u-he

irond13 · Post by **irond13** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 4:59 pm

FWIW, I didn't mention Cthulhu because of its 'musical' capability, more for how it handles midi-out. I see Kirnu does the same thing. The point is, if you route it correctly, as is shown in the video I mentioned, the resultant midi notes can be both recorded and routed to power another synth(s) - even potentially to more instances of itself. If the same technique is used for Zebra, I believe it would fulfill all requirements of the OP - and allow for all sorts of other cool craziness (imagine a whole herd of Zebra's all singing from the same hymn sheet).

TomTwohy · Post by **TomTwohy** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:42 pm

It's all good, irond13...

... lots of gearheads here, so suggesting stuff get's a BIT complicated.

The usage you suggest is exactly how I lay out my "workflow" (that word just cracks me UP)... indeed, I have small herds of Zebras, ACE/Zebra hybrids, Zebra strike teams... etc.

So the concept does work!

Perhaps U-he could make one that (for U-he products) has even more features and usability? Polyphonic aftertouch (pressure) or exotic filter control? Some way of having an external sequencer/arpeggiator... made to work with most midi products, but with special hooks for U-he products?

Maybe patchable, like the Berlin Modular concept... so one can really dig in and do deeeep U-He SYNTHESIS!

Or just boss Massive around

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:55 pm

So the strike teams are doing drums and the herds do pads?

TomTwohy · Post by **TomTwohy** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:13 pm

Sorry, thats CLASSIFIED.

Eyes only!

Security!!!

(I think Maschine is just biding it's time until it can pull a "Skynet" and kill me in my sleep)

saxer · Post by **saxer** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:29 am

would be great if the Z3 sequencer has midifile input too!

omnisphere hat is and it's so easy to play something on a keyboard, record and quantize it in the daw, export as a midifile and drop it into the internal sequencer of omnisphere. there it can be used as an arpeggiator pattern...

would love this feature in zebra!

TomTwohy · Post by **TomTwohy** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:47 am

would be great if the Z3 sequencer has midifile input too!

omnisphere hat is and it's so easy to play something on a keyboard, record and quantize it in the daw, export as a midifile and drop it into the internal sequencer of omnisphere. there it can be used as an arpeggiator pattern...

would love this feature in zebra!

Awww Yea! I like that idea... I'm sure others would too.

Sequencer options are always good (if possible). Though it seems unlikely they'll go that far... if anything, future work will probably be more towards completing the "Berlin" concept and reunifying Zebras innards (MSEG everywhere!). Zebras going to get a new striping scheme and that takes time to do right!

Franky, U-he is probably not going to put every little thing we dream up in the new Z3 spec.

But it's great to show hopeful interest in our feature proposals in a forum where it might encourage the shape of things.

j0hnny · Post by **j0hnny** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:34 am

I have had a real headache trying to translate Zebra arp sequences so I can sequence other VSTs and analog gear. I tried pretty much everything available, Consequence, Kirnu, Chuthulu, ARPG8R and the list goes on.

I like to go a bit crazy on the keyborard, then use the arp to bring some consistency to the midi data. There is something about the way Zebra's arp behaves that I haven't been able to replicate with anything else.

As TomTwohy says, the compositional flexibility of exporting that midi data would be most welcome.

Just a simple midi out from Zebra would be great!

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:16 pm

j0hnny wrote:I have had a real headache trying to translate Zebra arp sequences so I can sequence other VSTs and analog gear. I tried pretty much everything available, Consequence, Kirnu, Chuthulu, ARPG8R and the list goes on.

I like to go a bit crazy on the keyborard, then use the arp to bring some consistency to the midi data. There is something about the way Zebra's arp behaves that I haven't been able to replicate with anything else.

As TomTwohy says, the compositional flexibility of exporting that midi data would be most welcome.

Just a simple midi out from Zebra would be great!

Where do you run into trouble matching a Zebra arp with an external one?

EDIT: I just tried matching a couple Zebra arps using Kirnu Cream and it was not a problem. Zebra can tie steps together which Kirnu cannot, so if that feature is used the audio result can be different, but the note timing is the same.

j0hnny · Post by **j0hnny** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:51 pm

pdxindy wrote:
j0hnny wrote:I have had a real headache trying to translate Zebra arp sequences so I can sequence other VSTs and analog gear. I tried pretty much everything available, Consequence, Kirnu, Chuthulu, ARPG8R and the list goes on.

