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QUICKSTART MANUAL
Filters Menu
We use filters in synthesizers for changing and shaping the timbre of a sound. The Virus TI Snow has two
filters, which can be run in series or parallel. 'Series' means that the output of Filter 1 goes straight into Filter
2, and it is the output of Filter 2 that you hear.
Soft Knob
Parameter
#1
Filt 2 Offset/
Cutoff2
#2
Saturation Type
#3
Osc Volume
(Saturation)
'Parallel' means the oscillator signal is divided into two channels, one of which goes into Filter 1, the other
into Filter 2. In this case, you hear a mixture of the outputs of both filters. The following parameters are avail-
able to edit via the 3 Value knobs.
Mod Menu
Please select patch "Tutorial 5" RAM8 8-5). Press EDIT/SHIFT + MOD to enter the Modulation menu.
'Modulation' is the term used to describe a function which changes the value of another parameter over
time. Specifically for this purpose, the Virus has 3 LFOs or 'Low Frequency Oscillators'. These are different
from the oscillators used to generate the sound, as they operate at much lower speeds.
The LFOs have been designed to run at an independent rate, or to slave to the overall tempo of the current
patch or Multi. If they are set to Rate, then you can choose a value between 0 - 127, and if they are set to
Clock, you can choose a divider setting, based on a whole bar of 4/4, whereby 1/4 represents a rate equiva-
lent to quarter notes or crotchets.
Meaning
This determines the offset of Filter 2, relative to that of Filter 1. Filter 2 Cutoff
is set by default to follow Filter 1 Cutoff at the same frequency.
By adjusting this parameter, you cause Filter 2 to operate at a different
frequency from Filter 1, which will change the perceived depth of the filters.
Please note this parameter is highly dependent on other parameters within
the filter section, and may not always have an audible effect.
In certain patches, this parameter will be displayed as 'Cutoff 2'. This is
when the Cutoff Link parameter is set to Off.
Choose a distortion/lo-fi effect for the output of Filter 1. Adjust the intensity
of the effect with the Value 3 knob (see below).
Try out all the different saturations, which vary from standard overdrives to
more exotic digital varieties. There are also a couple of 1-pole filters in there,
should you need one of these instead.
From -64 to 0 (default) this controls the volume of the oscillators. From
0 to +63 this determines the level of saturation for Filter1, so long as the
Saturation parameter (Value 2 knob) is enabled. 'Saturation' is the term used
to describe the effect of increasing the input signal to a level beyond that
which is healthy, thereby creating distortion or additional overtones, which in
many cases sound really great.
Please be aware that certain Saturation types will have an audible effect
even with Saturation at +0.