Zebra Dirty Girl

[CaseyJames]

I would be very interested in a version of Zebra that offered the grimeiest analog recreations of all its usual parts.

I think the over all design is second to none but I am just never to excited about the sound. I suppose this may sabotage the upcoming triage of goodies, but I must say Ace seems far less compelling.

I guess this is coming from a want of an vst version of a very full featured Buchla... An analog modular with non specific flexibility and exotic processes. Zebra seems to be that in many (if not abstract) ways...

I would be all over the hairy dirty doppleganger that could load any of the old patches and maybe add some Buchlaesq oddities.

Just a thought.

[justin3am]

I guess this is coming from a want of an vst version of a very full featured Buchla... An analog modular with non specific flexibility and exotic processes. Zebra seems to be that in many (if not abstract) ways...

I've made two patch libraries with some patches based on my experience with the 200e and other analog modulars. Find them here...
http://www.3amnoise.net/BWR.zip
http://www.3amnoise.net/Zebra2_3am_patches.zip

U-he's modular Bazille is also great for those kinds of sounds.

[someone called simon]

'triage of goodies'?

[CaseyJames]

Triage -- isn't the plan to release three synths ACE, Bazille and a third unreleased something or other... That was the impression I was under.

Justin: Tomorrow morning I will be all over those patches. I look forward to seeing what you did.

I haven't tried Bazille yet but I was under the impression that it was designed for a very specific type of synthesis. Is that not the case?

[justin3am]

Bazille's uses phase distortion oscillators but they are incredibly flexible. Plus it's got these signal processing blocks that can be used for audio or control signals. the s&h can be used as a sample rate reducer, the quantizer can be used as a bit crusher and the rectifiers can be very cool wave shapers.

I posted this elsewhere but what the hell...
http://www.3amnoise.net/bipolarwaveshaping.mp3

this was a demo I did with Bazille.

[zerocrossing]

Urs' synths always have a kind of hi-fi politeness about them and if they have a "weakness" it would be they lean toward "nice" sounds. They can scream and cry.. but if you're looking for raunch... you'd be better off running Zebra into Redoptor or something. IMO, the only modular software that really gets gritty is Vaz.

[mcnoone]

I never think that any capable synth has limits that can be so generally defined with any words used in this thread, or similar can't get that sound threads.
The only limits with trying to get a sound, "raunchy" or whatever...
are almost completely up to ones ability in sound design.
The only other factors of course are the design of the synth, and in Zebra's case that design exceeds all that's necessary to create raunchy, crunchy, thick, warm, or any other adjective you can think of.
So long as you have enough diligence to find that sound, and willing to put in the necessary effort to find it.

[Sendy]

Along these lines, I'd like to suggest also the following Osc FX for consideration, given that they're dirty and most probably easy as pie to impliment.

1) Hard clip. Similar to wrap, but, obviously, instead of wrapping, the clipped portions just collect there, generating pulsey badness

2) Waveform quantizer. I know you can do this with the SR filter and keytracking on, but it would be REALLY interesting to be able to do this with an Osc FX and then use *another* Osc FX on the stepped waveform.

As for Zeb being less suitable for dirty, aggressive sounds, I think this is mostly caused by the fact that the sound quality is so liquid and perfect that it's staggering at times. However, I've run into quite a few roaring, dirty sounds, so whilst sometimes I wish there were a few more distortion options or something, I think the dirt is there if you know how to get it (Try combining Osc FX!)

As a side note, I'd REALLY REALLY love it if Zebra had a bipolar waveshaper module, where you can set your own output curves/shapes. I love this kind of thing, not just for making dirty sounds but also in helping morphing type sounds.

[Urs]

Along these lines, I'd like to suggest also the following Osc FX for consideration, given that they're dirty and most probably easy as pie to impliment.

1) Hard clip. Similar to wrap, but, obviously, instead of wrapping, the clipped portions just collect there, generating pulsey badness

2) Waveform quantizer. I know you can do this with the SR filter and keytracking on, but it would be REALLY interesting to be able to do this with an Osc FX and then use *another* Osc FX on the stepped waveform.

Thanks for the ideas! Again!

(note though that the bandlimiting sits behind the waveform generation, so the outcome might not *look* exactly like a hard clipped or stepped waveform)

As a side note, I'd REALLY REALLY love it if Zebra had a bipolar waveshaper module, where you can set your own output curves/shapes. I love this kind of thing, not just for making dirty sounds but also in helping morphing type sounds.

Yeah, waveshapers are a big topic for future additions!

[pdxindy]

I never think that any capable synth has limits that can be so generally defined with any words used in this thread, or similar can't get that sound threads.
The only limits with trying to get a sound, "raunchy" or whatever...
are almost completely up to ones ability in sound design.
The only other factors of course are the design of the synth, and in Zebra's case that design exceeds all that's necessary to create raunchy, crunchy, thick, warm, or any other adjective you can think of.
So long as you have enough diligence to find that sound, and willing to put in the necessary effort to find it.

I would argue with that to an extent... Zebra could still use a distortion module, though with 2.5 it got better, but especially before 2.5 you could use things like the shapers but there are/were kinds of distortion sounds I just could not get nor did I hear in others presets. 2.5 filter upgrades gave the drive parameter more range, but I would still like the distortion module. I quite like the distortion module in String Studio for example.

[mcnoone]

Urs' synths always have a kind of hi-fi politeness about them and if they have a "weakness" it would be they lean toward "nice" sounds. They can scream and cry.. but if you're looking for raunch... you'd be better off running Zebra into Redoptor or something. IMO, the only modular software that really gets gritty is Vaz.

Yea okay.
Take these examples.
http://www.box.net/shared/214c43u7tm
http://www.box.net/shared/8kofpf83rv
http://www.box.net/shared/1d00evpmon

These are too clean or nice in your opinion?
If so...please post your grittiest Vaz patch mp3, so I can see exactly what your trying to describe with very generalized words, and proceed to copy exactly whatever sound you put forth.
Just some fingered wankery will do. Not some sequenced thing or something with external fx.
My examples only used internal eq, comp, and slight reverb.

btw, I tried the Vaz demo, and heard all the mp3 demos.
Sorry but I have yet to hear the raunch and grit you speak of.
I heard a lot of arpeggiator supersaw trance things, and the demo sounded a little thin in the mids imo.

[very angry mobster]

Yea okay.
Take these examples.
http://www.box.net/shared/1d00evpmon

Did you play this on a keyboard?

[mcnoone]

Yea okay.
Take these examples.
http://www.box.net/shared/1d00evpmon

Did you play this on a keyboard?

Of course.
All of them.
There is aftertouch and modwheel used.

[very angry mobster]

Cool, nice fluid playing.

[pdxindy]

Urs' synths always have a kind of hi-fi politeness about them and if they have a "weakness" it would be they lean toward "nice" sounds. They can scream and cry.. but if you're looking for raunch... you'd be better off running Zebra into Redoptor or something. IMO, the only modular software that really gets gritty is Vaz.

Yea okay.
Take these examples.
http://www.box.net/shared/214c43u7tm
http://www.box.net/shared/8kofpf83rv
http://www.box.net/shared/1d00evpmon

These are too clean or nice in your opinion?
If so...please post your grittiest Vaz patch mp3, so I can see exactly what your trying to describe with very generalized words, and proceed to copy exactly whatever sound you put forth.
Just some fingered wankery will do. Not some sequenced thing or something with external fx.
My examples only used internal eq, comp, and slight reverb.

Great stuff...

Not my cup of tea, but here is a quick attempt I just made at 'not nice'

http://draigathar.org/sounds/stilted.wav