Zebralette 3 Public Beta Announcement (Revision 15573)

[krdetroit]

You make the best shit bro!

[MrJubbly]

For me, it's incomprehensible how anyone can consider this GUI as good. The layout is indeed well done, but that's where the positives end. Regardless of size, all the knobs look extremely unpolished, not rendered at all? It's the worst resolution I've ever seen. The shadows on knobs, buttons, sliders, etc., look so flat without any depth or smoothness. And this cold, sterile white and grey choice of colors... horrible. I understand that this is a beta and a freeware product. I've already inquired whether this is the final GUI version but haven't received a response yet. If it is, please invest a bit more care into this GUI. I've never understood how u-he can show so much attention to detail in the sound of their products but do the exact opposite when it comes to their GUIs.

You don't like u-he GUIs? Okay, to each their own, I guess.

Personally, I find u-he's GUIs to be some of the nicest available, both aesthetically and functionally.

As for the GUI for Zebralette 3, I think this current design is perfectly fine for a default skin. No doubt other skins with different colour schemes will become available in due course, for those who prefer something different.

But as you mentioned, remember this is only the first public beta release. Have some patience.

Perhaps, you could provide some examples of other plugins, whose GUIs you prefer and believe are better than u-he's, for comparison?

[paramita123]

People moaning about the GUI of a powerful new Beta synth are a bit fussy/spoilt
Remember the old Triple Cheese and the old ZebraCM?! Now those were funky skins !!
Didn't put me off though, love these two U-HE freebies.
In any case Urs said there will be updates and I think 3rd party skins so for now focus on features UX and bugs.

[pdxindy]

The layout is indeed well done, but that's where the positives end. Regardless of size, all the knobs look extremely unpolished, not rendered at all? It's the worst resolution I've ever seen.

Is it possible something is going wrong in your end? The GUI looks distinct and clear on my screen.

Maybe show a screenshot of what you mean?

[underscoreraven]

Haven't read all the pages yet, but: can we have VST2 as well?

Short answer: No, because of Steinbergs Licensing of VST. If you desperately need VST2 consider host/wrapper plugins like the open source Carla, though that may come with it's own issues

[david.beholder]

Haven't read all the pages yet, but: can we have VST2 as well?

No, because of Steinbergs Licensing of VST.

Sorry I'm living under the rock. What exactly has changed over last 2 years?

[KBSoundSmith]

I've only put a small amount of time into the beta so far, but even after only scratching the surface, I'm finding this seriously impressive. And the multi-use curves/guides integrated with the OSC FX are ridiculous.

[Urs]

Haven't read all the pages yet, but: can we have VST2 as well?

No, because of Steinbergs Licensing of VST.

Sorry I'm living under the rock. What exactly has changed over last 2 years?

We had to upgrade our VST3 SDK to the latest and greatest, which comes with an updated license. That license has built-in provisions to end VST2 support. The VST3 license agreement is available for anyone to check out, and it explicitly does not provide a license to built VST2 (§1. 6.) while at the same time cancelling all prior VST2 and VST3 license agreements (§9. 8.). Hence, the right to create VST2 plug-ins and hosts is gone for anyone who wants modern VST3.

Hence, we will not release new software with VST2 - not because we don't want to, but also because we have to.

The implications have been grave to us, I've explained them many times even in this thread. I hope it is not asked for too much if we could lay this topic at rest. In case we can't, I'll happily move all posts to their own thread.

[Urs]

ExportWav seems to export only 100 single cycles in a wavetable. Will there be an option to have up to 256 single cycles since Serum and others synths can import that amount? Maybe I overlooked something.

We're considering more control over number of frames in the future, maybe as part of Zebra 3.

We chose 101 frames because they map to the Curve Morph parameter which goes from 0-100. First frame corresponds to Curve Morph at 0.00, last frame to Curve Morph at 100.00.

[Urs]

Also, Control A / B (or macros, XY pads) are usually meant as global modulations, not per voice modulations.

That is not necessarily so.

We have often made our Macros emit Control A/B because many of our presets are set up with them, but then many people had no means to send them (e.g. NKS controller in NKS mode).

In my view, adding a new Timbre controller that nearly no-one (I'd estimate less than 5% of our users) can make use of would be a step backwards. Sound designers would not cater for it, and those who do would leave out the people again who don't have MPE controllers. We would again be forced to add Timbre to a Macro control, just like Control A/B and the cycle begins again.

Therefore I'm not convinced that detaching Timbre from Control A makes sense. Even more so since we have said for many years that people with MPE controllers should set it to MIDI CC#74, which is Timbre in MPE.

[david.beholder]

Hence, we will not release new software with VST2 - not because we don't want to, but also because we have to.

The implications have been grave to us, I've explained them many times even in this thread. I hope it is not asked for too much if we could lay this topic at rest. In case we can't, I'll happily move all posts to their own thread.

Thanks for explaination. This is deserves it's own EOL VST2 support sticky topic. And it would be easy to point people to it because I'm sure this question would reappear.

F*** Steinberg.

[david.beholder]

@Urs: btw have you decided on
1. manual number entry
2. shortcuts within plugin (at least save, load and open/close presets) ?

[TomTwohy]

Well! it kind of sounds similar to the last version, and its a little bit heavy on the processor (which I hope Urs can fix before Zebra 3)...

BUT it has shiny new options for WILD SOUNDS (several examples are just marvelous) so I'm very happy to see a new engine for the Zebra Family and hope for more... if Urs can keep pugging away at it, I'm sure it'll be fine!

I might have some questions about how this works, but its U-he and that always requires a bit of training and work to master.

Go, Urs... GO!!!
[insert massive heart emoji here]

[audiojunkie]

thanks for free but sound very congested like old zebra, no clear sound, like blanket on top constrict and closed
inside. this synth took long and sorry it sound nothing better than before. I am sad it was not better.. presets is nothing, any synth can make, all that work and same.

this coding not know any clear and precise and depth and aliveness, onloy closed weak and like stuck inside something a small hut with a blanket inside. everything sound without definitions, it is like closed inside a bad short reverb for all sounds..

Good luck zebra4 2034 ?

I genuine disspointment

I would be genuinely interested in what synths you think “do” sound good.

[Urs]

Thanks for explaination. This is deserves it's own EOL VST2 support sticky topic. And it would be easy to point people to it because I'm sure this question would reappear.

I would prefer not to do that because I do not wish to anger Steinberg in any way since they also have a provision in there which lets them cancel any agreement at any time, without any reason given. I'm prepared to give up VST2, but giving up VST3 would put me out of business.