Zebra 2 macro modulation with XY

[HonestCosby]

I’m trying to figure out if I’m missing something here or if this is just impossible but I just want to create simple macros that can modulate multiple parameters smoothly in a range I can define. The obvious choice seems to be the XY parameters since everything else asks for a modulation source like env or LFO etc.

Problem is when I map to the XY it makes it so that the center point on the x/y knob always coincides with the center point on the modulation targets knob which means that if the range I set straddles that center line but not symmetrically then movements to the left and right modulate the target different amounts relative to how much I turn the knob.

I literally just wanna create simple macros within a patch that I can configure to control inside my DAW and automate. With all of the extensive modulation options in the synth im finding it impossible to do such a simple task and it’s really frustrating. In the modulation matrix I can map anything to anything else but every modulation source is either an Lfo or an envelope or MMap or something complex. I just want a simple knob! 0-127. The only solution I can see now is just configuring all the knobs to go straight to a macro in ableton and setting the ranges there but that’s gonna be a serious workflow kill as far as keeping my work inside the synth until I’m ready to start arranging. Can someone help me please

[yellowmix]

XY pads are basically two knobs that don't turn, they're linear in a horizontal or vertical direction. If you assign only to Y on pad 1, then it doesn't matter if you move left or right, only if you move up and down. And that is effectively the same as rotating a virtual knob (unless you're using a circular motion setting).

You can refer to p. 79 in the manual for how to program the XY Pads. There's an example that works with the pitch that should illustrate how to set it. If you're still unclear then please explain with a practical scenario what you are trying to do (e.g., set the full Y1 range on oscillator pitch from -2 to +8).

[HonestCosby]

Thanks for the reply. My issue is that with the way it seems to be set up mapping something to just X or just Y does Bot actually function like a regular knob. I’ll use the example you mentioned to try to explain what I’m experiencing. Let’s say I map the tune from OSC1 to X1 and I want the knob turn modulate the pitch from -2 to +8. With a regular knob (let’s denote the position of that knob with a scale 0-1.) when the knob is at 0 the pitch is -2 and when the knob is at 1 the pitch is at +8. (This is also the case with the X1 knob in zebra) the problem is that the way they seem to be configured is that the middle point of the X1 knob is set to always coincide with the middle of the entire knob of the target in zebra so when the X1 knob is at default position (0.5) the pitch of OSC 1 will be 0 instead of +3 which is the actually middle point of the range I set. So now if I want to use one to modulate say filter cutoff and map a very specific range with a very specific middle point, unless my specific middle point is the exact middle point of the cutoff knob itself (this will almost never me the case) my X1 will not modulate my target in a linear way. Seems like the reasoning for this is because you can put both triangle marks on one side of the zero point so that the X1 knob sweeping from 0-1 makes it so the target moves from a value away from middle, to the middle and then back to start. (I don’t see myself using this feature though.) As far as I can tell this makes them basically impossible to use for most cases. But I’m really hoping there’s something I’m missing or that there’s at least an easy way to do normal linear modulation because im am in love with everything else about this synth

[yellowmix]

Yes, when the left and right bounds are unbalanced (different absolute values) it is not linear. They must be balanced to be linear. In order to do that, the modulated parameter must be set to the center between the desired values. Center between -2 and +8 is +3, so set Osc1 Tune to +3. Now the bounds can be balanced at -5 and +5. It is linear from A#2 to G#3, so center of X1 is no longer C, it's D#3 as expected.