Please forgive me if this is a ridiculous noob question but I have zero experience using midi controllers other than an ancient Oberheim I use strictly for midi triggering. I searched online quite a bit and looked through both the quick start guide and owners manual for the Ti and could not find anything useful on this topic. I did find some .vrt files in the Remote Templates folder inside the Access Music folder that was created during the install but most look out of date (ableton 6 .vrt for example). First, what is a .vrt file and how are the .vrt files used? Is .vrt a native format for the Virus? I'm guessing you can find .vrt files online for whatever VST you are looking for or easily make your own?
Since I don't use my Ti much anymore and don't have a midi controller, I might as well make good use of this thing. Any help or links to a guide would be greatly appreciated? I'm using Cubase 5. Thanks bigtime!
Picking it as a MIDI controller in Cubase should be enough for the keyboard and mod wheels to work. After then it's just a case of latching the Virus pots to control onscreen controls.
MIDI cc for permanent assignment and MIDI learn for temporary assignment. The way you set it up is different in every DAW. For instance, in FL Studio you open a midi out plugin and right click the unassigned knobs and use standard cc values to control things like filter cutoff and what not. Then you save a template so you can recall it at any time.
If there is no defined cc value you use MIDI learn. In FL Studio you open up a VST and pick some obscure value which there probably isn't a standard cc number for (like unison detune or something). You move the detune knob with the mouse. Then go to Tools > Last Tweaked and link it to a remote controller. Then you physically move the Virus knob you want to control unison detune and the link is automatically 'learned'.
Like I said, its probably different in every DAW so break out the manual. Virus TI should make a great midi controller because it has great keys, tonnes of knobs and buttons, all of which can send/receive control changes and the thing is built to last.
Apr-20-2010 22:34
cryophonik
Boom shanka
Registered: Jan 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA USA
I've used a Virus TI a my main controller for years. I highly recommend checking out the Remote template capabilities for creating customized templates for your synths (see the manual) - it's a very underappreciated feature of the TIs.
Sonar Platinum | Ableton Live 9 | Logic Pro X | Access Virus TI2 Keyboard | Kurzweil PC3X | Nord Lead 4R | NI Maschine
Apr-21-2010 00:22
Osmodiar
Senior tranceaddict
Registered: Feb 2010
Location: South Australia
This is really something I would like to learn properly also.. i'm using the TI keyboard as the main controller but haven't sussed out the remote template functionality yet.
In cubase with a normal midi controller, if I change the highlighted midi track to the VST I want to use, all the midi information is sent to the VST, no probs. However with the TI, the controls remain linked to the virus control plugin regardless of what midi channel is highlighted.. so trying to control a VST with the TI knobs usually results in my TI patches getting screwed up. (can get around this by selecting an empty patch in VC first, but have to remember to do this each time.. not ideal)
So is it the case that if you setup the remote template side of things correctly, that it circumvents this problem?
Thanks tehlord that video was helpful however I'm running into something I'm hoping someone here might be able to assist with. So I figured out how to create a remote template within Cubase based on that tutorial however these are .xml files. The Virus Ti's templates that are stored in the remote templates folder are all .vrt files. After putting the Ti into remote mode, you have the 32 slots available. How can I get the remote templates I've created in Cubase into these slots?
What is most frustrating is I've Googled like hell and I've asked for help on both the Steinberg and Access forums and its like nobody out there knows anything about this or they don't want to be of any help. The Virus Ti manual even says check the Access website for new remote templates as we are adding new ones all the time. Bullshit I've gone through every possible download on their website and there is nothing relevant or related to remote templates at all.
Ok I just had to come on here and share for those that might find this useful. I finally found a way to do this and a much better way, or at least quicker I think, than using remote templates. Using a previously unknown feature to me, called Quick Controls, is the answer I was looking for. It's far easier than setting up any individual templates although you only have 8 assignments to use but for me, that is more than enough for most VSTs. Using Quick Controls, you can map any knob of your Virus Ti to any knob of any VST within seconds. I had no idea this functionality existed in Cubase but I'm finally thrilled to be able to now use my Ti as a midi controller. Here is the video that showed me how to do this:
Thanks for sharing your find Magnus, I can get it working as you describe if I don't have the VirusControl plugin loaded, (cubase receives midi controller data and I can assign it to VST plugins). However as soon as I use the VC plugin in a project, cubase no longer receives midi controller data from the TI (the red midi indicator only lights up if a key is pressed, not if the knobs are moved). After the TI changes into sequencer mode the knobs control the VC plugin only.
Are you able to use the TI knobs to control other VST's as well as using the Virus control plugin in the same project, or only one or the other?
Originally posted by Osmodiar
Thanks for sharing your find Magnus, I can get it working as you describe if I don't have the VirusControl plugin loaded, (cubase receives midi controller data and I can assign it to VST plugins). However as soon as I use the VC plugin in a project, cubase no longer receives midi controller data from the TI (the red midi indicator only lights up if a key is pressed, not if the knobs are moved). After the TI changes into sequencer mode the knobs control the VC plugin only.
Are you able to use the TI knobs to control other VST's as well as using the Virus control plugin in the same project, or only one or the other?
Yeah unfortunately it's one or the other. The second you load the Ti plugin it takes precedence over your quick controls.
Ok some good news, got some help from access support on this..
If you go to the patch/utility -> remote page of the virus plugin and load the Access - Virus A B C remote template, then hold down shift + config on the actual TI keyboard, it will go into midi remote mode and allow you to use quick controls and the TI plugin at the same time, i've got it working here
I read something like that in the setup guide before but it wasn't working because I was holding down my computer shift key and clicking the remote button in the virus control plugin which was doing absolutely nothing, instead of using the buttons on the virus TI.
Happy days, I was about to buy a separate midi controller with automap but this setup looks like it will do the trick for now!
Originally posted by Osmodiar
Ok some good news, got some help from access support on this..
If you go to the patch/utility -> remote page of the virus plugin and load the Access - Virus A B C remote template, then hold down shift + config on the actual TI keyboard, it will go into midi remote mode and allow you to use quick controls and the TI plugin at the same time, i've got it working here
I read something like that in the setup guide before but it wasn't working because I was holding down my computer shift key and clicking the remote button in the virus control plugin which was doing absolutely nothing, instead of using the buttons on the virus TI.
Happy days, I was about to buy a separate midi controller with automap but this setup looks like it will do the trick for now!