Zebra 3 Public Beta 2 Revision 20552

[jasperdunn]

You can do soft sync in Z3 which is really cool:
FX 1 uses Sync, then you use a window function (I used a triangle guide).... Urs can you explain more what's goin on here?

Screenshot 2026-01-27 at 8.29.02 PM.png

Super incredible!! So much technical stuff here, it seems like most typical oscillator effects can be done, it just requires some know-how, which I'm sure I'll build over time.

[jasperdunn]

this is "Windowed Sync", which is how "Resonant Waves" in Casio's PD work. And Fractal Sync in Bazille.

Nice to know the correct terminology for these things. Does anyone know of a decent video resource somewhere that covers these typical oscillator effects at a high/practical level?

[Urs]

This was 2 years ago... looks different, but is still the same thing you can do today:



To make things sound "resonant", use a sine (upside down u shape, so technically an inverted cosine) and send it through sync then a window that starts and ends at the bottom.

[jasperdunn]

Awesome thanks! I’ll give it a go

I just came across this video

It seems that true analogue sync is a rather unpredictable beast and behaves differently to Sync effects in modern synths.

[jtsterays]

This was 2 years ago... looks different, but is still the same thing you can do today:



To make things sound "resonant", use a sine (upside down u shape, so technically an inverted cosine) and send it through sync then a window that starts and ends at the bottom.

Gotta say, I like how the curve editor and the waveform visualizer are separated in this, just feels more right.

[tildesounds]

Any updates on whether you plan to add automation slots to the 4 macro knobs? I was surprised to not see it in this beta.

Is it sth worth waiting for or should i just learn to live without it and find a workaround?
If so, there seems to be a bug that the macros dont visually update when receiving cc from the daw, which can be quite confusing.

[exmatproton]

I’m trying to wrap my head around needing 8 macros. I guess I’m spoiled because you have them in Ableton and can assign them to whatever you want

I’m just trying to think of a situation where I would need 8 of them

Whatever you’re controlling, you can either automate in your DAW or your controller can already modulate whatever parameter

Macros to me are when you need to control more than 1 thing at a time, so 8 macros, I’d have to be controlling at least SIXTEEN different things

Sounds ridiculous and I’d love someone to actually list out what these 8 macros would be used for

Try to think of them as offsets. So with a macro, you get 2 controls for 1 parameter (this is not the case in some synths, but with U-He's synths it works like an offset control). Which can be very handy. Especially with external modulation combined

Thanks I'm just trying to think when I would need that

Well, i am using that all the time.
Eg. All lfo's are in use, but you want to change the depth of lfo1 on a cutoff while the lfo is also connected to other stuff. But with that depth change you also want to change the curve of an osc. With 1 macro you can do that easily. Takes the least amount of time.

[Urs]

Any updates on whether you plan to add automation slots to the 4 macro knobs? I was surprised to not see it in this beta.

It's on a good way. Loads of things to consider, test and implement.

[JoeLowery215]

I’m trying to wrap my head around needing 8 macros. I guess I’m spoiled because you have them in Ableton and can assign them to whatever you want

I’m just trying to think of a situation where I would need 8 of them

Whatever you’re controlling, you can either automate in your DAW or your controller can already modulate whatever parameter

Macros to me are when you need to control more than 1 thing at a time, so 8 macros, I’d have to be controlling at least SIXTEEN different things

Sounds ridiculous and I’d love someone to actually list out what these 8 macros would be used for

Try to think of them as offsets. So with a macro, you get 2 controls for 1 parameter (this is not the case in some synths, but with U-He's synths it works like an offset control). Which can be very handy. Especially with external modulation combined

Thanks I'm just trying to think when I would need that

Well, i am using that all the time.
Eg. All lfo's are in use, but you want to change the depth of lfo1 on a cutoff while the lfo is also connected to other stuff. But with that depth change you also want to change the curve of an osc. With 1 macro you can do that easily. Takes the least amount of time.

Oh totally I get it, I just want someone to get me a real life scenario where you need EIGHT macros in one synth. I feel like that means you’re controlling at least 16 parameters.

[rafa1981]

Just thinking out loud/brainstorming. Would it make sense for zebra 3 to have:

- "Unlimited" modules of each type, with its parameters NOT exposed to the host.
- Exposing to the host only a high amount but fixed number of macros.

[NAD]

Oh totally I get it, I just want someone to get me a real life scenario where you need EIGHT macros in one synth. I feel like that means you’re controlling at least 16 parameters.

I'm in a band with seven other members. Each of us has a single slider that controls 12.5% of the filter cutoff. When we all get really excited at the same time the audience can almost hear our music!

[killmaster]

I can't figure out where in the new interface to select a microtuning file? Do I need to use MTS_ESP instead ot a tun file?

Nevermind, found it in perform page!

[killmaster]

P.S. It's not showing any subfolders in the Tunefiles folder like it used to do in Zebra 2. Is this expected?

[exmatproton]

Oh totally I get it, I just want someone to get me a real life scenario where you need EIGHT macros in one synth. I feel like that means you’re controlling at least 16 parameters.

yeah, that's fair. I've only used 8+ macro's in a live gig. But i would never use Zebra3 in a live gig tbh. Way too heavy on the cpu for that kind of stuff. But yeah, in a live gig i would use 8+ macro's easily

[JoeLowery215]

Oh totally I get it, I just want someone to get me a real life scenario where you need EIGHT macros in one synth. I feel like that means you’re controlling at least 16 parameters.

yeah, that's fair. I've only used 8+ macro's in a live gig. But i would never use Zebra3 in a live gig tbh. Way too heavy on the cpu for that kind of stuff. But yeah, in a live gig i would use 8+ macro's easily

Oh yea that def makes sense. I want to get the new launch control but I also see people using a midi fighter or something. And in Ableton you can assign ranges to things using the macros