virus mod questions?

anything I need to know before tackling adding on the Virus mods for z3ta

I have windows 8 and the Z3ta dll file is not in the Z3ta folder its in the VST folder in a separate z3ta+ folder so do I mimic that structure or keep the dll file in the duplicate z3ta folder

found another virus mod called v2 ultimate 

I have it working I think but I want the ultimate version to see what it can do

from the read me instructions on thvirus mod ultimate version

rgc:audio z3ta+ Virus MOD v2 Ultimate
*************************************

************
Introduction
************

This is an updated version of Virus MOD v2 by fr4ncesco revised and improved 
by Walter Cescato.
A myth says that z3ta+ engine is based on the Access VIRUS but it is not, it 
is an extraordinary synthesizer capable of an infinite palette of sounds and 
this includes those generated by an Access VIRUS.
With almost unlimited patching possibilities I found the z3ta+ one of the few 
synthesizers able to emulate Oberheim's monsters Matrix-12 and Xpander.
The modification features a Wavetable set based on the VIRUS "Classic" Mode set, 
a skin based on the VIRUS TI and a bank loaded with VIRUS inspired sounds.
The improvements over previous virus MOD are:
 
• The custom Wavetable set does not overwrite the original z3ta+ Wavetable set.
• When the VIRUS Wavetable set is loaded, the corresponding original VIRUS Waves 
labels are shown in the 'Oscillators Wave' selection (only 'User 1 to 6' labels 
remain unchanged being actually VIRUS Waves 58, 59, 60, 62, 63 and 64). 
• The skin not only shows a more realistic hardware look but also helps with 
some clues in the signal flow.
• The default bank is preloaded with both the VIRUS Wavetable set and the z3ta+ 
original Wavetable set.
• Additional loadable VIRUS Waves (21, 22, 42, 44, 49, 54, 61, Saw and Pulse) are 
included so the "Classic" Mode set is now completed.


************
Requirements
************

A clean, working, un-moded installation of z3ta+ v1.53 (compatibility with other 
versions is unknown).

v1.53 was the last version developed by rgc:audio and had many improvements:

• Native Windows Vista® Support (applies to Windows 7)  
• 64-bit Windows binaries in DXi and VSTi formats  
• Stand-Alone Microhost for x64 Windows versions  
• Real-Time and Off-Line independent Playback Quality selectors  
• New MIDI Learn functionality  
• Import MIDI file to Arpeggiator function  
• Optimized Arpeggiator Engine  
• Wavetable saving (from Oscillator Shaper)

Note: Banks saved in older v1.3 does not load properly in v1.53. A workaround 
is to load and save old banks in v1.4 and then load in v1.53. The "v13 default" 
bank was already converted and included in the MOD.


**********
Downgrade?
**********

This is 2012 and there's Cakewalk z3ta+2 so what's the point of using v1.53?

• Cakewalk z3ta+2 does not allow using more than one Wavetable set.
• Cakewalk z3ta+2 does not have the 'Load Global Wavetable set' program option.
• Cakewalk z3ta+2 does not have the 'Load Program Wavetable set' program option.
• Cakewalk z3ta+2 does not handle banks as it used to be.
• Cakewalk z3ta+2 distorts v1.x patches using 'Loaded User Wavetables'.
• Cakewalk z3ta+2 offsets an octave up in arp patterns from v1.x patches.


************
Installation
************

• Copy/replace contents of 'z3ta+' folder to your 'z3ta+' main folder:
(where Arpeggios, Documentation, Resources, Tunings and Wavetables are located)

• Copy/replace contents of 'Programs' folder to:
(Windows XP) ...Program Data/Cakewalk/z3ta+/Programs
(Windows 7) ...ProgramData/Cakewalk/z3ta+/Programs

Note: A 'Factory Backup' folder is included with the original 100 arpeggios that 
are replaced by the MOD.


