U-HE Zebra2 User Guide
User Guide
Version 2.9
25. November 2019!
U-he • Heckmann Audio GmbH • Berlin
2
Table of Contents
Introduction 5
About Zebra2! 5"........................................................
Quick and Easy Tutorial! 7"........................................
User Interface 10
Basic Operation! 10"..................................................
Upper Bar! 11"............................................................
Temporary GUI settings! 12"......................................
Synthesis Window! 12"...............................................
Main grid! 13".........................................................
Lane Mixer! 14"......................................................
Performance Window! 15"..........................................
Lower Bar and Lower Pane! 16".................................
Preset Browser 17
Overview! 17".............................................................
Directory Panel (folders)! 18"..................................
Presets Panel (files)! 19".........................................
Preset Tagging! 20"....................................................
Search by Tags! 21"....................................................
Search by Text! 23"....................................................
Global Settings 25
PITCH! 25".............................................................
GLIDE! 25"..............................................................
VOICES / MODE! 25".............................................
MICROTUNING! 26"...............................................
SWING! 26"............................................................
Generators 27
OSC main panel! 27"..................................................
PHASE! 28"............................................................
OSC FX! 28"...........................................................
List of spectral effects! 29"....................................
MIXER! 30".............................................................
OSC Lower Panel! 31"................................................
OSC Wave Editor! 33"................................................
GeoMorph & SpectroMorph! 34"...........................
GeoBlend & SpectroBlend! 35"..............................
2
FMO main panel! 38"..................................................
FMO lower panel! 39".................................................
Noise! 40"...................................................................
VCF! 41".....................................................................
XMF! 43".....................................................................
Comb! 45"..................................................................
SB (Sideband)! 48".....................................................
Shape! 48"..................................................................
Distortion! 49".............................................................
Ring! 51".....................................................................
Mix! 51"......................................................................
Fold! 52".....................................................................
Modulators 53
List of Modulation Sources! 53".................................
Modulation Matrix! 54"...............................................
ENV! 55".....................................................................
MSEG! 58"..................................................................
LFO! 60".....................................................................
LFOG! 62"...................................................................
MMap! 63"..................................................................
MMix! 65"...................................................................
Outputs and Effects 66
The FX Grid! 66".........................................................
ModFX1 / ModFX2! 67"..............................................
Delay1 / Delay2! 68"...................................................
Rev1! 69"....................................................................
Comp1 / Comp2! 70".................................................
EQ1 / EQ2! 71"...........................................................
NuRev! 72".................................................................
Performance 73
Arpeggiator / Sequencer Programming! 73"..............
Quick insight tutorial! 73".......................................
Selectors! 74".........................................................
Step parameters! 75".............................................
Programming the XY Pads! 76"..................................
Configuration 78
About MIDI CC! 78"....................................................
MIDI Learn! 79"...........................................................
MIDI Table! 80"...........................................................
Preferences! 81".........................................................
3
Tips & Tricks 83
Motion viewer for modulators! 83".........................
Spectralize! 83"......................................................
Modulation inverter! 84".........................................
Absolute value! 84"................................................
Vibrato under control! 84"......................................
More MSEG handles! 84".......................................
Zebrify 85
Introduction! 85".........................................................
MIDI! 86".....................................................................
Input! 87"....................................................................
Input Mixer! 87"......................................................
Envelope Detector! 87"..........................................
Pitch Detector! 89".................................................
ZRev 90
Modulation Target Lists 91
Generators! 91"..........................................................
Modulators! 97"..........................................................
Global! 99"..................................................................
Effects! 99".................................................................
Flow Diagrams 104
Delay Modes! 104".................................................
XMF Modes! 106"...................................................
NKS 107
Troubleshooting 108
4
TOC INTRODUCTION
Introduction
About Zebra2
Zebra2 is a wireless modular synthesizer. Designed for flexibility, ergonomy and low CPU
hit, Zebra2 has an excellent reputation for consistently great sound quality. Zebra2 is the
weapon of choice for composers and musicians who need an uncompromising workhorse
synth – practically all parameters are valid modulation targets.
Zebra2 modules only appear while they are in use: Add an oscillator to the patching grid
and it will appear on the left, use an LFO for anything and it will appear on the right. After a
little practice you will find programming Zebra2 very comfortable and lightning fast. Which
in the end translates to... more fun!
