Zebra 3 Public Beta Revision 20399

[machinesworking]

VSTi3 version does not pass Digital Performers overtly strict evaluation process. Safe to say the DP11 is all about AU unless a specified need like Melodyne or with MIDI out VSTi3s like Reason Rack, Blue Arp etc. Still worth noting.

[Urs]

Interesting. I wasn’t aware Absynth users and anyone using similarly featured synths fell outside the ‘human’ category.

I meant to comment here before, but forgot and now ew brought it back up.

So in all seriousness, afaiaa what Absynth does is using AI for preset browsing. That's cool. Who uses Google anymore to search the web when Claude & Co come up with much more refined answers (Unless it's a search for something from this year, which apparently they have slept through). Cool, maybe one day we can catch up with this, but we can't do everything everywhere at once.

So AI. There are several attempts to use AI for sound design. It works really, really well on the platform and level that, say, Sonic Charge are exploring with Synplant. Impressive stuff. And that's probably - wild guess - much more related to machine learning and genetic algorithms than it is to LLMs.

Now about my reluctance in respect of AI, even if for "intelligent preset randomisation"... I have not spent several years building synthesiser modules, user interfaces and fighting about parameter curves of every single aspect of Zebra 3, even our little toe dipping into A11y (more to come!), just so someone can bypass all of this with a prompt.

We really, really spent a lot of time to make this good for sound design. Making it good for prompts would feel like having wasted a lot of time...

(and I know that this was not the original train of thought that led here, but I feel misunderstood by the post I quoted)

[HcDoom]

Congrats on the release! Question: how long does the intro price last?

[Julien Unison]

Everything is going very well here (Ableton 12.2.5 , Windows 10).

I just would like to see a mts-esp tuning integration into it, it would be so great.

[Urs]

Everything is going very well here (Ableton 12.2.5 , Windows 10).

I just would like to see a mts-esp tuning integration into it, it would be so great.

Isn't mts-esp already working? Should be realtime even...?

(I gotta check... I'm almost 100% sure I added it to the Pitch modules...)

[Moredator]

Love the sound. Love the looks and use experience. Endless possibilities. Just brilliant stuff.

[Urs]

Congrats on the release! Question: how long does the intro price last?

At least till NAMM, probably longer... we try to do the final release in January or Q1 2026, and then the intro offer ends.

We will certainly post a Release Candidate well in advance, and mention the cutoff date.

[ThoughtExperiment]

When a module is deleted from the routing area (or from the FX panel), mod routings in the Matrix that send data to that module are not deleted. They probably ought to be deleted. There doesn't seem to be an init patch (not a problem), so I started deleting modules from a bass patch so I could look at one oscillator by itself. There are still routings in the Matrix that point to the missing modules.

It's a dilemma. What of someone just double clicks a module in the Grid by accident, and then doesn't even realise the modulations are gone with it?

So this brings up my philosophical grievances with "Modulation on Source" vs "Modulation on Target". I always preferred modulation assignments and depths right on the their target parameter. Like, if there's an LFO and an oscillator, I'd prefer the PWM-parameter to be part of the oscillator and not part of the LFO. I could write half a book about it.

But then, even since Hive we see the benefits of ModMatrices. Which are even more mediated than either of the above, because the assignment and depth are nowhere near source or target, but in their own extra compartment. But they keep things tidy.

So what to do. We can totally hide, neglect or even delete modulations on modules that are hidden or removed. But then, what if somebody just temporarily removes that module, or even wants to remove it for educational reasons, only to bring it back later or to have it sitting there until it's needed?

I'd love some input on this, because I honestly haven't the confidence to say either this or that.

I can see the dilemma but I don't believe the solution is to delete the module, for the reasons you stated. Maybe a compromise would be to somehow 'label' the module 'orphaned' or words to that effect?

[beely]

These are real-time performance controls like mod wheel or aftertouch, they're not the same kind of macros like Zebra2's XY fields. You'd draw their curves in the MIDI clip, not in the automation lanes.

I control all my plugins in Logic with a (sort of) Mackie C4, which accesses plugin parameters exposed as automation controls directly, without any tedious MIDI mapping.

If controls aren't exposed as automation parameters, I can't access them with my controller like I can things like osc controls, filter, envelopes, macro controls etc in a standard layout* for all my synths, which means I can't directly use those useful controls (other than the mouse), and they become more or less practically inaccessible for me for realtime performance control.

(* Yes, there are complexities to map this with variable structure synths like Zebra, which makes these kinds of quick modifications available on macro knobs extra useful in this case.)

Is there a technical reason why they can't also be exposed as automation parameters, for the people where it is most convenient to use them like this?

[Julien Unison]

Everything is going very well here (Ableton 12.2.5 , Windows 10).

I just would like to see a mts-esp tuning integration into it, it would be so great.

Isn't mts-esp already working? Should be realtime even...?

(I gotta check... I'm almost 100% sure I added it to the Pitch modules...)

Oh i'm sorry I've just checked again and it works perfectly without any setup into Zebra3, it's awesome, thank you.

[david.beholder]

So what to do. We can totally hide, neglect or even delete modulations on modules that are hidden or removed. But then, what if somebody just temporarily removes that module, or even wants to remove it for educational reasons, only to bring it back later or to have it sitting there until it's needed?

I'd love some input on this, because I honestly haven't the confidence to say either this or that.

May be render it's something like disabled - so it's clear modulation exists but target is not working?

[felix-be]

The Beta is working very well here on Ableton 12 and Win10.
I already bought the upgrade and thanks for the very nice update price

I have a few feature requests:
The mapper should have the option to cycle between presets with arrows
The mapper would greatly benefit from a Randomizer
-The same for the MSEG
-The same would also be cool for all the other Modules

The Macros should have the option to give them names.
Right Click on a knob to select and edit the Modulation source.

I really miss the XY section.

Really love the new Zebra3

[Matty686]

I was wondering if the MPE support will include Timbre I would very much like that I am a Bitwig user and I compose by and and sometimes like to use timbre instead of pressure because it starts at 50%

[gnu23]

Just chiming in late to congratulate Urs and the U-He team on Zebra 3 beta release.

[david.beholder]

Absence of XY (or 8 knobs like in Hive) is a bit frustrating.

There is performance section that allows changing pitch and mw but for the rest one need physical controls/additional midi device in DAW.

Before it was all accessible from plugin UI.