did a video on that) but as far as I'm aware, there are no plans to offer a software editor for the Hydrasynth, which would be awesome.. Both synths can create very similar sounds - wavetable sweeps, all types of massive, punchy things, and also very subtle, nuanced ones as well...........
You must be excited. I think it's a great decision. They are both killer synths, but the Virus has some truly 'next level' features. Another thing to consider: if you decided in the future that it's not the ideal synth for you (very unlikely) you'll probably have no problem selling it. You'll find there are thousands of presets for the Virus out there, lots of different genres. If you haven't watched it, I did an in-depth video of the Mystery Islands Music software for editing the Virus. Might be worth considering....
@@willswitchcraft excited is an understatement, its arriving tomorrow and I just can't contain my excitement. I've wanted this synth since I was 15 years old. When I first saw and heard it I was blown away and I still am! That's saying something. I think its a very overlooked synth and I can't wait to own it and love it. Will make some music and share it soon! :) thanks for your replies man!!
Glad to hear you're going to get that bad boy on your desk tomorrow, Max. Even though I've been buying gear forever, decades and decades, I'm always super pumped when I've got something coming in the mail. Nice to hear your enthusiasm - hope you're thrilled with the sounds that are in the unit, but keep in mind, there are loads of sounds available out there, and these Viruses are capable of a really wide range of things. Congrats on getting the Virus in 2021!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will NOT want a vaccination against this one!
awesome grandpa! can't wait for the next virus video. I've had my C for about 20 years. Though now when I push buttons random things happen, so I can only turn knobs. Any idea how much that might cost to fix?
and there's the Supernova a few years later, and the Yamaha TX816 as well......once again, I'm just stating how innovative Access was, there are others who had similar features
I can't be certain, however the majority of my information comes from the Access website, so it's hard to be certain, unless you could have 2 different Virus synths in front of you, loaded with the same patches.
True. There do seem to be pieces of gear that people are less addicted to, but I hear repeated comments from people who own Moog, Nord and Virus, that show real loyalty, and kick themselves later after selling one....To me, some of the new gear has incredible workflow, innovative and unique features, etc. Those are a joy, especially for novices, however after years and years of full time use, some gear, and some sounds just seem to always be useable and remain current.
Thanks for that clarification.... I truly hope that anyone seriously interested, will read some of these comments. I got about 80% of my information off the Access Virus website, however I do realize that I don't have personal experience with all the Virus models, so it's just meant to be an overview - not a definitive and conclusive overview..........
was very curious about this line of synths and this video was perfect, very informative. i hope im still as passionate about audio by the time im your age haha
Thanks for your comment... so much great gear out there these days, it's hard to make decisions I suspect, but these things certainly compete well with most of the newer stuff...... as far as my passion, I'd have to admit, it's probably more of an obsession, which one can have at ANY age LOL)
the presets are not the only reason why the different models might sound differently to some people: the C and the TI produce slightly different basic waveforms (eg. square, saw...)
Well in truth, there's actually more to it than that, however I was oversimplifying things. What I did try to make clear, is the the LATER virus models, contain virtually everything on the earlier ones. Of course, the earlier models can't sound exactly like the later ones, for many reasons
@@willswitchcraft yeah some people blame different DACs, but I personally don't believe that would have an audible effect, I blame the different waveforms. It's also puzzling to me why would they make the TI produce a distorted square wave instead of a proper square wave like the C can produce. I look forward to your other videos if you are willing to get into more details about this issue
I'm not sure how much time I'll spend doing these types of uploads.........I've been pretty much obsessed with synths for decades, but I'm also trying to spend a shipload of time writing, improvising, jamming and recording..........I don't think I'd be able to build the type of online presence that garners enough views - to warrant detailed tutorials, etc.........but thanks for watching and commenting!
Btw for a few months , TI2 Darkstar was also my sound card . Btw my DAW is Renoise because TI2 sounds sooo good when you step sequence to create those tight melodies. Renoise is good for techno music/Rave and synth pop. Reverb and Delay sounds good 👌
Because I generally record large diaphragm mics (which need Phantom power and use an XLR connector), I haven't really experimented with the Virus as a primary sound card - interesting thought though......thanks for commenting.....
