Learning to use the virus ti snow + 2 specific parameters

  • Hey!


    I'm new to this whole VIRUS TI Snow thing, but I've heared so much about it and I thought I was going to try it out.


    So I need a few tips and tricks on how to make this sound.


    I can hear that this synth is layered with standard supersaws in the background, but the "core" sound which is in the middle (seems to be a monolegato lead to me) is very special, wildstylez use this ALOT in his tracks.


    So.. I'm trying to remake this wildstylez hardstyle lead which I hear alot:


    http://youtu.be/mznFJMYsRYI?t=1m


    and this:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4TKGg51C-o


    What can you guys hear in this lead? it has a special kind of feeling to the sound.


    I know that it's saws, but it doesn't sound as straight as out of the box. I've tried with portamento on Neutral & slide inside of Sylenth1, pitch modulation using LFO's as mentioned above, but I dont achieve the same type of sound. It feels like it's kind of bending or something? I don't know how to explain it, listen for yourself and I'm sure you get what I mean.


    Also, any tips and tricks on how to process this type of sound? I would very much appreciate the knowledge.


    I would also like to know how to do a typical screech sound in Virus TI snow, I know how to do it in massive and sylenth1, but I don't seem to find the right parameters for it in Virus TI Snow.


    I know that I need to link an envelope to the pitch with a fairly long attack to make the screech sound. ( like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OIJL5Cj_Ag and this (which btw is done by using the VIRUS TI: http://youtu.be/JSlUB0vkrFM?t=1m17s)


    Also, I'm wondering about the "phase" (not phaser - PHASE knob) which exists inside of Sylenth1:


    @ 1.16 sec in this clip and forward, he uses the phase knob which is modulated by an LFO: http://youtu.be/pFtZ4BF0kAE?t=1m16s


    Where is this in VIRUS TI Snow?

  • Also are there any good tips and tricks videos on the virus ti snow itself? Ive been using alot of synthesizers and I know the basics of them, as well as I've seen the DanceMusicProduction video / explanation of the VIRUS TI and the Bootcamp videos here from access themselves.


    Any answer is soooo highly appreciated! I feel like I'm using the softsynths more eventhough I own a VIRUS TI SNOW. I want to make the Virus TI my go to synth for EVERYTHING.


    Thanks!

  • So many questions in one post :)


    Regarding the pitch glide: In the first example it sounds like an automated pitch shift was added after the synth was already recorded. In the other examples, portamento+mono is used, and the bass notes are played in between the lead notes, but you don't really hear them because the synth is high-pass filtered.


    The only oscillator phase knob available on the Virus is the relative phase between osc1 and osc2. You cannot modulate it. You can modulate pitch, and with osc2 and 3 you can also modulate detune. Osc2 can also be FM modulated by various sources and you can sync it to osc1 to preserve pith through the screech.


    The tone of the saw wave can be changed using various filters and distortions in various configurations.


    A synthesist's "go-to" synth is the synth he/she knows best. Don't rush it. Have a few learning sessions. Did you already try the synth prgramming tutorial?


    Hope this helps.


  • Hey! Amazing. Thanks alot for the quick reply!! love it.


    Hehe, I know! =) many questions and still questions to be asked ;b


    Oh, really? pitch shift? what pitch shift do you recommend using for this type of effect? also, how is it automated? beginning slow and going up? or the reverse?


    Yeah, I did check that one out too.


    Although I know the basics and more than the basics, it seems like I have some kind of "stop" in letting the creativity flow and just design new sounds that actually sounds good..

  • Any more info regarding that sound? I want to know more about this pitch shifter as you said. Thanks alot mate!! =)

  • You mentioned the tape stop effect in your PM - if you don't want it to go all the way down, you can stop the source audio or drop channel volume before the effect goes the whole way down. Regarding pitch shifter, with current technology even the stock pitch shifter you get with any DAW will do the trick. You only need to draw automation for the "cents"/"amount" or whatever parameter which should look like: ¯\_
    You need some time getting used to the Virus, it's like driving a different car - the steering and the brakes feel different, the gauges are located elsewhere...

  • You mentioned the tape stop effect in your PM - if you don't want it to go all the way down, you can stop the source audio or drop channel volume before the effect goes the whole way down. Regarding pitch shifter, with current technology even the stock pitch shifter you get with any DAW will do the trick. You only need to draw automation for the "cents"/"amount" or whatever parameter which should look like: ¯\_
    You need some time getting used to the Virus, it's like driving a different car - the steering and the brakes feel different, the gauges are located elsewhere...



    Thanks man.. How would you automate it? down or up? I can't tell. Probably down according to your automation drawing, excellent explanation. But are you sure it's a pitch shifter effect?


    By the way.. I'm trying to make a screech sound like this:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OIJL5Cj_Ag


    No matter how hard I try to link an evelope (lets say envelope 3) to this pitch of each oscillator, I can't get near the same result at all. What am I doing wrong? I'm using 1 hypersaw and 1 square just as in the video.


    Also.. is the pitch of each oscillator the way to go? there's no way to control the over pitch of all osc together as 1, like in sylenth1, right?


    Thanks!!

  • oh and yeah.. I was wondering about this:


    http://youtu.be/mzCrkvsRC9Q?t=5m6s


    In the link above, he says he's making 2 new groups in Cubase - one for TI 2 IN and one for TI 2 OUT, then he's sending the TI 2 to a new group to handle the reverb and stuff like that. I don't get this routing? why is he doing this?


