Zebra 3 feature suggestions

[recursive one]

Multiple eargasms!

Digital classic synths seem undeservedly forgotten these days, people say that modern software synths are technically better, but I think it's the same kind of argument as "digital is better than analog because analog has noise, distortion and pitch instability". I mean "techncially better" doesn't necessarily mean better sound.

Imagine something like "Dinosaur Impersonating Virtual Digital", super-accurate models of various components of Virus, Nord, Q1, JD-990 which you could mix and match and also enjoy things like a full-blown modmatrix, MSEGs, archiutecture and polyphony limited only by your CPU. Oh, sweet dreams ...

Good idea about purpose-specific templates btw.

[The Nerdy Music Guy]

Digital classic synths seem undeservedly forgotten these days, people say that modern software synths are technically better, but I think it's the same kind of argument as "digital is better than analog because analog has noise, distortion and pitch instability". I mean "techncially better" doesn't necessarily mean better sound.

So much this. I actually ranted about exactly this on another place very recently.

Processing power was basically non-existent back then, which lead to limitations, which, as we all know, can be the biggest inspiration.

Most filters back then probably weren't even really "proper" implementations of filters, but weird hacks that sounded like filters. This also lead to unique implementations, which made each synth sound very unique.

[Shiek927]

Multiple eargasms!

Digital classic synths seem undeservedly forgotten these days, people say that modern software synths are technically better, but I think it's the same kind of argument as "digital is better than analog because analog has noise, distortion and pitch instability". I mean "techncially better" doesn't necessarily mean better sound.

Imagine something like "Dinosaur Impersonating Virtual Digital", super-accurate models of various components of Virus, Nord, Q1, JD-990 which you could mix and match and also enjoy things like a full-blown modmatrix, MSEGs, archiutecture and polyphony limited only by your CPU. Oh, sweet dreams ...

Good idea about purpose-specific templates btw.

Ugh, you know it! lord almighty, the world doesn't need another Juno/Jupiter/Oberheim plugin haha. The same goes for another super-clean wavetable plugin (though Vital's text-to-wavetables are pretty nifty). I've been hoping for ages that the plugin community will turn it's head toward classic digital synths because there are loads of forgotten gems that have yet to be modelled at all. Being in my early 30's, classic digital synths are as nostalgic to me as the Juno or Prophet might be to an older musician, so there's some bias there

Thankfully, we live in a world where Roland Cloud -- and all their incredible slowness - exists, the JP8000 lives in u-he Diva, Korg released a Triton plugin and all it's pad/choir glory, Adam Szabo's Viper brings an authentic Access Virus experience; so there's some love out there for this era of sound. Hopefully the 2020's will see further renewed interest because there were many 'modern classics' that would find a rightful place on home computers.

This is the sort of path that I hope Zebra3 will take and become a digital synth with some real heft, ballsy and ear-tingling timbres that destroy the notion that digital synths are flat and boring. We shall see!

Imagine something like "Dinosaur Impersonating Virtual Digital", super-accurate models of various components of Virus, Nord, Q1, JD-990 which you could mix and match and also enjoy things like a full-blown modmatrix, MSEGs, archiutecture and polyphony limited only by your CPU. Oh, sweet dreams ...

Good lord, throw in some Novation Supernova in there and I think that'll be my forever desert-island plugin

[Clem4]

Don't forget the Nord Lead 2 !
edit: you didn't

[pdxindy]

I do hope the latest U-He tech makes it way to Zebra though, a synth that could deliver high quality FM/PM like Bazille, fat oscillators and juicy filters like Repro, lush supersaws like Hive and manipulating Uhm wavetables with various specutral effects, also packed with full rack of effects of Colour Copy quality would be a killer, that's for sure.

when you say killer, I assume you mean the cpu...

Of course I would like that too! But it seems unrealistic. RePro is a mono signal path, Zebra is stereo. One Repro filter in stereo would already hit the cpu very hard. Zebra 3 will need the multicore option!

[Shiek927]

I do hope the latest U-He tech makes it way to Zebra though, a synth that could deliver high quality FM/PM like Bazille, fat oscillators and juicy filters like Repro, lush supersaws like Hive and manipulating Uhm wavetables with various specutral effects, also packed with full rack of effects of Colour Copy quality would be a killer, that's for sure.

when you say killer, I assume you mean the cpu...