Installation and updates
Go to the Zebra2 web page and download the latest installer for your system (macOS or
Windows). Unzip the compressed file, open the Zebra2 folder and start the installer.
Zebra2 works in demo mode for a while before it cycles through a series of 5 notes instead
of the correct ones. Register your copy by clicking on Zebra2’s data display and selecting
the first entry, enter serial number. Then unload and reload Zebra2 to make 100% sure
that the registration process is complete.
During installation, files are written to the following locations by default (Windows users
please note that these have changed since previous Zebra versions):
macOS
Presets (local) MacHD/Library/Audio/Presets/u-he/Zebra2/!
Presets (user) [you]/Library/Audio/Presets/u-he/Zebra2/!
Preferences [you]/Library/Application Support/u-he/com.u-he.Zebra2...!
Themes MacHD/Library/Application Support/u-he/Themes/ (skin folders)!
Module presets MacHD/Library/Application Support/u-he/Zebra2/Modules/!
Microtuning MacHD/Library/Application Support/u-he/Tunefiles/
Windows
Presets (local) C:\Users\[you]\Documents\u-he\Zebra2.data\Presets\Zebra2\!
Presets (user) C:\Users\[you]\Documents\u-he\Zebra2.data\UserPresets\Zebra2\!
Preferences C:\Users\[you]\Documents\u-he\Zebra2.data\Support\ (*.txt files)!
Themes C:\Users\[you]\Documents\u-he\Zebra2.data\Support\Themes\
Module presets C:\Users\[you]\Documents\u-he\Zebra2.data\Modules\!
Microtuning C:\Users\[you]\Documents\u-he\Zebra2.data\Tunefiles\
To uninstall everything (including Zebralette, Zebrify and Zrev), delete all the above except
the Themes and Microtuning folders, especially if they are used by other u-he plug-ins."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 5
TOC INTRODUCTION
Version 2.9 caveats
If a realtime malware scanner e.g. Windows Defender checks the Zebra2.data folder every
time it is accessed, the new browser can get very slow. In such cases, please add that
folder to the exceptions list (we don't put executable files in there). Mac owners running
similar software should add all /u-he/Zebra2/ resource directories to the exceptions list.
Depending on your setup, the full-size editors can get too slow at larger GUI sizes, even
on new computers. Mac users should try setting the colour profile to sRGB IEC61966-2.1.
Online resources
For downloads, news and support, go to our website
For heated debates about u-he products, go to our forum
For friendship and informal news updates, go to our facebook page
For u-he presets (paid or free), go to our patch library (PatchLib)
For video tutorials and more, go to our youtube channel
For personal pics and a few videos, go to our instagram page
For audio demos of soundsets, go to our soundcloud
The most frequently asked question by newcomers is:
Q: Why does Zebra go way out of tune after a short while?
A: That’s the demo mode restriction.!
Right-click on the data display, enter your serial number and restart Zebra.
Team 2020
•
Urs Heckmann (boss, concepts)
•
Howard Scarr (user guides, presets, necessary grump)
•
Rob Clifton-Harvey (IT admin, backend development)
•
Viktor Weimer (support, presets, the voice)
•
Sebastian Greger (GUI design, 3D stuff)
•
Thomas Binek (QA, bug-hunting, presets)
•
Frank Hoffmann (more framework, new browser)
•
Jan Storm (framework, more code)
•
Sascha Eversmeier (code, bad puns)
•
William Rodewald (student life-support code)
•
Alexandre Bique (all things Linux)
•
Henna Gramentz (office supervision)
•
Jayney Klimek (office management)
•
Alf Klimek (tagging & repairs)
•
Melina Garbisch (studio attendant)
•
Oddvar Manlig (everything else!)
Special thanks Brian Rzycki for maintaining PatchLib."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 6
TOC INTRODUCTION
Quick and Easy Tutorial
Load Zebra2 into your preferred plugin host / sequencer / DAW. If you’re not sure how to
do this, please refer to the documentation belonging to that application.
Click on the PRESETS button in the upper bar. The browser shows a list of folders on the
left, and all presets contained within the selected folder in the centre:
The contents of the Local folder
In the folders pane, click on Local to open it if necessary. You should see category folders
(1 Bassics, 2 Leaders etc) on the left, and several presets in the main area. Click on any
preset and play your keyboard. Use the up/down cursor keys to step through the others.
