Amp release problem on my Virus C

[hard o logic]

Hello mates,

I have a annoying problem with me Virus C.
The amp release doesn't work as it should be.
When i open the release the sound just stop. Like when you don't use a release.
No matter how open the release is, the sound just stop/drops after a while.

Does someone knows what the problem is?
I have looked through the Virus but can't find anything what could solve the problem

Thnx in advantage.

Daniel Willemsen

P.s. move to correct folder

[oscillator]

You could try to turn on the virus while pressing the LF0 SHAPE button, in order to clean the memory buffer (not the patches of course).
Another way is to upgrade to the last Os. Let me know. Dan

[hard o logic]

He Osc,

Thnx for the reply.
I have tried it but it doesn't solve the problem.
I also have asked Access helpdesk. Maybe they have a solution.

Thnx for your input.

Daniel Willemsen

[oscillator]

Another idea: control the amp release via midi with CC63 control change number, in order to know if the knob it's faulty.

[hard o logic]

I just noticed that the release knob works with some preset (init preset).
I have the 6.6 OS (beta) version running. When i'm a my own place i gonna put OS 6.5. on it. Maybe that's the problem...

[Timo]

Is it the same with every patch? Even the -INIT- or -START- patches?

If it's not the same with every patch it could be a number of things. To narrow things down one at a time:

Firstly disengage the amp sustain-time knob (next to amp release) by turning it to the centre value of 0 - it could otherwise be cutting the patch too short and early, rendering the amp release useless in this context. Also increase amp sustain to 127.

Disengage both filters by opening them up fully (dependent on filter type) and also disabling filter env amount for both filters. Or set filter envelope settings to: filter attack = 0, filter decay = 20, filter sustain = 127, filter sustain time = 0, filter release = 127, so that the filter doesn't clamp down the signal regardlessly of amp env settings.

Zero all modulations in the mod-matrix relating to filter and/or amp settings and envelopes.

Disengage any independent LFO modulations.

[Timo]

Originally Posted by hard o logic

I just noticed that the release knob works with some preset (init preset).

Ah, see my previous post then.

Originally Posted by hard o logic

I have the 6.6 OS (beta) version running. When i'm a my own place i gonna put OS 6.5. on it. Maybe that's the problem...

When was this beta released? I always thought OS v6.5 was the last release for Virus C. Well, it was for many years, unless they've released a new one relatively recently.

[Roby31]

6.6 Beta came out last year in feb/march iirc, supposed to improve MIDI timing. (pretty neat to have such an update so long after the TI series was introduced)

[hard o logic]

He Timo,

Thanks for your reply.

I gonna try your suggestions tomorrow in the studio. Don't have the Virus over here.
But i find it very strange. The release should works as a release....
If i use a lot of unison and modulation the release knob should work properly.
That's why it's a hardware synth. You can take it to the max. Maybe i'm thinking wrong though

Greetings,

Daniel Willemsen

[Timo]

Ahh, I think I see.

Originally Posted by hard o logic

If i use a lot of unison and modulation the release knob should work properly.... Maybe i'm thinking wrong though

Unfortunately you are. All keyboards (analogue or digital, even VSTis on the computer) have a maximum number of voices of polyphony that they are able to calculate and play.

Just like analogue synths in the past used to be up to eight voices of poly - many gave much less - sometimes just one voice, like the MiniMoog et al.

Virus C gives you, I think, 32 voices of polyphony, which is extremely advantageous compared to the old analogues of yore.

But you do have to use a bit of maths, otherwise you end up with "note stealing" if you exceed the number of voices at any one time. Using a lot of unison eats into polyphony.

Imagine you have two oscillators + sub... it takes one voice of poly to play them. Now play a three-note chord... you will be using three voices of poly to do so. Add five voices of unison and play the same three-note chord... you'll now be using 5 x 3 = 15 voices of poly. Add a third oscillator via the menus and you'll eat a third more poly....

So now you're eating 20 voices, just for a three-note chord. Bear in mind you only have 32 voices available.

Ok, so turn up the amp release to 90, say.

Play a chord, and then play another chord immediately after it. Doing this will require 40 voices of polyphony as the keyboard is still calculating the previous three-note chord as it fades out. But because you only have 32 voices of polyphony, some of the previous notes get cut off, as priority is given to newer notes. "Note stealing occurs", and so amp-releases from previous notes get cut off.

Now increase the unison to 16 and you'll just end up with a single-note monster that ends up cutting off every note when a new one is pressed. In this case it might as well be monophonic rather than polyphonic!

So this is how voicing works on keyboards. Just like trying to play lots and lots of notes on a VSTi on a PC too, it's no different. Your computer can only cope with so much before previously played notes end up getting cut off.

To maximise polyphony, reduce the unison to a more manageable amount so that amp-releases don't get cut off, or similar. Whacking up the unison turns the audible signal into mud half the time anyway.