Zebra 3 feature suggestions

[Blogbert]

It's been discussed a lot, but my stance is that a focus on synthesis yields more interesting/dynamic/expressive sounds if it does not have a sample playback option, i.e. if sound designers have to make the effort to "create" rather than "apply".

I support your stance. Other synths have features that u-he synths don't; u-he synths have features that other synths don't. It's good that some developers explore unusual effects and features.

Having said that, I am beginning to feel impatient that you still haven't added wavetable synthesis to Repro 1/5.

[pdxindy]

It's been discussed a lot, but my stance is that a focus on synthesis yields more interesting/dynamic/expressive sounds if it does not have a sample playback option, i.e. if sound designers have to make the effort to "create" rather than "apply".

I support your stance. Other synths have features that u-he synths don't; u-he synths have features that other synths don't. It's good that some developers explore unusual effects and features.

Having said that, I am beginning to feel impatient that you still haven't added wavetable synthesis to Repro 1/5.

Once samples get in, they tend to draw a lot of focus. Then there would be the inevitable requests for multi-samples and granular, and round robin, and time-stretching and disk streaming and scripting and a sample library and various sorts of sample editing and so on.

There is still plenty to explore and develop with synthesis (sans samples). I very much appreciate that u-he stays focused on synthesis. There are not many deep and complex synths like Zebra at this point that have not included samples as part of them.

[Blogbert]

Once samples get in, they tend to draw a lot of focus. Then there would be the inevitable requests for multi-samples and granular, and round robin, and time-stretching and disk streaming and scripting and a sample library and various sorts of sample editing and so on.

I agree: if you add sampling functions, it makes sense to consider adding granular and other related functions. However, I think there are plenty of other interesting synthesis methods to explore, and there are many good sampling synths from other companies. I also enjoy doing sound design with synthetic synthesis more than with samples, hence my support for Urs' stance above.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I'd like to see something like a Scale Quantizer that could accept the input of a S&H modulator, Step/Shape Sequencer, Mod Mapper, LFO, and quantize to a user-defined set of notes. The kind of stuff you'd see in the modular world. Hive's gotten some of this functionality so would make sense in Zebra3 IMO. Bonus points of there was a modulate-able transpose and the ability to route a quantizer's output to another quantizer's input.

Some additional probability options for sequencers and mod mappers would be cool too. Or maybe even a probably modulator/bernoulli gate that could be applied to the steps of the various sequence types. I think those first two FR's would add a lot of modular randomness and fun to Z3. Would also work in Bazille/ACE/Hive.

I would also like the ability to route different lanes to different outputs and keysplit per lane, including the option of having parallel FX lanes. For instance, maybe a dry bass patch on lane 1 going to output 1+2, with a sequenced patch on lane 2 routed to some effects and out to 3+4, and a pad on Lane 3 going to different effects going to outputs 5+6. Would also be great for "drum mode" where you could build up little drum synths with 3 or 4 sounds routed to separate outputs.

[Urs]

Pretty clear commitment to quantisation, randomness and stuff.

Recently I explained somewhere why lanes in the Grid aren't going to be the entity that does key splits or polytimbrality. It just doesn't work when signals can cross lanes in a polyphonic setting.

But use of more complex mixing modules and a few nifty concepts observed in the modular world might make a lot more things possible.

[dorremifasol]

(that said, I'm fairly sure we'll have sample import for to wavetables)

That would be great, better not to have to rely on external tools

[MitchK1989]

I don't think zebra is the place to do it but I would love to see U-he's take on a sampler at some point (preferably one with a vintage feel and focused more on "character" rather than trying to replace kontakt)

[Ficciones]

Pretty clear commitment to quantisation, randomness and stuff.

Yes!

I'm thinkin' Zebra macros would be a neat addition, with internal modules like the Reaktor event handling modules (edit: and math modules) or Pure Data style event rate patching. Or even, to dream in technicolor for a minute, Lua scripting.

[tony10000]

There is a lot of buzz on the new Knif Audio Knifonium. Will Zebra 3 sound as good as that?

[pdxindy]

There is a lot of buzz on the new Knif Audio Knifonium. Will Zebra 3 sound as good as that?

Zebra 2 already sounds as good... so Zebra 3 will of course be better!

[tony10000]

There is a lot of buzz on the new Knif Audio Knifonium. Will Zebra 3 sound as good as that?

Zebra 2 already sounds as good... so Zebra 3 will of course be better!

No doubt...but that wasn’t the question.

[gentleclockdivider]

There is a lot of buzz on the new Knif Audio Knifonium. Will Zebra 3 sound as good as that?

I don't think the goal of the u-he team is to make zebra 3 sound like an all tube synthesizer

[pdxindy]

There is a lot of buzz on the new Knif Audio Knifonium. Will Zebra 3 sound as good as that?

Zebra 2 already sounds as good... so Zebra 3 will of course be better!

No doubt...but that wasn’t the question.

I answered the question. Zebra 3 will sound better

[tony10000]

There is a lot of buzz on the new Knif Audio Knifonium. Will Zebra 3 sound as good as that?

I don't think the goal of the u-he team is to make zebra 3 sound like an all tube synthesizer

I agree but it sure sounds lovely...and the filter is a thing of beauty.

[Urs]

There is a lot of buzz on the new Knif Audio Knifonium. Will Zebra 3 sound as good as that?

On this topic, I'd rather keep my opinion to myself.