Access Virus Ti & Ableton Live

Xspringe2 · Post by **Xspringe2** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 3:16 am

Has anyone here gotten the Virus Ti to function properly with Ableton 6? I have three major issues which make it very difficult to use:

1. There is a significant delay between midi input (e.g. pressing a key on my keyboard) and Virus Ti output. Enabling Live mode solves this, but this mode is not recommended for recording songs.
2. The arpeggio is all over the place and often runs out of synch.
3. Midi timing in general seems wacky.

I have no problems with it in Cubase 4, so it has to be something between Ableton and the Virus Control VST that's messing up. I'm using Virus Ti OS 2.5.1, Windows XP SP2 and an RME FF800.

donnydonny · Post by **donnydonny** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 3:46 am

On Virus|Control, make sure to hit the "Live" button on the bottom left corner of the GUI. That should resolve any latency issues you're having.

Xspringe2 · Post by **Xspringe2** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:00 pm

donnydonny wrote:On Virus|Control, make sure to hit the "Live" button on the bottom left corner of the GUI. That should resolve any latency issues you're having.

Yes, but Access explicitly states that this mode should only be used for live performances as it isnt sample accurate and the timing can be inconsistent.

I also notice that, even in live mode, timing is still off. E.g. if I line up a piano VST and the Virus Ti to play notes at the same time, they'll still be out of synch by a noticable amount.

I'm just curious if anyone here has gotten the Virus Ti to work as well as it does in Cubase. And if so, how.

lukas412 · Post by **lukas412** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:28 pm

I've gotten it to work half decent, but I gave up on it. Timing was an issue. Seems like right when I get it all dialed in the Ti will decide to change how much latency it has and throws everything off. I am also using other hardware so it was screwing the timing of everything up. Might work out ok if thats the only hardware your using. So I gave up on VC with live for now.

Luke

Jagermaestro · Post by **Jagermaestro** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:32 pm

I used to get the problems you describe on old OS versions, but with 6 (and now 7) on 2.5.1 I haven't had issues at all, works great. I'm on PC and do not use the TI as my main sound card.

Xspringe2 · Post by **Xspringe2** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:51 am

Jagermaestro wrote:I used to get the problems you describe on old OS versions, but with 6 (and now 7) on 2.5.1 I haven't had issues at all, works great. I'm on PC and do not use the TI as my main sound card.

Interesting. You don't have any delay between pressing a key and the Ti responding?

What version are you running precisely?

All the drivers are 2.8.11.0 and the OS is 2.5.1.02 on my computer.

Jagermaestro · Post by **Jagermaestro** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:39 am

Yep, exact same as mine, with Live 7.01 (was fine on 6 as well).

There definitely is worse latency than using a native live instrument like Tension, but it's not to the point where it's unplayable. For my uses it's acceptable, though not ideal; wouldn't be good at all for live performances, but I guess that's what the Live mode is for which I never touch.

Xspringe2 · Post by **Xspringe2** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:41 am

Jagermaestro wrote:Yep, exact same as mine, with Live 7.01 (was fine on 6 as well).

There definitely is worse latency than using a native live instrument like Tension, but it's not to the point where it's unplayable. For my uses it's acceptable, though not ideal; wouldn't be good at all for live performances, but I guess that's what the Live mode is for which I never touch.

Do you have any other software (e.g. cubase or logic) you can test with? I'm curious if you notice as much of a difference between Live and properly functioning hosts as I do.

Jagermaestro · Post by **Jagermaestro** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:03 am

Unfortunately not =/

dys4ik · Post by **dys4ik** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:13 am

I'd love to see an answer to this.

I'm considering picking up a virus ti early next year, and I'm hoping to find out about the problems beforehand...

ddr400 · Post by **ddr400** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:20 am

do u using usb controller on NEC chipset?

Xspringe2 · Post by **Xspringe2** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:05 pm

ddr400 wrote:do u using usb controller on NEC chipset?

I'm using the Asus P5K motherboard, I'm not quite sure which USB controller is on there.

geofferd · Post by **geofferd** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:32 pm

sadly after a year of fighting these exact same issues also with added bonus of pops and clicks in audio through virus control, i put the Ti on ebay. Wasnt worth losing any more time over - yeah the synth sounds amazing but the Ti was sold whilst still a beta and even with all the firm and soft updates i could never achieve the functionality that Access promised us with Ti . Gutted but now I have moved and I have made better music without it.

I hope you have better luch than me, but set yourself a deadline to quit trying to get this beast to work with live, otherwise you are just wasting music making time.

sztefan · Post by **sztefan** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:18 pm

Yes.
I make music on TI without problem.

Computer hardware is Core2Quad +2GB RAM. But more important is system. I have WinXP Lite(windaws) without any additional drivers, apps.Only for music. I spend lots of time to resolve problem with latency because i spend lots of money for TI. Right? OK.
After installing WinXP Lite I just install necessary drivers (graphics, Mainboard and Virus TI).

IMPORTANT!!!
ASIO Settings: PERFORMANCE: RAPID, APPLICATION USAGE: NORMAL

So, after this I install Live 6 and latency is acceptable, but for music making it`s little to slow. OK. Now, how to make a songs? OK. I`ts simply. To reduce latency and TI response when you recording:
Go to:
1.VC > COMMON > (and change primary output for OUT 1+2)
2.On the left corner turn on LIVE option.
3.Turn off DELAY COMPENSATION in Ableton Options.
4.Now you can play on Virus without any delays.
5. Now just record your track.

Now you must resample recorded track.

So, go to
1. VC > COMMON > (change primary output for USB 1+2),
2. Turn off LIVE button in VC
3. Enable DELAY COMPENSATION (it`s very important to keep virus in sync with your system performance during recording in to audio!!!)
4. Insert Audio Track and set for resample.
After resampling turn off DELAY COMPENSATION
Now you can record second track with your Virus.

For me it`s work perect. And I Love My VIRUS TI!!

You can check my tracks made on My VIRUS TI:
www.myspace.com/leofic

Vista and regular Win XP don`t work... :/
Don`t use USB cable saled with TI!!! Use cable for your printer...

icedsushi · Post by **icedsushi** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:30 pm

After a few years of trying, I also gave up on the TI plugin more than a year ago. TI was a great idea but there are just too many extra variables making implementation less than ideal, so I'd say just forget about it. The latency is too much and often more than using midi cables. But even worse, USB w/Virus Control seems to have a variable latency that using regular midi cables do not have.

The way I see it, it's an extra layer in between supplying more possibilities of things to go wrong. Maybe it's possible to get the timing steady spending months of tweaking. I didn't have those extra months, and why spend the months when you can just plug in the midi cables to your interface, adjust Live's midi clock delay a bit, twist the knobs and go!

Eventually I missed the Virus sound so I bough an Indigo again on ebay. I just use regular midi cables and use it like a regular hardware synth. Why use a plugin anyway when you've got real knobs to grab. I'm making more music than I ever did while messing with the TI plugin.

(To make more music

) Use Virus as a regular hardware synth and totally forget about TI. The plugin and USB cable is lots of extra mouse clicking and extra steps to do the same things, dependancy on software compatibility, and extra troubleshooting to get your timing right. As inspiration and extra hours fizzle away...