Virus TI2 multimode issue / Digtakt II

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

I’m wondering if anyone can help me figure out what might be happening here and if there is a potental solution. I’m using my Access Virus TI2 in multimode sequencing it on the Digitakt 2. I use tracks 9-16 on the Digitakt to correspond to channels 9-16 on the Virus.

Ive noticed that when I have all the tracks on and sequences playing together which creates my synth rhythm for songs, some of the track sounds will randomly cut in and out like ducking or muting then coming back. Its almost like some of the tracks are competing with each other to play their sound.

Seems like its usually one track that conflicks with another so if I mute the one that seems to be playing somewhat normal the ducking/muting track will start playing its sequence as normal but as soon as I bring in the other track again it starts glitching.

The Virus TI2 should have enough processing power to play sounds for all 8 tracks simotantously without glitching. This disrupts my creative flow and the soungs don’t sound as they should without all Track sounds playing together as intended. Has anyone else experienced this? Any thoughts?

#2

Sounds like you’re using up all of the voices, resulting in notes getting cut.

I can’t remember what the polyphony of the TI2 is, but don’t forget some patches use unison, and others are mutlitimbral, so you could be using more voices than you realise even for mono synth sounds.

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#3

I found this information on the Access website under Virus TI specifications. Not sure of it is the same for TI2 or not the TI Snow is definitely way less capable.

“Depending on the complexity of a patch everything in between 20 and 90 voices can be achieved (10-50 voices with Virus TI Snow).”

I wouldn’t know how to determine the number of voices I’m currently using when I have all 8 tracks running. I’m also not too familiar with the differences between unison and mutlitimbral patches and how that might affect things.

#4

add track by track and see where your problem starts.
check the release times of your virus tracks, if you send many notes with long release times they will eat up polyphony.

#5

Have you tried the same sequence from a DAW? Just to rule out the digitakt as the source for the issues.

#6

There is a small graph in the upper right corner that shows how cpu intensive a patch is. One bar equals not much and four bars equals heavy usage. Check out the patches you are using and it will explain why you are getting this voice stealing. And make sure you do not have a midi loop as well.

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#7

I’ve not used the virus with DAW no.

#8

I read about this graph and do understand how to determine how taxiing a patch of will be. Thing is I originally had a Virus B with the original DT and never really noticed having this issue when using all 9 tracks, now I’ve got the TI2 which is way more capable with the DT2 and it’s a consistent issue. For instance I have has conflicts with only two tracks playing sequences over each other. Other times I have no issues at all. Definitely think we’re on to something here but I just am not sure if I have a solution. I wish I had another virus and DT to test if something is wrong with my machines

#9

I usually try to avoid complaining about the Virus TI online :sob:, but just in case it helps: I and others seem to have bad problems getting consistent MIDI timing when sending notes to the Virus over regular MIDI. This is exacerbated by CPU load, but does not go away even for simple patches.

So, just as a test, try sending fast 16th note trigs through your rig at a relatively fast bpm, like 150. You may hear timing errors or lag, even with just one patch playing. Maybe this is your issue?

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#10

Yes the TI sometimes behaves strange. But also keep in mind that the TI has a lot more effects per track. I am not sure what that does but having several tracks with Chorus/Delay/Reverb etc might make a big difference. Maybe you could try to play your song on the DT with just a single OSC and some VCF and see how far you get. I might try this myself at the weekend.

#11

do you send only notes or also modulation (LFO, CCs)?

#12

Did you try adjusting the release time of your patches? Also afaik the 2 DSPs in the TI2 are used one after the other in Multimode, so that Patch 1,3,5, etc go on one DSP and 2,4,6, etc. onto the other one. So you could try reordering your patches, so that the complex ones are evenly distributed among DSPs.

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#13

So I was really curious and made a short very valuable track with DT and Polar TI2.
7 MIDI tracks sent to Virus Bass, Pad, Arp on Virus, 16th sequenced, Arp on Virus with lotsa delay, Short pluck sound and the infamous Snowfall high pass filter sound with long reverb. Track is four minutes long but you can hear the Snowfall notes disappearing, especially when playing the 16ths notes. The delayed sound is not causing the issue.

In the second half of the track I changed the volume from each track (MIDI CC 7) so it is still playing but no longer heard.

Also there is just a tad cutoff plocks on the bass.

Hope that is interesting for anyone.

Edit: Recorded with Overbridge in Ableton but MIDI going directly via 5-pin to Virus.

#14

in later firmware the TI added many features (oscillators, filters, fx) that are great, but some are pretty dsp intensive.
(its often reasonably obvious which are dsp hogs, but some might not depending on your knowledge of dsp)

the TI is pretty powerful, but you do have to manage the resources a bit, by understanding each preset … honestly the graph is only a very rough n’ ready indicator.

first step can be to turn off fx… and use ext fx.
set things to mono where you can

also as others said, if you are using a reverb (int or ext) then you might get away with shorter release - and so less active voices.

(bare in mind, fx are part specific, rather than send fx, so easy to use lots of dsp)

also, the TI has 2 dsp cores, one does even parts, the other odd… so try to distribute ‘heavy’ presets over these 2 cores.

#15

The routing matrix also steals voices. Use the assignable LFO slot wherever possible.