Guys,

What should I expect if I run out of voices on my Virus TI? I have created a track in Cubase which is so far using 8 out of the 16 channels available for 8 different midi tracks. I have now added a 9th channel and when I play this channel, one of the other channels just stops playing.

I logged a call with Access and they tell me it sounds likely that I have run out of voices. I'm pretty certain this is the case however I just wanted to check if others have experienced this as well? I will just be happy to learn that the issue is not related to bloody Vista or my sound card for once!!

It gets to me that I spend so much on a hardware synth and still have these limitations which I don't have with software!! So now it seems I have to record the channels seperately which is a pain in the arse. I may as well use seperate VSTs speaking of which I am a recent new Albino 3 user. WOW!!!!!

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Depends on the amount of voices actually used per channel.

8 channels is already quite alot, you should be happy with that amount and start converting to audio if you need more.

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quote:

Originally posted by Subtle Depends on the amount of voices actually used per channel. 8 channels is already quite alot, you should be happy with that amount and start converting to audio if you need more.

Thing is converting to audio isn't practical as I can't use automation and since I haven't finished the track yet, not sure how I may want to automate the patch later in the track.

I hear you though just dissapointed.

cheers

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Actually quick question - is there any way of telling how many voices a patch is using? I thought the Virus has over 100 voices?

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I don't have a TI (my virus is a KC) - I've seen a number of posts dealing with note dropouts/ TI's polyphony not seeming to be as many voices as advertised. I don't know if there's a way of telling how many voices are being used, it would probably depend on things like the release setting of the amp envelope, if some notes are still dying away then the synth should use new voices rather than cut off the release section of the previous voices. But if you're already using it for 8 separate parts, I'd be quite happy with that.

However, on that issue - using one synth for 8 different parts in the same track is going to make the whole character of the track the character of that synth. Each synth has it's own sound and it sounds fantastic when you have all these different sonic characters combining to create an incredibly beautiful track with many different textures. If you have some vsts, I would definitely recommend using them for some sounds, otherwise the track will be very Virus TI-ey and potentially much more..what's the word..."monotonal?" than it could be.

I try not to use one synth for more than two elements in a song if possible. I love the blending of many synth's characters.

quote:

Originally posted by derail However, on that issue - using one synth for 8 different parts in the same track is going to make the whole character of the track the character of that synth. Each synth has it's own sound and it sounds fantastic when you have all these different sonic characters combining to create an incredibly beautiful track with many different textures. If you have some vsts, I would definitely recommend using them for some sounds, otherwise the track will be very Virus TI-ey and potentially much more..what's the word..."monotonal?" than it could be.

The TI is quite diverse though, more than a lot of synths.

But I still agree - find a sound that you don't necessarily need to use the TI for and use another synth or a VST.

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The TI's polyphony is somewhere around 80 voices. Their site says this is under average conditions. Remember that patches with Unison and Delay/Reverb will take up extra voices as well. If you have any combination of these parameters on your patches, then I imagine with 8 parts, you're already over the 80 polyphony limit.

If you use the analog outputs in Virus|Control, you can use any type of External Instruments feature (a la Cubase/Live/Logic) and you should still be able to do automation on it.

The Virus TI will have roughly 80-100 voices assuming you're using only init patches. As soon as you add delay, reverb, additional oscs, hypersaw etc. The polyphony drops. Unison will lower your polyphony dramatically. A three note chord with 5x unison will eat up 15 voices!

I don't understand how you can compare the Virus to a VST. I think it's quite obvious that you won't be able to match the multitimbral aspect of VSTs with a hardware synth.

quote:

Originally posted by No Left Turn If you use the analog outputs in Virus|Control, you can use any type of External Instruments feature (a la Cubase/Live/Logic) and you should still be able to do automation on it.

I think it goes without saying you can't do automation on a bounced synth. Why would using the analog outs be any different?

That's a hell of a lot of virus patches for a single track. Are you seriously not happy enough with any of the sounds to bounce them off?

I'd spend some time finalizing the sounds you're using and then bouncing them off before adding more.

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I agree, lock it down to audio, commit to it. Otherwise you're going to spend forever just making one more tweak...one more tweak...

Though, having said that, I also went through that phase a while back, so maybe it's something producers just have to go through for themselves.

In any case, if you lock it down and then don't like the filter automation, just re-record the part. As Sean said, surely there are some parts you are happy with? Lock down all the ones you're happy with currently and focus on the ones that aren't quite there.

Or grab a few more synths, that will give you different textures to work into your tracks and you'll never need to care what a synth's polyphony is...if you're using the TI for only an element or two, they're going to need to be pretty complex to max out the polyphony.

quote:

Originally posted by Eldritch I think it goes without saying you can't do automation on a bounced synth. Why would using the analog outs be any different?

"External Instrument" track features work like this. You have a hardware synth with outputs going into your audio interface. Your sequencer with the External Instrument feature will allow you to use those inputs on your audio interface "like a virtual instrument", meaning you just write/record any midi that you want and you don't have to bounce anything to audio. Thus, giving you the ability to add any automation and not have to commit it right away.

How is the "external instrument" track feature related to the original question? How is the feature going to help increase the Virus TI's polyphony, so Reno doesn't have notes dropping out?