Dear Zebra

[sekka]

If uhe were to explore samples, I feel the best place for it would be in its own dedicated plugin. Whether it be a sampler or a sample based synth. That way, the plugins entire design philosophy is derived from it using samples and it's not simply functionality added that otherwise doesnt has to be there.

Don't you see any obvious parallels with Comb module of Zebra and Triple Cheese?

Yet, no one here complains about existence of this module in Zebra but asks for more features to it.

Inconsistency, that's how it is called.

[rockmachine]

Hehe, the oscillators FX section alone could almost constitute a complete synth given that you can then modulate all of its parameters, so unbalanced? I don't think so. You can do wonders with just that, not even using the filters or effects section.

[HTT]

If uhe were to explore samples, I feel the best place for it would be in its own dedicated plugin. Whether it be a sampler or a sample based synth. That way, the plugins entire design philosophy is derived from it using samples and it's not simply functionality added that otherwise doesnt has to be there.

Don't you see any obvious parallels with Comb module of Zebra and Triple Cheese?

Yet, no one here complains about existence of this module in Zebra but asks for more features to it.

Inconsistency, that's how it is called.

I am not sure it is inconsistency at all. It is still pure synthesis, right?

I know you are a strong advocate for sampling being added to Zebra. I would prefer that Zebra remain a "pure" synthesizer. I appreciate using different powerful programs for sample modification like Iris 2, Gravity, Novo, Haunted Spaces, etc. The different programs make me think differently. They stir different ideas. They do great things differently from Zebra. I tend to fall into certain patterns with a program/plug-in. Maybe your experience and creative patterns are different from mine?

I have Alchemy. It has sample insertion capabilities. I don't use it to create my own sounds using the sampling portion of Alchemy. It doesn't do what I am looking for. With the above programs and Zebra, Alchemy kinda gets left in the dust. I don't see how Zebra with samples would do what I would want it do in a way that I (or most electronic musicians) do not already have covered by other programs/applications/plug-ins.

[pdxindy]

Just to defend my "unbalanced sound-design wise" statement, let's be a bit abstract.

If you'd ask an avarage (not in quality) sound-designer what his main tool should have first - at least some basic sampler functionality or even more improved than already is comb filter - what would he answer?

Live has a Sampler... So does Bitwig and Logic. All quite capable. These are the 3 DAW's I have used over the past decade. Most DAW's come with a Sampler with more than basic functionality. So most people already have that functionality.

For a while, u-he was working on physical modeling of drums for a potential drum machine. Seems the cpu use was too high, but it has been mentioned that some of that developed capability could make it into Zebra 3. That interests me a lot more than adding Samples to Zebra.

Actually, I have no interest in having samples added to Zebra because I already have more sample based tools than I will ever need. So yeah, I would rather Zebra keep improving what it does well and innovating synthesis.

I'm merely stating my opinion. It is up to u-he to decide what to do and what their interests are and in keeping the company healthy.

[madmod001]

A thought experiment:

If I made a sample playback device with some nice features. But the only samples I add are those of a sine waveform, a sawtooth waveform and a square waveform. So it would be a pretty plain synthesizer, but you could add your own samples. Make your own multisamples. How many would I sell of these?

Now, what if I added a terabyte of absolutely amazing multisamples everything super mapped and mangled all of it you can ever think of?

Exactly.

Omnisphere?

Hi Urs, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I personally think that too many developers don’t spend enough time listening to the people trying to earn a living using their products. So I am thankful that U-He in their wisdom do such a thing. I know it must be incredibly time consuming and sometimes frustrating reading these forums. Again I really appreciate your efforts.

Let me start by saying Zebra HZ is an absolute joy to use, focused workflow, small foot print, fast presents, great filters and the sound engine is wonderful. Kudos!

With that said, I really do miss a single sample player. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have to tickle the start time and ADSR of a stagnant drum sample to give it some life. Sure I have options, but let me just point out that in a collaborative scenario with different DAWs
- You can’t share the sampler of Live with Logic. Etc
- Modulation also becomes more time consuming to do let alone share.
With a sample player in zebra you can easily
- Keep intact and Share Modulation
- Share complex effect routings
- Layer a zebra oscillator with said sample and modulation plus utilise zebras vast synthesis and filter capabilities
- utilise that sweet sound engine
- Save it as a patch and quickly load into another project or different daw,
- save time for other creative endeavours:

Obviously there are a many creative applications. But I’m sure your aware.

If we added sample playback to Zebra, I'm afraid I'd spend the rest of my worklife listening to sample packs.

I totally understand your concerns, but ultimately it is you who decides to just add a player or bloat my HD.

Food for thought: I often wonder if Bob Moog would have made the synths he did if he had a forum telling him not to put a feature in one of his synths.
Flip side, John Bowen may not have developed Solaris, the software version (creamware scope) or hardware versions.

I voted no. I really like the sample oscillator in Phase Plant

This is a continuous theme, Maybe some people may not be familiar with the differences between Sample players, ROMpler, Sampler, how differently a pure sine sounds in different synth engines. Or maybe didn’t read the post entirely? Or I didn’t explain clearly enough?

