Synthesis is à lottery?

[critza]

Hi everyone, im ned here and à happy owner of zebra 2.5.
I have some very basic knowledge about synthesis and i am wondering if if it's easy to go deeper into this without getting à doctors degree in quantum synthesis. Everytime i want to make à new sound i just open up zebra and start adding stuff until it sounds like something i guess. But almost never like i want it to.
I know that tumult down Will get me à bassier sound and attack and release Will give à longer shorter sound but that's about it.
I see all The presets and listen to them and i cant really understand how many different sounds you can do with à synth. So is there à way that is not very Hard to know more à about coming up with sounds. Especially The mainstream sounds used in alot of electronic productions today.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I have watched The videos urs has and i really dont want to end up reading 200 pages of advanced granular and modular synthesis with diagrams and explanation that i Came across some months ago.

PS as for monogamy i am married to zebra only. Havent found it's equal anywhere.

[Perimeter Sound]

It's dead easy to get started, just erase everything from a preset, and start with one module, usually an oscillator. Then turn some knobs and do everything you can with it and listen to what happens as you do. Then add a filter and do it over again. Eventually you (more or less) just know what something will sound like before you do it.

[mellotronaut]

next Streifentier attack?

[tibah]

Zebra is a beast, learn it properly and you will not even want to have a new bride.

For the other part, for a beginner, it can be a bit too much but I'm not really a fan of saying that there are tools for beginners and for advanced users.

Learn how to tweak exisiting sounds to your own taste, then take it from there and build your own custom sounds. I learned everything I know on a pretty basic 2 osc synth and this still helps me a lot with every new synth I came across, with a bit of reading manuals, watching tutorials and a huge amount of try & error.

[critza]

Thanks you guys for the answers, didn't get the attack one though :0
All the coolest sounds i have made where on accident, i cant really imagine how to keep everything in mind when u add up all the OSC's and FMO's and do it for a purpose.

- Ok for todays lesson i will make a hummingbird sound and i will also filter in a rollercoaster and a baboon in the same sound using 2 FMO's 3 OSC's and some other stuff, it might get interesting -


I mean who thinks like that?

[No_Use]

also a lot to read but worth it:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm

and also try to "dissect" existing presets you like, which module is responsible for what, tweak the knobs and listen.

[critza]

also a lot to read but worth it:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm

and also try to "dissect" existing presets you like, which module is responsible for what, tweak the knobs and listen.

Omg that was the link i came across earlier =)
I understand that it could be informative but my interest does not go all that way

[bmrzycki]

Just because Zebra has a ton of modules doesn't mean you have to use all of them. In fact Zebra definitely subscribes to the "less is more" philosophy. If you really want to see some amazing sound design with not a lot of modules, look at Howard Scarr's factory patches. Don't add more modules to them. Try to understand how he got a sound out of a patch that you like.

It's a lot like building a track. Arrangements with 300 tracks are impossible to manage and balance. But a track of 15-30 isn't so bad.

And the most important part? Have fun!

[No_Use]

also a lot to read but worth it:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm

and also try to "dissect" existing presets you like, which module is responsible for what, tweak the knobs and listen.

Omg that was the link i came across earlier =)
I understand that it could be informative but my interest does not go all that way

Haha, I almost suspected that this is "THE" link since it's quite well known.
Anyways, you might scroll down completely, it starts with basics of subtractive synthesis and gets deeper later.

[mcnoone]

Use the init patch w/t 1 osc.
Change envelope1 to something you like.
Then draw 16 different waveforms in the osc wave slots.(add some points to them)
Then try different combinations of osc spectral fx settings, and/or turn phase on and adjust the phase knob.
Next add a filter and modulate it using env2. Try different types of filters out.
Go back and forth changing all these settings many times, and I guarantee you'll find something good.

note: sometimes it's necessary to turn the "normalize" knob up a bit, to hear certain spectral fx and wave settings, if not hearing any sound.

Have fun.

[critza]

Less is more philosophy is great!
I am tuning in on this right now, =)
I came across a preset earlier where they used a VCF or the XMF and dragged the Cutoff to 100% and used an LFO or Envelope to control the Resonance which was set to 100% also, this really gave some cool sounds, but the Release parameter was not able to change the lenght of the sound after applying this, anyone know how to work around this and still be able to use this setup i described?
Would be really cool to be able to make longer sounds with this.

[rockmachine]

If you want to see how much Zebra can do with nothing other its own suite of effects,and a couple of envelopes or LFOs, load up an oscillator, then click on the FX tab. Then start going through the effects which are similar, in a way, to filters in the way in which they affect the oscillators sound. Being able to apply two FX is a big bonus. Then you can do a huge amount more to that sound by using envelopes and or LFOs. If you want more than one modulator for either effect, go to the mod matrix window and add to your heart's content. It's a really economical and easy way of getting a vast array of sounds.

[Sendy]

I can't help but think that learning synthesis on Zebra would be tricky, given that there are so many options. It's that availability of options which can stifle a newcomer IMO. Most of us here probably learned synthesis on a fixed routing synth, allowing us to focus on the sound changes happening rather than the architecture. You can then bring that knowledge into more complex instruments like Zebra and build on your knowledge with that as a base.

I'd recommend grabbing a freeware 2 osc synth like Clearsynth and fiddling with that for a while. The 'mainstream' sounds you are after are mostly produced with two oscillators, a filter, an LFO and envelopes. I also think that although tinkering is the primary way to experience and learn things, a certain amount of reading to 'cement' your knowledge is inevitable.

p.s. Yes, there *are* some people who think like that

[mcnoone]

I can't help but think that learning synthesis on Zebra would be tricky, given that there are so many options. It's that availability of options which can stifle a newcomer IMO. Most of us here probably learned synthesis on a fixed routing synth, allowing us to focus on the sound changes happening rather than the architecture. You can then bring that knowledge into more complex instruments like Zebra and build on your knowledge with that as a base.

I'd recommend grabbing a freeware 2 osc synth like Clearsynth and fiddling with that for a while. The 'mainstream' sounds you are after are mostly produced with two oscillators, a filter, an LFO and envelopes. I also think that although tinkering is the primary way to experience and learn things, a certain amount of reading to 'cement' your knowledge is inevitable.

p.s. Yes, there *are* some people who think like that

I'll politely disagree with this, as the init patch of Zebra is a fixed path setup. One of it's best strengths is actually how much can be done using only 1 oscillator in the path. Trying different osc spectral fx settings w/t 1 osc can produce amazing results. Nothing else is simpler than that.
If to learn using a freeware synth, might be best to use ZebraCM, even though it's magware. An issue of CM can be useful.

[snigelx]

Hi critza,

You seem to be getting the hang of using the wild beast that is Zebra2. I don't know what you know already, however if you would like a refresher or booster on the basis of synthesis and a jump start on FM synthesis then take a look at Simon Cann's YouTube channel.

Here you find very basic, well-described video instruction on subtractive and FM foundation.

Also, I understand it can be quite frustrating to read about this stuff, but I HIGHLY suggest that you try. Your programming technique will improve greatly if you first understand why certain controls and modulations exist. NO there are no rules when it comes to creative expression, however a good basis on the elements of subtractive and FM synthesis will ENHANCE your ability to achieve the patches that will excite you. Good luck!

P.S. I also recommend the aforementioned Sound On Sound synthsecret articles. Excellent explanations therein for achieving the basis for all sorts of sounds.