Zebra 3.0 - out now

[PebbleInAStream]

Firstly, huge congratulations to Urs and U-he on the release of such an awesome synthesizer!
If I may humbly make a few suggestions/requests:
1. Could we have a multiband upwards/downwards compressor FX module à la OTT?
2. Could there be an option to move the mod bar from the bottom of the screen to the middle, just above the bar with the MSEG settings etc., in order to minimize how much one has to look and move around the screen when adding modulations. (Or is this already possible with skinning?)
3. I really like the little circle by knobs that allows for adjusting modulation depth on the fly, but instead of having to right click and select a modulation source from a list could there be a pop-up panel upon mouseover of a knob showing *all* current modulation sources and allowing one to quickly adjust modulation depth sort of like in Pigments? I've added a picture showing an example in Pigments. (I can already tell some zealot is going to accuse me of it, so before they do, I'm not asking for Zebra 3 to be Pigments, it's literally just a little pop-up that allows one to quickly access relevant modulations and adjust to taste.)

pigments_mouseover.png

[Urs]

1. Dunno about OTT, happy to discuss this separately, but currently don't have the head space

2. Yes, can be skinned. We didn't do it because the bar becomes a tad busy with the tab selectors

3. I am still not convinced that such thing is necessary. Filter Cutoff may be the one sole target to regularly get more than one or two modulations attached to it. This is already covered in Zebra 3 by two direct mod slots plus key follow plus Matrix. At some point we'll do a deep analysis of Zebra's presets, and check if there are more parameters that are commonly targeted by multiple sources, and in which way. We might even do the same with synths that offer such interfaces. Anyhow, I'm all for making things easily accessible, but I'm not keen on offering 3, 4 or 5 ways to accomplish the same thing.

[pdxindy]

3. I am still not convinced that such thing is necessary. Filter Cutoff may be the one sole target to regularly get more than one or two modulations attached to it. This is already covered in Zebra 3 by two direct mod slots plus key follow plus Matrix. At some point we'll do a deep analysis of Zebra's presets, and check if there are more parameters that are commonly targeted by multiple sources, and in which way. We might even do the same with synths that offer such interfaces. Anyhow, I'm all for making things easily accessible, but I'm not keen on offering 3, 4 or 5 ways to accomplish the same thing.

That Pigment style popup is also problematic. For example, if I have Modwheel, Velocity and Key all on a parameter, that popup would show 3 depth knobs of the same color. No way to know which is which.

[EvilDragon]

Unless the knobs get labeled.

[Teksonik]

Mores the pity that it's not a true sampler

I'm glad that u-he hasn't followed along like the other highly flexible, semi-modular synths and added the usual sample based stuff.
I prefer synths that focus on straight synthesis and Zebra 3 fulfills that.

So you don't want Zebra 3 to be "highly flexible"? That seems like an odd stance but to each their own. As long as Zebra 3 fits your wants and needs that's all that matters right? No one else's wants and needs shouldn't matter.

As always if a feature exists it can be used by those who want it and can be ignored by those who don't. Win-Win for everyone.

Too often people make the mistake of saying that samples aren't "synthesis" but if we break it down to the basics, samples are just bits of digital information that an Osc uses to create sound.

I have synths that allow me to add Unison to a sample, run it through filters, envelopes, modulation, etc so yeah that's synthesis.....

Do I think full multi-sample support to ever be added to Zebra? Not really but that doesn't keep me from wishing for the feature since I use to great effect in other "highly flexible" synths.

As for the Arp workaround it is not a substitute for an actual Arp module(s). There was talk of an Arp being added to Zebra 3 since there is one in Zebra 2, Hive 2, DIVA, etc but when and if that will happen is yet to be seen.

It was stated that an Arp/Seq is coming. So not if, only when.

Sounds like "when" is not in the near future but I'll welcome the feature when it's added and use other synths for the task in the meantime.

Agreed, introducing sampling would be scope creep IMO and I appreciate the pure synthesis

See my explanation above.

[PieBerger]

Unless the knobs get labeled.

Visual clutter if they are too big, unreadable if they are too small, at least with no legends everyone is equally upset

[Morty-C-137]

Unless the knobs get labeled.

Visual clutter if they are too big, unreadable if they are too small, at least with no legends everyone is equally upset

Code: Select all

Vital has just entered the chat..

[az_1108]

Hi all,

I'm working on a custom skin and ran into a colour I can't seem to change in the Zebra3_orig.txt file: The turquoise/mint/green lines in the OSC Editor in the Morph Section. I've tried the obvious candidates like COLOUR name = GuideC1 an so on, but that only changes the Guides in the Edit Section. Other skin changes apply immediately, so it's not a reload issue.
My guess is that this colour is hardcoded, but I wanted to check in case I missed anything.
@Urs, if that's the case, I'd kindly request it as a future addition to the skin files whenever there's time.

[Urs]

You might be right...

[AndrewHullabaloo]

Looks great, excited to try this one

[Touch The Universe]

1. Dunno about OTT, happy to discuss this separately, but currently don't have the head space

[XorXisT]

1. Dunno about OTT, happy to discuss this separately, but currently don't have the head space

There you go:

https://bedroomproducersblog.com/free-vst-plugins/ott/

[Teksonik]

Unfortunately any external plugin like an OTT compressor doesn't integrate into a synth's patch. It's tacked on to the outside so at that point we might as well advocate tacking on external filters, etc as well.

It's often not possible to route a plugin's output to specific effects. For example in this case you couldn't apply the OTT comp to just one of Zebra 3's four lanes.

I'm a huge fan of everything being integrated into a patch since a patch is what defines the sound of a synth and I find it far more efficient than tacking stuff on the outside although that always remains an option if absolutely necessary.

Obviously no synth plugin can have every possible effect that's on the market at the same quality as dedicated units but I still prefer things to be as self contained as possible.

I use multiple DAWs so using templates to create a "patch" with different external plugins in a configuration is not efficient since I would have to create the same templates multiple times. Some DAWs don't handle templates as efficiently as plugin browsers handle patches and so on.

So yeah bring on an OTT comp or any other effect that makes sense to add.

[mearnsmusic2]

Is anybody else having an issue where the mod wheel and internal controls ABCD get reset to 0 every time they load a project?

[Urs]

Is anybody else having an issue where the mod wheel and internal controls ABCD get reset to 0 every time they load a project?

Check in the preferences. There's an automatic reset option on playback start, which you can switch off.