[blairwillis]

Based on what you've told me so far, I'm not sure I understand the need for the UM-880 in the equation... unless you have lots more MIDI devices and/or you are connecting to a computer via the UM-880.

Also, regarding the Nord---audio--->Virus, why specifically? I see two possible reasons, (1) to use the Virus as an audio interface, and this is routing your audio into the computer, or (2) to use the virus effects/atomizer/etc on the Nord audio? If the answer is #2, have you considered running the Nord into a separate channel in the mixer, and using an aux send loop to run it to the Virus as needed? So when you're playing the Nord, the Virus is on an effects patch, and there isn't an issue with "turning the volume down on the Virus"?

To control the Nord WITHOUT sound OR effects on the Virus, why not create a "silent patch" on the Virus, no sound, no effects, total dry audio throughput, and use this patch when you want to use the Virus KB to control the Nord? Actually, I don't think you need to create it, there is an existing "INPUT" patch that will do this for you. This way, you don't need to change volume on the Virus, and you will get your Nord audio throughput just fine.

Question: Do you need to have the Virus and Nord on different MIDI channels? I can see a need for this if you wanted to control them independently from a sequencer or hardware on the other end of the UM-880. If you don't really need them on different channels, then that issue disappears, and the INPUT patch is the simple answer. However, if two different channels are necessary, then perhaps you can use a Multi patch to accomplish a similar result, where one part in the Multi is the INPUT patch on channel 1, and a second part is a silent patch on channel 2 (sending MIDI to the Nord). Or maybe part 1 is Input L (ch1), and part 2 is Input R (ch2) and you don't need to create a "silent" patch. <----- I am not certain if this will work with the Virus TI, as I have a Snow and realize there are some differences in Multi patch operation between the Snow and previous models. I also, this is hypothetical, as I did not test this theory yet.

Lastly, have you considered using the UM-880 slightly differently? Connect both the Virus and the Nord to the UM-880, rather than to each other. Create two different patches in the UM-880, one that keeps them separate, and one that patches the Virus's input port to the Nord's output port. The two synths can still operate on the same MIDI channel, but you can address them separately through the UM-880 (from the sequencer or whatever is on the other end of it) by addressing the separate ports, rather than distinct channels. When you need to control the Nord from the Virus, switch the UM-880 patch and go to a silent or effects patch on the Virus as needed.

I tried to be as clear as possible, but if something doesn't make sense, let me know, as well as more details on the audio and/or UM-880 setup as applicable. Sometimes I make things more complex than they need to be. And sometimes I'm just plain wrong.

Blair