ACCESS VIRUS C SERIES USER MANUAL OS5 ENGLISH VERSION ©2002 Access Music GmbH, Germany. VIRUS is a trademark of Access Music GmbH. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. All features and specifications subject to change without notice. Written by Christoph Kemper, Uwe G. Hönig, Wiland Samolak and Marc Schlaile. Translation by Thomas Green and Howard Scarr. Graphic Design and DTP by Babylonwaves Media. http://www.access-music.de info@access-music.de 2 1 Content IMPORTANT SAFETY REMARKS Handling............................................................... 44 All about the memory ........................................... 47 The Modulation Matrix and Soft Knobs..................48 Random Patch Generator......................................50 Categories............................................................ 52 The Effects Section............................................... 52 Audio Inputs ......................................................... 53 Internal Audio Routing .......................................... 54 Additional functions .............................................. 55 PROLOGUE SYNTHESIS PARAMETERS INTRODUCTION The Virus ............................................................. 14 The Amplifier Envelope ........................................ 17 The First Filter...................................................... 18 Filter Modulation .................................................. 19 The Saturation Stage ........................................... 21 The Second Filter ................................................. 21 Filter Routing ....................................................... 24 The First Oscillator ............................................... 25 The Second Oscillator .......................................... 27 The Third Oscillator.............................................. 29 The Mixer Section ................................................ 29 The LFOs ............................................................. 30 The MOD Section ................................................. 33 Soft Knob 1/2....................................................... 33 Volume and Panorama Position ............................ 34 Velocity................................................................ 34 Unison Mode........................................................ 35 The Effects........................................................... 36 The Arpeggiator ................................................... 38 SoundDiver Virus ................................................. 38 More to Come ...................................................... 39 OSCILLATORS ...................................................... 58 Oscillator-1/2/3 (Panel).........................................58 Oscillator (Edit-Menu) ........................................... 59 FILTER ................................................................. 63 Filters (Panel) ....................................................... 63 Filter Envelope...................................................... 64 Filter-Edit-Menu ................................................... 65 ENVELOPES ......................................................... 69 MIXER .................................................................. 70 LFO AND MODMATRIX .........................................71 LFO (Panel)........................................................... 71 LFO (Edit Menu).................................................... 73 ARPEGGIATOR EDIT.............................................. 80 THE INTERNAL EFFECTS ......................................82 Distortion (Panel) .................................................. 82 Chorus (Panel) ...................................................... 83 Chorus (Edit Menu) ............................................... 83 Phaser (Panel) ...................................................... 84 Phaser (Edit Menu) ............................................... 84 Delay / Reverb...................................................... 85 Delay / Reverb (Panel) .......................................... 86 Delay / Reverb (Menu) .......................................... 87 Vocoder................................................................ 92 Analog Boost ........................................................ 92 Equalizer .............................................................. 92 CONCEPT AND OPERATION Operating Modes ................................................. 42 Master Clock and Midi-Clock ............................... 44 ACCESS VIRUS OS5 3 MAIN EDIT MENU Common .............................................................. 96 Unison Mode........................................................ 99 Punch Intensity .................................................. 100 Envelope Sustain Time....................................... 100 Analog Inputs..................................................... 100 Follower (Envelope-Follower) ............................. 102 Ringmodulator ................................................... 102 Second Output/Surround.................................... 103 Velocity.............................................................. 104 Sound Category ................................................. 106 Soft Knob-1/2 .................................................... 106 Problems Related to Parameter Control ..............144 Arrangement Dump - The Sound in the Song......145 TIPS AND TRICKS All abouts Inputs................................................. 148 About the Delay/Reverb ......................................149 The Virus as an Effect Device .............................150 Envelope Follower .............................................. 150 Oscillators .......................................................... 151 Filters................................................................. 153 Saturation for Added Grit and Dirt .......................153 LFOs .................................................................. 154 Volume Control................................................... 155 Assign and the Soft Knobs ..................................156 Arpeggiator ........................................................ 156 How to modulate the Vocoder parameters ..........156 MIDI ................................................................... 