@@willswitchcraft Will, I'm not an expert with recording but they say the TI2 doesn't have a preamp. I didn't care because it sounded good for what I do. The mixer went to the IN of the Virus Darkstar.
Now THAT must be exciting!? Nothing like a deeeeeep monster of a synth to help you Social Distance.... Check out this video if you haven't seen it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5o4KVDtpBAo.html
ive wanted a virus ever since i was 6 y/o, using my precious dial up internet time browsing vintage synth explorer, im about to pick up a used ti polar, cheers from alberta man!
Hey Dan, That's v exciting exciting about your used Polar! If you haven't watched, check this other vid out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5o4KVDtpBAo.html Greetings from South Western B.C.
Again thanks, but now with a question: debating between the C and TI. Only reason for TI being in my pool of choices is the mention of DAW integration. On the other hand, reading some of the comments here, seems like the integration is far from perfect… could someone please elaborate on the issue? No videos on this from the recent years… thanks in advance
I hope you can find some detailed info about integration. I suspect the Virus Forum would be most helpful. I've heard some serious concerns, but have limited personal experience.......
Nice vid maybe talk about sync virus and other hardware 🤔 I have found the Ti part useless for anything but patch storage as sync is so bad How you finding it?
My usage is probably different from many people, as I don't use it often as a module. Now that I'm running the Mystery Islands Music software, I find the editing and patch librarian duties really solid and quite efficient overall. Killer hardware, but it's truly sad that Access has completely dropped the ball. I'll be surprised if they continue with manufacturing any synthesizer hardware in the future. ;0(
Interesting......I'll consider that. I just uploaded another Virus video, if you're interested: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5o4KVDtpBAo.html
I don't know what the Virus sound is - it does what it wants!!! There are so many sounds in there, the Ti Range hasn't aged at all. Ive got a Snow, and it's a little monster - a great performance synth. And with 4-part, and up to 50 voices, its a good supporting module for your setup.
People certainly talk about the Virus Sound, but in reality, most of the synths out there are capable of everything from Trance to Ambient. Personally, I think one of the reasons that the Virus line is so sought after, is - if you look at a frequency analyzer, there's actually a lot LESS high end activity than a lot of other brands (Nord, Korg, Roland etc.). Because of that, the synth can be a lot louder in a mix, without being piercing, so it's perceived as a 'punchier' sound....
Thanks Paul.......I always wonder if it's worth putting these together, but it's great to hear from people. Thanks for watching & commenting. I do appreciate it.
Thanks for that ...I do realize that there are also a lot of settings available in the later models, like EQ & effects, which greatly affect the overall sound....I'm just doing an slightly oversimplified overview here....
yeah, they're so amazing.......finally sold my Ti Desktop, but only because I immediately replaced it with a little SNOW, which fits into my ambient workspace better...................so incredible sounding........
@@willswitchcraft I might have to pick one up again at some point, though the prices have only been increasing :'( The A's go for a reasonable price, but I want a B or C...
then I'd say the Virus line is still a great option........(of course you're not taking advantage of being able to play 16 parts at once, up to 80 voices, etc......but the sound, unparalleled.......you might want to consider the Virus Snow.........all the same sounds/effects/features of the newest Virus synths, but much smaller and more affordable......
Nice video, I like your knowledge you seem to have, very informative... thanks! I'm probably going to get a virus which I never thought I'd say but slowly and surely i'm being convinced that it's the way to go, the multitimbral part really really hooks me, I'd be using it with a polyend tracker so the multitimbral thing is really valuable for me... I have a blofeld and it's great, this just looks a little more suited to pairing with the tracker since I can have more effects per part, how many effects per part with the TI2 desktop?
I don't use it as a multitimbral source in my set up, but you can have Echo, Reverb, Chorus, Phaser, Distortion, EQ and the Analogue simulator - all will fully customized functions, PER PART..........I used to love my Blofeld, unfortunately, over time, the rotary encoders began to fail........Good luck with your set up , the Polyend looks really interesting
@@willswitchcraft Keep em coming. 🍻 I think there's still a pretty big community of producers still infekted. 1 thing that is hardly ever discussed in depth is using the Virus' as an effects processor/Vocoder via the inputs. That'd be an interesting watch.
