Strings synthesizer

[himalaya]

That's no excuse for you to wait for the next version for your bank though

I shall not wait.

Great news about the resonator module.

Also modeled the waveform.

Forgot about that! Thanks for the reminder. I've just tried it and the waveshaping envelope has plenty of range. Could be very helpful.

[pdxindy]

and so far have found that the EQ needs to offer a fuller spec

What would you change in the EQ?

[himalaya]

I'd add the option to have more bands (at least two more) and add the option to switch the low shelf and high shelf to bell response, however if there were more peaking response bands then the low and hi shelving would be good as is.
This of course would be overkill for standard eq duties, but for emulating various synths, especially string machines, these extra options would be very useful. I suppose the previously mentioned resonator may be enough.

However, now that I have been reminded about the waveshaping tools, the current EQ may be sufficient (in combination with waveshaping).

[bmrzycki]

if there were more peaking response bands then the low and hi shelving would be good as is.

You can use VCF1-4 in the module section (or VCF5-6 in the FX section) with "EQ Peaking" or BP QBand to add bands. Unless you need all 6 VCFs for other duties I think this might get you to where you want to go.

[himalaya]

That's right. I found that the BP RezBand option gives the most pronounced response (in the signal chain I have), which works well. However, it would be nice to have all EQ sculpting under one 'roof' as it were.

[hakey]

I have been trying to emulate my RS202 in Zebra today and so far have found that the EQ needs to offer a fuller spec, or a more complex formant filter bank in one module (see Amber). But since I'm still a total Zebra virgin I shouldn't voice what is missing as it may actually be there, perhaps available via several modules.

There's a huge amount of spectral effects can be achieved with the oscillator fx alone.

Ignoring the behaviour that's impossible to replicate (DDO, paraphonic envelopes), I'd be surprised if Zebra couldn't get very close to any given string synth timbre.

[Full Bucket]

Here's another free string machine: The deputy Mark II.
It features divide-down generators, a resonator, Ensemble, Phaser, and more.

Cheers Björn

[Polybius]

if there were more peaking response bands then the low and hi shelving would be good as is.

You can use VCF1-4 in the module section (or VCF5-6 in the FX section) with "EQ Peaking" or BP QBand to add bands. Unless you need all 6 VCFs for other duties I think this might get you to where you want to go.

And if you need even more peaks, you can use an XMF set to BP, and then use the "offset" knob to split the bands, and use the "cutoff" to position said bands across the spectrum.

And if that's still not enough, you can use a frequency shifter at the end of the chain to double all the bands. I think you can have up to 50 bands, using all these tricks combined. I'm having my doubts about the overall effectiveness of this workflow though, especially concerning CPU-usage

[pdxindy]

I'd add the option to have more bands (at least two more) and add the option to switch the low shelf and high shelf to bell response, however if there were more peaking response bands then the low and hi shelving would be good as is.
This of course would be overkill for standard eq duties, but for emulating various synths, especially string machines, these extra options would be very useful. I suppose the previously mentioned resonator may be enough.

However, now that I have been reminded about the waveshaping tools, the current EQ may be sufficient (in combination with waveshaping).

I think being able to switch the low and high shelf to bell would be enough for me... though I would kinda like to have a per voice EQ up in the main modules section...

[himalaya]

And if you need even more peaks, you can use an XMF set to BP, and then use the "offset" knob to split the bands, and use the "cutoff" to position said bands across the spectrum.

I just tried it now. It may not be the right tool for shaping string sounds, I feel. Too sharp and 'sinusoidal'. It also shifts the peaks in stereo field, whereas the sound needs to stay mono (again, i may have missed the obvious tricks which would prevent it, i don't know).

At the moment I'm testing how close I can get to the RS-202 as it has a very raspy 'raw' but 'fluid' sound ( as opposed to the completely creamy and smooth Solina sound) and it's proving to be a challenge. I've managed to get a close approximation in Amber though. At the moment I'm set with VCF LP Xcite + Shaper + 2 EQs + 2 ModFx with their EQ in Zebra.

What I'd love to see in Zebra is to have an option for the EQ module which would expand the EQ window across the lower pane (to fit the whole width of Zebra) it would give a clearer overview of the frequency bands which in turn would allow a more precise selection of frequencies.

Better still (oh yeah!) it would be great to have a separate EQ plugin (Zebracue Zebreecue ? ) which could sample the frequency response of a signal, save it as a profile, then load it in Zebra (in the EQ module) and arrive at a more refined frequency plot more quickly.

However, as the by product of my first serious experiments in Zebra, I have got some very lush imaginary string machine sounds. While these are not meant to be emulations of existing string synths they do have a certain vintage string machine charm to them. (that V-slope envelope is great to have for these sounds).

[Bronto Scorpio]

It also shifts the peaks in stereo field, whereas the sound needs to stay mono (again, i may have missed the obvious tricks which would prevent it, i don't know).

Check out this video to learn more about the XMF filters

Cheers
Dennis

[himalaya]

Ahh yes, I had it in 'single', where it shifts the peaks in stereo field. Selected 'parallel' and it stays put in the centre. Thanks Bronto Scorpio.

[hakey]

At the moment I'm testing how close I can get to the RS-202 as it has a very raspy 'raw' but 'fluid' sound ( as opposed to the completely creamy and smooth Solina sound) and it's proving to be a challenge.

What are you trying to replicate? The individual voices/timbres, two or three layered voices, with or without ensemble?

For an individual voice without ensemble you might get close by drawing the waveform and comparing the results in an oscilloscope.

I suspect that replicating a particular ensemble (Solina or RS-202) is beyond Zebra at present - I've got an ensemble-ish effect using three identical oscillators of which two are subtly pitch modulated at different rates using the global lfo's.

[Bronto Scorpio]

I suspect that replicating the ensemble effect might be beyond Zebra at present - I've got an ensemble-ish effect using three identical oscillators of which two are subtly pitch modulated at different rates using the global lfo's.

Ha! I made an ensemble-ish preset some days ago which uses exactly that method

Cheers
Dennis

[hakey]

I suspect that replicating the ensemble effect might be beyond Zebra at present - I've got an ensemble-ish effect using three identical oscillators of which two are subtly pitch modulated at different rates using the global lfo's.

Ha! I made an ensemble-ish preset some days ago which uses exactly that method

I got the idea from that SOS article I linked to a couple of pages back - Ken Freeman's original string synth used three pitch modulated oscillators.