More detailed information on the spectral effects.

[kyetech]

Are there any resources on the net that go into more detail / examples of what each of the spectral effects are and how they work?

The manuals info seems brief and I cant find any resources to help me learn? Some of them are obvious and some of them I can work out by watching an oscillascope as I change them, and some of them I just dont have a clue !

Some use cases for these things would be good too.

Thanks in advance.

Love this synth.

[bmrzycki]

They're probably the most interesting (and IMO trickiest) aspect of Zebra to come to grips with. They do vastly different things in different contexts:

1. Different source waves can react in surprising ways. Sometimes simpler waves are better (try sine waves too!)
2. The negative direction isn't always the opposite of the positive direction.
3. Modulating in small amounts can have very interesting results too. Try values as small as +/- .5.
4. Stacking the serialized effects can yield wonderful sounds even if one (or both) isn't modulated at all.
5. Always, always remember to try the Normalize and Resolution knobs in the More OSC... section. Those knobs affect the waveform before it's passed into the FX.

It's really hard to try an create a set detailed examples of each spectral mode, many can act in strikingly different ways on different waveforms or when moduleation is added. I know of no way to learn this other than investing the time with an oscilloscope, zebra, the excellent zebra manual, and possibly a glass or two of wine. I guarantee if you go slowly you'll discover many delightful corners of the FX universe you'll want to revisit again. Good luck!

[kyetech]

Thanks for the great reply.

Basically there is no substitute for experimentation and ear training i guess.

Ive been a graphic designer for a while. But ive got the audio bug now. (do it in my spare time)

Zebra is crazy good. And this community seem like a really good bunch.

I look forward to developing my skillz in the coming months and years!

[Sendy]

One thing to bear in mind is that waveforms that sound identical but have different shapes (due to phase position of each harmonic) can have radically different results with the FX, because some of the FX work with (or seem to work with) the actual waveshape (wrap, fractalz, phase dist) while others work with individual harmonics (odd for even, filter, etc) and some might even do both. You can even use the spectral oscillator mode to define a set of harmonics and then use the resulting *waveshape* with a waveshape-sensitive effect, which comes under the scientific definition of "well wicked mate".

An interesting thing about Zebra's oscillators is that you effectively have a parameter space similar to a 3-dimensional wavetable. X axis is the user-drawable waveset (16 key waves, with many more inbetween interpolated or crossfaded depending on your choice of mode), while Y and Z happen when you set an osc FX in each of the two slots - which then populates each axis with a huge range of waveforms, each minutely different from the last - the exact definition of a wavetable! (only these are computed in realtime at the rate of the resolution parameter).

[Adrian B]

An interesting thing about Zebra's oscillators is that you effectively have a parameter space similar to a 3-dimensional wavetable. X axis is the user-drawable waveset (16 key waves, with many more inbetween interpolated or crossfaded depending on your choice of mode), while Y and Z happen when you set an osc FX in each of the two slots - which then populates each axis with a huge range of waveforms, each minutely different from the last - the exact definition of a wavetable! (only these are computed in realtime at the rate of the resolution parameter).

Nice way to think of it!

[Howard]

I shoulda guessed this but the Blancmange curve, when used as an audio waveform, sounds like.... a flipping organ. Way to disappoint, maths!

Wikipedia: "The blancmange curve can be visually built up out of sawtooth functions". Not sawtooth, but triangle... Anyone fancy fixing that article? Sendy?

[Sendy]

I shoulda guessed this but the Blancmange curve, when used as an audio waveform, sounds like.... a flipping organ. Way to disappoint, maths!

Wikipedia: "The blancmange curve can be visually built up out of sawtooth functions". Not sawtooth, but triangle... Anyone fancy fixing that article? Sendy?

Yeah, that annoys me, too. But outside of synth circles apparently any zig-zagged profile is called a sawtooth. I learned this the hard way

Anyway... I think it's kinda cool that if you sum several in-phase octaves of triangle waves you get the blancmange curve. But it's a classic example of a beautiful-looking waveform producing an uninteresting sound

[groundhum]

But it's a classic example of a beautiful-looking waveform producing an uninteresting sound

Never judge a sound by its trace.

[Howard]

Wikipedia: "The blancmange curve can be visually built up out of sawtooth functions". Not sawtooth, but triangle... Anyone fancy fixing that article? Sendy?

Yeah, that annoys me, too. But outside of synth circles apparently any zig-zagged profile is called a sawtooth. I learned this the hard way

I fixed the Wikipedia article myself. Was easy! Let's see whether someone unfixes it again...