Zebra 3 final final beta 21764 April 14

[loctune]

A bunch of questions regarding the modulation system:

In Zebra 3 it’s possible to have multiple modulation sources modulating the same target. When this happens what is the order of the things taking place?

Cases I can think of:
1. Modulating the FMO carrier with both the internal modulator and input audio.
2. Modulating the filter cutoff with two direct modulation sources. Also, is there a difference when one source is direct and the other indirect?

Also it’s possible to modulate a target with both a bipolar and unipolar modulator at the same time. How would this work?

[Urs]

A bunch of questions regarding the modulation system:

In Zebra 3 it’s possible to have multiple modulation sources modulating the same target. When this happens what is the order of the things taking place?

Cases I can think of:
1. Modulating the FMO carrier with both the internal modulator and input audio.
2. Modulating the filter cutoff with two direct modulation sources. Also, is there a difference when one source is direct and the other indirect?

Also it’s possible to modulate a target with both a bipolar and unipolar modulator at the same time. How would this work?

They are being added.

Note that this addition happens on the raw parameter value. Like, if you edit something that is displayed in Hertz on the UI, or a ratio of two values, this is a "scaled" version of the actual parameter value. You can see the "raw" parameter by changing the preference accordingly. For in depth sound design work I recommend using the "raw + scaled" setting, if Hz readouts are important to you.

Actual ("raw") parameter values are always linear, and linearity is a key characteristic for the modulation system to work. With it, multiple simultaneous modulations simply become additions.

Also, almost all actual parameter values are meaningful, too. E.g. raw Filter Cutoff values are always semitones etc.

[Ivan_C]

Hello to the u-he team!

I have just played with the very last version of Zebra 3 (VST3) on Windows 11 with Reaper. I have noticed on several presets and with the init patch that there might be a bug with the CTRL B knob only (the others are not affected).

When MPE is enabled in the perform tab, the knob CTRL B which is there too has strange behaviours. The white outline doesn't move anymore, and the associated value displayed on the top of the UI may return erratic values, sometimes following the movement of the mouse not seen on the knob, and sometimes it's just min or max values.

And telling "none" to all the MPE settings associated to MPE in the back tab isn't changing anything there.

[Urs]

Hello to the u-he team!

I have just played with the very last version of Zebra 3 (VST3) on Windows 11 with Reaper. I have noticed on several presets and with the init patch that there might be a bug with the CTRL B knob only (the others are not affected).

When MPE is enabled in the perform tab, the knob CTRL B which is there too has strange behaviours. The white outline doesn't move anymore, and the associated value displayed on the top of the UI may return erratic values, sometimes following the movement of the mouse not seen on the knob, and sometimes it's just min or max values.

And telling "none" to all the MPE settings associated to MPE in the back tab isn't changing anything there.

Are you sure you re using the latest version, rev 21764? - Because we fixed an issue where the ABCD parameters were mapped wrong in VST3 between UI and DSP part.

[Ivan_C]

Hello to the u-he team!

I have just played with the very last version of Zebra 3 (VST3) on Windows 11 with Reaper. I have noticed on several presets and with the init patch that there might be a bug with the CTRL B knob only (the others are not affected).

When MPE is enabled in the perform tab, the knob CTRL B which is there too has strange behaviours. The white outline doesn't move anymore, and the associated value displayed on the top of the UI may return erratic values, sometimes following the movement of the mouse not seen on the knob, and sometimes it's just min or max values.

And telling "none" to all the MPE settings associated to MPE in the back tab isn't changing anything there.

Are you sure you re using the latest version, rev 21764? - Because we fixed an issue where the ABCD parameters were mapped wrong in VST3 between UI and DSP part.

Yes it's with 21764, I see it on the top of the UI, and only with CTRL B

[Ivan_C]

I have the exact same issue with the CLAP version of the plug-in

[Urs]

Are you sending conflicting MIDI messages while turning the knobs? Controls ABCD are designed to be used by either MIDI (and MPE) or through the UI/Automation for hosts that do not allow proper MIDI editing.

[Urs]

Try setting the MIDI CC that Ctrl B reacts to to something else (which is definitely not being sent to Zebra) and check if the knobs behave normally.