While auditioning te factory presets you should always try out the standard performance
controls velocity, pitch bend, modulation wheel and pressure. Some presets will also
react to the user-definable MIDI control changes (CC#02 and CC#11 by default).
Now that you know how to audition factory presets, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the
Zebra2 way of creating your own. Start by right-clicking on the data display and loading the
first entry, init (initialize). Then click on the SYNTHESIS button:"
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 7
New in version 2.9
All factory presets now include complete XY pad assignments!
Click on the PERFORM button and try them out while auditioning presets.
TOC INTRODUCTION
SYNTHESIS window of the ‘init’ preset
Only 3 modules are visible in Zebra’s main programming window because init only uses
one oscillator, one envelope and one LFO. Play your keyboard – it sounds even simpler
than it looks, but this simplicity is precisely what makes init a great starting point for creating your own presets.
Click on the OSC1 button in the lower bar, grab the highlighted rectangle at the bottom
and move it around while playing some notes: All waves are the same (sawtooth). In the
OSC1 WAVE panel to the left, choose the oscillator preset called Tri-Saw-Pulse by click-
ing on the grey bar (which currently reads ‘none’) and selecting Tri-Saw-Pulse from the list.
Close the preset window, test the different waveforms, then set it to Wave 5 (a sawtooth).
Click in the main grid somewhere below OSC1 and select OSC2 from the list. A second
oscillator appears in the lefthand pane. Turn the Detune knob in one of the oscillators up to
15 and play some notes. Take the Vibrato amount in the other oscillator up to about 30 for
some extra movement. In the righthand rack, change the LFO SYNC mode to 0.1s and
move its Rate down to about 60.
Now click below OSC2 and select VCF1 (a multi-mode filter). The default is LP Xcite: Click
there and select LP Allround, a more resonant lowpass. Move the Cutoff knob while playing the keyboard, then leave it at about 75. Click on the unlabeled knob on the far left, select Env2 from the list and turn that knob up to 70. Play your keyboard. In the righthand
rack, adjust the ENV 2 Attack to 20, Sustain to minimum and Velocity to maximum.
In the upper bar, turn OUTPUT down a little so that you don’t distort, then just play…"
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 8
TOC INTRODUCTION
Click on the GLOBAL button at the far left of the lower bar. In the middle you will now see
a small effects grid, which is used for selecting and routing effect modules.
Click on the cell below the currently inactive ModFX1 (a chorus) and choose NuRev1 from
the bottom of the menu. Reverb parameters appear in a panel to the right, replacing whatever was there before. Adjust reverb parameters Decay, Size, and especially Dry/Wet.
Next, add an EQ module below [NuRev]. An Equalizer panel appears, replacing the reverb
panel. In the effects grid, click on [EQ1] and drag it up one cell: [EQ1] will swap places with
[NuRev] so that the dry signal is equalized before the reverb instead of after it. Experiment
with all effect settings (remember that clicking on a cell will reveal its panel) as well as the
generator and modulator settings.
the SYNTHESIS window after following the above tutorial, with the GLOBAL panel open
Now would be a good time to learn more about Zebra’s GUI – see the next section.
If you’re already feeling confident you could try refining this simple preset while looking up
the appropriate information in the reference chapters.
Tips: For fine control, hold down a SHIFT key on your computer keyboard before adjusting
the knob. Whenever you arrive at an interesting sound, press SAVE in the upper bar.
Saved presets will land in the root of the User folder by default, but you can change this
behaviour globally (see Preferences)."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 9
TOC GUI
User Interface
Basic Operation
Although operating Zebra is fairly intuitive, there are a few points worth mentioning…
Standard controls
Values are adjusted via click-and-drag, with fine control by holding
down a SHIFT key. All knobs are either unipolar like Release in this
image, or bipolar like Velocity in this image. Bipolar knobs are usually centre-zero, with negative values to the left and positive values
to the right, but there are exceptions e.g. the Delay times.
A double-click resets any knob to its default value. If your mouse has a scroll wheel, try
hovering over any control and rolling the wheel. For finer control, hold a SHIFT key.
Assignable controls
Most of Zebra’s modules include freely assignable controls that directly
modulate important parameters. Select a source by clicking the label (or the
knob if unassigned). The target is the knob above or to the right, indicated
by a small triangle. Note that both assignable controls in the VCF module
affect Cutoff. Also, what appear to be assignable controls in the envelopes
are actually pre-attack and post-sustain options (see ENV).
