Zebra 2.5 Released!

[mleghorn]

Tried 2.5 native presets with both modwheel on a direct ... parameter and indirect modulation via the modmatrix. I don't have any weird modwheel side-effects.

It is possible this is an accidental midi-learn?

Yes, it's midi-learn. Sorry for the false alarm! Problem solved.

Thanks!

Mike

[Ewald]

Hi,
the new version looks pretty good! I had hopes there would be some enhancements in the patch management department, but maybe this is due for a next release .

Anyway, as my number of patches is growing I would like some handier way of selecting and previewing my patches. I think the way that FAW Circle and FXPansion DCAM have implemented patch management is pretty cool and I hope we'll see something like that in some next release.

[pdxindy]

Hi,
the new version looks pretty good! I had hopes there would be some enhancements in the patch management department, but maybe this is due for a next release .

Huh? There were significant enhancements in the preset management...

You have drag-n-drop now
the folders can collapse and expand
you can create folders
favorites and junk options

[ThomasHelzle]

Yeah, but as cool as that is (it really is!), with over 3.500 presets in my zebra presets folder, the need for a new approach is already there.
With numbers like that, any tree based system is unusable if you don't spend a LOT of time with tagging and sorting, which isn't that great since you would mix up your collections or copy everything in multiple folders.
A simple Junk/Normal/Favorite system isn't nearly enough anymore IMO.

Possible approaches would be:
a.) live search: enter anything into a field and instantly see a filtered search result which (optionally) includes the patch name as well as folder names and file comments. Having a collection of predefined keywords to check could help establish with patch creators to tag their presets correctly, at least for future stuff.
b.) something like the kore player, where you select certain criteria to get a similar result to a.) - but this needs very good tagging already in place to be useful.
c.) "virtual folders/collections" where you would just collect links to patches without moving them from their initial location.

Since there are so many patches out there already, I see only a.) as an option that really holds for some time and could work for all of the U-He plugins the same. c.) isn't a "solution" for me, but would be a cool addition.

Just my 2 cent though

Cheers!!!

Thomas

[Ewald]

Yes, I'm talking about advanced search functions like Thomas mentions! Sounds good to me

[pdxindy]

Yes, I'm talking about advanced search functions like Thomas mentions! Sounds good to me

Of course you can ask for whatever you want. I was pointing out that 2.5 added significant improvements already.

Myself, I have no interest in search functions. In my experience the browser in say Massive or FM8 is an impediment. I prefer preset management in Zebra as is. I would certainly NOT like something like the NI stuff which is more annoying than anything.

An added search function that still lets me use Zebra as I already can would be fine. I have no trouble organizing and using presets in Zebra and I also have a few thousand of them.

[snigelx]

is there a 'quick' way to get all my favourites ONLY to show in Z2 and ACE bank/patch views? i've been through both mans and nothing is mentioned. i am aware that i can create new folders within the patch root and move them all in there manually (i do this already), but a shortcut would be great (like every STARRED patch being displayed automatically in a seperate FAVOURITES or STARRED folder/section off the root. any other organising tips from you guys would be most appreciated, in the time being

example: today continuing work on a track and going through my fav'd ACE presets in many folders. i have to go through every individual folder to find starred items. would aid workflow to have them ALL at my fingertips when i fav them.

[Howard]

...a shortcut would be great...like every STARRED patch being displayed automatically in a seperate FAVOURITES or STARRED folder/section off the root.

Sound like a sensible idea - but wouldn't it conflict with other functions (e.g. drag/drop)?

[rockmachine]

Personally, I thought Urs' take on this was very cool with the junk and stars and drop and drag categorizing.

Regarding this issue and as another approach, you could always do the old fashioned thing, but it requires work on the part of the user. Go through the patches and take note of all of the ones you like for whatever purposes, close Zebra and go to the Zebra folder, presets, and then open each preset file folder, create new ones under your own headings, whether that be Leads, Pads, Nice Mixture, etcetera, and then drag the ones noted into the new folders. Then you can save the remainders that you might not want, at least for the time being, somewhere else and take them out of the Zebra folder and have only patches that interest, inspire, help, or whatever.

[snigelx]

@Howard - I do not know if this would cause a program conflict with existing drag/drop (i hope not), however it seems to me like providing such an option (i.e. showing ALL favourites or "starred" presets) in the right-click context menu, on either the patch and/or bank window, could be Extremely beneficial to people who work like me when browsing sounds during composition. For instance, I like choosing basses or pads or even fx, by scrolling through different favourite presets while a track is playing and one can test each bass patch for a minute and then move to the next preset in the list. This is one thing I truly enjoy about NI's patch organisation (although sometimes buggy). Workflow is interrupted slightly when clicking to open folders within a file tree or loading. No, this is nothing that keeps me from using ACE or Zebra in my productions, but it would be a fine MUCH-appreciated implementation.

PS Howard, thanks for HS Autopots 1. getting some great subtle rhythmic background grooves for layering with other rhythm tracks!

@rockmachine - Thanks for the tip! I know there is a workaround to getting all the presets in one location, but this is not exactly what I meant. One click access is more like it. It is simply a WISH for the future. I absolutely love the current state of things and can work with both instruments just fine regardless, as long as I can see my favourites.

