The "Zebra2 plays Virus" challenge

[Summa]

Well since you guys have the hardware, is it possible to grab a few outstanding sounds and record them clean / dry for us to check out and try to match ?

I must agree that it definitely sounds like a compressor is running over some of those sounds or there is perhaps an exciter or similar there.

Not sure though since I don't have a real virus here to play with.

Cheers
Fots

Well, I studied the TI for some month, in the Virus A, B, C compatible classic part of the synth there seems to be some of narrowband noise at about 10-12khz , probably a side effect caused by (I guess non-oversampled) waveshaping to enhance the oscillators sound. It's audiable on some VAs like JP8000, micron too but the frequency differs. I hope this helps in case you're trying to recreate it...

[Amblin]

My try with the extremely underrated vst Komplexer:
http://www.maxfrank.se/dump/tmp/Virus_ARP-Komplexer.mp3 <--- boosted the highs just a tad for some sparkle and also some external reverb.

I was a proud member of a Virus C until about a month, I needed cash and there was no way I could sell my Genelecs. Browsing through the new vsts that are out, the thought sometimes popped up "hmm...this sounds very much like a patch on my virus". There are no softsynth that I have heard that captures the virus to it's fullest, but a few can copycat some of the virus sounds very precise.

Back on speaking about copying virussounds (with schleis as base, Incubation 3 to be precise), I made this one with the Komplexer:
http://www.maxfrank.se/dump/tmp/pure_magic.mp3

No eq, layering or crap like that, straight from the Komplexer running through an arts acoustic reverb.
Now...tell me a soft synth that can even come close to this, I'd buy it instantly. Maybe the simulation is closer to a Nord Lead, but it still is lush.

[D-Fusion]

My try with the extremely underrated vst Komplexer:
http://www.maxfrank.se/dump/tmp/Virus_ARP-Komplexer.mp3 <--- boosted the highs just a tad for some sparkle and also some external reverb.

I was a proud member of a Virus C until about a month, I needed cash and there was no way I could sell my Genelecs. Browsing through the new vsts that are out, the thought sometimes popped up "hmm...this sounds very much like a patch on my virus". There are no softsynth that I have heard that captures the virus to it's fullest, but a few can copycat some of the virus sounds very precise.

Back on speaking about copying virussounds (with schleis as base, Incubation 3 to be precise), I made this one with the Komplexer:
http://www.maxfrank.se/dump/tmp/pure_magic.mp3

No eq, layering or crap like that, straight from the Komplexer running through an arts acoustic reverb.
Now...tell me a soft synth that can even come close to this, I'd buy it instantly. It almost sounds better than the one Schleis has in his demo (which I never btw could copycat with the virus to the fullest when I had one). Maybe the simulation is closer to a Nord Lead, but it still is lush.

I agree Komplekser is the greatest Vst VA out there, and it just sounds so damn good

[hifiboom]

Unfortunately I no longer have the Virus B (or much else anymore), but I can definitely corroborate the "darkness" of it. The high frequencies always seemed attenuated somehow, even when the filter was wide open. The only truly raw example I ever recorded off of it without any effects is the filter test I had linked to earlier. I believe this begins with the filter completely open:

Virus B

Tronam there is something in the oscillator sound itself.
at the very beginning you can hear it easily.
The oscillators sound a bit "crushed", once the sound gets filtered more the sound gets better.
But I really think it has a very synthetic/digital/harsh sound.

[Howard]

Virus B

The oscillators sound a bit "crushed", once the sound gets filtered more the sound gets better.

Yes - something very wrong there. Tronam - try again with filter balance to the far left, to isolate filter 1 ?

[Urs]

Virus B

The oscillators sound a bit "crushed", once the sound gets filtered more the sound gets better.

Yes - something very wrong there. Tronam - try again with filter balance to the far left, to isolate filter 1 ?

Tronam doesn't have a Virus anymore...

I'd still love to hear that Moog filter thing from the C...

[Summa]

Try the TI in a shop nearby, it comes with the same filter-types as the C. Btw. sending two sine waves in create quite an amount of additional overtones...

[aquar]

21 pages into this thread ...and countless other threads I think a pattern is emerging here.
As much as ppl knock the virus, deep down inside those who crave its sound are starting to realise it is indeed a magical mythical beast of a synth even if it was designed by pure luck ...perhaps its the mini-moog of our time?

Sometimes magic can happen

[Urs]

21 pages into this thread ...and countless other threads I think a pattern is emerging here.
As much as ppl knock the virus, deep down inside those who crave its sound are starting to realise it is indeed a magical mythical beast of a synth even if it was designed by pure luck ...perhaps its the mini-moog of our time?

Sometimes magic can happen

Well, depends. I own a Virus and I'm not all that excited. I wonder how many people bought a Virus because they've just *thought* that it sounds all that great - and were actually pretty disappointed.

To me it seems that all the "magical" examples are remarkable because of the production technique and not because of what makes the Virus special.

When listening to dry oscillators and filters, I always wonder what people are talking about...?

So, who owns a Virus and can recreate one of the remarkable demos out of the box? Anyone?

[Urs]

Try the TI in a shop nearby, it comes with the same filter-types as the C. Btw. sending two sine waves in create quite an amount of additional overtones...

I was about to do that today, but got caught up in development...

I also wanna try the HyperSaw thing. Rumors go that Mr. Kemper found a neat little trick to do them efficiently and I can't deny that I have an intrigueing idea here, too.

Anyone mind to post an example of all 9 HypeSaws at, say, C6 (really high tone), with detune sweeping from max to min?

[aquar]

To me it seems that all the "magical" examples are remarkable because of the production technique and not because of what makes the Virus special.

When listening to dry oscillators and filters, I always wonder what people are talking about...?

So, who owns a Virus and can recreate one of the remarkable demos out of the box? Anyone?

Urs,
With all due respect and I have respect for you as a developer and your high quality products ...surely you must admit that every now and again something arrives on our planet that has something just a little bit special be it a synth or whatever that seperates it from the crowd.
We all strive to be that something special and for most part if truth be known the majority of us fail.
Does that make us failures? I think not ...all we can do is try.

[Summa]

Anyone mind to post an example of all 9 HypeSaws at, say, C6 (really high tone), with detune sweeping from max to min?

The Virus should alias like hell at C6

[hifiboom]

21 pages into this thread ...and countless other threads I think a pattern is emerging here.
As much as ppl knock the virus, deep down inside those who crave its sound are starting to realise it is indeed a magical mythical beast of a synth even if it was designed by pure luck ...perhaps its the mini-moog of our time?

Sometimes magic can happen

you set the minimoog on the same level as a virus.

now thats funny.

[aquar]

you set the minimoog on the same level as a virus.

now thats funny.

Of course I do, both classify as superb synths (imo)

[Summa]

Anyone mind to post an example of all 9 HypeSaws at, say, C6 (really high tone), with detune sweeping from max to min?

http://www.summasounds.de/files/HypersawC6.mp3