KVR Audio

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:58 am

Some of you may know that I'm working on a bank of patches for Zebra. Some times in th process of sound design I'm inspired to start recording. This was one of those cases...

Zebra demo

This is a single instance of Zebra, one note is being triggered every 32 bars. The whole track is basically the result of me dragging the X/Y controllers around with my mouse. It's a pretty simple patch actually but I spent a ton of time getting the X/Y controls "just right".

And yes, this will be a patch that I include in the bank I release.

Chopper · Post by **Chopper** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:06 am

sounds typical Justin3am! (I mean it in a good way). I'm looking forward for the soundbank, as I know it's going to be nothing like the usual virus emulation that everybody's trying to do. did you actually release banks for other synth before?

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:22 am

I did a bank that comes with MFM2. I've also made a Reaktor ensemble that I'm pretty proud of.

I should mention that this bank is mainly a "try making this sound with any other synth" kind of venture. Zebra is my go to for sounds that are just short of impossible without Reaktor. Expect typical 3am wacky-ness.

Thanks Chopper!

blortblort · Post by **blortblort** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 2:27 am

count me in for a 3am/Zebra soundbank!
woooHOO! from the smell aviation fuel to burbling sonic madness

typical 3am, indeed

[edit for grammmmar]

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:20 am

blortblort wrote:woooHOO! from the smell aviation fuel to burbling sonic madness

Most of the patches I'm putting together do that kind of thing. They go from completely useless noise to bleepy/bloopy rhythms and back with all sorts of weird modulations in between.

ckatrun411 · Post by **ckatrun411** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:04 am

2, 2 trippy Mr Justin. Gave me fuzzy wuzzy shivers.

Surprisingly gentle on the ears. This airplane engine is just OMG, how the f**k did you make that.

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:39 am

Well basically, you have a sine tone with an amp and pitch envelope that loop at the end of the decay stage. The shorter the decay, the faster the loop. At a certain point the sound changes from a a kick drum to almost like a saw tooth wave. On top of this there is a multitap delay which is being modulated which simulates more than one wave going in and out of phase with the original and finally there is a chorus that creates the whooshing effect.

The sound consists of one oscillator, 2 LPFs, 3 envelopes and 2 LFOs. It's amazing what can be done with just these components. I'm a big proponent of K.I.S.S.

Thanks ckat, I know that you are a fan of wacky sounds, I figured you'd appreciate this at least from the design stand point.

polyslax · Post by **polyslax** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:14 am

That's crazy!

Wish I still had Zebra.

dacaumodo · Post by **dacaumodo** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:27 am

polyslax wrote:

That's crazy!

Wish I still had Zebra.

Maybe the bank will work with Zebra CM (?)

NAD · Post by **NAD** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:00 am

Very cool.

Jazzyspoon · Post by **Jazzyspoon** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:48 pm

Cool stuff. J. I would love to see zebra in action with your patches. No doubt your patches will push the envelope.(pun intended) I really love the sound around the 5 minute mark. These would be easily usable in my set. One day, when I finish paying off on all the wonderful toys you have already sold me on, I will own Zebra.

runagate · Post by **runagate** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:24 pm

justin3am wrote:"try making this sound with any other synth" kind of venture.

I hear a lot better sound design in your songs that anything I'd attribute to the tools you use. I imagine that has something to do with the fact you're primarily a Mac user, so it's easier to "wow" you with Mac's lamentable 1% or less of all VSTi made. I'm not even particularly lusting after Reaktor nowadays, though it'd probably save me some time here and there.

I really like your demo, though, it's huge and long and veiny!

folderol · Post by **folderol** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:35 pm

Bit of a bugger to start cold, but runs sweetly once it's going

Doesn't handle low rev load well though

Hmmm
Did I put this in the right place?

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:16 pm

runagate wrote:
justin3am wrote:"try making this sound with any other synth" kind of venture.

I hear a lot better sound design in your songs that anything I'd attribute to the tools you use. I imagine that has something to do with the fact you're primarily a Mac user, so it's easier to "wow" you with Mac's lamentable 1% or less of all VSTi made. I'm not even particularly lusting after Reaktor nowadays, though it'd probably save me some time here and there.

I knew right after making that statement you'd be up in here with your

Just kidding, you know I love ya! I guess what I meant is "try doing this within any other single VST" kind of venture... You are right though and make two good points. Synths are not my primary sound design tool, in fact I don't think tools are my primary sound design tools. I generally don't hear sounds in my head (took a lot of therapy and drugs to make sure of that) but I do think about sound generators a lot. I think about what happens to a wave when you apply a certain process and then I think about what can achieve that signal chain. Then I think about what was not intended to achieve that signal chain but could concievably do so if you forced it to with violence.

That is what I like about Zebra... I don't think Urs consciously thought of these sounds when creating the beast (which is obvious based on some of the limitations I've run in to) but things can be done in round about ways that result in sounds that are unexpected. For instance try modulating a delays ratio with a sample and hold LFO using more than 50% depth... weird huh? When you do that with most other delays, that is not what happens, but that is what I love about Zebra. Oh, by the way, if anyone tries that, use a limiter.

About the Mac thing, you are exactly correct! (Oh, and my PC died again

) I have not been exposed to the world of crazy purpose specific PC VSTs that you inhabit to the extent that you have. Most of the stuff available to me is designed to create as wide a variety of sounds as possible or a distinct sound that a certain genre is based from. Those two options can either be counter productive to someone like me or they can be used as a weapon.

Anyway, Thanks all.

P.S.

Jazzy, I'm sorry... please remember, rent before gear! And pot... before gear but not rent. So, rent -> pot -> gear in that order... food is in there somwhere as well.

xoxos · Post by **xoxos** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:29 pm

+1 for "what IS that?!"

out to see what's happening today, otherwise i'll be sending you a pm for your review

3am - Look at what that funny striped pony is doing!