[Urs]

Well, as long as preset management is the main issue then I'm a happy developer

Still sitting in a McDonalds with a good coffee but a lousy internet connection (a free one, at least), I have had thoughts about smart folders that e.g. only show favourites. As Howie points out, there may be difficulties and overlaps with other areas, but it should be entirely possible (E.g. a drag/drop on a favourites folder could simply make the patch a favourite). It's just a hell of a lot of development and testing though.

My personal favourite system enhancement would be a colour scheme. Currently you have yellow stars, but there could also be red ones, blue ones and pink ones. Then it's up to the user if he thinks that red favourites are "hot basses" or just "sounds used in previous projects".

The question is, will colours be exclusive or can a preset have several colours at once? - Decisions, decisions...

Urs

P.S.: Weather.com is again wrong, it's a sunny day in Hobart, no signs of a thunderstorm.

[bmrzycki]

P.S.: Weather.com is again wrong, it's a sunny day in Hobart, no signs of a thunderstorm.

For what it's worth, in the U.S. the site Weather Underground tends to be more accurate for my zip code. The site takes local and hobbyist meteorological data along with the METAR streams.

I haven't tried it for Europe/Australia but maybe it's worth a try.

Cheers!

[snigelx]

Well, as long as preset management is the main issue then I'm a happy developer

ha, yeah, i can understand that.

OT semi-related side note: i've been tying ACE in super complex virtual knots and still have not experienced a technical mishap. well,...correction... the SOUNDS sound like something is VERY "wrong", yet i find that oh so RIGHT! I absolutely LOVE ACE.. I've never been so distracted. I can't even get away from it to learn Zebra2 more (or complete my works-in-perpetual-progress)

Still sitting in a McDonalds with a good coffee but a lousy internet connection (a free one, at least),

No... no, you meant to say that COMPARED to the lousy internet connection the coffee is good. i find it hard to believe that McD's coffee is all that good (compared to a nice cup of Dark Roast Gevalia, at least.

I have had thoughts about smart folders that e.g. only show favourites. As Howie points out, there may be difficulties and overlaps with other areas, but it should be entirely possible (E.g. a drag/drop on a favourites folder could simply make the patch a favourite). It's just a hell of a lot of development and testing though.

I understand it may mean a lot of time at the drawing board, however, I'll just say that it REALLY helps work flow during composition to be able to access those wonderful patches one ran into along the way and to be able to immediately pull them up and try them while a sequence is running. So, for my part, this would be a wonderful inclusion in the next release...or whenever you have the time to work it out. NO PRESSURE

My personal favourite system enhancement would be a colour scheme. Currently you have yellow stars, but there could also be red ones, blue ones and pink ones. Then it's up to the user if he thinks that red favourites are "hot basses" or just "sounds used in previous projects".

A combination of smart folders and these special stars would be fabulous!

The question is, will colours be exclusive or can a preset have several colours at once? - Decisions, decisions...

good question, however, I would be satisfied with the smart folder, in the very least, within the next couple releases or so. Later down the road, it would be icing on the cake to have multiple tagging system you described with the different colours or even shapes (arturia) [Arturia are having great ideas with patch management but in the end at the release the result is only HALF as good as the idea...err, (e.g. new 'sound map' feature in all second gen synths)]. It is OBVIOUS that you devote much more effort and scrutinize your own code better than most developers AND you provide some of the best support I've encountered. I mean, I don't worry about these small things/wishes because I know you are already actively thinking about new solutions yourself.

[blurk]

My personal favourite system enhancement would be a colour scheme. Currently you have yellow stars, but there could also be red ones, blue ones and pink ones. Then it's up to the user if he thinks that red favourites are "hot basses" or just "sounds used in previous projects".

The question is, will colours be exclusive or can a preset have several colours at once? - Decisions, decisions...

How about red, green and blue stars and allow the user to specify any combination of these. Then just bitwise or the RGB values together.

(I'm not entirely joking about that suggestion. It's a bit like the Mac OS Finder colours, that I personally don't use but may very well use something like that for U-he plugin presets.)

[snigelx]

These markers do not even have to be big stars. A smooth coloured dot (not a pixel) will do just as well, as long as it is still visible. I imagine that too many stars of various colours would detract from the cleanliness of the patch interface (who knows until you see it). Coloured dots (OR even a thin vertical coloured side bar, the same height of the preset's font) might very well pass into the scheme better if multi-coloured labels are used...perhaps.

For the record, I am neither a programmer nor graphic designer so I do not know how one goes about customising an interface. I can only give 'ideas'. Feel free to stop me if you think I am talking to many impossibilities. ;P

That said, another idea, besides colour markers, might be to somehow section off the presets added into the "smart folder" based on HOW the preset is labeled when the user adds it to his/her favourites. What I mean is that the user could possibly be offered a right-click option, while hovering over the preset, and at the end of the resulting context menu, where "add to favourites" would be located, one would also see a small black arrow to click to access most common labels such as, Bass, Lead, Pad, FX, Drum, etc. Upon choosing on a label, the preset would then be immediately added into the smart favourites folder under that particular label's section. These sections in the smart folder could be organised by using a bolder font with extra space above and below the section/label heading. Everything in the smart folder would show as a list...OR inside the smart folder could be one folder for every label. That is not too bad either, since one is not working with Basses the same time as a Pad, etc.

All just ideas to mull over on your spare time (after your solar retreat downunder)