Zebralette Tutorial

[Ogg Vorbis]

Can someone either suggest or make up a little Zebralette tutorial and post it as a reply here?

I have been trying to learn synthesis by reading Sound on Sound's articles on Synth Secrets which span numerous years worth of articles. However, I am crappy at understanding it. But I am determined to become a synthesist.

Urs suggested to someone that they can learn Zebra best by learning Zebralette, but I can't figure out how to do anything in it. I can make it sound like a very flat "hum" but that's all.

Can someone give me a little shove so I can begin to crack it?

Thanks!

[mcnoone]

Can someone give me a little shove so I can begin to crack it?
Thanks!

Just a suggestion...you might want to edit that sentence, by changing the second from the last word to (learn).
You should try drawing some different wave forms in it. The best thing you could do though, is load different presets in it, and see what was done to make those sounds. What wave did they use? What modulation sources did they use to make the other presets?
Good Luck.
Michael

[Ogg Vorbis]

Thanks, I'll keep at it. By the way, I understand most of the acronyms and functions, but I don't understand, for example, the multistage envelope generator. Can you explain what this is? It doesn't seem to control standard envelope parameters such as attack, decay, sustain, etc. What is the difference between this and what you might find on an ARP 2600?

[ZenPunkHippy]

Thanks, I'll keep at it. By the way, I understand most of the acronyms and functions, but I don't understand, for example, the multistage envelope generator. Can you explain what this is? It doesn't seem to control standard envelope parameters such as attack, decay, sustain, etc. What is the difference between this and what you might find on an ARP 2600?

The MSEGS are like envelopes, but you can define the exact shape by creating new points, and also include loop points. (right click on a point to set loop start or end). It's basically another modulation source, somewhere between and LFO and an envelope, and is generally triggered via note on.

Set one up with a loop, assign it to control the pitch or filter cutoff and edit the MSEG in real time ... continue adding points and moving them around ... you'll soon get it!

Peace,
Andy.

[Ogg Vorbis]

It's basically another modulation source, somewhere between and LFO and an envelope, and is generally triggered via note on.

assign it to control the pitch or filter cutoff and edit the MSEG

Ah, okay thanks for the explanation. It is sort of a sequential modulator that can be assigned to a variety of tasks. The signal must originate FROM the oscillator, or the VCA or VCF, etc and is sent TO the MSEG.

Zebralette doesn't have a VCF (shouldn't it be a DCF?), right? Or did I just miss it?

Thanks for your help!

[ZenPunkHippy]

Zebralette doesn't have a VCF (shouldn't it be a DCF?), right? Or did I just miss it?

Thanks for your help!

It doesn't have a regular filter, but you could use the OSC FX type "Filter" in the FX section (above the waveform) which is a simple HP or LP filter, without resonance, and you can also modulate with any MOD source, but it's not quite the same as a filter! Check out what the different OSC FX can do - which is to affect the fundamental shape and amplitude of a waveform before it is output to other modules ... very useful stuff, especially in the full Zebra.

More about OSC FX here:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 45#3331145

I should pay more attention to Zebralette, it's nice way to experiment with the sound of Zebra without the full on interface, which is distracting sometimes - in a good way!

You can always load Zebralette patches in Zebra for more tweaking.

Peace,
Andy.

[MitchK1989]

I think your main problem is that zebralette is NOT a standard subtractive synth... It's basically a single osc from zebra, used to make a digital additive/wavetable synth... Those soundonsound articles are expecting you to use a vanilla virtual analog with the usual analog waveforms, a resonant filter, and simple ADSR envelopes.

[mcnoone]

Thanks, I'll keep at it. By the way, I understand most of the acronyms and functions, but I don't understand, for example, the multistage envelope generator. Can you explain what this is? It doesn't seem to control standard envelope parameters such as attack, decay, sustain, etc. What is the difference between this and what you might find on an ARP 2600?

You might want to try ZebraCM too. It is good to learn subtractive synthesis on that one.

[Dave Bourke]

Eh? I had the impression that Zebra CM and Zebralette were identical?

Anyone know for sure?

Kind regards.

[mcnoone]

Eh? I had the impression that Zebra CM and Zebralette were identical?
Anyone know for sure?
Kind regards.

They are not identical. I have both.
Zebra CM is a subtractive 2 osc synth that is in CM magazine(uk) every issue.
Zebralette is a wavetable, additive, 1 osc synth that comes with Zebra2 or a German Keyboard magazine.

[mcnoone]

Eh? I had the impression that Zebra CM and Zebralette were identical?
Anyone know for sure?
Kind regards.

Also if you go to this presets page, and scroll down about half way...
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... sc&start=0
You will see free Zebralette presets to dl, and below that ZebraCM presets.
ZebraCM presets also load in Zebra2.

[Ogg Vorbis]

You might want to try ZebraCM too. It is good to learn subtractive synthesis on that one.

Actually my objective isn't really to learn subtractive synthesis (even though Zebra uses that too because when you wire up a VCA thru a VCF, that's subtractive, right?) it's to learn Zebra.

To that end, I'd like to get really good at making ambient sound fx and atmospheres, etc.

[ZenPunkHippy]

You might want to try ZebraCM too. It is good to learn subtractive synthesis on that one.

Actually my objective isn't really to learn subtractive synthesis (even though Zebra uses that too because when you wire up a VCA thru a VCF, that's subtractive, right?) it's to learn Zebra.

To that end, I'd like to get really good at making ambient sound fx and atmospheres, etc.

Yes, the term "subtractive" in subtractive synthesis refers to the technique of using filters to remove the frequencies you don't want after creating an initial sound with an oscillator.

It is probably the easiest form of synthesis to learn, and what most general purpose synths are based on.

Contrast with additive synthesis where you take two or more oscillators / waveforms and combine them together to create a new sound. There is also FM synthesis (frequency modulation), and wavetable synthesis. The oscillator FX in Zebra are particularly useful for additive and FM synthesis, giving great control over the initial waveforms to affect the output of other oscillators or to drive the various FM modules. Additive is probably the most difficult to use effectively.

The full Zebra can do all of these, or a combination.

So yeah, if you learn how to effectively control Zebralette, which is a single oscillator / wavetable version of Zebra + basic effects, you will better understand the sound generating concept behind Zebra and how to create those initial waveforms for further shaping ... which reminds me that I should spend some time doing the same

Peace,
Andy.

[Dave Bourke]

They are not identical. I have both.
Zebra CM is a subtractive 2 osc synth that is in CM magazine(uk) every issue.
Zebralette is a wavetable, additive, 1 osc synth that comes with Zebra2 or a German Keyboard magazine.

OK, thanks for the info. So there are essentially two different cut-down Zebras. I live and learn...

Kind regards.

[mcnoone]

They are not identical. I have both.
Zebra CM is a subtractive 2 osc synth that is in CM magazine(uk) every issue.
Zebralette is a wavetable, additive, 1 osc synth that comes with Zebra2 or a German Keyboard magazine.

OK, thanks for the info. So there are essentially two different cut-down Zebras. I live and learn...
Kind regards.

Actually, if you get TripleCheese, you would be using something similar to the comb filter in Zebra2, as well. So thats 3 parts of Zebra.