Good point. I have a bunch of things like that I'd like to cover, when I can put some time in........Thanks for that specific suggestion. I haven't seen a lot of videos on the Atomizer, or some of the other, lesser used features either......
I haven't read or heard anything like that. The closest thing I'm aware of would be the little white Blofeld, by Waldorf, which had a sample option.....I can't imagine Access having such an option in just one, their least expensive synthesizer. If I were you, I'd do some research before repeating that or putting too much faith in that info.......
Yeah, that sounded odd to me.. I knew that the Blofeld had the SL sampling option. I loved my Blofeld, but had to sold it when the rotary encoders started dying.....just like my Microwave XT unfortunately....
Agreed. It's totally F*%cked up, not to support a synth with so many owners/users. If you haven't tried checked it out, Mystery Islands Music makes software for the Virus line. Cheap, solid........I uploaded a whole video on it a few weeks back.....
Nice video! After owning a C Desktop and a C Rack, I finally settled for a TI2 Polar. A very handy all-in-one machine thanks to its built-in audio interface - that plus a laptop are all I need in the living room whenever my wife is occupying the work/music room. One comment: Multi-timbrality was not really invented by Access - already my first sound modules in the 80ies had it. And my favorite synth, the Novation Supernova II, is also multi-timbral. But it's become a rare feature nowadays!
Yes, I understand and agree... There were a few companies doing that type of thing, perhaps most popular was the Yamaha TX816 set up, however it didn't function as a hardware synth, no knobs, etc, just a rack mount sound system... I just wasn't really aware of anyone doing it so completely, with so many voices, individual effects, etc.....
For years I played with the idea of getting a Supernova. I've had a lot of Novation stuff over the years, including a Zio, XSynth and an Ultranova. I just loved the sounds, and all the control from the panel. In the video, you'll hear a few 'oversimplifications' which don't really tell the whole story, because I wanted to try to keep it under an hour LOL
@@willswitchcraft Haha, no problem! I really love the Supernova series, but of course it's 20 years old by now whereas Access have continued updating their machines with USB, faster processors... the Virus is the last one standing. :)
I partially agree with you, however from a different perspective - Novation is still kicking ass and making cool stuff, yet Access is pretty much over. Now that they have stated that they will NOT be making their editing software compatible with the new 64 bit MacOS, all the users will start to feel unsupported. I suspect that the Supernova will always be a great piece of gear, even if it doesn't support MPE, or other new advances....Not unlike the beloved old Moog stuff, Oberheim, etc,.....
You can also name your TI virus models in the factory OS/patch manager software. I name my instrumpents anyways so my KC was never christened digitally but I named it "Machupo", My Snow was named "Variola", my TI desktop was named "Marberg" and my current virus Polar1 is named "Ebola Zaire". :> I named them after viruses. I got it because sometimes I just want to play on a virus and nothing else. Great synth for making patches and tinkering on.
I'm having a problem that perhaps you could help me with.....I have a backup of the sounds on my Virus Ti desktop (which I've now sold), but I can't upload any of those patches into the Virus Snow - some strange issue, even though they have an almost identical synth engine......I need to get someone to take my Virus back up (.vti file) and then create .mid patch banks for me. I only need the first 4 RAM banks. Interested in helping me out? I can send you - not only my back up file, but over a hundred different patch banks from various sourced, for the Virus
Amazing Video 👏 I didn't know that it can play different patches at the same time, thats really an amazing feature. I definetly need to get one of these now, my macbook is calling for it 😄
Hey Mat, thanks for stopping by and watching. They're pretty powerful beasts (& I have uploaded many Virus videos, so take a look if you're interested) All the best
WOW! Congrats! ....So exciting. I'd suggest signing up on the Access Virus website forum. On their website, there are many FREE sound banks available for download. Even if you plan to create all your own sounds, I find it really helpful to listen to an assortment of other people's patches, just to get some ideas of what's possible.......
@@willswitchcraft i will of course start with the presets , tweak them and then design my own at a later point from scratch ! Thanks for the tip my friend, will do that !
