Zebra3 Info

[vvilms]

We all do - but like Repro-5, we have to wait until the restructuring of our preset management code is done. There are a few side effects which we need to work on, e.g. the preset < and > buttons behave sluggishly at the moment.

Is ^this in reference to the revised browser you spoke of that would include tagging as well as an additional 6(ish) months before release?

[Urs]

We all do - but like Repro-5, we have to wait until the restructuring of our preset management code is done. There are a few side effects which we need to work on, e.g. the preset < and > buttons behave sluggishly at the moment.

Is ^this in reference to the revised browser you spoke of that would include tagging as well as an additional 6(ish) months before release?

The browser is part of it, but it's an overall deep change in our codebase. I don't think it'll take six more months though (it took a bit more than five months of one developer's time though, to get where it's at now)

I don't think we'll add the tagged browser to Zebra 2.8, at least not straight away, since we have not got the time to tag all Zebra presets (factory + our own sound banks)

[vvilms]

I don't think we'll add the tagged browser to Zebra 2.8, at least not straight away, since we have not got the time to tag all Zebra presets (factory + our own sound banks)

-deep sigh of relief- I'm happy to hear that as the tagging isn't something I'd anticipate using all that much.

I really just can't wait for the revised arp page and mseg/ osc editors as well as the increase in msegs/ mod matrix slots in HZ.

[Sound Author]

^ I second that. The tagged browser is something that can wait imo.

Please tell me that Hive's reverb is included in v2.8! I'm really looking forward to that!

[Urs]

^ I second that. The tagged browser is something that can wait imo.

While tagging can, I think search and favourite folders can't

Please tell me that Hive's reverb is included in v2.8! I'm really looking forward to that!

Yep, it's in.

(and I'm currently brooding over Zebra3 reverb... which has some pretty spiffy properties at a low CPU footprint...)

[Sound Author]

Zebra's current reverb has its charms. It can be unpleasantly metallic at times, but that's not always a bad thing, and the diffusion options are pretty cool, even though it took me a while to understand them. I just love how breezy Hive's reverb sounds, so I'm looking forward to making some "lighter" sounding reverb tails with it!

[MorpherX]

Feature Request Zebra 3:

Would it be possible to throw out the 3 tabs in the oscilator module like it is in Zebra 2.x.

I don't understand why in Zebra 2.x are 3 tabs in oscilator module. If you tab one, then there are only 4 or 5 poties.
It's useless waste of time and less overview.

[Arthropod]

This thread is almost 5 years old. So I don't have to read the whole thread, was there some reason this release has been dragged out so long? I'm still having fun with Zebra 2...just wondering.

[EvilDragon]

Stuff happened.

[Cinebient]

....ten years in the making....you know, good marketing

[sempondr]

...was there some reason this release has been dragged out so long?

Release of other niche products before market is saturated (Diva, Hive etc.).

[KBSoundSmith]

This thread is almost 5 years old. So I don't have to read the whole thread, was there some reason this release has been dragged out so long? I'm still having fun with Zebra 2...just wondering.

Probably because the more complex a product is, the fewer people there are who will buy it. U-he is/should be in the business of staying in business -- which means focusing on products that will actually bring in revenue.

Consider the upgrade path to Zebra 3 -- a decent number of people will be getting that for free as per the promises of U-he (buying Dark Zebra). So Zebra 3 isn't going to be a cash cow...especially when the inherent complexity of the synth will scare off most potential customers.

In fact, if I had to guess, products like Diva and Repro-1 are probably subsidizing U-he's other products right now, Zebra included. I'm sure Zebra 2 has been respectable over the years, but I'd be shocked if it was U-he's best seller. As cool as Zebra is, development of Z3 understandably hasn't been a priority. (and just to be clear, I'm not u-he associated, I'm just speculating).

SIDENOTE: And about the complexity of the product...it is a grave misunderstanding to believe that one's potential customers are sophisticated. They almost certainly aren't. For example, nearly 80% of young people can't tell the difference between and ad and an article (and I've no doubt that number is more universal -- the study was limited to young people). http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/ ... -from-real

The takeaway? Don't be surprised when people are unable to correctly use tools more complex than a hammer and a nail -- and when they can't, it's the tool that will be blamed (and returned and/or never purchased).