Buttons, switches, mouse wheel
Most of the rectangular buttons open drop-down menus. Like the knobs, most of them
also react to mouse wheel movement (this is particularly useful in the Arp/Seq panel).
If your mouse wheel is rastered (noticeable clicks), check that Mouse Wheel Raster is
switched on (see Preferences). This ensures that each click corresponds to a ‘sensible’
step e.g. integer increments.
Modulator panels
While generator panels appear as soon as a cell is defined in the grid, modulator panels
only appear if they are being used to modulate something. To take a quick peek at an
unused modulator, you simply have to ‘use’ it – click on an assignable control and select
that modulator (e.g. MMap1) from the dropdown menu.
Parameter locking
Right-click on a control and select ‘Lock’. The lock only prevents the value
from changing when you switch presets, it does not prevent you from adjusting the value directly. To unlock, right-click again and untick ‘Locked’ in
the menu. Example: Lock both Microtuning options to audition various presets, all with the same non-standard tuning.
Note: Right-clicking a knob also lets you assign XY control, as a quick alternative to the
method described in the XY chapter under Programming the XY pads.
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 10
TOC GUI
Upper Bar
At the top of Zebra’s window you will see this bar:
The SYNTHESIS, PERFORM and PRESETS buttons on the left are for selecting Zebra’s
three main windows. Try clicking on them.
The central Data Display has three distinct jobs:
Firstly, it shows the name of the currently selected preset. You can step forwards and
backwards through the presets by clicking on the triangles to the left and right. Clicking on
the name opens a drop-down menu of all presets in the current directory – a convenient
way to load another preset without opening the PRESETS window.
Secondly, it shows the value of the parameter being edited. Watch the display whenever
you need to set specific values. After about 2 seconds, it reverts to the preset name.
Thirdly, right-clicking on the display toggles between compatibility mode 2.3 (a faint ‘2.3’
appears on the right) and the regular 2.5+. While editing 2.3 presets, remember that this
mode does not support some more recent features and improvements. Also, the sound
can change when you switch from 2.3 to 2.5, mainly due to the improved XMF module.
INITIALIZE: At the top of the same context menu (right-click on the display) is a simple
template called init you can load whenever you want to program from scratch. The main
grid contains an oscillator and the effects grid has an inactive Chorus/Phaser (ModFX1).
UNDO / REDO: The curved arrows to the right of the data display can be used to fix recent
‘mistakes’. Although the number of steps in the undo buffer is limited, you can even undo a
change of preset so that switching presets before saving doesn’t mean losing your work.
MIDI activity: This small indicator lights up whenever MIDI data is being received.
SAVE button: Stores the preset into either the currently selected folder or the ‘User’ folder,
depending on the Save Presets To setting (see Preferences). To select a different folder,
click on PRESETS and navigate in the directory. Then click on [SAVE], give your preset a
suitable name and enter any details you would like to appear in the INFO area of the
browser. Please avoid using the following characters: (\ / ? % * : " > < =).
Right-clicking on [SAVE] opens a menu with a choice of file formats. The recommended
h2p option is our normal cross-platform format (editable text), while h2p extended includes
extra readable information. The native option is the standard format of your system (.fxp
for VST and AAX, .aupreset for Audio Units). If you have loaded Diva as VST2, you will
also see the option nksf: See the NKS chapter towards the end of this document.
OUTPUT knob: The final volume, the sum of MAIN, BUS1 and BUS2. OUTPUT is one of
the few parameters in Zebra that cannot be modulated by envelopes, LFOs etc.. Controls
the same parameter as the OUTPUT knob below the FX Grid. Normally set to 100%, a
preset’s volume can be boosted up to 200% if necessary.
Clicking on the u-he badge opens a popup menu containing links to this
user guide, to our company homepage, to our KVR support forum as well
as to our presence in various social networks."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 11
TOC GUI
Temporary GUI settings
Right-clicking anywhere in the background of the control bar or lower pane opens a menu
with options for GUI skins i.e. alternative designs (the current standard is DotEight) as
well as GUI sizes (as percentages and as width x height in pixels).
More permanent settings are available in the Preferences page.
