Zebra + Distortion (new rev 2079)

[trance_lucent]

P. S. 2.6.1? I think that such GREAT ADDITION deserve less points in it's name.

It'll be 2.7 - but we need to keep public betas at lower version because their "beta-ness" may make them easier to crack. In case of which I want all the freeloaders out there to know that they don't have the latest version

A new word in copy protection!
Urs, If it won't be very time-consuming (I suppose no), please add the 24db/octave version of TN8 filter in 2.7.

[Beachboy]

Hmm, nobody mentions Zebrify and the use of the new distortion module on samples? I tried it with vocals (enhancing the high frequencies) an with drumloops (make them fat). It's just WOW!!

[ariston]

Hmm, nobody mentions Zebrify and the use of the new distortion module on samples? I tried it with vocals (enhancing the high frequencies) an with drumloops (make them fat). It's just WOW!!

Doh, never even thought of Zebrify! Reminds me that I should pick it up more often, it's such a great and versatile multi-fx box. I tend to take it for granted... which is stupid.

Anyways, thanks for the reminder!

[3ee]

The input is fed into the distortion, the output is just there to reduce or boost gain afterwards.

I'm getting changes in the ultimate output (other than gain) with the output knob. Guessing it does just boost gain, but that signal feeds into the EQ/Cab/etc later, and that stuff sounds different as a result.

Output: Won't a simple explanation be that they modeled input as well as output distortion stages?
The output knob doesn't seem like a simple gain compensation tool even if the signal goes to "etc" from there...

[ho66it]

2. Urs, please tell about Tilt knobs - what they do? It looks like like LP/HP pre/post filters, but their behaviour more difficult, like additional distortion of transfer curve.

Since someone more experienced than me has asked this question already...I'll bump it. What exactly DO the Tilt knobs do?

[3ee]

2. Urs, please tell about Tilt knobs - what they do? It looks like like LP/HP pre/post filters, but their behaviour more difficult, like additional distortion of transfer curve.

Since someone more experienced than me has asked this question already...I'll bump it. What exactly DO the Tilt knobs do?

Let me try to explain that:

So, my guess is that there's a crossover filter system tuned by "center freq" (either 6bd/oct or special shelving filter to "tilt" the spectrum before hitting the dist stage)

Pre tilt is for the input stage
Post tilt is for the output stage (since it's also a dist stage)

The confusion might be that the people's intuition bet on post tilt being some sort of compensation for the pre tilt but it doesn't seem so.

anyway, Urs please clarify this for us!

[Urs]

2. Urs, please tell about Tilt knobs - what they do? It looks like like LP/HP pre/post filters, but their behaviour more difficult, like additional distortion of transfer curve.

Since someone more experienced than me has asked this question already...I'll bump it. What exactly DO the Tilt knobs do?

Sascha has left for weekend already. He'll explain in detail next week.

Basically, what it does is

1. input gain
2. input filter (pronounce bass or treble, depending on tilt, frequencies and emphasize)
3. distortion stages
4. post filter (reverses effect of input filter, what was pronounced will be attenuated and vice versa)
5. output gain

- Urs

[ho66it]

Thank you Urs. That's intriguing, gotta try it out some more!

[trance_lucent]

Sascha has left for weekend already. He'll explain in detail next week.

So it was Sascha who developed this module... Thank you Sascha!
Thank you Urs for explanation.

So, my guess is that there's a crossover filter system tuned by "center freq" (either 6bd/oct or special shelving filter to "tilt" the spectrum before hitting the dist stage)

May be there is something more complex than crossover with center freq, because changing, for example, Post Tilt you clearly can hear (and see at spectrum anylizer) that there is something changing its frequency (center freq = const in this example).

Edit: although it is very likely low/high shelves indeed (with freq = "center freq"), It behaves like it. I just can't understand why there is "something changing its frequency" while changing Post Tilt (in the case of Pre Tilt I can understand why).

[3ee]

Edit: although it is very likely low/high shelves indeed (with freq = "center freq"), It behaves like it. I just can't understand why there is "something changing its frequency" while changing Post Tilt (in the case of Pre Tilt I can understand why).

Some small phase differences perhaps? those if introduced right + saturation/dist usually results in a FAT, pleasing sound as far as I know.

Try a simple experiment:

OSC1 a simple saw wave
VCF1 phaser 8: kbtrack max, cutoff + res to min for the moment.

play some notes ... no "major" difference in sound

add Shaper1 with the Wedge mode selected to notice an instant phase coloring.

give a bit of depth and play with VCF1's cutoff to finetune color.

Now just for fun ... move the osc tune knob only, as far as it goes up and down.

Yeah, these simple stuff combined and keytracked usually results in some cool waveshapers similar to building your own flexible sort-off oscfx.

[Aiynzahev]

Wow 10 years and still going strong. Congratulations. The new module sounds awesome too.

[trance_lucent]

Edit: although it is very likely low/high shelves indeed (with freq = "center freq"), It behaves like it. I just can't understand why there is "something changing its frequency" while changing Post Tilt (in the case of Pre Tilt I can understand why).

Some small phase differences perhaps? those if introduced right + saturation/dist usually results in a FAT, pleasing sound as far as I know.

Maybe. But As I understand Post Tilt is the last in the signal chain? There is no saturation after it.

As for Saturation after the equalization or just phaser - it of course the great tool! I played with it before using XMF as distortion. And, as you suggested, Foldback distortion (usually used XMF Folded, not the Shaper Wedge, but at pretty the same) is very creative tool for such design. It is much more relates to the tone of input than other curves, and often sounds very similar to FM. Although new Foldback in Distortion modules has less FMish character. But has its special area of application.

Edit: And the Rectifier mode is so sensitive to the tone and the shape (phase) of signal! Also has some FMish character sometimes. A little unusual but very creative.

[trance_lucent]

Something strange. Trying to test my Logic projects with new Zebra - and it plays unevenly the 1/16 patterns - like there is some Swing is on (it is off). Maybe something with my Logic? Yesterday it was ok.

Edit: No, not swing; there is latency on the Zebra tracks, various tracks have different. If I just switch Zebra to other synth, all is ok. May be license information was somehow resetted and this is Urs'es copy ptotection tricks? But "not registered" isn't displayed.

[djsubject]

Hmm, nobody mentions Zebrify and the use of the new distortion module on samples? I tried it with vocals (enhancing the high frequencies) an with drumloops (make them fat). It's just WOW!!

was just thinking this!

off to play with it on vocals now!

Subz

[Tp3]

Hmm, nobody mentions Zebrify and the use of the new distortion module on samples? I tried it with vocals (enhancing the high frequencies) an with drumloops (make them fat). It's just WOW!!

Thanks for the heads up !