Is this possible in Zebra?

[Mr D]

Hi folks,

Say i want to trigger a synth pad in Zebra. Let's call this incoming midi info "MIDI X".

And i also want send in some other note on events to Zebra that won't trigger this pad. Let's call this event: "NOTE ON X".

So, when NOTE ON X comes into Zebra, it'll trigger an MSEG to perform some modulation event, like ducking the volume, triggering the filter or whatever.

But importantly, it'll not trigger the pad sound playing in Zebra.
It'll also won't cause some weirdness in the pad, like triggering portamento. Or if it was a monosynth instead of a pad, it wouldn't steal a note and cut off the synth.

So basically, as far as Zebra is concerned, NOTE ON X would ONLY trigger the modulation event, and would have no other effect.

I guess the only way this would work is that the midi info triggering the synth and the midi triggering NOTE ON X would come in on different midi channels.

Is that possible?

Many thanks!

[EvilDragon]

I don't think you can do this.

[Mr D]

Dang!

You can do it in MPowerSynth, i think it's the only synth where it's possible.

But Zebra sounds better.

[pdxindy]

I remember Urs saying he was working on some triggering functionality so good chance for Zebra 3 and Bazille at some point.

[Toddskins]

Dang!

You can do it in MPowerSynth, i think it's the only synth where it's possible.

But Zebra sounds better.

May I ask what your objective is? Simply out of curiosity.

You want all the functionality of a modulation, without its sound?

I am trying to see the use of such a thing.

[Mr D]

May I ask what your objective is? Simply out of curiosity.
You want all the functionality of a modulation, without its sound?
I am trying to see the use of such a thing.

Ok, so to be clear, i do want "NOTE ON X" to affect the sound, but ONLY via modulation.

So, say, for example i have a synth sound in Zebra. And i have another track in my DAW with a snare. When that snare hits, i want something to happen to my synth sound, via modulation. So i need "NOTE ON X" (which is coming from the midi triggering the snare) to do that.

But normally when you have a note on in any VST synth, that note on will affect the sound, like trigger an OSC, or one of the main envelopes, or trigger portamento, or if it's a monosynth it'll steal the voice. But i don't want any of that to happen, i just want "NOTE ON X" to trigger one very specific thing in modulation, and nothing else.

Basically what i'm talking about is advanced "sidechaining" (although it's not actually sidechaining), via midi, not audio.

So this why it would be great to be able to tell Zebra to only trigger the synth via midi channel 1 for example, and only trigger some certain envelope via a different midi channel.

It's a bit of a chicken / egg thang. Because it's not possible in almost any VSTi, nobody does it, so it's hard to imagine why you would need it. But the above example is only one of a zillion uses i could imagine.

Is that making sense?

[Toddskins]

May I ask what your objective is? Simply out of curiosity.
You want all the functionality of a modulation, without its sound?
I am trying to see the use of such a thing.

Ok, so to be clear, i do want "NOTE ON X" to affect the sound, but ONLY via modulation.

So, say, for example i have a synth sound in Zebra. And i have another track in my DAW with a snare. When that snare hits, i want something to happen to my synth sound, via modulation. So i need "NOTE ON X" (which is coming from the midi triggering the snare) to do that.

But normally when you have a note on in any VST synth, that note on will affect the sound, like trigger an OSC, or one of the main envelopes, or trigger portamento, or if it's a monosynth it'll steal the voice. But i don't want any of that to happen, i just want "NOTE ON X" to trigger one very specific thing in modulation, and nothing else.

Basically what i'm talking about is advanced "sidechaining" (although it's not actually sidechaining), via midi, not audio.

So this why it would be great to be able to tell Zebra to only trigger the synth via midi channel 1 for example, and only trigger some certain envelope via a different midi channel.

It's a bit of a chicken / egg thang. Because it's not possible in almost any VSTi, nobody does it, so it's hard to imagine why you would need it. But the above example is only one of a zillion uses i could imagine.

Is that making sense?

No. You did not explain what your objective actually is, I think. One, you seem to say you want to affect all the modulations of the Zebra sound, without having triggered the Zebra sound with a Note On event. You can affect the Zebra sound with any of a myriad of controllers after the sound has begun.

Why does this additional modulation have to be triggered from the Snare Hit?

If you do not want the Note On event to be triggered from the Zebra's Midi Channel, then simply "Why not?"

How does the sound begin? Does the snare or the Zebra's Note On event start the sound in your objective?

I'm kinda understanding what you want to do, but not why.

[Mr D]

No. You did not explain what your objective actually is, I think. etc etc

I explained it very clearly and precisely, i don't know how i could explain it better. It's all there in my post.

Why? Why not?

For example, every time the snare midi comes in to Zebra, it applies a filter and bit reduction that then releases again after 700ms.

For example. There are unlimited uses for it.

[pdxindy]

For example, every time the snare midi comes in to Zebra, it applies a filter and bit reduction that then releases again after 700ms.

For example. There are unlimited uses for it.

It is not currently possible in Zebra alone

In Bitwig for example, that sort of modulation is easy. Use the snare audio... and an envelope follower.

[EvilDragon]

Also possible in Reaper.

[Mr D]

Ok, but just to be clear you're describing triggering via audio, i'm talking about triggering via midi.

Even if Bitwig or Reaper first turn that audio trigger into "midi" before passing it into the sidechain, it' still fundamentally different and has some disadvantages compared to pure midi triggering (jittery gating for example as the envelope tracks the waveform).

[pdxindy]

Ok, but just to be clear you're describing triggering via audio, i'm talking about triggering via midi.

Even if Bitwig or Reaper first turn that audio trigger into "midi" before passing it into the sidechain, it' still fundamentally different and has some disadvantages compared to pure midi triggering (jittery gating for example as the envelope tracks the waveform).

It tracks great... if you are triggering a sharp transient sound with the midi, its very accurate.