I like to go a bit crazy on the keyborard, then use the arp to bring some consistency to the midi data. There is something about the way Zebra's arp behaves that I haven't been able to replicate with anything else.

As TomTwohy says, the compositional flexibility of exporting that midi data would be most welcome.

Just a simple midi out from Zebra would be great!

Where do you run into trouble matching a Zebra arp with an external one?

EDIT: I just tried matching a couple Zebra arps using Kirnu Cream and it was not a problem. Zebra can tie steps together which Kirnu cannot, so if that feature is used the audio result can be different, but the note timing is the same.

I'm not sure why to be honest! It's something that's perplexed me for a long time because I've made a brilliant (IMO)

sounding riff/melody In Zebra, which Ive always wanted to record using my hardware synths (and now the Analog Four). It might have something to do with the midi data im using. It is all chords (normally triads) consisting of 1/16th notes, with the base note always a 1/2 note. The base note restarts the arp.

Kirnu has produced the closest results so far, but the melody ends up different. Which i suspect is something to do with the timing of Kirnu (handling a barrage of 16th notes as chords), which I'm not overly confident about, unless it's just a visual problem with GUI that I'm noticing. Maybe Zebras arp is just tighter with less jitter or something.

The way I've compared the results is to use another instance of Zebra with the arp turned off and set to monophonic.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 6:07 pm

What functions are you using in the Zebra arp?

Different step lengths? Different step options? Are notes tied (Gate at 5)? Octaves used? Arp Order? Etc...

Without knowing anything about how you have the Zebra arp set up it is hard to offer suggestions on duplicating it in Kirnu or elsewhere.

j0hnny · Post by **j0hnny** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:58 pm

pdxindy wrote:What functions are you using in the Zebra arp?

Different step lengths? Different step options? Are notes tied (Gate at 5)? Octaves used? Arp Order? Etc...

Without knowing anything about how you have the Zebra arp set up it is hard to offer suggestions on duplicating it in Kirnu or elsewhere.

Well for a start I didn't know that Zebra gate setting of 5 was a tied step! Thanks!

The zebra arp has gate values of 2 & 5, so I'm now looking to replicate tied notes in Kirnu..but it seems to be the one feature not included.so maybe a full gate value on Kirnu will tell the synth to play legato? If it is configured to respond to joining/legato notes?

EDIT: we'll sliding isn't the solution. With Kirnu, I'm getting jitter and delay which is producing inconsistencies and hanging notes. It must be something to do with all the 16th notes which requires tighter timing that Zebra seems to handle far better!

Cheers for the help anyway!

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:26 pm

j0hnny wrote:
pdxindy wrote:What functions are you using in the Zebra arp?

Different step lengths? Different step options? Are notes tied (Gate at 5)? Octaves used? Arp Order? Etc...

Without knowing anything about how you have the Zebra arp set up it is hard to offer suggestions on duplicating it in Kirnu or elsewhere.
Well for a start I didn't know that Zebra gate setting of 5 was a tied step! Thanks!

The zebra arp has gate values of 2 & 5, so I'm now looking to replicate tied notes in Kirnu..but it seems to be the one feature not included.so maybe a full gate value on Kirnu will tell the synth to play legato? If it is configured to respond to joining/legato notes?

Kirnu does not tie notes... so it cannot play the same sequence...

Kirnu can overlap notes via the gate parameter so if the Zebra preset is a legato preset, Zebra will 'tie' the notes... but if the Zebra preset is polyphonic, then it will not.

TomTwohy · Post by **TomTwohy** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:20 am

Pdxindy, can't you just use the "Note Length" in Kirnu for ties ?

Oh well, you right... without a clearer understanding of how j0hnny is lining up the notes (ties, sound choice etc.)... no way of knowing.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:26 am

TomTwohy wrote:Pdxindy, can't you just use the "Note Length" in Kirnu for ties ?

Yeah, you can use note length but the note will remain the same for the whole note instead of jumping pitch to the next note (legato style) like a tied note will. There is no way to duplicate tied notes in Kirnu.

I suppose you could use two instances and two instances of Zebra and some pitchbend automation... that should do it.

j0hnny · Post by **j0hnny** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm

Hmmm, still looking into this. Appreciate the help! And sorry for hijacking this thread

But I hope this will highlight further how useful midi out on Zebra will be for many of us!

u-he

KVR Audio

Sequencer thoughts... for Zebra 3 perhaps?