Elektron-Users

I always used my MPC as a sampling drum machine like it was 1991. Recently I hooked up my MFB Synth II to it for bass... and that was cool. That got me interested in having a multitimbral synth (I only own mono synths). The Virus series came to mind. I was wondering, since the Virus B is 16 part multitimbral, if the MPC can sequence 16 different sounds over 16 different tracks? I believe it can right? Also, out of curiousity...how are the drum preset sounds on the Virus B?

Thanks.

they are ok - some of the kicks are huge, and there is at least one decent snare - but the cymbal presets don't do a lot for me. However, you can certainly tweak them - and there are a lot of sites online with Virus sysex that have other percussion.

yes, you can do what you want because the virus in Multi mode can have each voice assigned its own midi channel. Or you can stack 2 voices on one channel and assign a key range if you want to save some midi channels. The Virus is a really versatile synth! If you use the soundriver software its really easy to set up multi programs.

The only drawback is that 16 parts from one synth sounds kinda lame. Then your music sounds kinda like a demo song from that machine, not a lot of flavor. However, in conjunction with other sounds, the virus really takes off because you can start stacking the voices (if you need less parts) and you get some serious fatness from the thing.

Roger all that milkmansnd...

The Virus can be stunning, yet it is always trying to do the "virus" thing so yeah, 16 channels of that could get really blurred. I get best results by using the Virus as a monosynth. You can get a single patch *plenty* fat enough and I find that one killer sound from the virus is all a tune can take, brilliant for minimal stuff, and there's a couple of arp patterns which are nice surprises. If you set up a logic editor with a few X-Y vectors on the filters/envelopes etc, the virus really starts to let the goodies out.

However, it's never struck me as a good drum source. As mentioned there are some huge resonant kicks in there and some cool weird perc possibilities to be had. To be fair I don't think running it from the MPC would get you very far into Virus world, they beg to be hooked up to a computer with all the tweak potential fully available.

Get a Virus. Build your own editor. Fold space.

Thank you guys... I'm influenced by hip-hop...and this synth is not used in the hip-hop world...so I won't be using it like the typical virus user. Sounds like I'll have to try one eventually.

my nord lead has four slots for loading 4 different patches simultaniously...its sweet to control with the MD. Just tried it for the first time yesterday, I see what all the fuss is about now.

So many people and reviews have said that the effects contribute a great deal to the 'virus sound' .....that has always put me off, I really like that the nord lead & all its resources are devoted to straight synthesis.

b0unce wrote:
my nord lead has four slots for loading 4 different patches simultaniously...its sweet to control with the MD. Just tried it for the first time yesterday, I see what all the fuss is about now.

So many people and reviews have said that the effects contribute a great deal to the 'virus sound' .....that has always put me off, I really like that the nord lead & all its resources are devoted to straight synthesis.

The thing with the nord though is that it is only 4 part multitimbral...and the virus is 16 parts...

dont forget that the new virus is 80 parts or something like that...

With multi-track applications like Live and Logic, who needs to run 80 parts at once, let alone 16 (let alone, four)?
Just record a track, create a new patch, record that, and so on.

The only reason to use 16 parts at a time would be in a live situation...am I right?

I suppose there's a convenience factor. I know I love making complete tracks on my G2 or MnM.

What's the reasoning, jsrocket?

-d

I have only ever used 2 at once, and it was in a live situation - and I assigned them both to seperate zones on the keyboard so my left hand could do an arpeggio pattern while my right held down a pad sound.

with only 6 outputs, using 16 seperate sounds might get crazy

glitched wrote:
With multi-track applications like Live and Logic, who needs to run 80 parts at once, let alone 16 (let alone, four)?
Just record a track, create a new patch, record that, and so on.

The only reason to use 16 parts at a time would be in a live situation...am I right?

I suppose there's a convenience factor. I know I love making complete tracks on my G2 or MnM.

What's the reasoning, jsrocket?

-d

It seems that a great fit for my MPC... I have quit working in the computer environment for now... except recording. I use all 6 tracks on my Mono and still would like more on that... I will use a whole track for one noise...Plus, I'm loop based...so I just like to stack sound upon sound...and then mute tracks on and off to make my beats.