One-Synth-Challenge 32: Zebralette - Submissions and gossip

[bzur]

@Bzur
Ciao mate, i just wanted to ask you something about your used effects.
I noticed that you always using an effect called DC Blocker.
I could make an idea about it, but i want to know it from you better.

So what is this exactly?
How it works?
It's really useful for you? I mean, do you have problems with DCs so are you using it? Or do you use it just in case?

I always thought that a DC Blocker was only for waves and not for real time synths. So i have this doubt.
And maybe i could use it for my finished Zebralette track before upload it.
Thanks in advance and sorry for bothering.

Have a good day

Tal Dub-II generates an unwanted DC component, a constant signal (i.e. not sinusoidal) which raises up the overall waveform by some dBs. This is very annoying (and in common to amp simulators) because it steals room when you finalize the track with maximizers, limiters and so on.

The unwanted artifact is present also when you hit the "stop" button in your host; this means that your track doesn't start from 0 db, but with a "step" of xDb, which generates unwanted clicks in the beginning and in the end.

You can eliminate this annoyance with a HP filter, veeery close to 0 Hz, or with a DC blocker, that in fact is a HP filter with some optimizations; I usually put it in the master bus, before limiters and maximizers.

Hope this helps

[IrionDaRonin]

Tal Dub-II generates an unwanted DC component, a constant signal (i.e. not sinusoidal) which raises up the overall waveform by some dBs. This is very annoying (and in common to amp simulators) because it steals room when you finalize the track with maximizers, limiters and so on.

The unwanted artifact is present also when you hit the "stop" button in your host; this means that your track doesn't start from 0 db, but with a "step" of xDb, which generates unwanted clicks in the beginning and in the end.

You can eliminate this annoyance with a HP filter, veeery close to 0 Hz, or with a DC blocker, that in fact is a HP filter with some optimizations; I usually put it in the master bus, before limiters and maximizers.

Hope this helps

@Bzur
Of course it did. Thank you very much for the hint and for your time, pal.
Have a good day, Bzur


I have my track already finished, but i don't want to upload it yet, i will take a look on last details, for some reason, compression or whatever it is makes the dynamics goes a bit wrong in some parts, like if the low frecuencies makes muddy other frecuencies randomly. Any tips?

[vanmorrison]

Hi there, it's been a while since I put a tune in this contest, but since Zebralette is really awesome I decided to get into again. Here it is, my friends...
http://soundcloud.com/vanmorrison/vanmo ... ll-my-love

is it here that I have to post it? I wish so, your rules are always so complicated, I think that neither the Nobel has all the rules you got

[IrionDaRonin]

Hi there, it's been a while since I put a tune in this contest, but since Zebralette is really awesome I decided to get into again. Here it is, my friends...
http://soundcloud.com/vanmorrison/vanmo ... ll-my-love

is it here that I have to post it? I wish so, your rules are always so complicated, I think that neither the Nobel has all the rules you got

Hi and welcome Vanmorrison.
Well, to make a proper entry, you just need to put how many instances of Zebralette you used, which effects, and little details like this. You could take a look on the other contestants entries to make an idea about how to do it.

Anyway, here goes all the rules.
If you have any doubt about rules, just feel free to ask, we will help you

Have a good day

[bzur]

I have my track already finished, but i don't want to upload it yet, i will take a look on last details, for some reason, compression or whatever it is makes the dynamics goes a bit wrong in some parts, like if the low frecuencies makes muddy other frecuencies randomly. Any tips?

Uhmmm maybe I'm not in the best position to suggest you what to do, as I don't compress very much (only in the master bus...) anyway, I've seen you compress every single track, and then in the master bus: try simply "a/b-ing", muting one by one the compression fx in the tracks, to see if you hear some improvement. De-compressing could be the key

[IrionDaRonin]

@Bzur
Hey thanks for reply mate.

Well, i usually use compression only in the drumloops parts, i mean the beats for give them an extra "dash".

For this month, i did the same, but also i compressed the lead, because it's sounded a bit muddy and i needed an extra attack on it. Just that.

But the problem appears on low frecuencies. For example the bassline or the kick, which sounds hungry and wants to eat the whole frecuencies in the track, i even EQed the bassline (as always) but i can't detect exactly why sounds like this, like an extra of low frecuencies jumping over the next sound and making it muddy.
I never used compression on bassline, arps, fx or pads. Only on beats and the master channel. (And also due my low equip i can't overload the channels with effects)

Also, i used Thomas Luntd Brickwall on the master (as usually) but didn't use compression on it so i can't understand it really.

I will deactivate the compressor on the kicks and let's see.
Thanks for the tip, again

[bzur]

Do you usually give some rev to the kick? It gives a boost to the low freqs (which is your problem), but you can correct it by eqing the rev, or decreasing the fx amount.

[IrionDaRonin]

Do you usually give some rev to the kick? It gives a boost to the low freqs (which is your problem), but you can correct it by eqing the rev, or decreasing the fx amount.

@Bzur
Hey, thanks again Bzur.
No, i never use a reverb for the kick (sometimes on bass for to making a unique bassline, which is not the case)

Let me check it. I was busy trying the new freebie Little Monsta so i didn't tried the first thing you said yet. I will reply about it, wait a bit.

[JoeCat]

@Bzur... i even EQed the bassline (as always) but i can't detect exactly why sounds like this, like an extra of low frecuencies jumping over the next sound and making it muddy...