I have that exact Yamaha interface_high quality_out of Yamaha HS80M + 10" Sub highly recommend these or the HS8_otherwise the Adam 8.5" or the KRK 10" this whole mountain setup is a sign_foreshadowing my bug out studio design yes a retro samsung LCD 120hz auto motion plus as a pc monitor too_coming with😆
A whole lot of film composers use Access Virus too. Hans Zimmer , Harry Gregson Williams, Klaus Badelt, James Newton Howard, Danny Elfman juts to name a few :) I don't own virus synth since they are way out of my price tag but maybe i will buy one some day. I like this video
Hey - Thanks for the supportive comment! This video is probably a lot more entertaining: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5o4KVDtpBAo.html
The Ti1 is definitely the sexiest (wooden cheeks always beat no wooden cheeks … 😏) … Do you know anyone who uses (and actually needs) the power of the Ti2 … ?!
Nice discussion. I actually had a C and a TI at the same time. Never once heard a difference, tested again and again. Then, I had a KB and a TI. I HEARD a difference in an INIT patch. The raw waveforms did sound difference. But... then I made patches 1:1 and - the subtle differences were gone. They sounded the same. Now - I sold my KB and wish I hadn't. I'm pretty pissed at myself for selling it because I loved that keybed. Best keybed I've ever felt.
Also - I'm pretty sure the TI and TI2 use a DIFFERENT keybed than the KB and KC, which is depressing as hell to me. Further, on the TI and TI2, the units will NOT remember LOCAL ON/OFF settings, unlike the B and C, which do retain that memory. So dumb, I hate having to turn Local OFF every time I turn on my polar if it's my controller.
Super informative, thanks!!!! I've always had major respect for your knowledge base, and love your uploads, back to the first one I hear, which, if I remember correctly, was on the Korg Radias (another of the many synths I've owned) Thanks for watching, and for giving me your perspectives.
Seems to me that, originally at least, they used a Fatar - which is basically the Rolls Royce of keypads.....Oh well, I'm sure you'll be able to find a pristine used one, if you keep hunting. I mean, Hey, look at the Rhodes you got, right??!!!
@@willswitchcraft Ha - thanks, I uh... spent way too much on that Rhodes. I love it, but know I spent too much on it. I really would like to get another Virus KB. KC doesn't interest me as much personally. But I have too many synths and just bought a Prophet 12. Whoops.
The way I view it: They're REALLY NOT making any more Rhodes keyboards, ever. If you have one in good condition, that's been repaired and sounds great, sooner or later, someone will be happy to lay out a shipload of $ on it, just like you did. There's always going to be someone who has cash, and nothing other than an old awesome Rhodes will do. You only need ONE buyer, and with eBay and Reverb, etc. the world is your oyster......
Great summary. Only thing I know that you forgot is the TI2 Whiteout Limited Edition Desktop Modules. They made 100 of those, whereas they made 150 of they Whiteout Limited Edition Keyboards.
Wow, you really know your Virus line......Actually, I'm sure there were other things that I could have mentioned. My knowledge is not complete, and I wasn't thinking it would be a 'definitive' video on the synth line, just an overview. Thanks for commenting.
Biggest difference for me was when I upgraded my Mac OS the virus control stopped then I really had to dig into my Polar TI hardware. My understanding of the synthesis and the unit greatly increased because of that. Through I still would like the virus control upgraded in the future. I like hardware knobs that I don’t have to map or mouse click on. You are right I love to program my own sounds more with the virus. Learning to use the wavetables more these days.
In my opinion, on screen programming is better for 'hidden' features, like the 3 & 4th envelopes, and sometimes as a more efficient way to navigate other features - like the Modulation Matrix. I grew up doing hardware programming (before there was even such a thing as presets) so I'm totally solid with that. I do wish it was possible to simply Copy & Paste parameters or sections of a patch - to make things quicker and more efficient, but different type of programming requires different approaches.... I sometimes wish I had something like a Virus, where each knob or switch had a single function. So much better than stepping though pages and having to read a screen to make an adjustment - C'est La Vie - I guess with more control, comes more complicated access......(So why did they call the company Access, if accessing parameters isn't easier?????) LOL
@@willswitchcraft yes and I wish that Access Music would learn from Elektron how to write plugin software for Virus. Overbridge on Elektron works flawless in DAW as plugin. So I will try Mystery Islands software on Mac OS X Ventura or direct to audio interface.