Synthesis Window
Click on the SYNTHESIS button in the upper bar...
areas of the SYNTHESIS window
Generators rack
The area to the left contains control panels for each active module in the main grid (see
the next page). Generator panels can be reordered by clicking on the dividing line between them.
Modulators rack
The area to the right contains panels for control signals (envelopes, LFOs etc.) currently
in use. Modulators are not defined in the grid, but automatically appear as soon as they
are used as modulation sources. Modulator panels can also be reordered by clicking on
the dividing line between them.
If the rack isn’t tall enough to display all active generator or modulator panels, a scroll
bar will appear. Right-click in an empty area of either rack to choose auto scroll (scrolls
down to reveal the hidden panel) or selected on top (moves the panel of the module
selected in the grid to the top).
Note: The order of panels in the generators rack will seldom reflect the patch structure
as defined in the grid. However, you can swap their positions by clicking between them."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 12
UPPER BAR
GENERATORS
RACK
MODULATORS
RACK
LOWER BAR
LOWER PANE
MAIN GRID
LANE MIXER
TOC GUI
Main grid
The center of the Synthesis window is a grid consisting of four vertical lanes. This area
is used for connecting generators together, whereby the signal flow is top to bottom.
To add a module, click on an empty cell and select from the list. Drag modules around
the grid, deactivate via double-click (or Mac: cmd+click, Win: alt+click), specify input
routing or remove the module via right-click. Clicking on a module will highlight the corresponding control panel in the generators pane.
IMPORTANT: Oscillators and noise generators (as well as FMOs in certain modes) do
not process audio, so when placed on top of one another in the same lane, the signals
are simply mixed together.
Lane 1 Lane 2
In the above example, both OSC1 and OSC2 flow into XMF1 (a filter). The XMF1 output
is then mixed with (not processed by!) OSC3, and the mixture flows down lane 1. OSC4
flows down lane 2 as well as modulating XMF1 cutoff (the red arrow).
Routing between lanes
Any module can route signals between
lanes. Select the source (‘Input’) lane for
the module by right-clicking on it.
In this example, OSC1 is comb-filtered in
lane 1. Both OSC1 and Noise1 are filtered
by VCF1 in lane 2.
By the way: If Noise1 had been two cells
further down lane 2, the Noise module
would have taken its input from Comb1.
Note: For the sake of simplicity and brevity,
the names of modules as they appear in
the grid (which often differ from the titles of
panels) are used throughout this manual.
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 13
OSC1 OSC2 OSC4
OSC3
XMF1
Lane 1 Lane 2
TOC GUI
Lane Mixer
Below the main grid is what looks like a 4-channel mixer. Indeed, this is where you adjust
the pans/volumes and select envelopes as well as routing to the FX grid for each lane.
main grid
mute, fx bus select
L/R pan or balance
pan modulation
amp envelope
volume
volume modulation
Mute
A handy mute button for each lane. In the image above, lane 2 is muted.
FX Bus Select
Selects an output for each lane:
main............ route to the lefthand lane of the FX grid (MAIN)
bus1............ route to the center lane of the FX grid (BUS 1)
bus2............ route to the righthand lane of the FX grid (BUS 2)
PAN / MOD
Pan position knob plus assignable modulation knob. Right-click on the Pan knob to toggle between pan and bal (balance) modes. Remember that balancing to the left means
fading out the righthand channel of your stereo signal, while panning to the left means
moving it over to the left.
Amp Envelope
Selects an amp envelope for each lane.
Env(n).........envelopes 1 to 4!
Gate.............a simple on/off envelope, slightly smoothed
VOL / MOD
Lane volume knob and assignable modulation knob. Modulation here scales the volume
from 0% through 100% (center) to 200%. In the example above, the modulation wheel
fades lane 1 down to silence, irrespective of the VOL level (which is about 70 here).
Tip: To fade in from zero, convert the modulation wheel to bipolar using a ModMapper
containing a ramp. Then use MMap1 as MOD source, set MOD to 100 and VOL to 50."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 14
TOC GUI
Performance Window
Zebra’s performance window is opened by clicking on the PERFORM button in the upper
bar. The four X/Y pads can control up to 16 parameters each, all at the same time.
the PERFORM window, with an ‘XY’ panel selected below
•
Click anywhere to jump to a new position – find different variations of the sound
•
Click and drag to move smoothly – for realtime performance
•
Double-click to reset to the center
•
Right-click to Lock (see Parameter Locking)
Next to each pad is a large field where you can add some text e.g. a functional description
(as in the above image). To do that, double-click in the empty area.
