Zebra 2 - question

[R0bins0n]

Hi

I’ve a question about envelope release times, but I think I need to give a little background as to why, before I ask it.

I make a wide range of music and sometimes I like to do very long pad-envelope-chords that merge into each other and build an effect like a drone but whereas a (traditional) drone would remain harmonically relatively bounded, this doesn’t.

For example C minor fading in over 20-25 seconds then sustaining for about 10-15 seconds then releasing for about 30 seconds, followed by Gminor doing the same thing. Very meditative extremely simple minimalist concept art kind of thing.

On Serum I have a release envelope maximum of 32 seconds and this is plenty, and Absynth has longer lengths (but I can’t bear it’s UI so rarely use it these days).

I bought Zebra yesterday and spent most of the day going through the manual and finding what it’s outline parameters were. It is breathtaking the power and control over sound it offers, and the quality of the sound makes me think it is Sylenth ‘on steroids and then some more steroids’.

I have understood the amp envelope timings and the curves. However, I can’t get the massive 30-40 second release timings from the non sync settings (8sX, 16sX, 10s).

I can slow my DAW engine down to 20 BPM and then put Zebra's amp envelope release on max and sync to 4/1. However that then effects all other parameters in my project. Of course I can increase the timings of any other VST or instrument to compensate, but I’d rather not have to,

Hence this question :-
Does anyone know a workaround that isn’t based on doing that BPM-sync-slow-down thing?

I could also make a vast reverb tail, but I don’t always necessarily want that kind of reverb on those long sounds, and I don’t like having to compromise the tones I want to make for trying to get a longer release envelope.
I am sure there are some seasoned Zebra experts out there who may have some ideas to help me with this. I hope so. Many thanks.

[clangorous]

One way is to use an MSEG for your envelope.
Change your Amp Envelope from "Env1" to "Gate" (User Manual Page 51).
Set your Osc Volume to zero.
Modulate your Osc volume with an MSEG.
- You will want an MSEG with no loop (set the last handle/node on the right as loop start and end).
- Set the MSEG Time Unit to "Notes" to slow it down.
- Draw your MSEG curve to define your attack, sustain and release stages.
- With the Amp Envelope set to Gate the note will go off when you release the key. So you will need to keep the key pressed for the duration of the MSEG.

[bmrzycki]

The envelopes in Z2 don't release for nearly as long as 30-40 seconds. My guess would be because when Z2 was released CPUs were slower and it was a way to deal with poly voice counts vs CPU usage.

Maybe a 64sX option could make it into the 2.8 release...who knows. Urs has been known to read posts around these parts.

Otherwise you can use MSEGS or simply sustain notes and draw automation for the master volume.

[btw]

Use Rel50 and set both that and Release to max for an approximately 30s release at 16sX. That doesn't help you with a super slow attack, but at least you can double the release on the Env. You can combine this with MSEG modulation of Osc volume to get a long attack and 30 release. Beyond that I think you're stuck with workarounds based on sustained notes with volume shaping by MSEG or automation as described earlier.

[R0bins0n]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Bmrzycki implied this sort of thing may go into an update, is there a forum for 'requests'? I know Xfer Records have something like that for Serum.

Many thanks

[Hanz Meyzer]

Hi, I have a question regarding Zebra's wavelets. I am in Spectroblend and drawn a spectrum on position 1. Now I want to copy position 1 to position 16. I right click in pos 1 and select "copy waveset". Then I click slot 16 and right-click select "paste waveset". But nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?

[Whywhy]

Hi, I have a question regarding Zebra's wavelets. I am in Spectroblend and drawn a spectrum on position 1. Now I want to copy position 1 to position 16. I right click in pos 1 and select "copy waveset". Then I click slot 16 and right-click select "paste waveset". But nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?

Ctrl + Alt should do the trick.
Wave set represents the full wt.

[tasmaniandevil]

Then I click slot 16 and right-click select "paste waveset". But nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?

"Copy waveset" copies the whole set of 16 waves, not an individual wave slot.
To copy a single slot to another, select the one you want to copy, then right-click on the one you want to replace, and choose "duplicate" from the context menu.

[Hanz Meyzer]

Ah thanks!

[Hanz Meyzer]

Good morning! Next questions...

1. Is there a way to copy not only the OSC settings from one to another, but also duplicate the automation / mod matrix entries affecting the source OSC?

2. Can I somehow assign a waveset to two OSCs at the same time? Or control the unison sub-OSCs' waveforms individually?

3. For unisono, can I somehow "spread" also the wave scanning position for each sub-OSC?

4. Are there also some kind of variations of sync OSC mode? This one seems to be hard-sync, but I wonder if there also is soft-SYNC available...?

5. Can I somehow SYNC two OSCs against each other?

6. I would like to setup a patch with 3 OSCs, where tiny portions of ringmod 1*2 and 2*3 are mixed into the signal, too! The ringmod amount should be also controlled by an ENV. Now it seems to me quite difficult to set this up in the matrix with the current structure (also having a noise portion with post filter mixed in). Basically from noob perspective, I miss a mix amount in the ring mod module, also a gain. Any tricks and tipps here for me? EDIT: To be more precise here, I miss a pre- and post amount control in the ringmod module.

Thanks !