Access VirusHC VST Editor (Ableton Live setup Tip)

[Airyck]

I wanted to share how I set up my Access Virus TI using the VirusHC editor VST (commercial product).

Access VirusHC Editor & Librarian Plug-in

This setup will allow you to have 16 different tracks all with “individual” note and Automation data for each of the 16 Parts of the Virus on their own dedicated tracks.

No cramming 16 parts worth of Automation data into one clip.

THIS WILL ONLY WORK ON OS X (Mac) due to the fact that Windows doesn’t allow sharing of MIDI ports.

1. Drop the Virus HC Editor on the first MIDI track. Set it up to work as you would normally.

2. Create a second MIDI Track and place and Ableton Instrument rack on the track.

3. Drop another Virus HC Editor Vst or Au on the Instrument rack.

4. Also place an Ableton External Instrument inside the Instrument rack.

5. Create a Max MIDI Device. Edit the device and create the very simple patch shown below. Place it before the VirusHC Editor in the instrument rack.

6. Set the Ableton external instrument to the MIDI input for your Virus synthesizer. Set the MIDI channel to the corresponding part/track on your Virus

7. Open the VirusHC plugin you placed in the Instrument Rack. And uncheck the “send all midi data directly to Hardware” check box.

This will allow it to perform the “Total Recall” functionality for all 16 tracks without sending the data from all 16 plugins.

Leave it checked, only on the first plugin on the first track.

8. Repeat this for all 16 tracks. On each track leave the VirusHC Editor on the corresponding Part Number so you can easily edit and automate each individual one.

For example, track 2 has the editor 2 selected.

I set this up and wanted to share in case someone else was trying a similar setup.

[Purusha]

Hi all,

So - I’m using the new v2 rc9 VirusHC, but I can’t seem to get what you might call “total recall” going.

I expect that the plug-in should remember MIDI and patch settings as part of the project - right?

I’ve been having to resort to manually storing patches in the synth’s RAM.

Must be missing a setting, or have misunderstood how it works. if I can get this going, I might grab their Supernova2 editor too!

[Purusha]

Not sure why my post got linked to this, but I guess that it may help.

Ticking or unticking the “Send all data…” box doesn’t actually cure my problem. I’d already tried that.

[Airyck]

@Purusha

new v2 rc9 VirusHC

RC9 should stand for release candidate 9, meaning it’s a beta. Is it possible it’s not working? I haven’t tried the new version yet.

The send all data box should be checked for total recall. Once you save a project and reopen it should send the plugin data to the Virus. You can also manually send it I believe.

I haven’t used it in a bit (sidelined for construction projects currently) so my memory is rusty.

[Purusha]

Actually - just sussed it. The plug-in doesn’t like my RME Multiface MIDI ports.

Just used my Cirklon for MIDI and it’s pretty-much there.

[papertiger]

Uh oh. This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing. I hope to give a go as soon as I find a dang table for my Polar.

[Airyck]

I try to post things that I’m working on even if there is no interest at the time. People start talking about the Virus and editors and I’m like “oh yeah I made that post a while back”

It’s kind of nice to be able to have separate clips of automation for individual parts on the Virus. With the TI plugin you had to have automation for up to 16 different parts in one clip. It was a mess if you tried it.

[papertiger]

I would have been all over this but for the timing. May 2020 was rough around these parts. <3

[Airyck]

I get that (as many of us do unfortunately).

Everytime people start getting into the Virus again it makes me want to get another one. I’m still rocking a desktop TI 1, which is fine. But I really want a TI2 Polar Darkstar before the Virus stops being made in the not so distant future.

[papertiger]

I know. You know I know.

I am still in shock the TIs are still being manufactured and sold, to be honest. Good for Access that they are keeping it going. Most synths don’t do multi-timbrality these days, which is a bummer in my book.

[Airyck]

I love how we’re having a conversation in two separate Virus threads right now

[papertiger]

you know we are going to get that grumpy forum bot message – you have replied to so and so three times in a row, TAKE IT OUTSIDE!

[Airyck]

@papertiger

TAKE IT OUTSIDE!

Get a room!

[papertiger]

I most certainly did NOT say that!

(although I really wanted to type that, so yeah, I said it, but no, I did not!).

[Kaeptn]

Hey, what specifically is the purpose of the M4L Max MIDI Device just before the VirusHC editor? Thinking about recreating the setup in bitwig, thats why I’m asking

[Airyck]

It’s just filtering out midi note/velocity data (if I’m remembering correctly) going to the plug-in.
You are already using the external instrument for that.

The plug-in is there for editing/automation/total recall across the 16 parts.

[Kaeptn]

Uhm I think I got it to work on Windows 11 and Bitwig aswell
Is it normal that if you change a patch for a part, it wont reflect the change in the main Editor aswell?
If thats normal I think I got it to work, if i’m not missing something here. Even automation per part is working fine =D
I would love it though if all changes made to another part would be visible in the other Editors aswell!

[Airyck]

@Kaeptn

Is it normal that if you change a patch for a part, it wont reflect the change in the main Editor aswell?

Yeah that sounds right.

You’re really separating all of the instances so that you can edit/automate all 16 channels individually.

Blocking the others from each other is how you make it work from what I remember.

Lately I’ve only been using couple of channels tops, so my memory of this is a little rusty.

[Kaeptn]

For anyone wondering how to got it to work on windows: you have to set bitwigs plugin hosting mode to individual, then you can use your DIN MIDI connection on all instances of the editor!