64 Bit - Uhbik, Filterscape, Zebra 2.5.2 up!

[Urs]

Hi Urs

Firstly kudos for all your hard work and personal support here on KVR (got me to buy into Zebra, Uhbik and recently ACE).

Ignoring my earlier post re VSTi inputs which is based on an existing issue with VSIi audio input using an Access VirusTI 3 outs 1 in within Cubase 6. What benefits/featurs will VST3 support bring to the table with Zebra, guessing expression control any others?

Thanks

We've decided to support Note Expressions on all platforms, using a simple trick

The main benefit of VST3 for us is to provide for consistent 64-bit support on Mac and of course more timing accurate automation (like in AU). There are some ideas in the works which may benefit from audio inputs, expressions support (not just note expressions) and so on, we have to see where this will go.

All in all it's not too big a deal. We have basic VST3 support running, at some time we'll have a concentrated session to suss it out in depth.

[Elektrobolt]

We've decided to support Note Expressions on all platforms, using a simple trick

That grin is simply a rubbin' it in grin!

I can only agree with Jake Sully in saying "Outstanding!".

Thanks for the update!!!

[NothanUmber]

We've decided to support Note Expressions on all platforms, using a simple trick Very Happy

Does that "trick" lead to the side effect that users of the VST 2.4/AU version will be able to control the expression of individual voices by MIDI automation on individual channels (e.g. a "Mod wheel" event on midi channel 1 that controls a filter cutoff only affects the note played on channel 1 etc.)
That would be great! Prettyplease

(I already built me something like that by using using 16 Zebra instances with channel filters - but certain demaning presets let the CPU load skyrocket with this "brute force approach", in order to play without interruptions you need less-than-optimal buffer sizes that lead to a noticable delay when playing live)

Greetings,
NothanUmber

[mcnoone]

Urs.
Any idea when the next Zebra update-non-beta will be out?
Is it months or weeks?

[Urs]

NothanUmber

That, yes! Very simple but should be sufficient - ModWheel, PitchBend, Breath, Expression, AfterTouch would relate to the MIDI Channel of the Note(s) played, for the same patch, shared by the voices available.

MIDI Control Changes assigned to parameters will still work on a global scope though, otherwise we could go full blown multitimbral instrument anyway. We will need all channels to reach more parameters anyway.

At least, that's the theory. If and how it works - we'll see in a couple of weeks.

Urs

[Urs]

Urs.
Any idea when the next Zebra update-non-beta will be out?
Is it months or weeks?

We're in a bit of a dilemma. Clemens, Howie and I are working on a plan to bring out all the stuff that we've been cooking, but it involves some rather unspectacular things to happen before anything else...

Unfortunately the newsletter at uhniverse.com was a total flop in terms of subscriptions. Understandably so. Who wants to subscribe to something they already subscribed to when buying a product? - Hence we're setting everything up for a proper newsletter with a proper newsletter distribution company. But we need to merge the data from uhniverse with the ticked notifications from the ShareIt sales, which involves rebuilding the customer database with all license trails. Also, this information should be used to make license retrieval automatic and instant through a webinterface. And while we're at it we should consolidate all of u-he into a single, streamlined, beautiful and compelling website that suits the quality of the products on display.

It's mind boggling how long this takes. Clemens is creating a phantastic backend with Ajax for us, so we'll be able to serve customer needs much quicker and with the whole workforce (Clemens, Howie, Hans and myself). Howie is getting better and better with video tutorials and he has started to develop interest in other things than just Zebra and ACE. Myself I'm positioning images and properly layouted html blocks with properly cascaded style sheets on what will become that website. On the side, I fix bugs.

So unfortuantely I'm a bit out of the loop with the overall status of things, but in a week or two we shall start to betatest the new website and user net. And then I think that things will unfold and Clemens and I can concentrate on the actual process of creating good stuff.

[mcnoone]

So unfortuantely I'm a bit out of the loop with the overall status of things, but in a week or two we shall start to betatest the new website and user net. And then I think that things will unfold and Clemens and I can concentrate on the actual process of creating good stuff.

Thanks for the reply.
Definitely a lot going on.
Good luck with everything.

[bmrzycki]

Urs,

I think I found a bug when using KeyFol to modulate the cutoff of a filter in the global FX section.

Load Factory 2.5 -> 3 Fillers -> HS Paraphonium.

Disable the following modules: OSC2, Rev1, VCF6, Mix5, Delay1 (all that's left on is OSC1 and VCF5).

Next, remove MSEG2 from the VCF5 cutoff modulaton target.

When I play notes I hear really unpleasant pops and clicks on repeated notes. They're there on the default preset, I just notice them much more prominent when you make the changes I mentioned. On my system they're hitting +11dB. When I switch to 2.5 mode the clicks are gone.

It doesn't matter if I change filter types in 2.3 but it does matter if I remove the KeyFol modulation target from VCF5. I don't hear any clicks if I set the same VCF settings for a per-voice filter in 2.3 mode.

(Win 7 SP1 64-bit, Reaper 3.75, Zebra2 2.5 release 32-bit)

[Urs]

When I switch to 2.5 mode the clicks are gone.