Anyway, It’s ultimately Urs’s choice. It’s not like I’m going to stop using Zebra or Zebrify I just wouldn’t be able to use that sweet engine in the ways or as much as I would like to.

Kind Regards

[Urs]

I totally understand your concerns, but ultimately it is you who decides to just add a player or bloat my HD.

I am absolutely certain, if we added minimal sample playback, you can take all these pages and pages of threads like this and literally replace "sample playback" with "multisample support", with absolutely compelling arguments and all the promises that this would be all they need...

... until "round robin", "granular", "sample editor", "factory samples", "more balanced factory samples", "cinematic samples", "like Omnisphere" and so on and so on. And each time the arguments will be as compelling, convincing as yours, and everyone elses.

My strongest argument however is this: I am also absolutely certain that, once a synth like Zebra receives sample playback, people commonly get more lazy about sound design. Instead of, say, crafting great transients with the subtleties of availble envelopes, waveform onsets and all of that, they'll use a sample for that. And then they miss out on the options to shape it further. They'll actually forget these crafts or never fully develop them. Overall sound design quality drops. Synth dies. Hence, to keep it alive: Sample packs.

- U

[rockmachine]

"My strongest argument however is this: I am also absolutely certain that, once a synth like Zebra receives sample playback, people commonly get more lazy about sound design. Instead of, say, crafting great transients with the subtleties of availble envelopes, waveform onsets and all of that, they'll use a sample for that. And then they miss out on the options to shape it further. They'll actually forget these crafts or never fully develop them. Overall sound design quality drops. Synth dies. Hence, to keep it alive: Sample packs."

Exactly Urs. I don't understand the mania/want/need to take Zebra in that direction at all when it does the types of things it already does so excellently, especially wiht 3 on the horizon. There are a million rompler/sampler things out there for those interested, and if it's that people want the Zebra machine to manipulate sound more, why not just take a sampler and process it through Zebrify? I know you won't have access to every single feature, but...

[Shiek927]

I totally understand your concerns, but ultimately it is you who decides to just add a player or bloat my HD.

I am absolutely certain, if we added minimal sample playback, you can take all these pages and pages of threads like this and literally replace "sample playback" with "multisample support", with absolutely compelling arguments and all the promises that this would be all they need...

... until "round robin", "granular", "sample editor", "factory samples", "more balanced factory samples", "cinematic samples", "like Omnisphere" and so on and so on. And each time the arguments will be as compelling, convincing as yours, and everyone elses.

My strongest argument however is this: I am also absolutely certain that, once a synth like Zebra receives sample playback, people commonly get more lazy about sound design. Instead of, say, crafting great transients with the subtleties of availble envelopes, waveform onsets and all of that, they'll use a sample for that. And then they miss out on the options to shape it further. They'll actually forget these crafts or never fully develop them. Overall sound design quality drops. Synth dies. Hence, to keep it alive: Sample packs.

- U

This is completely rational and the very likely scenario on what will happen that has been proven to happen from other synths. Limiting your options FORCES you to improve your skills which has the side-effect of usually creating better music because you're not simply preset tweaking or throwing down a sample.

[HTT]

With that said, I really do miss a single sample player. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have to tickle the start time and ADSR of a stagnant drum sample to give it some life. Sure I have options, but let me just point out that in a collaborative scenario with different DAWs

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... kontakt-6/

Single sample player that works well with many, if not all DAWs. THE standard. Kontakt works alongside Zebra very well.

[pdxindy]

I totally understand your concerns, but ultimately it is you who decides to just add a player or bloat my HD.

I am absolutely certain, if we added minimal sample playback, you can take all these pages and pages of threads like this and literally replace "sample playback" with "multisample support", with absolutely compelling arguments and all the promises that this would be all they need...

... until "round robin", "granular", "sample editor", "factory samples", "more balanced factory samples", "cinematic samples", "like Omnisphere" and so on and so on. And each time the arguments will be as compelling, convincing as yours, and everyone elses.

My strongest argument however is this: I am also absolutely certain that, once a synth like Zebra receives sample playback, people commonly get more lazy about sound design. Instead of, say, crafting great transients with the subtleties of availble envelopes, waveform onsets and all of that, they'll use a sample for that. And then they miss out on the options to shape it further. They'll actually forget these crafts or never fully develop them. Overall sound design quality drops. Synth dies. Hence, to keep it alive: Sample packs.

- U

Is Zebra 3 going to have wavetable import like Hive?

[EvilDragon]

At the very least it should have .uhm support. I think that's a given.

[pdxindy]

If Z3 has wavetable import, that can function like a basic short sample player. I've resynthesized audio (vocal sounds and some instrument sounds etc.) in Icarus and imported the wavetables into Hive. Works well.

[Urs]

Yes, .uhm is very probable, as is wavetable import.

[AnX]

I wonder if uhe might do something similar to Synapse Audio

Dune v1, with osc replaced by a (very basic) sfz osc.

i guess they magazine (beat) asked for it, and the mag provides all the content

not saying uhe should do that with zebra, but (time and money permitting) maybe they could (if so inclined) make a sampler (sample playback synth) using some elements from their repertoire