Z3TA+

This instrument shows exactly why--with all the terrific freeware instruments available--there are commercial synths out there that are worth the money.

I own plenty of freeware and shareware synths, and I use them all on my productions. But Z3TA+ is going to push a lot of that stuff out of the way in the very near future. The sounds this synth produces are deep and engaging--they immediately produce an emotional response in the listener. I have done side-by-side comparisons on works in progress using both z3ta+ and other synths to play pads and leads, and z3ta+ simply makes the music sound a lot more emotionally profound from the first note. Even with only two or three oscillators engaged, z3ta+'s sounds are complex and evolving from the moment the key is pressed.

Ear-catching sounds are a characteristic of this developer from the earliest freeware offerings (Triangle 1 and 2), to Pentagon, to this synth. Rene just seems to know what's going to make the ear vibrate in a way that makes the listener pay attention. The sound quality is brilliant and highly varied.

The synth ships with a massive number of differentiated presets whose emotional contexts are immediately apparent. I have no doubt that many users making electronic music will find everything they need for a typical production--short of highly realistic acoustic instrument emulations--in this batch of presets. The instrument is highly programmable, and those who need more can create it.

One feature that illustrates the depth of the instrument is the arpeggiator. Not only does the arpeggiator ship with a huge number of shapes, the user has the option to include any arpeggiated figure desired via import of MIDI files. Now that's an arpeggiator to reckon with.

In short, this synth offers tremendous value for money straight out of the box. Highly recommended.Read Review