Mac OS Big Sur

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by Berni

I am using Live 10 and neither the plug in works or VC so the TI thing is not working. Midi over USB? I can stick a midi cable in the virus and it will work, what I want is the software to work!

I've been integrating synths with computers since the mid 80's and I cannot remember a time I got what I wanted It's usually quite a grind to get everything working properly.

When I refer to MIDI over USB, I don't mean just a MIDI cable I mean that some folks are successfully running the software as a librarian and to edit the sound. Seriously, I urge you to do some reading on this. I don't know why its working for some not for others but I know you won't get anywhere with it if you limit your understanding to what is posted in this forum.

Go to the source of information, try to figure out what the differences are. Otherwise consider the alternatives I posted. Apple+Access Music = No Future.

https://www.virus.info/forum/index.p...ility-warning/

That's about the best I can do, sorry

[Berni]

Originally Posted by MBTC

I've been integrating synths with computers since the mid 80's and I cannot remember a time I got what I wanted It's usually quite a grind to get everything working properly.

When I refer to MIDI over USB, I don't mean just a MIDI cable I mean that some folks are successfully running the software as a librarian and to edit the sound. Seriously, I urge you to do some reading on this. I don't know why its working for some not for others but I know you won't get anywhere with it if you limit your understanding to what is posted in this forum.

Go to the source of information, try to figure out what the differences are. Otherwise consider the alternatives I posted. Apple+Access Music = No Future.

https://www.virus.info/forum/index.p...ility-warning/

That's about the best I can do, sorry

Been at this quite a while now myself and I can tell you nobody has got VC or the plug-in working on a mac with Big Sur. Just trying to boot up VC you will get the following error message. "The developer of this app needs to update it to work with this version of macOS. Contact the developer for more information." So yeah, pretty much dead in the water...don't believe everything you read on forums.

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by Berni

Been at this quite a while now myself and I can tell you nobody has got VC or the plug-in working on a mac with Big Sur. Just trying to boot up VC you will get the following error message. "The developer of this app needs to update it to work with this version of macOS. Contact the developer for more information." So yeah, pretty much dead in the water...don't believe everything you read on forums.

I guess between that conclusion and Access' official word, there's your answer....so what's next then? Move to Windows? Sell the Virus? Change workflow to use audio outs only? Let us know what you decide.

[Berni]

Originally Posted by MBTC

I guess between that conclusion and Access' official word, there's your answer....so what's next then? Move to Windows? Sell the Virus? Change workflow to use audio outs only? Let us know what you decide.

Moving to windows is definitely not an option and selling the virus would leave a big hole in my rack so going to keep hold of it. TBH I don't really use it that often anymore as I'm pretty much software instruments all the way these days. In fact it's the only hardware synth I own now. Software is sooo much cheaper, reliable and updated regularly. Who needs the headache's that come with hardware when the software sounds just as good nowadays anyhoo.
Every time a new shiny hardware synth comes on the market that takes my eye. I only have to look at the virus to remind me of how much of a waste of time and money they are.

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by Berni

Moving to windows is definitely not an option and selling the virus would leave a big hole in my rack so going to keep hold of it. TBH I don't really use it that often anymore as I'm pretty much software instruments all the way these days. In fact it's the only hardware synth I own now. Software is sooo much cheaper, reliable and updated regularly. Who needs the headache's that come with hardware when the software sounds just as good nowadays anyhoo.
Every time a new shiny hardware synth comes on the market that takes my eye. I only have to look at the virus to remind me of how much of a waste of time and money they are.

For a long time I believed the same thing, because I purged my life of hardware for many years. My lifestyle had me moving often, so maintaining a studio with outboard gear made no sense. Eventually I tried to add a TI2 desktop and the USB frustrations had me send it back. Many years later bought a used Snow, and at the price point was willing to live with some tradeoffs such as using VC and USB for the non-audio functions. And even then I had the same conclusion that you did, that software had gotten good enough that the Virus was barely worth messing with.

But then I started buying Sequential synths.. they sound so much better than software or the Virus. I barely use soft synths at all now because I can't stand the sound of them next to the real thing. Software and even virtual analog sounds dull, lifeless, etc.

Point is, don't judge the state of hardware synths based on the Virus, because it does not represent what's available anymore.

[Berni]

Originally Posted by MBTC

For a long time I believed the same thing, because I purged my life of hardware for many years. My lifestyle had me moving often, so maintaining a studio with outboard gear made no sense. Eventually I tried to add a TI2 desktop and the USB frustrations had me send it back. Many years later bought a used Snow, and at the price point was willing to live with some tradeoffs such as using VC and USB for the non-audio functions. And even then I had the same conclusion that you did, that software had gotten good enough that the Virus was barely worth messing with.

But then I started buying Sequential synths.. they sound so much better than software or the Virus. I barely use soft synths at all now because I can't stand the sound of them next to the real thing. Software and even virtual analog sounds dull, lifeless, etc.

Point is, don't judge the state of hardware synths based on the Virus, because it does not represent what's available anymore.

Oh I dare say they do with there hefty price tag they should be something else.
There has been no new feature updates for the virus in years or hardware updates for that matter but who's to say Sequential might go down like access have? If a software synth stops getting supported then no big financial loss but when hardware loses support you are left with a very useless box of knobs that has cost you thousands of dollars.

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by Berni

Oh I dare say they do with there hefty price tag they should be something else. There has been no new feature updates for the virus in years or hardware updates for that matter but who's to say Sequential might go down like access have? If a software synth stops getting supported then no big financial loss but when hardware loses support you are left with a very useless box of knobs that has cost you thousands of dollars.

They are expensive synths to be sure, but you get what you pay for in terms of sound quality.

The original Sequential Circuits already went out of business once... digital synths came along and nobody wanted crappy old analog anymore (lol! but seriously the DX7 and the inexpensive digital synth invasion was part of what killed it). Dave Smith just turned 70, and who knows how long he wants to continue or what will happen when he retires.

But here's the difference. 40 years later, an original Prophet 5 that originally went for $4k can now fetch between $6k-12k no problem. A brand new Prophet 5 (which has more features) can be had for $3.5k. Do you see where I'm going with that? Sequential instruments are an investment, are built to last for decades and can be serviced and repaired as needed. They are designed to be used as hardware instruments. Nobody is going to reverse engineer Virus Control software and fix it for Access, both because it would be a pain in the ass (not fun like restoring hardware) and also for copyright reasons.

Even though Dave Smith invented MIDI and was a pioneer in software synth plugins, he is not a big fan of software integration for the very reasons we are talking about here... he doesn't want to be running in circles trying to keep his shit working on another vendors' OS.. he has talked about this in depth in interviews. He wants to make musical instruments that are designed to be played, not be fiddled around with a mouse. Yes you can buy editors that help you do some things on the computer but they are meant to be PLAYED, and therein lies the difference.

I'm not saying everyone needs lots of analog polys. It depends on what kind of music you want to make.

It is definitely possible to make good music using only software. But if the analog sound is your thing, the really good soft-synths eat up half your CPU and still aren't in the same league. When you've got 4 or 5 rich sounding poly synths going in a mix, and you look at your CPU and its still sitting at 9% then it becomes clear... yeah software alone can't do that. I still use plug-ins for certain things like samples and FX...