Note: NKS hardware owners might prefer to use the 8 knobs instead of the pads, as they
are independent. The factory presets, however, are generally geared towards 2D control.
Clicking on the [≣] icon of each pad replaces the text field with a list of X/Y assignments.
You can even edit or add X/Y assignments here without opening the XY panel in the lower
pane. Drag&drop assignment also works (see the image above), but as the generator and
modulation racks are not visible, this is more a convenience than a fully-blown feature
(useful for d&d assigning effect parameters, though!)
For details see the section about Programming XY Pads in the PERFORMANCE chapter."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 15
TOC GUI
Lower Bar and Lower Pane
The lower bar switches the contents of the lower pane:
GLOBAL
Output levels, the FX grid and FX panel, miscellaneous preset settings. Go there
OSC1 to OSC4
Wave Editor, oscillator load/save, miscellaneous oscillator settings. Go there
FMO
Additional settings for all 4 FMOs in a single panel. Go there
MSEG1 to MSEG4
Multi-Stage Envelope Generators. Go there
ARP/SEQ
For programming the arpeggiator / sequencer. Go there
XY1 to XY4
For programming the X/Y pads. Go there
MATRIX
The modulation matrix. Go there
Note: The lower bar and lower pane remain active in all window modes."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 16
TOC PRESETS
Preset Browser
Overview
You can load any preset in the current folder by clicking on the data display, or step
through presets by clicking on the arrow symbols either side of the data display. Of course
Zebra2 also has a preset browser – click on the PRESETS button in the upper bar:
Layout
Folders are on the left, presets in the centre and information about the currently active
preset on the right. If you can’t see the presets, click on Local then on a subdirectory (for
instance 1 Bassics). If there is no PRESET INFO panel on the right, click on the [≡] button
in the top righthand corner and tick Show Preset Info. The same menu also offers Show
Tag s in P res et In fo – untick if you prefer not to see any tags there.
Default, init
When Zebra2 is started it checks whether the Local root folder contains a preset called
default. If such a file exists, it is loaded instead of the standard demo sound. If you want
a simple template every time you start a new instance of Zebra2, right-click on the data
display and select init. Then select the Local folder and SAVE under the name default.
This preset will not appear in Zebra’s browser. If a fresh instance of Zebra doesn’t load
your new default, it probably landed in the User folder instead, in which case you should
change the Save Presets To setting in the Preferences and repeat the above.
Patch Format
At the bottom right of the browser you can specify the format in which your patches will
be saved. The default setting is u-he’s proprietary .h2p. To save in your plugin version’s
native format, select native. However, we recommend .h2p because patches in this
format can be directly exchanged between different computer platforms. The .h2p files
are editable text except for a block of compressed data at the end. More readable still is
.h2p extended, as this format can include comments for each line.
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 17
DIRECTORY TAGS
Search
RESTORE
initialize
------ try WHEELS on ALL sounds -----HS Argoblitz
HS Basedrop
HS Bells of Hypercomb
HS Bongolia
HS Broken 4 Rotate
HS Canned It
HS Cirrus Minor
HS Congatron Dance
HS Creeping Thing
HS Crystal Cave
HS Dadada
HS Diet of Worms
HS Dirty Resins 2
HS Divan
HS Divider Pad
HS Dotcom
HS Dropsy
HS Engine Room
HS eWater
HS Exoskeleton
HS Fantastic Planet
HS Farmbots
HS Five Oh
HS Fourth Over
HS Funkalimba A
HS Funkalimba B
HS Gargoyle
HS Guanabacoa Night
HS Harparp
HS Hybridigilog
HS Ice Temple
HS KickOff
HS Knock Bass
HS Light Side Run
HS Little Oldy
HS Maxibass
HS Midimoon Mix+
HS Miles Away
HS Negative Sink
HS One OSC Sitar
HS Pizzicatong
HS Pocket Love
HS Pocket Mallet
HS Polydrone
HS Popsicle
HS Rip Torn
HS Ripe Old Yam
HS Rotary Club
HS Scimitar
HS Scratched Sign
HS Secret Messages
HS Slow Offset Clav
HS Solar Rotor
HS Step Mother
PRESET INFO
- Use PERFORM page on all ‘+’ sounds -
- Use PERFORM page on all ‘+’ sounds -
DESCRIPTION
USAGE
MW = warble
CATEGORIES
FEATURES
CHARACTER
/Local
by Howard Scarr
Local
1 Basics
2 Leaders
3 Fillers
4 Pianoids
5 Orgones
6 Lupins
7 Noises
8 Perkers
9 Clowns
MIDI Programs
ready
User
Search History
Saved Searches
Favourites
Tags
Author
Junk (0)
h2p
Off
Off
PATCH FORMAT
SAVE ONLY ACTIVE MODULES
BYPASS EFFECTS
TOC PRESETS
Save Only Active Modules
If switched on, data from unused modules will not be saved with the preset. The main
advantage is that the .h2p files are smaller. The main disadvantage is that newly created modules will adopt settings from previously loaded presets, which can be confusing.
