Berlin Modular (ancient thread)

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JessGins wrote:Thanks for the response Justin. Appreciated.

Boy, that sounds like some advanced stuff to me. I actually want to buy Zebra as my "blank canvas" to learn synthesis from. All the research I've done on full-featured synths leads me to believe this is the right one.

However, sounds to me like the Bazille is just as capable, and (I know, sorry Urs) it's free to download and test. Would anyone recommend this as a Zebra alternative? I really want to learn a synth really well, inside and out. Would be nice to master a synth before it's even released.

JG

You have to decide that, but I would suggest Zebra as the primary do everything kinda synth to learn on...

Zebra is polished, has a variety of synthesis methods, and lots of presets to dissect and learn from

Bazille is still in an alpha state. Has no included presets, is missing eventual functionality, no effects and is generally harder to learn for someone new to synthesis... and its an amazing synth!! I totally love it!
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pdxindy wrote:Bazille is still in an alpha state. Has no included presets, is missing eventual functionality, no effects and is generally harder to learn for someone new to synthesis... and its an amazing synth!! I totally love it!
Oh yes! And you're really good with it. Do you have your audios somewhere collected to listen to them in one go?
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JessGins wrote: Would anyone recommend this as a Zebra alternative? I really want to learn a synth really well, inside and out. Would be nice to master a synth before it's even released.
No, not an "alternative". They are much too different.
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Howard wrote:No, not an "alternative". They are much too different.
Hi Howard,


Would you then perhaps suggest using both as a tool for learning synthesis? Or stick to one?

And, do you think either would be a wise starting choice for the apprentice/beginner synthesist? I know you work closely with the Zebra, so would be cool to get your take as a seasoned synthesist.

I really like the idea of having all the power, possibilities, and clean layout of Zebra at my fingertips. I own several other soft synths (including Diva) but do not own anything as modular as Zebra.

Thanks for the initial response ;)

JG
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Setting aside the sound engines, a major difference between them is the interface.

Zebra is a lot easier to mess around with and get result with. It is a largely modular synth that takes advantage of the fact that it is software. Things are very movable and the modulation options are crazy yet easy to work with in a visual sense. But it is no more complicated than you make it, literally. If you are not using a module, it is not visible. It is also easy to just ignore 95% of a complicate patch and just mess with the filter cutoff ;).

Bazille is a straight up digital 'imitation' of a hardware modular synth, with a couple little twists (fractal resonance?). The GUI easiness of Zebra is not present. It sounds silly to say that the interface is more difficult to work with because it is all right there, plain as day. It is visually obvious what is affecting what too, as there are wires showing that. But for whatever reason, that layout is more difficult for most people to wrap there heads around. At least the fact that modular synths are rare and considered weird compared to internally routed synths suggests that.

If you can deal with the modular layout, though, I think it opens up a deeper understanding of what synths do. All of that is kind of obvious, but it is important because if you can't deal with the layout or get impatient, then than you may end up just getting pissed. That wouldn't be good for anybody!

Bring the sound engines back into it, I think Bazille fundamentally sounds better than Zebra. Zebra is great, but Bazille is richer to my ears. Plus you can make crazy weird sounds in Bazille that you just can't get in Zebra or anything else that does not have the patching capabilities that a modular has.

From my experience, there is some risk involved in using Diva and Bazille that Zebra didn't bring up for me. They sound so organic and interesting that I want to take it to the next level and have started a real life modular Eurorack! Which is friggin expensive :shock: :o :help: !

Honestly, I have u-he to thank for really getting me into synths. Very grateful!
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ryandfl wrote:Honestly, I have u-he to thank for really getting me into synths. Very grateful!
Same here. This is really the first time I've been really excited about soft synths. Up until now, I've predominantly lusted after hardware, but that's all changed recently having discovered the sound/potential of the U-he stuff. I truly no longer believe analog/hardware gear holds a candle to software (besides the tactile nature).