That doesn't mean you shouldn't make complex things -- but when you do, you have to be realistic about potential sales and structure pricing accordingly (and on that note, most software developers are UNDERCHARGING significantly).

[Urs]

I'm sure Zebra 2 has been respectable over the years, but I'd be shocked if it was U-he's best seller.

In April 2017 Zebra outsold Diva by a small margin in our webstore, and due to it's higher price it is a staple even when it doesn't. In May 2017, Diva contributed 22.56% to revenue, Zebra 21.13% followed by Repro (18.28%), Hive (12.51%), TDZ (6%). All other products combined do another almost 20%.

Nevertheless, Zebra remains our most sold product with more than 10000 customers. Which is barely what stuff like Serum or Nexus are supposed to sell in a quarter. Hence, if those figures aren't exaggerated like fountains of water on Mars, I suppose we can sell a gazillion copies of Zebra 3 if only we manage to make the UI nice and shiny

The reason we delayed Zebra 3 again and again is mostly the advent of multicore processors (and the side effects of developing for plug-in platforms that weren't taking those into account), the need to grow from a bedroom company to an outfit of 15+ people and our naive attempt to support more platforms than we could handle, including plug-in formats and OS updates. Inbetween we had to release new products to keep afloat, and each product contains technologies that were developed in hindsight of Zebra 3.

[KBSoundSmith]

I'm sure Zebra 2 has been respectable over the years, but I'd be shocked if it was U-he's best seller.

In April 2017 Zebra outsold Diva by a small margin in our webstore, and due to it's higher price it is a staple even when it doesn't. In May 2017, Diva contributed 22.56% to revenue, Zebra 21.13% followed by Repro (18.28%), Hive (12.51%), TDZ (6%). All other products combined do another almost 20%.

Nevertheless, Zebra remains our most sold product with more than 10000 customers. Which is barely what stuff like Serum or Nexus are supposed to sell in a quarter. Hence, if those figures aren't exaggerated like fountains of water on Mars, I suppose we can sell a gazillion copies of Zebra 3 if only we manage to make the UI nice and shiny

The reason we delayed Zebra 3 again and again is mostly the advent of multicore processors (and the side effects of developing for plug-in platforms that weren't taking those into account), the need to grow from a bedroom company to an outfit of 15+ people and our naive attempt to support more platforms than we could handle, including plug-in formats and OS updates. Inbetween we had to release new products to keep afloat, and each product contains technologies that were developed in hindsight of Zebra 3.

Those sales figures are about what I imagined -- Zebra has been around for a while and has had a solid reputation, so being your all-time best seller doesn't surprise me. But that it still runs neck and neck with Diva on a monthly basis does surprise me a little. I would have expected Diva to be favored a few more percentage points. But then again, Diva has been out for a few years now too.

No idea if the Serum figures are true or not either But, Serum IS an excellent synth, and it straddles the fence between complexity and user-friendliness very well. "Borrowing" a few ideas from it certainly couldn't hurt...however, I'd add that's its shiny GUI, in my estimation, isn't the primary reason it has sold as many copies as it has.

Anyway, can't wait for Zebra 3 -- I'm sure it's going to be a monster of a synth. And on that note, I've a feature request...

...given the recent demise of Linplug, it would be amazing if Zebra 3 was able to bring similar things to the table as Spectral (it is a brilliant synth, IMO). Spectral's capabilities are genuinely unique. It has an excellent FM/AM/PM implementation, coupled with user-definable, additive Filter curves and oscillators -- I know you probably don't have time to be demoing every synth on the market, but that one is worth attention (heck, maybe even purchase the rights from Linplug...I know, I know, probably not... )

[Arthropod]

Urs,

Thanks for the response, and I hope no one took my question as a complaint. As a Z2/TDZ owner, I'll be getting this update for free, I'm not about to complain!