Bypass Effects
Mirrors the FX BYPASS button in the GLOBAL panel. Click on this button to temporarily
deactivate all effects in the grid. Note that the BYPASS switch is truly global – you won’t
hear any effects in any of your presets on any day of the week until you deactivate it!
Directory Panel (folders)
Local and User Folders
Factory presets are sorted into 9 folders. Untagged copies of 80 of them are also in the
Local root. After selecting a preset you can step through them using the cursor keys.
As ‘User’ is primarily meant for factory content as well as MIDI Programs, you should
save all your own creations to the ‘User’ folder, which is the default location (see the
Save Presets To preference).
MIDI Programs
As well as factory presets, ‘Local’ also contains a special folder called ‘MIDI Programs’.
When the first instance of Zebra2 starts, all presets in that folder (up to 128) are loaded
into memory so they can be selected via MIDI Program Change message. To retain the
order it is important to rename them e.g. ‘000 rest-of-name’ to ‘127 rest-of-name’.
‘MIDI Programs’ can contain up to 127 sub-folders, switchable via MIDI Bank Select
messages (CC#0). Send Bank Select first, then Program Change. ‘MIDI Programs’ itself
is bank 0, while sub-folders are addressed in alphabetical order starting with bank 1.
Important: The content of ’MIDI Programs’ cannot be changed on the fly. Any changes
there will only be updated when the host application is restarted.
Smart Folders
These are not regular folders, but the results of querying a database of all presets. The
content is therefore dynamic; it will change whenever the underlying data changes.
Search History displays the results of past searches. To make these more permanent,
right-click and select save Search… To empty the list, right-click on ‘Search History’ and
select clear.
Saved Searches contains any ‘Search History’ entries that have been saved. To remove
entries here, right-click and delete. Items dragged from ‘Saved Searches’ and dropped
into the ‘Local’ or ‘User’ root will create a folder containing real copies of all the listed
presets. This is quite a powerful tool for reorganizing your presets, but requires care!
Favourites are 8 colour-coded folders – see Presets context menu on the next page.
Junk shows all ‘junked’ presets. Presets dropped on this folder are immediately junked;
they will disappear from the rest of the browser unless made visible via show Junk.
Tag s contains smart folders for each Categories, Features and Character tag. Presets
dropped onto these folders will adopt the corresponding tag. Presets dropped onto the
‘Untagged’ folder will have all Categories, Features and Character tags removed.
Author displays a folder for each author name (as defined when presets are saved).
Presets dropped onto these folders will adopt the new author name."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 18
TOC PRESETS
Directory context menu
Right-clicking on any folder within Local or User will open this menu:
refresh: Updates the browser. Windows users should call
this function whenever files have been moved, added, deleted or renamed in Explorer. Seldom necessary on the Mac.
create new… Insert an fresh, empty subfolder.
rename… Edit the folder name.
reveal in Finder / open in Explorer: Reveals (Mac) or opens
(Win) the clicked folder in a system window.
on open expand to: Determines which nested directories will appear in the directory
whenever the GUI is loaded. The first option collapses all folders, while the final option
reveals all folders, however deeply they are nested.