    And also I'm wondering why he's using F11 (the VST instruments window inside of Cubase) instead of just loading it inside of each instrumenttrack?


    I would appreciate the help alot on this! Will definately make me more secure in what others are doing with the TI and how they are using it and I can apply it to my own stuff.


    Cheers!


  • i can answer the question why he's sending his stuff to a group for his reverb. he's not actually sending it to a group. he's sending it to a FX Channel. then he sends his TI to the FX Channel where his reverb and delay is on. because in that way you can EQ your reverbs etc ..


  • i can answer the question why he's sending his stuff to a group for his reverb. he's not actually sending it to a group. he's sending it to a FX Channel. then he sends his TI to the FX Channel where his reverb and delay is on. because in that way you can EQ your reverbs etc ..


    Oh forgot to say, he's using F11 because the TI can use all outputs then. when you load a instrumenttrack you cant use all outputs. or use seperate effectchannels for eacht output


  • i can answer the question why he's sending his stuff to a group for his reverb. he's not actually sending it to a group. he's sending it to a FX Channel. then he sends his TI to the FX Channel where his reverb and delay is on. because in that way you can EQ your reverbs etc ..



    Awsome! Never thought about that. How do I do this in cubase though?


    Got any clues/tips/tricks about that screech sound? ;o


    Thanks alot for the replies so far! really appreciate it.

  • How would you automate it? down or up?

    Most of the time it will be on 0. When it's time to glide it down, draw an automation to as low as you want. When a note is not playing draw an automation back to 0.

    No matter how hard I try to link an evelope (lets say envelope 3) to this pitch of each oscillator, I can't get near the same result at all.

    portamento+mono is used, and the bass notes are played in between the lead notes, but you don't really hear them because the synth is high-pass filtered.

    No oscillator pitch modulation is actually used there.

  • Regarding the instrument placeholder (F11) you load the Virus there, and then it becomes a possible destination for the MIDI tracks you create. This way you can load different patches in the different Virus parts, and play those different patches by sending each MIDI track to a different channel, under the Virus destination.
    Also, next to the Virus slot there is a little "box" icon. When you press it you can select to have separate outputs for the Virus.

  • Most of the time it will be on 0. When it's time to glide it down, draw an automation to as low as you want. When a note is not playing draw an automation back to 0.

    No oscillator pitch modulation is actually used there.


    But how do one achieve the screech sound then? The portamento isn't enough for geting that type of screech. It clearly sounds like it's pitch modulated? ;o

  • Oh, I thought we were still talking aboutthe the glides. Well, if the square wave is on osc2 try some FM on it, especially with noise source.


    I did.. but I'm talking about the pitch envelope itself, it doesn't sound right no matter how hard I try in the VIRUS TI. It's much easier to do this in lets say Massive for some reason. It sounds good straight away there.


    This is what I get:


    http://www25.zippyshare.com/v/21360687/file.html


    And this is what I want:


    http://youtu.be/m7fZkIJsmp8?t=4m42s (unprocessed - sounds more or less like a hoover lol, so it's actually not quite what I want, but the pitch envelope seems decent). Or this:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OIJL5Cj_Ag (processed and done with TI). Sounds really gritty and cool!


  • i can answer the question why he's sending his stuff to a group for his reverb. he's not actually sending it to a group. he's sending it to a FX Channel. then he sends his TI to the FX Channel where his reverb and delay is on. because in that way you can EQ your reverbs etc ..


    How do I route this? I'm realy clueless on how to route this so I can handle reverb and all for itself :P thanks! I understand how sends and all that inside of Cubase 7 works.. but is he actually taking the reverb FROM the Virus? or adding another reverb from another software such as artsacoustics or builtin Cubase reverb?


    I thought u meant he made some special routing so he took the internal effects of the virus TI and put it on a group or something, maybe I misunderstood you?

  • It is possible to use the Virus as an FX processor. It involves creating a sidechain routing to VC and creating an input patch on one of the Virus parts. The trouble is that sidechaining instruments doesn't work 100% in cubase. You can use the Virus as an FX processor using analog audio as well.
    The other thing is the ability to send different parts to separate USB outs (VC's common page). In the F11 view each output is directed to a bus wich you cand send and use with FX. It's explained better here - it could be that you have a more updated version of this file in the Virus intallation folder.

  • It is possible to use the Virus as an FX processor. It involves creating a sidechain routing to VC and creating an input patch on one of the Virus parts. The trouble is that sidechaining instruments doesn't work 100% in cubase. You can use the Virus as an FX processor using analog audio as well.
    The other thing is the ability to send different parts to separate USB outs (VC's common page). In the F11 view each output is directed to a bus wich you cand send and use with FX. It's explained better here - it could be that you have a more updated version of this file in the Virus intallation folder.



    yup I know how it works with F11, but I was wondering about how he routed things since he says he's making 2 new groups in Cubase - one for TI 2 IN and one for TI 2 OUT, then he's sending the TI 2 to a new group to handle the reverb and stuff like that. I don't get this routing? why is he doing this? and how does he rout it?


    Also.. IF loading the virus as a FX unit WHILE the virus TI snow itself is loaded as a synth it tells me a virus is already in use. Is it possible to get them run at the same time as FX unit and synth? =)

  • Technically it is possible - you loadone part with an input patch an all te othe with regular sound patches, then route the Virus output to the virus input. This will of course give you a feedback loop, unless the input patch will use a differen USB out than all of the other patches. BTW I have no idea if cubase will be able to calculate the correct delay compensation in this case.
    I would start with trying to route any old audio clip into the Virus, just to see if it works.