Of course I would like that too! But it seems unrealistic. RePro is a mono signal path, Zebra is stereo. One Repro filter in stereo would already hit the cpu very hard. Zebra 3 will need the multicore option!

I'm thinking it can work like u-he Diva where there's not only multi-core support, but "Accuracy" and "Offlineacc" so there's something for tracking and for higher-quality rendering

[recursive one]

lord almighty, the world doesn't need another Juno/Jupiter/Oberheim plugin haha. The same goes for another super-clean wavetable plugin (though Vital's text-to-wavetables are pretty nifty). I've been hoping for ages that the plugin community will turn it's head toward classic digital synths because there are loads of forgotten gems that have yet to be modelled at all.

Hopefully the 2020's will see further renewed interest because there were many 'modern classics' that would find a rightful place on home computers.

Quoted for truth!

Even synths that do have emulations, we have 4 or 5 Minimoog emus to choose from and only one Virus, I feel that's not quite right (as great as Viper is, not to say it isn't even available for Macs). Discovery is still the only option for Nord and many say it doesn't quite do the job and so on.

I'd say Viruses and Nords used to be no less influential than Moogs and Prophets.

I do hope the latest U-He tech makes it way to Zebra though, a synth that could deliver high quality FM/PM like Bazille, fat oscillators and juicy filters like Repro, lush supersaws like Hive and manipulating Uhm wavetables with various specutral effects, also packed with full rack of effects of Colour Copy quality would be a killer, that's for sure.

when you say killer, I assume you mean the cpu...

Of course I would like that too! But it seems unrealistic. RePro is a mono signal path, Zebra is stereo. One Repro filter in stereo would already hit the cpu very hard. Zebra 3 will need the multicore option!

If the sound quality/character is worth it, so be it. Any half-decent DAW has a freeze function.

[Shiek927]

Quoted for truth!

Even synths that do have emulations, we have 4 or 5 Minimoog emus to choose from and only one Virus, I feel that's not quite right (as great as Viper is, not to say it isn't even available for Macs). Discovery is still the only option for Nord and many say it doesn't quite do the job and so on.

I'd say Viruses and Nords used to be no less influential than Moogs and Prophets.

To help veer the convo back to Zebra3 haha, I guess I would say the best move would be to message developers so they know what people are interested in. I previously messaged several of them in the past about my interest in certain synths and it's the best way to let them know what people would want. If enough people show enough interest, anything is possible. But I completely agree and hope classic digital and 1st-gen virtual analog's will have their time in the sun. It would be a shame for names like Yamaha AN1x, CS6x, or Korg MS2000 to be lost in time

okay, back to u-he I'll start by saying that a vocoder would be a fun little addition to the effects section! as per a suggestion for Hive, the sequencer would be easier to use if if it was more in a 'piano-roll' format where you can click and drag larger-sized objects rather than adjust tiny parameters. It's much easier and intuitive that way for sure.

[SoulState]

Btw, is this your track?

Yes, but it's very old)

Really love it!

Thanx ))

[recursive one]

Btw, is this your track?

Yes, but it's very old)

But still great!

Was one of my favourite breaks tracks for years (and still is)

[hakey]

How about a noise-like but non-random impulse for the Comb Filter PreFill (+modal bank)?

[Urs]

How about a noise-like but non-random impulse for the Comb Filter PreFill (+modal bank)?

You mean, like a transient module with various exciters (hammers and stuff)?

[hakey]

How about a noise-like but non-random impulse for the Comb Filter PreFill (+modal bank)?

You mean, like a transient module with various exciters (hammers and stuff)?

Yes, a transient module would be even better.

[Urs]

How about a noise-like but non-random impulse for the Comb Filter PreFill (+modal bank)?

You mean, like a transient module with various exciters (hammers and stuff)?

Yes, a transient module would be even better.

Well, we're pondering about several options. For one thing, a one-shot mode for the oscillator is a possibility (but might interfere with a plethora of other improvements there). A dedicated transient module could have various pre-made algorithmic exciters with various parameters. Those could even be triggered by any modulation source.

[hakey]

You're obviously thinking about how to excite a modal bank/module. I'm looking forward to that bit of Z3.