******************
Loading And Saving
******************

• If you are happy with the included banks and you don't need to change Wavetable 
sets just use them, change them and save them. The only special thing to know is 
to select the [F] sub-bank prior saving a bank based in the default 'VIRUS' bank.
• If you are tweaking programs within a host such as Cubase don't worry, wavetable 
set references are saved within the project.
• To load banks or programs saved with previous MOD use 'Load Global Wavetable set' 
or 'Load Program Wavetable set' program options to load the included "virus.set".
• To load banks or programs based on the original z3ta+ Wavetable set use 'Load 
Global Wavetable set' or 'Load Program Wavetable set' program options to load the 
original "oscil.set".
• To save banks using custom Wavetable sets select the program following the last 
one using the custom Wavetable set, load "oscil.set" with 'Load Program Wavetable 
set' and then save the bank. Remember that custom Wavetable sets must remain inside 
the 'Wavetables' folder!
• To save banks based on the original z3ta+ Wavetable set select any program, load 
"oscil.set" with 'Load Program Wavetable set' and then save the bank.
• Finally you have to know about the power of 'User 1 to 6' shapes available from 
the 'Oscillators Wave' selection and loadable from disk in 'WAV' format (look for 
the 'Load Program Wavetable' program option): There are 6 oscillators per program 
so you can build up a sound by loading up to 6 custom oscillator shapes... but you 
can tweak another program and load another 6 different oscilator shapes... and so 
on, and so on, and here's more good news... the whole data is kept encrypted within 
the bank, even if the original 'WAV' source is deleted! Just amazing, isn't it?


***********************
>>>> VIRUS Default <<<<
***********************

The VIRUS Default program is patched with initial settings as a starting point for 
users needing to shape a VIRUS inspired sound from scratch.

• USER Waves 1-2 are preloaded with Saw and Pulse waves respectively.

• Oscillators "couple" 1-2 generates Triangle and Saw waves.
• Oscillators "couple" 3-4 generates Saw and Pulse waves.

• The oscillators couples 1-2 and 3-4 represent the main oscillators in the VIRUS, 
where an oscillator offers a control to morph from Saw to a selected Wave or Square.
This behavior can be achieved here by tweaking levels within a couple (note that 
OSCILLATORS MODE is NSYNC to do this properly). Of course pre-selected Waves might 
be changed but keep in mind the following to stay in VIRUS domains: A Saw wave MUST 
exist in each couple and Pulse or Triangle is the only choice for Sub-Oscillator.

• Oscillator 5 is reserved to use for NOISE or as VIRUS 'fixed-Shape' Oscillator 3.
• Oscillator 6 generates a Pulse wave and represents the VIRUS Sub-Oscillator.

• The X-Y PAD controls Oscillators couples balance horizontally and Sub-Oscillator 
level vertically, so there's no need to change adjustments from multiple sliders in 
OSCILLATOR section (remember these sliders are reserved for Wave Shape).

• The Pulse-width for the Triangle wave in couple 1-2 is adjusted with the RANGE 
control in the MATRIX, with destination OSC1 PW (actually this is patched in case a 
Square wave is selected).

• The Pulse-width for the Square wave in couple 3-4 is adjusted with the RANGE 
control in the MATRIX, with destination OSC4 PW.

• Everything is bused through Filter 1 in DUAL, meaning everything is affected by 
Filter 1, then by Filter 2. ENVELOPE 1 is patched to control both filters CUTOFF.

• Note that RENDER is set to HIGH and POLYPHONY to 16 voices, this setting is not 
compulsory so it might be changed depending on systems and projects.


