Virus B: How to assign factory presets to categories (permanently)?

[Arndt]

Hi everybody,

I recently got a Virus B (OS 4.9) and really enjoy this instrument a lot. But some things are confusing me a bit, like storing sounds in categories respectively adding a category to a preset sound.

Is it possible, or better, how is it possible to change the category of a preset in Bank C-H, for example to 'Favourites 1', and STORE it? Ok, I go into the CTRL-menu, change the category, but then I can't store it, so it wouldn't keep it's new category. I only can store the preset to Bank A or B in order to keep the new category, which I don't want.

Oddly enough, on my unit there are already some factory presets assigned to 'Favourites 1' (like for example 'C62' or 'F23') :confused:

How is that possible? Did the former user found some secret way to do so, or may it be originally stored this way in factory?

Can anybody explain what I'm missing here?
Thanks a lot.

Arndt

[AlexHall74]

Hey Arndt,

I have re-named patches on my KC but not created a new category on the synth itself.

If you want some serious editing power and librarian functionality for your B-series check out the following products:

MIDI Quest 10 XL, MIDI Quest 10, or UniQuest for the Virus at www.squest.com

AND

SuperVirus from our very own Joerg Koehler:

http://www.solar3d-software.com/

AND

the Virus VST Editor from Rekon Audio

http://www.rekonaudio.com/VES_Virus.php

I'm sure the free SoundDiver from Access's site will work if you have a Mac...

:)

Cheers!

-Alex

[Arndt]

Thanks a lot. This is very useful. I will check that out, although I was hoping to achieve several things without using my laptop, because I prefer to do a lot without computer. But there are very useful tools, and in this case I have to use them to organize things, 'cause there seems to be no way to do it directly on the Virus. At the end of the process I use Cubase anyway...
By the way, I don't try to create new categories on the Virus, I just try to assign presets to different categories, and 'Favourites 1-3' are there already.

Cheers
Arndt

[AlexHall74]

Gotcha. The one thing about using a software based editor/librarian that cannot be disputed is that it gives you a very real insurance policy against losing all your banks/presets/performances/combis/etc. as they are stored on your computer rather than just on your board. Once the battery on a synth goes kaput, that's it for the banks on the board itself. I have lost WAY too much data from my computer over the past decade due to not having a backup that I back everything up weekly now (and have for a few years). It seems like paranoia until you need it.

;)

I have and use MIDI Quest 10 XL and am happy with it. I am still looking at SuperVirus and Rekon as they are targeted 100% at the Virus synths and seem to have a great layout for tweaking/programming. Me being a hoarder I'll have all three eventually.

Ciao!

-Alex

[Arndt]

You are totally right, it's essential to back up, and I do it anyway.

Unfortunately I'm not exactly a PC-freak, 'cause for me it's not a breeze to do the whole creative process on a computer. It kind of slows me down.

So, if I get it right, using MidiQuest I get access to the ROM Banks, the presets and all the stuff of the Virus B (or other Viruses) just as I get to Banks A/B on the machine itself?

Otherwise it wouldn't make too much sense.

[Onkel Dunkel]

You can only save patches to bank A and B (and to change categories you have to save the patch of course). It is however on a Virus C possible to write complete banks to bank C-H but only whole bank A or B. I suppose it is possible on a Virus B too. The most effective way to do what you want is to back up bank A or B, then create your own banks in bank A or B and then "burn" them to the flash memory. On a virus you press "System" and go the last menu named ""store to flash" that lets you store bank A or B to bank C-H. I suppose it´s the same on a Virus B if it´s possible. After that you can dump the bank you backed up and deleted back again...

[Arndt]

Yes, it's the same procedure on the Virus B, but I thought, with something like Midiquest I would get some advantages regarding the organization of presets, i.e., direct access to Bank C-H.

I've got the Virus B just recently, so I still have to learn and to ask a lot, but this whole preset organization thing, I see that already, is not really a joy to work with.

Best is, I think, to check out all the possibilities using software, to see, what I can achieve. Learning by doing...

Apart from that the sound gives good inspiration, especially along with my V-Synth.

[AlexHall74]

With MIDI Quest you have access to all that can be reached on the synth via SysEx. This means SYSTEM, Bank A, Bank B, Multi, etc. You can write from Banks A&B to C-H as Onkle reccomennded. If you pull your banks from A&B to MIDI Quest, you can cut, copy, paste them into aeach other or a new bank and save that to your PC, then load it later. Much simpler than on the Virus, IMHO. I would download the demo to see how it works for you.

:)

[Onkel Dunkel]

Yes, it's the same procedure on the Virus B, but I thought, with something like Midiquest I would get some advantages regarding the organization of presets, i.e., direct access to Bank C-H.


Sorry, but no easy solutions here. There is no way to write to bank C-H without overwriting the whole bank...

[Arndt]

Thank you all, things are clear so far. I'll be back soon for new questions :-)
I must say, I really like this synth. I compared it to the C and couldn't find too many advantages on the C. The TI is overpriced imo and not bugfree. Got the B in really 'like new' condition for a good price. So I'm really glad.
Cheers
Arndt