A few months ago, there were discussions going on about wether it was or wasn't possible to make a serious Virus emulation.
Back then a few members of this forum said they were gonna give it a try to emulate this great sounding synth.
So I was wondering, is there any news on this subject, are you guys making progress?
If so, when is this emulation to be released?

djones wrote:

A few months ago, there were discussions going on about wether it was or wasn't possible to make a serious Virus emulation.

Hi, I'm a beta-tester for Access Music, and I've got an Indigo VSTi here. My NDA prohibits me from talking more about it, though ...

Stay tuned!

(stu.macQ)

P.S. For all interested, I have a LARGE section of land in Florida for sale ... serious inquiries only, please!

hey stu, I'll trade you some beachfront located in sunny Arizona.. deal?

Actually I spoke with the reps for TC Electronic at AES and they old me Access is making a synth for the Powercore... no joke.
He also said another manufacturer is also making a synth for Powercore....

Cant wait!

who cares just buy a real one..... they are cheap enuff now....600 bux will get you the rak version.

JUNOXXX wrote:

Actually I spoke with the reps for TC Electronic at AES and they old me Access is making a synth for the Powercore... no joke. He also said another manufacturer is also making a synth for Powercore.... Cant wait!

they've been "working" with tc for at least a year now... I wouldnt hold my breath on anything from them anytime soon.. if ever.

warbug wrote:

who cares just buy a real one..... they are cheap enuff now....600 bux will get you the rak version.

They make for great VSTi controllers, too.

stu.macQ wrote:

djones wrote: A few months ago, there were discussions going on about wether it was or wasn't possible to make a serious Virus emulation. Hi, I'm a beta-tester for Access Music, and I've got an Indigo VSTi here. My NDA prohibits me from talking more about it, though ... Stay tuned! (stu.macQ) P.S. For all interested, I have a LARGE section of land in Florida for sale ... serious inquiries only, please!

Is it really true that there will be a Indigo VSTi?!

Please tell us a little bit more!!!

warbug wrote:

who cares just buy a real one..... they are cheap enuff now....600 bux will get you the rak version.

I have a Virus C, but I can't say I use it that much, because with software everything is so much easier and more creative. The sounds the Virus creates is the best in this world so a software-version would be perfect!

I also belive that with my 3 gHz computer there will be enough power! And if not, why not build a DSP-card like the Powercore with just the Virus-engine. As long as it works like a VSTi I would be happy!

I think the Florida real-estate deal might have been the dead giveaway there.

TC are undoubtedly trying to persuade the synth manufacturers to come on board; it's pretty much it's game plan, after all.

Anyway the short answer is: there's nothing except business stopping you making a Virus in software. But most people gave up holding their breath and got on with playing their guitars years ago.

I agree with Kire, vsts are easier to use , it would be great to have a virus vst, especially if your a trance producer like me. By the way, Kire, i was wondering if you made any new trance banks for the z3ta. I loved your first trance bank. Send me an email at tranceaddictfrommontreal@yahoo.ca

if you got any new patches, thanks

the z3ta mod is not bad at all for free! (provided you own z3ta of course)


I own a kc model and use it as my controller as well, but the sound (this icon was MADE for the virus)

Z3ta+ comes VERY close!
I have it for 3 weeks now and found that I could emulate quite some of my Virus B sounds.
There are still some differences though (like the great Arp, saturation FX and the sound of the sync, pwm and fm algo's).

Peter.

Oh, why don't they do a software-version!

If Access are afraid of piracy there should be a simple way to master it. Just make a DSP-card to put in the computer. It would also save CPU-power.

Sometimes I think that some people believe that those who want software-versions of hardware are people who wants to get it for less money or no money at all (piracy).

As I said, I have a Virus C and it cost me alot of money. Still I don't use it because I love the way that software works. No cables, no audiodumps etc. Every instrument that I work with should be in that vsti-folder!

If Access made a DSP-card that cost as mutch as the Virus C does today I would still buy it because of the simplier way to work!

I don't need a Powercore, I need a Viruscore!

I somehow managed to win an Indigo 2 about two months ago, and I can't say I was particularly impressed with it to be honest, considering it costs so much. Zeta seems to follow a very similar architecture, with a lot more flexibility besides, being a VSTi. I just couldn't be bothered recording each part into Cubase, when there are software alternatives that sound almost as good.

I tell you what I would like to see on more soft synths, and that's some sort of scaleable voice stacking, so you can specify both the polyphony of the patch, as wel as the number of voices for each note. Reaktor does this, and it's something that did impress me about the Indigo.

I can't see the fuss about replicating a Virus, as to my ears it just sounds like a fairly nice, but generally stock, VA synth, and no more. Certainly not worth £1200, even with all the cool blue LEDs and brushed aluminium. It just seems so noisy compared to VSTis - at least put a digital interface on the bloody thing - it's a digital synth!

A powercore version would be very nice though...

Oh yeah and happy bidding.

you WON it and your getting rid of it??????????
are you mad????

trancenrg69 wrote:

I agree with Kire, vsts are easier to use , it would be great to have a virus vst, especially if your a trance producer like me. By the way, Kire, i was wondering if you made any new trance banks for the z3ta. I loved your first trance bank. Send me an email at tranceaddictfrommontreal@yahoo.ca if you got any new patches, thanks

I'm glad that you liked my presets!

Yes, I'm working on a bank for the Z3ta+! I can agree that the Z3ta+ comes close to the Virus. I have also heard that the new version of Albino will include unison with stereospread and more.... maybe that will come even closer to the Virus, or even be better?!

That's an Indigo 1, the 2's are black (or did I miss the memo?).