157 How to install Updates ........................................158 MULTI MODE & SYSTEM SETUP MULTI MODE PARAMETERS .............................. 110 SYSTEM ............................................................ 114 Keyboard ........................................................... 114 Input .................................................................. 116 MIDI................................................................... 117 System .............................................................. 121 APPENDIX System Exclusive Data .......................................162 Parameter Descriptions ......................................166 Multi Dump Table ............................................... 178 Classes .............................................................. 180 Mod Matrix Sources .......................................... 182 Mod Matrix Destinations .....................................183 Soft Knob Destinations ......................................184 MIDI Implementation Chart .................................185 FCC Information (U.S.A) ......................................186 FCC Information (CANADA) .................................187 Other Standards (Rest of World)..........................187 Declaration of Conformity ...................................188 Garantie Bestimmung .........................................189 Warranty ............................................................ 190 THE KEYBOARD VERSIONS OF THE VIRUS The VIRUS kc and the indigo ............................. 126 The Keyboard-Modes ......................................... 128 THE VOCODER OF THE VIRUS Vocoder ............................................................. 132 The parameters of the VIRUS Vocoder ................ 134 Notes about the vocoder: ................................... 137 THE VIRUS AND SEQUENCERS 4 1 INDEX INDEX ................................................................ 192 Important Safety Remarks 6 2 Important Safety Remarks Please read all notes carefully before you power the device up. A few fundamental rules on handling electrical devices follow. OPERATION · Don't set beverages or any other receptacle containing liquids on the device. · Make sure the device is placed on a solid base. Set it on a stable tabletop or mount it to a rack. · Make sure that no foreign objects fall into or somehow end up inside the device's housing. In the event that this should occur, switch the device off and pull the power plug. Then get in touch with an authorized dealer. · Used on its own and in conjunction with amps, loudspeakers or headphones, this device is able to generate levels that can lead to irreversible hearing damage. For this reason, always operate it at a reasonable volume level. SET-UP · Operate and store the device in enclosed rooms only. · Never expose the device to a damp environment. · Never operate or store the device in extremely dusty or dirty environments. · Assure that air can circulate freely on all sides of the device, especially when you mount it to a rack. · Don't set the device in the immediate vicinity of heat sources such as radiators. · Don't expose the device to direct sunlight. · Don't expose the device to strong vibrations and mechanical shocks. MEMORY BATTERY CHANGE The VIRUS stores its sound programs in a battery-buffered RAM. This battery (general type designation: CR2032) should be replaced every three to four years. The housing has to be opened to change the battery, so take the device to a qualified service technician. Do your part in protecting our environment and take it to a shop that disposes of batteries properly. Before you have the battery changed, save the entire memory content of the RAM by loading it to a sequencer via "Total Dump". Be advised that RAM content is lost when the battery is swapped (see "Midi Dump TX" on page 117).). CONNECTIONS · Be sure to use exclusively the included mains power supply adapter. · Plug the device only into mains sockets that are properly grounded in compliance with statutory regulations. · Never modify the included power cord. If its plug does not fit the sockets you have available, take it to a qualified electrician. · Always pull the power plug out of the mains socket when you won't be using the device for prolonged periods. · Never touch the mains plug with wet hands. · Always pull the actual plug, never the cord, when you're unplugging the device. CARE · Do not open the device, it is not equipped with any user-serviceable parts. Repair and maintenance may only be carried out by qualified specialists. ACCESS VIRUS OS5 7 · Use only a dry, soft cloth or brush to clean the device. · Do not use alcohol, solvents or similar chemicals. These can damage the surface of the housing. FITNESS FOR PURPOSE This device is designed exclusively to generate low-frequency audio signals for sound engineering-related purposes. Any other use is not permitted and automatically invalidates the warranty extended by Access Music Electronics GmbH. 8 2 Important Safety Remarks Prologue 10 CHAPTER 3 Prologue Dear VIRUS Owner, Congratulations on your choice, the new VIRUS. You have purchased a cutting-edge synthesizer that comes fully loaded with several revolutionary features. Here are just a few of the highlights: The VIRUS delivers the sound characteristics and tone of traditional analog synthesizers in a previously unparalleled level of quality and handling ease. We're not kidding, the VIRUS actual delivers the authentic response of an analog synth via a digital signal processor chip, although the sound shaping and voicing options out-perform those of it historical predecessors by a considerable margin. The VIRUS comes with up to 1024 slots for storing SINGLE sounds. These are organized in eight banks. The first two banks (A and B) are located in the RAM, so you can overwrite them with new sounds. The other six banks are "hard-wired", i.e. they're programmed into the FLASH ROM. To make use of the banks E-H you need to install the second1024.mid file first ("The 1024 sounds update" on page 158). The VIRUS offers a maximum of 32 voices. In Multi Mode, these are allocated dynamically to sixteen simultaneously available sounds. You have no less than three audio oscillators plus one suboscillator, a noise generator, a ring modulator, two Multi Mode filters, two envelopes, a stereo VCA, three LFOs and a saturation stage (SATURATOR) for cascade filtering, tube and distortion effects. The VIRUS offers ...