@IrionDaRonin

I've been trying my hand at some TechHouse/Minimal - genres that really expose sound flaws because they're so sparse. I just realized something about low freq EQ that hadn't paid enough attention to before - so I assume that, although it may be obvious to most, it won't be to all. Maybe it'll help, or you can say "duh - I know that"

Low-freq EQ tends to be more note/key dependent, because you are typically EQ'ing right around the fundamental, so any note / key change has not only a more audible effect, but a much larger effect on db out. Playing a saw lead sound at A 440hz means there are tons of harmonics - put a notch in a 2k to remove something unwanted, and pitching down to G probably won't make much difference. But with bass, kicks, etc., since most of the energy is around the fundamental, EQ is almost note-dependent. When EQ-ing a kick-drum - change the pitch and you need to re-EQ it.

Any resonance on a bass-line is obviously note dependent also - I usually automate that. You always have that one high note that raises the volume stupidly!

(Also noticed something else recently about low-end pitch that I hadn't before: certain keys are "sweeter" on the sub-bass - around G, A - I think A1 is just under 60hz? D can be rough, because D1 is too low around 30-something - all rumble - and D2 too high at 77). Never noticed it before - I'm sure a better producer can work it, but I have a rough time!)

At any rate, if you've changed any notes/re-pitched since EQ-ing the bass, kick, low-end sounds, maybe go back and with a spectrum analyzer, etc. You could be inadvertently boosting where you weren't before.

Here's that track I'm working on (still got a ways to go) - it's significant because the bass is Zebralette - not an easy choice for bass!

http://soundcloud.com/joe-cat/closed-circuit :

[bzur]

I've updated my drunkZebra, hopefully last "draft".
Reworked some percussions (expecially in the middle part, and eqing in the cr... ehm clap), new reverb for the BMW... omg I'm a little tired... BWV 542 organ, some subtle variations in the last part. 26 zebralette tracks in total, same fx on master bus.

Enjoy, and drink responsibly!

@bjporter: mmm no, no counter melody in the last part

[V'ger]

Interesting stuff about the DC issue and EQing to pitch Bzur and Joe, cheers. Automating EQ to fit key changes is really clever stuff, but obvious when u know the rest i suppose. Ok, so all bassy tracks in G or A from now on then..

And welcome back VanMorrison, all rules seem to have been followed except the FX and host listing like already pointed out

[IrionDaRonin]

@Joecat

Duh - I know that!
Just kidding, well, i knew somethings and others not, so thanks for the contribution, really.

I'm always making my basslines in A, i know what you mean about in some notes sounds better than others (like fatter, with extra harmonies and more powerful).
But i didn't know i needed to re-EQ any little changes in the bass or the kick, so it's a great hint from now to me.

I listened to your track, and sounds clean and flawless, i like clubbin' tracks too.

But again, i don't know if this is a thing from EQ or Dynamics (i think is the second thing, because sounds clean to me, each frecuency "separatelly", but dynamics seems to oscillating, like if the volume of the bassline or kick makes the whole wave track go down a bit in volume sometimes.
I'm about to put an example of my song here, a sound could explain better than me lol. I will upload it tomorrow.
With the high frecuencies i don't have problem.

Anyway, until i don't have my new CPU i can't make miracles putting 3 effects in rack in each channel. Thanks to God i can put a reverb and a delay

Which dynamics and EQ effects do you use? (for example in the track you showed us)

Have a good day and thanks again

[Examigan]

@Joecat

Anyway, until i don't have my new CPU i can't make miracles putting 3 effects in rack in each channel. Thanks to God i can put a reverb and a delay

You probably know this already but:
To save CPU usage, if you're using a bunch of separate reverbs and/or delays, you can always use a Bus with a delay and reverb in it, and use Sends from whichever channels to go to that Bus.

[vanmorrison]

@iriondaronin

about my entry

http://soundcloud.com/vanmorrison/vanmo ... ll-my-love

I used 4 istances of Zebralette
No fx at all (really)
Presets (just default... for the first time I didn't made mine)
Hs Amy, HS Atlantic swell (one for the chords and one for the melody) (as Iriondaronin well knows ), HS El Piano (it's barely heareable in the middle of the tune)
Time to do it: 46 minutes (not that much, but I prefer to make it as soon as I can for the more I work on it the more I loose the initial idea). I decided not to use any drumlike kind of sounds to give it that orchestral mood, there is just that repiting sounds under the melodies and progressions that gives some sort of beats to all... that's all... ah, I used fl studio 10.0.8, it was very hot here when I did it, so that was another reason to do it as soon as I could.

Hi everybody and thanks to the mates that commented the tune already, you've been all very kind and I'm gonna listen to your tunes too. I've already started to do it and there are very good works, very nice, very interesting sounds. I want to thank U-he too, for this immense gift they have made (and also a good promotion I think...

John Van Morrison (aka vanmorrison)

[IrionDaRonin]

You probably know this already but:
To save CPU usage, if you're using a bunch of separate reverbs and/or delays, you can always use a Bus with a delay and reverb in it, and use Sends from whichever channels to go to that Bus.

@Examigan
I don't like to use send, i prefer insert in each channel for control each sound, but this time it was what i did, using a reverb in a send channel, so you can imagine how powerful is my equip
Lol.
Anyway thanks for tip and your time, more people could know about this.

@vanmorrison
All in order now
I got inspired for your track, and i wanted to make another atmosphere track just for fun, besides my main track which is finished already.

Have a good day