Hmmm... it seems like soemthing is fixed, but it only applies to the structural changes that came with 2.5

I'll have a look anyway. Maybe there's something that can be added back into 2.3...

[opus_diaboli]

You definitely need a proper website which reflects the quality of your plugins.

[Urs]

You definitely need a proper website which reflects the quality of your plugins.

Yes, I think so too.

It's quite okay with Zebra, but the load of textual information just isn't bearable. Same for Filterscape. On the other hand side the Uhbik page is *bland*. It doesn't even come close to what these things can do. Same for MFM2.

The best page is the ACE one. Nice, to the point, yet informative, downloads & sales right there, not too many distractions.

The new website will be all there. We found a reasonably nice style and we looked around what other great product sites do. One of the great things are websites that explain the stuff quick and easily. So I abused existing gui code to create interactive maps of the plugs. Stuff like that.

Of course, now we have great user manuals (the ones Howie does), so we don't need to actually go in-depth on the website. We can concentrate on what's special about things.

The consolidation will be cool. Each product will have a single page, and all information will be condensed to that (not without adding some gimmicks of course). You'll see the wholeness.

But most of all, I think it'll look more pro. Without looking posh for posh sake.

Can't wait

[NothanUmber]

That, yes! Very simple but should be sufficient - ModWheel, PitchBend, Breath, Expression, AfterTouch would relate to the MIDI Channel of the Note(s) played, for the same patch, shared by the voices available.

Yes! This are very good news! Having 3 per voice CCs (Breath, Expression, ModWheel) + PitchBend+Aftertouch should be sufficient.

MIDI Control Changes assigned to parameters will still work on a global scope though

You mean MIDI Control Changes aside Breath, Expression and ModWheel? (That would be ideal!)
If not: In which scenario would the per voice CCs act per voice then? E.g. just in the ModMatrix or when modulating the XY panels?

Thanks a lot, looking forward to the most expressive Zebra since the invention of the canary bird choir

Greetings,
NothanUmber

[kaverka]

Urs:

I've been waiting for x64, and now that you've also announced VST3 support and Note Expression, I'm definitely in! That's exactly what I was hoping for. Before I buy, a couple of questions:

1) If I purchase Zebra, Uhbik and ACE now, will I get the upgrades when VST3 and x64, etc., are released?

2) Are you planning a bundle of those three packages, or is there a discount to buy more than one plugin at a time?

Thanks!

[Urs]

Urs:

I've been waiting for x64, and now that you've also announced VST3 support and Note Expression, I'm definitely in! That's exactly what I was hoping for. Before I buy, a couple of questions:

Regarding Note Expressions, you'll have PitchBend, ModWheel, Breath Control, Expression and Aftertouch available per note. That's basically what we can do without much of a rewrite. We might add some further MIDI controls later, but it'll be difficult for instance to use parameter automation per note.

We hope to add that some day within the next few weeks, but if you want to be really, really sure you should wait and see when & how it works.

1) If I purchase Zebra, Uhbik and ACE now, will I get the upgrades when VST3 and x64, etc., are released?

But of course. Yes.

2) Are you planning a bundle of those three packages, or is there a discount to buy more than one plugin at a time?

Usually there are individual discounts for the packages, such as the Zebra2 Dinosaur Crossgrade or the Uhbik Introduction Offer (still on until I fulfill a certain promise). We are restructuring the website however and we are thinking about some sort of a shop - no concrete plans though - so we *might* add some functionality to entice people to buy a few items at once. However, as with all special offers they have to be put in perspective. If an offer creates too many impulse sales to people who are unhappy afterwards, then customers are generally better off without. So - if, then any discount will be rather moderate.

Cheers,

Urs

[Urs]

MIDI Control Changes assigned to parameters will still work on a global scope though

You mean MIDI Control Changes aside Breath, Expression and ModWheel? (That would be ideal!)
If not: In which scenario would the per voice CCs act per voice then? E.g. just in the ModMatrix or when modulating the XY panels?

Thanks a lot, looking forward to the most expressive Zebra since the invention of the canary bird choir

Greetings,
NothanUmber

Hehe, the idea is this:

As posted above, the MIDI controls in question are PB, PW, AT, BC and Exp. Any modulation inside the voice structure (any Osc, Filter, Env, per-voice-Lfo), either attached directly or via ModMatrix will be per Channel (or per Note via Note Expressions)

However, if such a controller is used outside the voice structure (global Lfo, FX Section) then it's *most* likely that the controller with the lowest channel number (global scope on Note Expressions) will take over the responsibility.

MIDI Learn is completely out of the scope of this as the future implementation of MIDI Control will use all 16 channels to allow for 2000+ (almost 16 x 128) assignments.

Thus a parameter that's MIDI Learned to any CC will only react on a global scope but not on a per-channel/note basis. The opposite would require a fiull rewrite of the engine (fully multitimbral) and that's gonna blow cpu efficency and my mind among other things...

Now I just need to finish that website and Cocoa support to free the resources to do all that stuff

Urs