I'm having a problem that perhaps you could help me with.....I have a backup of the sounds on my Virus Ti desktop (which I've now sold), but I can't upload any of those patches into the Virus Snow - some strange issue, even though they have an almost identical synth engine......I need to get someone to take my Virus back up (.vti file) and then create .mid patch banks for me. I only need the first 4 RAM banks. Interested in helping me out? I can send you - not only my back up file, but over a hundred different patch banks from various sourced, for the Virus
Hey, Thanks! You must be really thrilled to receive your Polar. If you haven't checked them out, I've uploaded a couple of other videos about the Virus. Here's the newest one, which I think will be of most interest to you: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5o4KVDtpBAo.html
No, it goes to 12...........but I think it's 'metric' - which doesn't really count. In my experience, gear that goes to 11 (and beyond) causes other musicians to feel jealous, and your gear gets stolen. ......................but the Virus does play in D minor, the saddest of all keys.......
Great synth, but it is worth adding that 16 parts multitimbrality is not really possible. You can get maybe to 6-8 patches playing at once. And also one patch can eat the whole available dsp if it is compilcated.
Understood, however I'm just trying to prevent a general overview - not a comprehensive & definitive video......Thanks for your comment, and for watching
I own a Virus Classic and a TI. Yes, the TI can play sounds from the Classic, but they sound different though. Not better or worse, just a little different.
As I understand it, yes - almost all Virus models will play the same sounds/patch banks/etc. It's just that the later models, which have some different effects, and a few newer options, will have additional little controls or things shaping the sound. Some of those sounds, created on newer Virus synths, may sounds slightly different on older Virus models, but as long as you understand what type of things that effects, I think you'll find they're quite consistent...... Hope all's well in Quebec......
Thanks. We are surrounded by smoke and wildfires, which sucks, however in the past 5 years, these wildfires have become a regular annual event. C'est La Vie........At least we're not wearing masks anymore......
Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment Barny.....I know there's a shipload of content out there, and am always happy to know that someone got something from one of my uploads....All the best....
Got Virus C and Ti Polar.Sold them both. A company with the most famous synthesizer is not allowed to have no technical support and the whole system crashes when connected to the usb (tested with both Windows and Imac). I agree it has unsurpassed sound and color but maybe 2012 was more impressive. Nowdays Vst's doing everything and much easier. Thanks for the nice review and the video! 😊
It's hard to pick gear these days. The soft synths are so good, and most hardware has certain limitations and annoying issues. I had a Hydrasynth before this, but there were some things I could just NOT get past, so I sold it...................
@@willswitchcraft Every synthesizer has his troubles i know ! So let's make music ! No matter if it becomes from software or hardware ! Cheers from Greece Mr.Grandpa !
I agree. These tools are amazingly powerful and allow us to explore, endlessly....................Greetings from Canada (Haven't been to Greece for decades). I hope you're getting through this dramatic time ok.....
@11:51 can someone tell me what voices means?.. Because I thought it meant octaves. But I heard the snow and it sounds rich and very full!.. Or why would less voices not be as good??.. The snow is old but doesn't sound outdated or thin to me.
A LONG time ago I bought a Virus B, and a Waldorf XT (serious GAS moment - LOL!). Always wanted a Waldorf, did some fantastic sound-design projects on the the Virus - but then sold it because I felt I didn't have the money/time to keep both. Though I still love the XT, 20 years later I wish I'd kept the Virus, instead. Amazingly FLEXIBLE architecture, effects, and a lush warmth to it like none other. It was one of the most fun/interesting synths I've ever programmed.
I owned a Waldorf MWXT for a while. Absolutely loved it, however (like my Blofeld) once the rotary encoders began to fail (mainly the main data entry one), I decided to sell it 'as is', because I was so frustrated. I loved the flowing arpeggiator sounds with effects. So great for ambient. That said, the Virus does all that, and also killer effects, leads, bass.... Thanks for watching & commenting.
Thank you very much for this. I'm about to get a TI in a few days and it's gonna be my first Access gear ever so, your video was just what I needed right now.
