I need some guidance on modular/semi-modular... plus, I'm getting blind

[blindingSlow]

Hello!

I'm not completely blind yet, but I have very little vision, and because of that, my career as a professional musician was interrupted a decade ago.

I'd like to learn about modular synthesis, but not exactly how to use a modular synthesizer. Today, my main job is taking care of my elderly parents and the house. In my free time, I spend time making bleeps and boops using Ableton Live and its many features.

I recently had the pleasure of discovering U-He Zebra 2, and my life has changed for the better and for the worse at the same time. Better for obvious reasons, I discovered Zebra 2, and worse because I have to face the fact that I know almost nothing about audio synthesis, despite knowing how to get the sound I want from the synthesizers I know best, like Ableton Live's Analog and Operator.

Anyway...

What I want is guidance on where to find the necessary knowledge to understand and utilize Zebra's semi-modular system to its fullest.

In my searches online, I found plenty of basic explanations about what an oscillator or envelope is, but I'd be interested in intermediate content, more focused on synthesis techniques than simple recipes.

In short, I want to learn techniques so I can actually know what I'm doing, instead of simply copying what others have done or turning knobs until the sound sounds right...

Where can I find this?

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Notes:
I can read text on the computer, but not printed books. I would prefer video/audio content but any help will be appreciated.

[rj0]

There is a Sound Design forum here, and also Modular Synthesis and Production Techniques forums (along with Instruments and Effects forums), each of which might help you explore and expand your synthesis knowledge.

The second topic down in the Sound Design forum is: "How to make a noise: Free Book", which references Simon Cann's website "http://www.noisesculpture.com/", where he has several of his books for free in pdf format (view on a computer). His "How to Make a Noise: a Comprehensive Guide to Synthesizer Programming" is considered sort of a basic bible of synthesis. It's a bit older but still very relevant (and free there!).

Based upon your description, it may be a bit too basic for you, but maybe not (and he has other free books also listed). Note: Those same books can be purchased elsewhere (e.g. Amazon, but typically not free), so check his website first.

Regarding modular, my best bit of 'very' basic (and very generic) learning advice might be to review some of those block diagrams you might come across in such books describing synthesis, and realize that each of those blocks (oscillator, filter, lfo, envelope, etc.) tend to translate into single modules in modular, which you then hook together (or, more typical in semi-modular, sequence), then connect your MIDI in, and audio out (often predefined in semi-modular).

Also, Simon Cann wrote a book quite awhile back called "Becoming a Synthesizer Wizard: From Presets to Power User" where he highlighted several modular and semi-modular synthesizers for examples, including Zebra 2. I don't believe he ever released it as a free book, but it should be out there somewhere for sale (I bought it in Kindle format sometime back, but not having any luck currently finding it on the Amazon website).

Good luck!

[No_Use]

I found Sound On Sound's Synth Secrets series quite good:
https://www.soundonsound.com/series/syn ... ound-sound

I always meant to look into Syntorial in more depth but didn't manage so far:
https://www.syntorial.com/

[zerocrossing]

A lot of people make a lot more of this than there actually is, which makes learning hard. The reality of it all is, we're talking about voltage (or virtual voltage) that varies over time. That's it. There's nothing inherently different from an oscillator to a LFO, other than speed. There's nothing inherently different between an LFO and an Envelope Generator, but timing and looping, and of course, many EGs loop as well, to become LFOs. If they can run at an audio rate, all of the sudden they are also an oscillator.

Most hardware semi-modulars and module setups don't have the same speed gatekeeping that Zebra has, meaning Zebra maintains a wall between its high speed oscillators and what we think of as modulation sources. To make up for that, it gives you "OSC FX" which do things internally to do what you would normally do via other means or with more exotic oscillator types, but regardless, they are never a mod source for another oscillator, like you'd have with a semi-modular like an ARP 2600.

So, with that in mind, I say that you should just spend a bunch of time with each oscillator type, filter type, modulation type, and just see what they do. There's a good manual that should give you some information about each thing, but there's really no education like just getting into it.

[Etienne1973]

On the u-he website there are 47 video tutorials on Zebra 2 to watch and hear. Mostly intermediate user oriented. Here comes the direct link to the overview: https://u-he.com/community/tutorials/#plugin=zebra2