Zebra 2.5 Released!

[Urs]

In my case, which notes to play were very loud, very noisy, almost speaker damaging sounds.

That's either not Zebra you've had opened, or something else must have been wrong. Zebra really just plays different notes after 12 minutes (e.g. a C instead of an F), but not different volumes or noisy sounds.

Urs

[deeluk]

Thanks for the replies. It was definitely Zebra. I've done it twice now. Perhaps there's some bug in the interaction with my VST host. I will try another VST host and see how that works out.

[bmrzycki]

Thanks for the replies. It was definitely Zebra. I've done it twice now. Perhaps there's some bug in the interaction with my VST host. I will try another VST host and see how that works out.

I just ran a test here. I deleted my registration info and loaded Zebra to wait for the demo mode to activate. When it did I hit keys to see if any strange noises (other than random notes) occurred.

I did notice on loud presets when the random note jumps up an octave or more it can sound quite high-pitched and loud. However this is a property of the preset and even if you weren't in demo mode these notes in that octave register would be just as loud.

When I played slightly more tame presets I heard nothing other than the C-E-B-(r)-A cycle.

This was on Reaper 3.31 32-bit, Windows 7 64-bit, latest Zebra 2.5 release.

Try a different preset or try lowering the volume a bit. Or maybe as you said it might have something to do with your vst host. I know Urs has recommended savihost in the past to make a standalone unit in Windows.

Good luck and I hope you find Zebra to be suitable to your musical tastes.

[tehlord]

I run Cubase 4 and the Zebra 2 demo and ZebraCM cause no issues at all.

[deeluk]

Switched systems. Originally I was using an old AMD box that's kinda getting long in the tooth. It is running XP. Now I'm running on an 8-core HP workstation running Vista 64. Also, switched VST hosts to Reaper. I don't see any problems at all now.

So far, pretty darn impressed with Zebra. Need to dig in a bit and start tweaking sounds. But just messing around with the presets has been quite fun.

I'm really digging Reaper too. I'd be thrilled to move off of Cubase. Never been a big fan. Came with my rompler and I've just always used it since it was free. Reaper looks awesome! If it can host my Yamaha Motif VST, bye-bye Cubase!

Thanks for your help and suggestions. Not sure what the problem was on my old box.

Derek

[rainguitar]

In my case, which notes to play were very loud, very noisy, almost speaker damaging sounds.

That's either not Zebra you've had opened, or something else must have been wrong. Zebra really just plays different notes after 12 minutes (e.g. a C instead of an F), but not different volumes or noisy sounds.

Urs

Hi Urs,

While my experience with Zebra is not exactly the same as deeluk I have learned that there a quite a few zebra patches that will go well into the red with relatively low velocity playing. Certainly this is true when compared to other soft-synths on my system. I tend to roll the gain back when using Zebra for that reason but it's still my favourite soft synth!

Greg

[mcnoone]

I have learned that there a quite a few zebra patches that will go well into the red with relatively low velocity playing.
Greg

Sometimes this can be due to the sound card your using also.
I had problems with my old computers sound quality and levels before, then when I bought a new computer with a much better sound card, the sound quality and stability improved greatly.
Even where the low end notes used to drop out before, now with the newer computer the sound is more solid on low end notes then with my older computer.
Some daw's also behave differently when showing the levels, and I've found Live to be the best at showing the levels. Some daw's seem to peak at different levels, than others.
Just an opinion. Maybe check your sound card settings or something. Sample rates, and latency settings, maybe make a difference.

[rainguitar]

I have an iMac that's only about a year old, 2.8 with 4 gigs of ram. My sound card is an Apogee Duet. I'm running Logic Pro 9.2 and also have FM8, Battery 3 in addition to Z2 and a whole bunch of third-party effects plugs including Uhbik. Z2 is the only instrument on my system where I have to really watch the gain. But, hey, that's a pretty simple work around. Enjoyed the "Vision" patches by the way!

[heavensdaw]

I always slap a limiter on Z2.. helps keep things under control.. at least till I tame the beast!

Hd

[mcnoone]

Z2 is the only instrument on my system where I have to really watch the gain.

Okay. Understood.
So (i think) like me you don't find the gain too high on the presets, but mostly when using certain filters drives, or comb filter settings, and you wish Zebra had a limiter.
There was a post a while back, where Urs mentioned why Zebra doesn't have a limiter.

Glad you like the vision presets, and hope they don't red line the output for you.

[mcnoone]

I always slap a limiter on Z2.. helps keep things under control.. at least till I tame the beast!
Hd

One problem with that though, is if your designing sounds for others to use, and they don't use a limiter.
Then the gain will more then likely go through the roof for everyone else but you.

Their is also a way to use the Zebra compressor to act as a limiter also.
I use it often for that purpose.

[pdxindy]

Z2 is the only instrument on my system where I have to really watch the gain.

Okay. Understood.
So (i think) like me you don't find the gain too high on the presets, but mostly when using certain filters drives, or comb filter settings, and you wish Zebra had a limiter.
There was a post a while back, where Urs mentioned why Zebra doesn't have a limiter.

Glad you like the vision presets, and hope they don't red line the output for you.

Zebra was adjusted with 2.5... the filters were leveled and more even now. And of course there is the Zebra compressor. Beyond that, I find I need to watch the gain on most every softsynth I have... Zebra is a bit moreso, but not much...

[heavensdaw]

I always slap a limiter on Z2.. helps keep things under control.. at least till I tame the beast!
Hd

One problem with that though, is if your designing sounds for others to use, and they don't use a limiter.
Then the gain will more then likely go through the roof for everyone else but you.

Their is also a way to use the Zebra compressor to act as a limiter also.
I use it often for that purpose.

Yes.. that would be a problem. but (luckily) I don't design sounds for others (maybe one day)..

I'm gonna look into the internal compressor way.

Must say that I'm REALLY diggin' 2.5. It has given Zebra a whole new lease of life imo. Urs totally blows me away with his creations. I reckon Z2 gets it's place several times over, in around 90% of my productions.

TOP NOTCH!

Hd

[draft14]

Any plans to make 64 bit plugs???

[Bronto Scorpio]

Any plans to make 64 bit plugs???

Urs works on 64 support for all of his plugins at the moment.