Kire, have you checked out the Pulsar synths yet? Its Prisma synth has always sounded Virus-y to me, the one thing it lacks badly is a good set of presets (hint, hint).

I do frequently wonder if I'm doing the right thing. But the money I'll get from selling it could be put towards something much more useful, like another UAD-1 for example. I just don't see the fuss about VA synths, especially when there are so many more interesting sounds coming out of Reaktor etc.

Surely todays VA synths are little more than optimised computers running soft synths. What's the big deal? I don't want a keyboard, I can't play one to save my life, and never will. The Virus just sounds boring, and exists simply to make money catering to a market who are satisfied creating hoover basses etc. Hardware equipment on the whole seems stuck in the stone age. I swear hardware manufacturers of digital synths still don't bother putting a cheap digital output on them so as to make it appear more analogue. Totally pointless, and that is why it's on eBay.

Denial or what?

Uncle E wrote:

That's an Indigo 1, the 2's are black (or did I miss the memo?).

Not sure if you were commenting on my Indigo or not, but mine is an Indigo 2. The Indigo Redbacks are black, but are still also Indigo 2s under the paint job.

I also have a virus c and also think that it's sound
isn't "from another world". it is surely top class,
but I don't feel such a difference to softsynths like
when comparing analog synths with digital ones for
example.

but...

who dares to play a softsynth on stage? not me.

wow you're selling a virus that you won..

i guess you'll know in a couple years down the road after you have sold it if you've made the right choice..

I know if i won an indigo (or any other virus model) I'd keep it.. even if it meant eating dry ham sandwiches and water for a year...

and just out of curiosity.. Chris.. how/where did you win the indigo?

Pornomusic wrote:

who dares to play a softsynth on stage? not me.

Scott Solida for one. This past summer. He did an article for one of the mags-CM(?)

VitaminD - I know, like I say, I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing. But it's just not getting used at the moment, and selling it could really help me out with more useful bits of kit.

I won that along with a Gamecube and Zelda, from a competition hosted by DJMag and Computer and Video Games Mag, whereby we had to write some music based on the tunes in the Zelda games (I love Zelda, so it wasn't much of a chore to get stuck in). I did this for it. It's very twee, and I'm not sure if anyone but fans of Zelda would enjoy it.

I'll probably flog the Cube too, but Mario Kart's looking rather tasty at the moment. Priorities...

dougby1 wrote:

Pornomusic wrote: who dares to play a softsynth on stage? not me. Scott Solida for one. This past summer. He did an article for one of the mags-CM(?)

Yeah, but Scot is the answer to almost any question to do with computers and music.

Does anyone play soft synths on stage? Scot.
Has anyone produced serious music using Kantos? Scot.
Does anyone really understand Reaktor? Scot.
Who's got a preview copy of the CS-80V? Scot.
Who wrote those fantastic demos for Albino? Scot.



Great track, btw.

Kire, I can't wait too hear the new patches. As for the virus, I've played on the indigo 2 many times at the store, and it sounds like a normal synth to me, nothing special. What makes a synth special are the presets. For someone who doesn't have programming skills, I depend on presets as a basis for my sounds. Then I tweak them to my liking. But I agree with kire, I'd love too see a vst version, cause it's much easier too use, than hardware. Also a jp8000 vst wouldn't be bad either. I can dream.

Pornomusic wrote:

who dares to play a softsynth on stage? not me.

I know of a number of folk that play the NI B-4 on stage, rather than a "real Hammond"* (or Nord Electro, Korg CX-3, Roland VK-8, etc), and likewise for Lounge Lizard. Not sure about analog synths, though.

Doug
* "A real Hammond weighs three or four hundred pounds, is thirty-plus years old and has two switches to turn it on. Anything else is something else." - Father Gino

ROTFL...love that Zelda thing Chris - takes me back to the good old days (Apr 2002 competition) and your masterful "Mobile Foes" - still one of the all time classic KvR tracks.

Got a link to it anywhere for those who don't have it tucked away in their best-of-kvr folder?

Good to see you're still on top form anyway.


deW

Chris Ochre wrote:

I do frequently wonder if I'm doing the right thing. But the money I'll get from selling it could be put towards something much more useful, like another UAD-1 for example. I just don't see the fuss about VA synths, especially when there are so many more interesting sounds coming out of Reaktor etc. Surely todays VA synths are little more than optimised computers running soft synths. What's the big deal? I don't want a keyboard, I can't play one to save my life, and never will. The Virus just sounds boring, and exists simply to make money catering to a market who are satisfied creating hoover basses etc. Hardware equipment on the whole seems stuck in the stone age. I swear hardware manufacturers of digital synths still don't bother putting a cheap digital output on them so as to make it appear more analogue. Totally pointless, and that is why it's on eBay. Denial or what?

Oh Man, finally a progressive person, who seems to recognize the myths going around about VA n stuff ...

BiG UP for that Ochre ...

.. and by the way, i love your tracks ...

cheers,
Syn

Phaedo wrote:

Yeah, but Scot is the answer to almost any question to do with computers and music.

So what you're saying is that Scott = 42

Ever wonder why you never see Scott Solida and Scott Adams in the same room together? Hmmm...

Cheers deWaverley - Wow, has it really been that long? Jeex, April 2002!? Heh, glad you liked the Zelda track - cheers mate. I love Zelda, and I'm sure I'll be humming the tunes from it for the rest of my life.

Sure, I've still got Mobile Foes up on the net, although most of the time I keep it hidden. Anyway, it can be found using
this link.

SynAEsthetiq - Thanks a lot - glad you like the tracks, and I'm glad I'm not alone in getting a little fed up of VA synth saturation.