u-he Zebra 2
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Loading ...u-he Zebra 2 wireless modular synthesizer is a major update to the wireless modular synthesizer plug-in that makes it a completly new synthesizer in comparison with the first version. Zebra is a next-generation virtual synthesizer plug-in. It combines subtractive and additive synthesis with a powerful modulation engine that even smoothly integrates with the built-in effects section.
Details about U-He Zebra 2:
In many hybrid approaches different synthesis concepts live side by side – in Zebra everything integrates seamlessly. This is owed to Zebra’s renowned concept of modularity, called The Grid. Use an oscillator to build wavetables in an additive fashion, mangle these with some phase distortion effect, send that through a comb filter that in turn frequency modulates a sine oscillator. Sounds too harsh? – Put a warm sounding lowpass filter behind it! The whole signal flow has become stereo. Width, warmth and brightness are built right into Zebra’s synthesis – where it belongs. You don’t have to apply hordes of effects afterwards to make it sound good. Having options is a key feature of Zebra.
Zebra 2 comes with a completely redesigned user interface. It doesn’t only look cool, it’s also highly usable! Despite being packed with thousands of options and parameters, you will find it easy to work with Zebra.
Context sensitive activity: Things tend to know what you’re doing. For instance, when you turn a modulation knob, the corresponding modulation source gets highlighted. When you select a module in the Grid, it automatically jumps into your sight. No matter how complex stuff gets, this user interface makes even wildest stuff easy to master!
Four XY Controls offer powerful means to bend a patch into something new, without destroying the original sound. Each XY can control up to 16 parameters – 8 per axis – in independent ranges for up/down or left/right movements. Quick setup wizards let you easily assign typical modes of usage, or you can dive deeper and control everything precisely.
Cool: Included with Zebra comes another little synthesizer going by the name of Zebralette.
New in Version 2.1: Improved support for .tun files, more presets and a new & extremely phat sounding filter module called “XMF”; The two XMFs came in with Zebra V2.1 – it’s an extremely powerful filter module that does a lot of analogue stuff, including input dependent distortion and FilterFM. Plus, it’s self-oscillating even without any input signal.
Buy u-he Zebra 2- 155 EUR / $199 USD
Download Demo (VSTi for Win XP and MacOSX; AU for MacOSX; Saving is disabled and occasionaly the volume drops out):
Zebra 2 Demo – PC WinXP 
Zebra 2 Demo – Mac OSX VST and AU
Features:
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Signal Flow
- Synthesis Grid with 4 x 12 module matrix.
- Effects Grid with 3 x 6 effects matrix.
- Mixer for each output in Synthesis Grid.
- Sends/Returns for Channels 2 & 3 of Effects Grid.
- 4 x Oscillator
o 16 editable wavetables/curves.
o Additive or graphical wavetable generation (4 modes).
o Single, dual, quad modes.
o Sync and PWM for any waveform.
o 2 special oscillator effect sections, 17 types each.
o Normalization.
o Mix and panning.
o Resolution controls modulation accuracy vs. cpu hunger. - 4 x Filter
o 18 types.
o Includes phasers, formant filters and analog modelled lowpass filters. - 4 x FM Oscillators
o FM by input from any other module in the signal chain.
o FM by self (feedback).
o Amplitude Modulation mode (AM).
o Alternative FM using a lowpass filter on input signal.
o Mono or stereo operation with pan, mix and width. - 2 x Noise Generator
o White, Pink, Digital, Crackles.
o 2 built in filters to vary the noise generation.
o Mono or stereo operation with pan, mix and width. - 2 x Comb Filter: Comb filters are short delay lines with a feedback path. They can be used for flanging effects or spectral mangling of sound. The feedback can cause self oscillation. When played “in tune” with some damping, comb filters provide a vast source of “alive” sounds. This is often used as a building block for digital models of natural instruments such as strings and wind instruments.
o 5 modes with different types of feedback networks.
o Up to 4 comb filters in the network.
o PreFill function initializes delay buffers with noise.
o Frequency independent feedback.
o Damping and waveshaping of feedback signal.
o Control of delay time ratios.
o Alternative input point for some types (Flavour). - 2 x Ring Modulator: Oversampled, aliasing free ring-modulation.
