Zebra's biggest flaw

[tehlord]

Zebra really needs better distortion.

Indeed, you read my mind.

As you might remember I made a comment once about not really getting Zebra and the backlash was immense

I reckon if you could get more 'Sylenthy' with the leads and basses coupled with the features that I have to admit Zebra has I reckon you'd grow a whole planets worth of new customers. Perhaps even me

[Urs]

I could see something like a synthesis technique wiki being really worthwile, it sounded maybe like what you were discussing in the Zebra patch contest thread

This is part of it, for sure!

The point is, Zebra has become very demanding in terms of support because there's always something left to do. It's high maintenance. This is not the case with any other plugin I have. I hope to bring Z2.5 to a state where I can leave it alone for a year or so (apart from the usual improvements and general updates, e.g. f**k ups due to Apple system updates). Because I really, really wish to make use of acesynth.com and synthkitchen.com and I'd love to do a dynamics bundle and the long awaited Berlin Modular. And Filterscape 1.5 finally. And Uhbik-X (as Uhbik-G can go public any other day).

The interesting part is, Zebras compressors have become what they are because I was working on compressors for another project (uhm, and MFM2). Zebras new ModFX will learn from Uhbik. I really need to have time for other things so that that experience can float back.

And I need to market a bit more, which the patch website will do while at the same time educating

[Mark Landman]

I'll vote for updating the waveshapers followed by a much wider range for all the Chorus parameters.

If you have access to a Serge modular, please check out their wave multiplier module. 3 different waveshaping functions and they're wonderful. Especially if you use a second audio oscillator to modulate the waveshaping depth. Could we have an audio rate input like on the XMF? Same set of knobs, just the ability to side chain an audio oscillator to the waveshaping index.

Speaking of audio rate mod, the lfo's in Z2 do a great job at their highest rate, would it be possible to squeeze a little more range into the LFO for an even wider palette of expo FM sounds?

[mabian]

Note: As these changes would make things sound different, I've come up with a spiffy idea: Existing presets load with the currently existing algorithms. A little icon in the main display will indicate "2.3" for Zebra V2.0 to V2.3. That means, everything will sound exactly the same as before. But you can also just switch to the improved stuff and work from there.

Urs, standing ovation for the above: I'm seeing other plugin devs "improving" their current products completely disregarding the impact on existing patches. An "enhanced" reverb or filter, to make a couple examples, could screw up resonance and character obtained tweaking to death the "legacy" behaviour...

Talk about the appeal of Lo-Fi...

Again, a strong praise for this thought.

- Mario

[GMusic]

other:

Not a big flaw, but it would be extremely helpful.

Clicking on the GUI in Zebra doesn't bring it to the front of other windows in my DAW (FL Studio). I have to click the TINY border around it (the default border FL Studio places on all its windows) to bring Zebra to the front. Same for Uhbik. Other 3rd party plugins (NI Kore, for example) come to the front when I click anywhere in their user interface.

thank you Urs for being a considerate developer.

[bagginz]

Zebras new ModFX will learn from Uhbik.

bagginz

[JackD]

Voted Other (being Zebras' biggest flaw is that it's not implemented in hardware with real knobs to twist).

Someone mentioned they would like feedback. I'd like to have a comb filter that would self oscillate (with a wide sweet point of feedback/self oscillation). But I'm just rambling.

[slowriot]

I probably don't represent every user. But my 2 cents.

I think Zebra is pretty much at the point that you mentioned of being able to leave it for a while. For my uses it has balance and capability and character. Really a usefel tool. Zebrify is really very exciting and I look forward to using it in forthcoming projects. It was a wonderful decision to create that.

Filters are nice (I like allround actually... i was surprised to learn that it was a 'cheap' model computationally.) I noticed the volume differences but it's not anything that bothered me really. To turn up or down volume is not the biggest hassle and I think it's good to be 'on your toes' so to speak and not expect everything to already be perfect. it would be a problem if there were major jumps between different filters but small differences are no issues... actually the fact that some types have capital letters and spaces in the name and some don't bothered me more, lol.

Distortion in Zebra has never grabbed me loads, and I can't say I use it that much. But then again there are some really great software distortions around and I don't think it should be expected for a synth to have similar quality. For me, it's maybe worth a little attention but not a complete overhaul. It's nice to have some options within the modular system, but if I really want to go crazy there are some really amazing tools that already do a great job.

I would definitely like a toggle to be able to see some parameters as hertz. It helps me to know where I stand a bit sometimes (though I guess it's also helpful to try and use your ears, you can become 'dependant' when using hertz and not use yours ears.. like equing by looking at a spectrum instead of listening).

I said a little about more about why I'd like hertz in the microtuning thread. But like I say, it's very much workable at the moment and I'm defintely finding lots of uses for Zebra atm so not a major thing. (loading .tun files into zebrify would be helpful, but there are tools available that can convert midi notes to monophonic alternate tunings by using maths and midi pitchbend, so again, not a life or death thing).

ok, maybe this is understandable and maybe it's helpful.

thanks!

[hakey]

What do you mean by, "Clicks in FMOs with filtered FM"?

I've noticed that if you select "FMself" in an FMO the signal becomes noisy with FM settings above 60 (and completely breaks down above 70). Is that what you mean?

That aside, it seems like you already have a plan, so do as you see fit.

(I'd most like to see the improved waveshaper and chorus algos, as well as rebalanced and improved filters. This patch/wiki site sounds really interesting too... and then there's Uhbik G and X and Berliner etc...)

[MitchK1989]

so I was just playing with the noise module in zebra, and was trying to get the "Digital" noise to actually track pitch so I could use it as an oscillator... I couldn't figure out how for the life of me. I added the keyfollow mod on the filter 1 parameter and couldn't get it to be in tune across the keyboard. Either I'm doing something wrong or the keyfollow range in the noise module could use some tweaking.

[pummel]

Here is a tweak -- I feel the "mouse wheel" knob adjustment should be fine, not coarse. I can make the coarse adjustments with LMB-drag, but I need a direct one hand method for fine adjustments. <ctrl>wheel or <shift>wheel does not work for me, as I need my other hand free for the piano keys. A good example of this is Albino; its got the drag-for-coarse/ wheel-for-fine concept down pat.

Then again, if the knobs where logarithmic, fine adjustment capability might become a mute point.

[slowriot]

so I was just playing with the noise module in zebra, and was trying to get the "Digital" noise to actually track pitch so I could use it as an oscillator... I couldn't figure out how for the life of me. I added the keyfollow mod on the filter 1 parameter and couldn't get it to be in tune across the keyboard. Either I'm doing something wrong or the keyfollow range in the noise module could use some tweaking.

agree with this.

I got some useable results but it took a long time to get there.

[MitchK1989]

so I was just playing with the noise module in zebra, and was trying to get the "Digital" noise to actually track pitch so I could use it as an oscillator... I couldn't figure out how for the life of me. I added the keyfollow mod on the filter 1 parameter and couldn't get it to be in tune across the keyboard. Either I'm doing something wrong or the keyfollow range in the noise module could use some tweaking.

agree with this.

I got some useable results but it took a long time to get there.

I got it to work reasonably well with keytrack on 64, now I'm just trying to use the filter1 parameter to get it in tune with the other oscs...

[MitchK1989]

Also, is there no random function for the arp?

[thelizard]

I'll add a vote for better distortion algorithms. A Virus has a just awesome rate reduction algorithm that would sound terrific inside a Zebra. Something like that would be great.