Playing Live with Virus

[rredmusik]

Hello all,
This is my first post.
I am wondering how others use their virus to play live.

Many of the songs our band has require multiple patches throughout each song.

Currently, I use one multi mode bank for each song with the name of the song as the bank name. Within each multi bank I lay out my patches in the 1-16 part slots.

Is there a better way of doing this?
I find it hard to re-arrange banks when our set list changes. Also, there isn't an easy way to edit patch locations and parameters within Virus Control in the multi section.

This may be a question already posted but a quick search didn't turn up anything. Thanks for any ideas.

[boreg]

Hi rredmusik, and welcome to the forum!

I play Virus TI desktop in a band, using the Novation Remote SL 61 as the controller.
(as you can clearly see on this photo from our yesterday's gig)

Originally Posted by rredmusik

Currently, I use one multi mode bank for each song with the name of the song as the bank name. Within each multi bank I lay out my patches in the 1-16 part slots.

Is there a better way of doing this?

I'm doing the same, think it's the best way.
What do you use for the controller?
My controller has 5 octaves, so I frequently make keyboard splits (several patches on the same MIDI channel, each with its' own keyboard range). 2 or 3 way splits are most common, sometimes up to 4 - in many cases, a single patches' part fits within an octave or two. And if it's an effect, just one key may be enough.

Another fun thing with multis is layering. In one song, I have a monster-arpeggiator setup, triggering 6 arps with a single key. Wicked!

Originally Posted by rredmusik

I find it hard to re-arrange banks when our set list changes.

I never do that. IMHO it's better to keep the multis where they are - after a while, you'll naturally memorize the location of each song. And to be on the safe side on a gig, just write down the multi number on your copy of the set list.

As we're playing a mixture of our old and new songs, it's gotten problematic to quickly switch from Multi #68 to #21 mid-set - so I programmed the pads on the Novation to send the MIDI Program Change messages for switching Multis. SysEx would have been perfect, but doesn't seem to be possible...

Originally Posted by rredmusik

Also, there isn't an easy way to edit patch locations and parameters within Virus Control in the multi section.

True. I prefer the hardware interface anyway, only using the VC for arps (which cannot be edited from the Virus). And my pet peeve about editing Multis on the Virus - why can't I use the keyboard for setting keyboard range? If they made SHIFT+key set the low/high key, it would make life so much easier! (SHIFT to prevent accidental change).

Anyway, I think Virus is a great performance instrument. With all the Total Integration stuff, it seems underrated as a powerful piece of standalone hardware
Nice to see someone else using it live.

[rredmusik]

Thanks boreg!
Nice setup.
I have the TI Keyboard so I typically don't use an external controller. (Fairly rugged but super heavy for carrying around .) I also play with a Korg ms-2000. In the future I'm planning on whipping out the Roland AX-1 I picked up but I'm waiting for the right song. Can't be to hasty with these things.

Great suggestion about the keyboard splits. I've often wondered about that and it's really good to know others are using it with success. A lot of great advice really. thanks.

I completely agree, the Virus is a wonderful live machine. With 192khz analog outs it screams on any PA.

[Alakhai]

Same here, I'm using a Virus TI keyboard live, and it kicks some serious ass

I'm using the trick rredmusik told, every song has a dedicated patch, then I switch through parts. I can't use splits this way, a split patch require a place of its own near the "song multi".

[Voom]

Originally Posted by boreg

And my pet peeve about editing Multis on the Virus - [...] If they made SHIFT+key set the low/high key, it would make life so much easier! (SHIFT to prevent accidental change).

I was just thinking about this last night. I second this as a great future feature!