- 2 x Shaper
o Currently just one soft saturation mode (work in progress…).
o Edge parameter for band selective waveshaping, leaving treble untouched.
o Depth parameter for mode specific variations (i.e. asymmetry). - 4 x Channel Mixer: Combines Grid Channels.
- 2 x ModFX
o Chorus/Flanger, Phorus and Phaser modes.
o Signal split to operate on variable mid bands.
o Optional equalization.
o Optional Quadrature element. - 2 x Delay
o Stereo, Dubby, Multitap modes.
o Pan, sync and ratio (percentage of sync) for up to 4 taps.
o Lowpass and highpass on feedback.
o Normal feedback and crossover feedback for ping-pong delays. - 1 x Reverb
o Currently 2 models.
o Reverberator (delay network) and Diffusor (allpass network).
o Range parameter scales delay lengths (similar to room size).
o Independent Range for Reverberator and Diffusor for artificial rooms.
o Feedback in Reverberator controls decay, can be infinite.
o Feedback control in Diffusor (smooth diffusion, slap back).
o Warm, smooth modulation. - 2 x Shaper: See Shapers in Synthesis Grid.
- 1 x Ring Modulator: See Ring Modulators in Synthesis Grid.
- 2 x Channel Mixer: See Channel Mixer in Synthesis Grid.
- Compressor, eq, etc.
- General
o Velocity
o ModWheel
o Breath Control
o Expression
o Gate
o Key Follow - 4 x Envelope
o ADSR.
o Fall/Rise for Sustain Phase.
o Optional Init value or Delay.
o Optional Sustain2, Loop Time or Release2.
o Variable Slope mode.
o Different time bases, including sync to host tempo.
o Every parameter can be scaled by Velocity and Keyfollow. - 6 x LFO (2 global, 4 per voice)
o 8 waveforms.
o Modulatable Amplitude and Rate (voice only).
o Delay (voice only). - 4 x MultiStage Envelope Generator
o Up to 32 nodes.
o Variable slopes for each segment.
o Loop.
o Various meta controls are not yet in the preview version. - modulation mixer, scaling operator, arpeggiator, etc.
- Modulation Matrix.
- Arpeggiator
- Alternative tunings
- Module presets
- Tons of patches
Synthesis Grid
Effects Grid
Modulation Sources
Also:
Zebra is for sound designers:
- Modular architecture with up to 4 oscillators, 4 dedicated fm oscillators, 4 filters, 4 vca/pan, comb filters, waveshapers, ringmodulators, noise generators for each voice that’s 24 audio modules, 28 modulation sources, thousands of parameters to tweak, accessible over a still very intuitive user interface drag and drop circuit building
- 4 syncable MultiStage envelopes/step sequencers
- 4 ADSR envelopes, 4 LFOs per voice
- Playmodes: polyphonic, single trigger, legato modes and arpeggiator/step sequencer
- Spectral Editor: Unlimited number of Waveforms (including additive synthesis)
- Flexible Modulation Matrix
- 16 on-board Effects: ModFX (Chorus, Flanger, Pha
ser), Delay, Reverb, Ringmodulator, Filters, Waveshapers, Mixers
2 internal send busses and flexible effects routing
Download Demo (VSTi for Win XP and MacOSX; AU for MacOSX; Saving is disabled and occasionaly the volume drops out):
Zebra 2 Demo – PC WinXP Zebra 2 Demo – Mac OSX VST and AU
Demo Songs:
NedFX – Zebra Planet;
Zebra2 Dark Drone Orchestra;
Zebra2 Ambient Demo;
Zebra2 Wave Mangle;
Zebra2 Interstate 303.
Screenshots:
Buy u-he Zebra 2- 155 EUR / $199 USD
Note: Very cool for hardware synth owners is the interesting “Dinosaur Crossgrade” offer, which could get new purchasers $50 OFF its normal price for a little work on their side. The Dinosaur Crossgrade is a special offer for synthesizer enthusiasts who are looking for a good software solution to Retire & Replace an ancient piece of analog gear in their studio. Zebra might be the ideal machine for this.
More info:http://www.u-he.com
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Tags: analog, chorus, compressor, delay, digital, distortion, effect, equalizer, filter, flanger, mp3, operator, patches, reverb, ring modulator, sage, saturation, synth, update, vst, warmth, wav