*************************
"Morphing" With the z3ta+
*************************

Here's some help on patching for 2 Oscillators 'morphing' using the RANGE Control:

SOURCE    RANGE     CURVE     CONTROL   DESTINATION
ON        <morph!>                      FUN1
FUN1      ========  U-LIN-              OSCA LEVEL
FUN1      ========                      OSCB LEVEL


The z3ta+ also provides a way to perform 'morphing' between 2, 3 and 4 parameters 
with the X-Y PAD as done by some classic instruments like Sequential Prophet-VS, 
Yamaha SY22 and KORG Wavestation. Here's some help for patching:

///////////////////////////
//B                     C//
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//        <morph!>       //
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//                       //
//A                     D//
///////////////////////////

SOURCE    RANGE     CURVE     CONTROL   DESTINATION
X-Y PAD X ========  U-LIN-              OSCA LEVEL
X-Y PAD Y ========  U-LIN-              OSCA LEVEL
X-Y PAD X ========  U-LIN-              OSCB LEVEL
X-Y PAD Y ========                      OSCB LEVEL
X-Y PAD X ========                      OSCC LEVEL
X-Y PAD Y ========                      OSCC LEVEL
X-Y PAD X ========                      OSCD LEVEL
X-Y PAD Y ========  U-LIN-              OSCD LEVEL

Note: A powerful filter controller can be patched with A, B, C, D being replaced 
by filters CUTOFF and RESONANCES.


**********
Disclaimer
**********

The content on this package is not intended for commercial use or distribution.
This project is about sharing knowledge between synthesizer enthusiasts and no 
profit is pursued. Trademarks mentioned on this document are property of their 
respective companies.  


*******
Credits
*******

René G. Ceballos - Synth and effects design and programming
Bitplant - Original user interface design
Limeflavour - 'ModernRetro' skin design
Dusty - The NeoPhysik - HQ waves for the custom Wavetable set
Big Tone - Original sound design

Z3ta dll file is located here programfiles/cakewalk/vstplugins/z3ta+
a renamed dll called virus_z3ta+

arpeggios documentation resources tunings and wavetables are here programfiles/cakewalk/z3ta+ 


with the last mod I had to create a file called virus_z3ta+ and dump in the files mentioned above into it and I was instructed to create a programs file in that folder as well instead of using the program file in programdata/cakewalk/z3ta+

Here is another thought. If you want a bunch of new presets for z3ta+ http://www.xenossoundworks.com/z3ta.html has four sets of presets for $5.25 each. Cakewalk is selling three of them for $9.95 each or $29.90 for all three. No muss, no fuss just drop the fxb files into the programs directory and your off.

did it now to test it

had to recopy the original wavetables from my backup the original files did not exist but that was easy to fix I am wondering how many of the original arp files are screwed up as well by following those directions..

Just noticed you can shut off the arps and use those tones without arps by disabling the arpergiator a very cool feature I would like to see more vsti's offer.  Also 2x oversampling is not on so I needed to flip that on to increase the quality 

liking this a lot. 

I already had a copy, never bothered to mess with it. I just built it like the old virus mod (which I have not played with in years) and it works just fine. Here is what I did. Copied all the parts of z3ta+ into a single directory in Vstplugins called Ultimate_z3ta+. Merged the three folders Arpeggios, Resources and Wavetables into the Ultimate_z3ta+. Copied the programs into the Programs directory in Ultimate_z3ta+. Renamed the z3ta+.dll Ultimate_z3ta+.dll. It seems to work fine. I do not understand why the instructions for the ultimate version divert so much from the original virus. The synth has not changed, just the the default layout. It still works like it always has.

yeah its got some cool presets and I like them but z3ta 2 is so much more fun to mess with 

cool I will check those out

Don't let the names of the other sets scare you off. They are pretty good too. Don't have synthmaster but waves are waves.

I have not tried the virus mod with z3ta+2, all the versions that I have seen work with the original z3ta+. There is no problem having multiple copies of z3ta+ on a machine. There is no issue with the license. The way I created multiple copies of the z3ta+ was to collapse all the components into a single directory in the VST plug-in directory and rename the z3ta+ dll. The dll appears to search locally for data before going out to the default installation directories. I have not tried any of this with z3ta+2.