[Urs]

From the dev team:

There are actually two sets of MPE preferences. When you click on the settings icon and then on the Midi port symbol also on the top right, you see the Midi settings. There you can set the Midi Channels for the Ctrl Knobs and also which one of them MPE Timbre is controlling. The Settings in the other preferences page are just the default values for this. In the menu where we are now you can set it for each instance of zebra.
There change the MPE Timbre Target to None. Are the weird Ctrl movements gone now?

[Ivan_C]

I have done another tests.

I have created a new project + new track with Reaper. I load Zebra 3 on it (CLAP version). I load the init patch. I don't arm record on the track yet, and don't play anything with my MPE Controller (an Osmose, set as a "classic keyboard" in the settings with no MPE).

In the settings, I disable all the MIDI CC associated with CTRL A-D

CTRL MPE 1.png

CTRL MPE 2.png

If I move the B knob in the perform page right now, everything works as expected.

Then, I enable MPE in the perform page. If I move the B knob, everything still works.
After that, I enable record on the track (MIDI Input from my Babyface audio / MIDI interface). I play with the Osmose in "Classic Keyboard" mode. I move the B knob, it still works properly.

Now... If I enable the MPE mode with the Osmose, and play a note, the B knob value changes during the event, and stay locked at the minimum position. I can't move its position in the UI anymore (the UI outline is locked), but I see the value changing between 0 and 100 on mouse drag events. And if I disable MPE at that point, the B knob works again, can be moved at any position graphics wise, and becomes locked again at the last value I set there this time if I enable again MPE, until I close the instance and open it again or until I disable MPE again.

I can reproduce all those steps and the same behaviour in Ableton Live 12, but only if I enable the MPE in the Ableton Live with the right click on the Live square with "MPE Enable Mode" of course.

Even changing the sample rate of the session doesn't reset the behaviour, once the B knob is "locked", I can't unlock it until I close the instance, or only if I disable MPE.

[Ivan_C]

Here is video of the thing happening, I play a note in the middle of the video: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/eeav0dzg ... tn645&dl=0

It's probably not the most important bug to solve right now with the beta

[bmanic]

I'm a bit late to the party but one of the main things I've noticed immediately is that simply turning knobs in Zebra 3 final final beta isn't behaving nicely. Sorry if this has already been reported. Whatever the case is the knobs easily "get stuck" and "start glitching". It's not at all a smooth and effortless experience. Note that I do not have any issues with Diva, ACE or any other U-He plugins.. and I don't remember having this problem with Zebra 3 beta either before (this is the first time I have tried a beta with the new UI).

Also, if I enable "hide mouse cursor on drag" it's almost impossible to control any knobs at all. They just get super sluggish and don't seem to move at all.. moving the cutoff knob from zero to full literally requires me to swipe my Logitech mouse from the bottom to top of the mouse pad at least 5 times.. and this is like a 40cm high, 70cm wide mousepad. Needless to say, the behavior is not at all optimal.

System: Mac Mini M1 running Reaper and Zebra3 VST3 plugin version (the latest final final beta). Mouse is a simple Logitech G203.

[Urs]

Here is video of the thing happening, I play a note in the middle of the video: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/eeav0dzg ... tn645&dl=0

It's probably not the most important bug to solve right now with the beta

Thank you. Our team can reproduce it now and will look into it.

[tasmaniandevil]

System: Mac Mini M1 running Reaper and Zebra3 VST3 plugin version (the latest final final beta). Mouse is a simple Logitech G203.

Are you using some special settings in G Hub?
I see this is a gaming mouse, is it using an unusually high polling rate?
Can you lower it to, say, 125 Hz / 800 DPI or so? Just to test if that improves the situation?

[stromkraft]

A question to those of you that have tried Zebra 3, how likely is it in your opinion that someone that never liked Zebra, 1 or 2 — it just sounded "off" no matter how much I tried to like either incarnation — but have loved basically every other instruments from u-he since, including freebies like TN6, will like this new dazzling updated version?

I downloaded the beta, even though the space Z3 is likely to occupy in my studio is pretty much taken. I will make up my own mind by trying, but still interested what fans have to say.