Hi Everyone,
I'm currently learning Zebra2/ZebraHZ by deconstructing presets and building new ones. The XY Pad is such a great possibility to change multiple sound characteristics at a time. I have sometimes mapped the XY controls to external controllers with MIDI Learn.
However, there are a lot of patches where it would be great if I could control the X and Y positions of the XY pads with velocity and/or by which note is played. Is it possible to set this up? There are a lot of individual parameters that can be adjusted whith velocity and Key Follow, but I couldn't find a way to manipulate the XY Pads.
Of course, a workaround would be to map each individual parameter that is already linked to the XY Pad to modulate with Key Follow/Velovity, but since there already is such a great tool to bundle up multiple parameter changes, it would be really nice to modulate them all within the XY Pad.
Thanks for the help!
Zebra2 / ZebraHZ: Is it possible to modulate XY pad with Velocity or Key Follow?
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- KVRian
- 814 posts since 18 May, 2007 from Berlin
Hi Tim,
as you guessed already you'd need to target those parameters via the mod matrix, the XY axes aren't available as modulation targets.
Viktor
u-he team
as you guessed already you'd need to target those parameters via the mod matrix, the XY axes aren't available as modulation targets.
Viktor
u-he team
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 2 posts since 8 Sep, 2023
Hi Viktor,
thanks for the answer! Sad that this doesn't work (and maybe a nice little feature for V3?). Well I guess Hans never needed to modulate the XY Pad like this, so I will do without it.
thanks for the answer! Sad that this doesn't work (and maybe a nice little feature for V3?). Well I guess Hans never needed to modulate the XY Pad like this, so I will do without it.
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- KVRian
- 814 posts since 18 May, 2007 from Berlin
Hi Tim,
I understand but I doubt we'll change that. It comes with an inherent lack of clarity. It'd be magnitudes harder to tell what is happening in a patch if the mod matrix itself doesn't provide the full answer to why something is being modulated the way it is if additionally you have to check the assignments in the XY tab for what's assigned there, then go back to the mod matrix and follow those bread crumbs further. The XYs will (I'm 99% sure) always remain a tool to be used with via outside MIDI or via automation lanes in your DAW.
Viktor
u-he team
I understand but I doubt we'll change that. It comes with an inherent lack of clarity. It'd be magnitudes harder to tell what is happening in a patch if the mod matrix itself doesn't provide the full answer to why something is being modulated the way it is if additionally you have to check the assignments in the XY tab for what's assigned there, then go back to the mod matrix and follow those bread crumbs further. The XYs will (I'm 99% sure) always remain a tool to be used with via outside MIDI or via automation lanes in your DAW.
Viktor
u-he team
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- KVRian
- 932 posts since 23 May, 2010
Hi Tim,
There is a hack I often use in various synths that don't allow to modulate macro controls (XY pads in Zebra case). I call this a proxy modulation
You can use envelope as a macro control to control multiple parameters at once. Here' how to set this up in the case of Zebra.
1. Let's leave ENV1 untouched here.
2. Take ENV2 and set Attack, Decay and Release to 0.
3. Assign ENV2 to any number of params you want to control.
4. Now the Sustain knob in the envelope works as your macro control which you can control with velocity, key follow or any other modulator you want.
5. You can do exactly the same with for example ENV3.
6. Now you can take this further and set Sustain in both envelopes in the middle, then assign X macro from say XY1 to control Sustain in ENV2 and Y from XY1 to control Sustain in ENV3. This way XY1 acts as a controller for initial value of the Sustain in both envlopes so you have benefit of controlling multiple params with XY while also be able to modulate them all at once by modulating Sustain in both envelopes as you please.
I know it's workaround and might not always work - depending how given synth envelopes react. You may hear clicks or other weird artifacts resulting from very short Attack/Decay times. But it seems it does the trick with Zebra. You can even make creative use of this by actually playing with Attack/Decay to introduce weird modulations on multiple params before the Sustain stage is reached.
So envelope in this case acts like an itermediate (proxy) modulator. This technique allows for some wild and unexptected sonic experiments. Have fun
I hope this all makes sense and helps.
There is a hack I often use in various synths that don't allow to modulate macro controls (XY pads in Zebra case). I call this a proxy modulation
You can use envelope as a macro control to control multiple parameters at once. Here' how to set this up in the case of Zebra.
1. Let's leave ENV1 untouched here.
2. Take ENV2 and set Attack, Decay and Release to 0.
3. Assign ENV2 to any number of params you want to control.
4. Now the Sustain knob in the envelope works as your macro control which you can control with velocity, key follow or any other modulator you want.
5. You can do exactly the same with for example ENV3.
6. Now you can take this further and set Sustain in both envelopes in the middle, then assign X macro from say XY1 to control Sustain in ENV2 and Y from XY1 to control Sustain in ENV3. This way XY1 acts as a controller for initial value of the Sustain in both envlopes so you have benefit of controlling multiple params with XY while also be able to modulate them all at once by modulating Sustain in both envelopes as you please.
I know it's workaround and might not always work - depending how given synth envelopes react. You may hear clicks or other weird artifacts resulting from very short Attack/Decay times. But it seems it does the trick with Zebra. You can even make creative use of this by actually playing with Attack/Decay to introduce weird modulations on multiple params before the Sustain stage is reached.
So envelope in this case acts like an itermediate (proxy) modulator. This technique allows for some wild and unexptected sonic experiments. Have fun
I hope this all makes sense and helps.
https://spektralisk.com/products | Sound libraries for: Massive X, Pigments, Vital, Razor, Kontour and more | Free sounds → Sound Flux
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- KVRAF
- 4197 posts since 23 May, 2004 from Bad Vilbel, Germany
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- KVRian
- 932 posts since 23 May, 2010
Glad you like, thanks.
https://spektralisk.com/products | Sound libraries for: Massive X, Pigments, Vital, Razor, Kontour and more | Free sounds → Sound Flux