However, my lust for gear peaks at the analog modular stuff, and having an entire wall of gear to play with (and figure out for the rest of my life) is the pinacle of my desires. I totally agree with you actually that it seems logical to simplify workflow when everything is just right there. And although I guess it's a pain to learn the interface at first, at least it stays static so you can come to learn it well. (Not that the Zebra concept isn't amazing, it is, and I love it). When I first got my Moog Voyager, it was a pain in the ass to take it all in, learn the controls, it was very overwhelming, but I learned it and now I reach instantly for each knob. Of course, Zebra2 is far more complex that my Voyager and it will be nice to finally be able to delve into another form of synthesis other than subtractive.

Alas, I don't even know what it's like to play with a modular system, haven't even seen the Eurorack stuff in person, let along any antique (sorry, "vintage") gear. So that's why I've been playing with the Zebra2 demo for over a week now, and contemplating buying it (to help take me to the next level). Of course, I stumbled across the Bazille thread and went "Woah!".
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By the way, has anybody ever seen the Tinysizer?:

http://www.anyware-instruments.de/analo ... sizer.html

It is probably the single coolest toy I have ever seen. It's beyond me why people are so hyped over something as flashy as the OP-1 when there is stuff like this out there :love:
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chacka wrote:
pdxindy wrote:Bazille is still in an alpha state. Has no included presets, is missing eventual functionality, no effects and is generally harder to learn for someone new to synthesis... and its an amazing synth!! I totally love it!
Oh yes! And you're really good with it. Do you have your audios somewhere collected to listen to them in one go?

Thanks! No, I don't... (you mean my bazille audio examples?)
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JessGins wrote:By the way, has anybody ever seen the Tinysizer?:

http://www.anyware-instruments.de/analo ... sizer.html

It is probably the single coolest toy I have ever seen. It's beyond me why people are so hyped over something as flashy as the OP-1 when there is stuff like this out there :love:
Listened to some audio demos... between the size, sound and features, it is rather appealing...
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JessGins wrote:By the way, has anybody ever seen the Tinysizer?:

http://www.anyware-instruments.de/analo ... sizer.html

It is probably the single coolest toy I have ever seen. It's beyond me why people are so hyped over something as flashy as the OP-1 when there is stuff like this out there :love:
I think Howard has one.
ALL YOUR DATA ARE BELONG TO US - Google

https://soundcloud.com/dan-ling
http://danling.com
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It looks like a Moog Modular and a Lite-Brite had a baby.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lite-Brite
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Urs wrote:OOPS. I forgot.

I'll compile another year of free Bazille... gimme a few hours...
Thank you Urs, very much appreciated. :D
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I just downloaded Bazille, and have just opened it to give a little play with, and something instantly struck out of place...

Just having Osc1 hooked up to the output as default, I hit a key to listen to how the Saw wave sounds. Ok, it's actually pretty nice!

Then I changed it to square and....wait....did anything change? It seems as though it's the same wave. Same as Impulse, and Half Saw!

What gives? It looks like I'm in Bazille 0.3


JG

edit: Just wanted to add that I clicked on that 'expansions' tab and I am intrigued! Offering additional expansion modules in a virtual rack? Genius. Propellerheads can learn a thing here...
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JessGins wrote:I just downloaded Bazille, and have just opened it to give a little play with, and something instantly struck out of place...

Just having Osc1 hooked up to the output as default, I hit a key to listen to how the Saw wave sounds. Ok, it's actually pretty nice!

Then I changed it to square and....wait....did anything change? It seems as though it's the same wave. Same as Impulse, and Half Saw!

What gives? It looks like I'm in Bazille 0.3


JG

edit: Just wanted to add that I clicked on that 'expansions' tab and I am intrigued! Offering additional expansion modules in a virtual rack? Genius. Propellerheads can learn a thing here...
It is default as sine... turn the "waves" knob all the way up with saw (default) and you will have a saw wave

and I think the latest alpha is v0.4??
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pdxindy wrote:
chacka wrote:
pdxindy wrote:Bazille is still in an alpha state. Has no included presets, is missing eventual functionality, no effects and is generally harder to learn for someone new to synthesis... and its an amazing synth!! I totally love it!
Oh yes! And you're really good with it. Do you have your audios somewhere collected to listen to them in one go?

Thanks! No, I don't... (you mean my bazille audio examples?)
Yeah, and all your other little bits of soundgasms. I heard quite a few nice things from you here and there. :)
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