Bundled VST3 manual

Virus Synth

This guide walks through the current Virus TI-inspired workflow in Mutagen: loading the synth, browsing presets, using the LCD / OSD pages, editing oscillators, filters, FX, modulation, and the shift layer.

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What is covered
  1. Load Virus Synth on a track
  2. Browse presets from the LCD
  3. Edit oscillators and shared controls
  4. Use LFO, matrix, filter, and FX OSD pages
  5. Use shift functions and the preview keyboard

Overview

Editor layout

Virus Synth editor overview
The Virus Synth editor combines a TI-style faceplate, hardware-style LED/button layout, an LCD / OSD display in the center, lower value knobs, part buttons for preset stepping, and optional background plus preview-keyboard toggles in the top-left.

Step 1

Load Virus Synth on a track

Instrument rack panel with bundled VST options
Choose a track, switch the instrument type to VSTI Rack, then select Virus Synth from the rack list.
  1. Create or select an instrument track.
  2. Assign Virus Synth from the rack browser or track controls.
  3. Use Edit VST or the track V toggle to open the editor.

If the rack list does not show the plugin, restart the app so it rescans the bundled vsti folder on startup.

Step 2

Browse presets from the LCD / OSD

Virus Synth LCD showing preset information
The LCD shows the current program name plus TI-style bank, slot, and category-style fields.
  1. Use the two PART buttons beside the LCD to step backward or forward through presets.
  2. You can also use the lower-right VALUE PROGRAM - / + buttons.
  3. When the preset page is active, the bottom VALUE 1 / 2 / 3 knobs can browse programs too.
  4. The LCD stays pinned on the preset page while you browse, so it does not fall back to a generic parameter readout.

The LCD header uses a TI-style format: SINGLE / MULTI on the left, a CAT: field in the middle, and the RAM bank + slot on the right.

Step 3

Edit oscillators and shared top-row controls

Virus Synth oscillator area
The oscillator section uses a shared top row. The selected oscillator determines what those controls edit.
  1. Press OSC SELECT to cycle the edit focus across OSC 1, OSC 2, and OSC 3.
  2. The LED strip above the oscillator buttons shows which oscillator is active.
  3. Use the top-row knobs for Wave, Wave Select / PW, Semitone, and Detune 2/3.
  4. Use FM Amount below that row for the shared FM depth control.
  5. Press OSC EDIT to pin an oscillator page on the LCD and edit it from the three bottom value knobs.

Step 4

Use the modulation OSD workflow

Virus Synth modulation area with LFO controls
LFOs use the LCD / OSD workflow instead of dedicated target buttons for every value.
  1. Press an LFO SELECT button once to focus that LFO.
  2. Repeated clicks on the same SELECT button cycle its visible destination LEDs.
  3. Use the dedicated RATE knob for the selected LFO speed.
  4. Press ENV MODE to toggle between free-running and note-triggered behavior for the selected LFO.
  5. Press SHAPE to cycle the LFO wave shape.
  6. On the pinned LCD page, the lower value knobs edit: VALUE 1 = amount, VALUE 2 = rate, VALUE 3 = destination.

In the current workflow, the destination LEDs mirror the selected LFO destination shown on the LCD, while an amount of zero effectively turns the modulation off.

Step 5

Edit filters, FX, and matrix pages

Virus Synth filter and effects section
Filter and FX sections both feed the LCD / OSD, where the value knobs become page-specific editors.
  1. Press FILTER EDIT to cycle the filter pages: Filter 1, Filter 2, then Filter Common.
  2. Use FLT 1 and FLT 2 with the LEDs to manage filter modes and active routing.
  3. Press FX SELECT to move the focused effect row.
  4. Press FX EDIT to pin the selected upper or lower FX page on the LCD.
  5. The upper row currently exposes Delay, Reverb, and the three-band EQ pages with real DSP backing their values.
  6. The matrix page uses the bottom value knobs for source, amount, and destination on the selected row.

Step 6

Use SHIFT, BG, and KB

SHIFT layer

Click SHIFT once to latch the red secondary layer. The LED above it confirms that shifted functions are active.

Shifted actions

SHIFT + ARP ON holds the arp, SHIFT + MONO sends panic, SHIFT + STORE randomizes the preset, and SHIFT + SEARCH auditions the current program.

BG and KB

Use BG to switch between the faceplate view and the schematic overlay. Use KB to show or hide the preview keyboard at the bottom of the editor.

Reference

Quick workflow summary

Preset workflow

  1. Step presets with PART or VALUE PROGRAM.
  2. Read the current bank / slot / category from the LCD.
  3. Use SEARCH for the preset browser page.

Edit workflow

  1. Choose a section with EDIT or SELECT.
  2. Watch the LCD page change to that section.
  3. Use VALUE 1 / 2 / 3 to edit the pinned page.