Zebra vs Absynth for ambient?

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Delfinoverde wrote: Steve Roach is a real master of ethno-tribal-dark-Ambient, have you checked/discovered Mathias Grassow? This German musician has made some exquisite Tracks/Albums!! :tu:
http://mathiasgrassow.de/
No, I haven't, but I'll be sure to investigate his music, thanks! :)

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deastman wrote:For some good examples of what you can do with the envelopes, and for great examples of Absynth used for ambient compositions in general, check out Anthony Distefano on YouTube. Here's something done entirely with envelopes, with no overdubs and only middle C held down for the entire length of the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwUkq1N ... 1&index=11
Anthony's a great example- I really enjoy what he does. Or, check out Brian Clevinger's SoundCloud page:

http://soundcloud.com/brian-clevinger-1

ew
A spectral heretic...

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I think that both synths are great for ambient because both have excellent flexibility.

As a user of Zebra here is my contribution:
https://soundcloud.com/complex_sound/ze ... eview-part

Hope that this little demo helps to decide :wink:
Cheers!

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deastman wrote: For some good examples of what you can do with the envelopes, and for great examples of Absynth used for ambient compositions in general, check out Anthony Distefano on YouTube. Here's something done entirely with envelopes, with no overdubs and only middle C held down for the entire length of the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwUkq1N ... 1&index=11
That is an example of "Wow, look what you can do in Absynth holding down 1 key for a few minutes"... Doesn't make it musically interesting... but such experiments are fun.

Here is one of my own with Zebra. 1 note held for about 4 minutes... no host automation.

http://draigathar.org/sounds/Zebra-One-Note.mp3

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pdxindy wrote:
deastman wrote: For some good examples of what you can do with the envelopes, and for great examples of Absynth used for ambient compositions in general, check out Anthony Distefano on YouTube. Here's something done entirely with envelopes, with no overdubs and only middle C held down for the entire length of the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwUkq1N ... 1&index=11
That is an example of "Wow, look what you can do in Absynth holding down 1 key for a few minutes"... Doesn't make it musically interesting... but such experiments are fun.
Except that it does. If you looked at youtube there is a guy automating whole Bach song via envelopes. Well if you are not finding Bach notation as musical we don't have much to talk about.

I think this thread is about one sound character vs another for specific genre thus these examples are actually useful for users to hear how instrument behave.

imho

Btw liked your twisted example. Really cool.

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How do you go about accessing the Galbanum collection to use in Absynth? Where do you need to store the file? I assume they will be SingleWave/Library but have not figured out how to get to them…..
ew wrote:My vote would be for Absynth :-o :lol:

Myself, I don't use the granular options hardly at all. Remember that a lot of the really classic Absynth sounds were created before Absynth could even use samples. But, with the Architecture waveforms; I have tons of single cycle material to play with. Add to that morph waves and all the things you can do to warp the original waveform before you hit the filters, etc., and it's not an issue. I layer sample channels with wave channels quite often, but I rarely use the granular engine for anything.

In regards to programming, it's not that bad at all if you remember two things: 1) the values shown are maximums (or minimums in the case of negative values): any modulation can go TO that point and not beyond, and 2) it's all about the envelopes.

ew

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jc_vt wrote:How do you go about accessing the Galbanum collection to use in Absynth? Where do you need to store the file? I assume they will be SingleWave/Library but have not figured out how to get to them…..
They go in the user library location. The default on Windows is:
C:\Users\*your account name*\My Documents\Native Instruments\Absynth 5\Libraries\Wave

At the top of the wave browser there's a dropdown. Click on that; you'll see all the Architecture subfolders. Browse and select...

ew
A spectral heretic...

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Thanks for the quick reply. Interesting, I put them there, they show up in the Library(User) list, but when I select them they do not load…These are in .wav format, and the factory Library/Wave is in .gly format….do I need to change the format to get them to work?

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kmonkey wrote: I think this thread is about one sound character vs another for specific genre thus these examples are actually useful for users to hear how instrument behave.
Partially, however the OP also throws into the works that whatever synth to pick also will be played with Alchemy. So then the choice is also about balance and range. Either one will balance with Alchemy nicely. Although Zebra will extend the range in timbre character more than Absynth. Absynth has become my favorite dedicated NI synth and I have been using it more with both the Camel and and the Zebra and the three are very nice together.

So my suggestion comes from extending the range and more importantly, pushing off Absynth until the next NI sale, when the OP can pick it up too and have all three.

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jc_vt wrote:Thanks for the quick reply. Interesting, I put them there, they show up in the Library(User) list, but when I select them they do not load…These are in .wav format, and the factory Library/Wave is in .gly format….do I need to change the format to get them to work?
You're using the wrong Architecture version. The Absynth one comes in .gly format.

ew
A spectral heretic...

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BBFG# wrote:
kmonkey wrote: I think this thread is about one sound character vs another for specific genre thus these examples are actually useful for users to hear how instrument behave.
Partially, however the OP also throws into the works that whatever synth to pick also will be played with Alchemy. So then the choice is also about balance and range. Either one will balance with Alchemy nicely. Although Zebra will extend the range in timbre character more than Absynth. Absynth has become my favorite dedicated NI synth and I have been using it more with both the Camel and and the Zebra and the three are very nice together.

So my suggestion comes from extending the range and more importantly, pushing off Absynth until the next NI sale, when the OP can pick it up too and have all three.

my spider sense tells me the op will buy zebra...
im willing to even bet on it, anyone up for a gamble?

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woolyloach wrote:Hi, I'm looking for a synth that will compliment Alchemy in my ambient compositions.

Absynth is an obvious choice, but how about Zebra? Zebra looks like it's better supported but I'm not sure how "ambient" it can get... :?

All opinions appreciated! :)
This might be of some interest, a set of Ambient patches for Zebra.
I am posting the soundcloud audio, they sound nice.

Ambient Dreamers
https://soundcloud.com/vintage-synth-pa ... s-from-the

The Blue Moon
https://soundcloud.com/vintage-synth-pa ... he-ambient

Foreign Land
https://soundcloud.com/vintage-synth-pa ... he-ambient

Dark Beach
https://soundcloud.com/vintage-synth-pa ... he-ambient

Phase Strings
https://soundcloud.com/vintage-synth-pa ... he-ambient

Waters Of Aluna
https://soundcloud.com/vintage-synth-pa ... a-from-the

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vurt wrote:
BBFG# wrote:
kmonkey wrote: I think this thread is about one sound character vs another for specific genre thus these examples are actually useful for users to hear how instrument behave.
Partially, however the OP also throws into the works that whatever synth to pick also will be played with Alchemy. So then the choice is also about balance and range. Either one will balance with Alchemy nicely. Although Zebra will extend the range in timbre character more than Absynth. Absynth has become my favorite dedicated NI synth and I have been using it more with both the Camel and and the Zebra and the three are very nice together.

So my suggestion comes from extending the range and more importantly, pushing off Absynth until the next NI sale, when the OP can pick it up too and have all three.

my spider sense tells me the op will buy zebra...
im willing to even bet on it, anyone up for a gamble?
I think the OP will eventually buy them both.
So it's really about which one is first and the best way to spend the least amount of money is. Buy Zebra first with a dino coupon and wait for a NI sale. :borg:

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Both work fine. Absynth has a special character, Zebra is more flexible for non-ambient music.

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