Presets Panel (files)
The central, unlabelled area of the browser is where you click to load presets…
Presets context menu
Right-click in the preset list to open a menu containing the following functions:
mark as favourite: Choose one of eight ‘favourite’ marks. The
selected entry will be replaced with unmark as favourite.
mark as junk: Instead of deleting unloved presets, you can
mark them as ‘junk’ so they disappear from the browser…
show junk: Junk appears, but is marked with a STOP symbol.
select all, deselect: See ‘Multiple Selection’ below.
rename: Rename the most recently selected preset.
duplicate: Selected presets are copied with a number added
to the name. Like ‘Auto Versioning’ (see Preferences), the
number is incremented to prevent presets being overwritten.
reveal in Finder / open in Explorer: Opens a system window for
the preset. After making any changes there, Windows users
should refresh (see ‘Directory context menu’ above).
convert to native / h2p / h2p extended / nks: Selected presets
are converted to the format specified in the context menu of
the [SAVE] button or in the PATCH FORMAT field.
move to Trash / Recycle Bin: Send to the system trash.
The RESTORE button
You can audition presets without losing track of the one that was loaded immediately
before you opened the browser: [RESTORE] navigates to that preset and loads it.
Scan / Ready
Progress indicator for refresh (see Directory context menu above). It is best not to close
the plug-in or the host while a scan is in progress.
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refresh
create new…
rename…
reveal in Finder *
move to Trash
on open expand to
mark as favourite
select all
deselect
show Junk
rename…
duplicate
reveal in Finder *
convert to h2p
move to Trash
mark as junk
mark as favourite
mark as favourite
mark as favourite
mark as favourite
mark as favourite
mark as favourite
mark as favourite
TOC PRESETS
Multiple selection, drag & drop
A block of adjacent presets can be selected via shift+click, and individual presets can be
added to an existing selection via cmd-click (Mac) / alt+click (Win). Presets can then be
moved or copied via drag & drop, even between Zebra and your computer’s system
folders: Use SHIFT etc. on your keyboard to highlight files, then drag the selected files
onto a target folder. To copy instead of move, use opt+click (Mac) / ctrl+click (Win). You
should see a green ‘+’ beneath the file icon while moving presets. Note that you can
also move or copy individual folders – but please take care!
To deselect, click on any unselected preset or choose deselect from the context menu.
Preset Tagging
“Tags” are elements of metadata, information that you can add to presets so that they can
be found more easily.
IMPORTANT: Clicking on the [SAVE] button isn’t required, as tags are updated automatically. The main advantage is that presets don’t have to be saved each and every time you
edit a tag. The main disadvantage is that you should only edit tags AFTER saving your
preset. If you start editing tags while tweaking a preset, perhaps with the intention of saving it under a new name, be aware that you are changing the tags in the original preset!
The Tagging Window
Right-click on the [SAVE] button and select Tag this patch:
Category describes a preset by analogy to instrument types or typical usage, and each
has a more or less appropriate set of subcategories. Features are technical classifications,
and Character tags are pairs of opposites from which you can choose just one."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 20
Pads
Leads
Keys
FX
Drums
Seq+Arp
Other
Bass Acoustic
Analogue
Digital
E-Bass
FX Bass
Plucks
Rhythmic
Vocal
Sub
Dist+LoFi
Dry
Soft Attack
Chord
Mono
BPM
Slow Release
Percussive
Glide
Natural
Phat
Soft
Constant
Bright
Clean
Aggressive
Moving
Dirty
Thin
Dark
Synthetic
Poly
Duo
Synth
Sync
CharacterFeaturesCategory
Modulated
FM
Comb
TOC PRESETS
Tagging via Preset Info
In the PRESET INFO panel, right-click on the Category, Features or Character and select
or unselect tags from the menu. If you right-click on an existing tag, the first option in the
menu becomes remove tag.
The function create Search from Tags finds any presets with exactly the same Category,
Features and Character tags or any subset thereof. Can also be used to locate duplicates
with different names.
Tagging via Smart Folder
You can tag presets by dragging them onto one of the Tag s folders. To remove all tags,
drag presets onto the Tags/Untagged smart folder.
Search by Tags
Click on the TAGS tab to open this view. The buttons here let you set up search criteria
according to existing tags with just a few mouseclicks:
Below the Search field are 4 sets of buttons (CATEGORIES, FEATURES, CHARACTER
and FAVOURITES). The first 3 correspond to the tags in the tagging window (see the previous page), while the bottom row lets you find presets you have tagged as Favourites.
Clicking on the [^] icon to the right of each heading hides the options for that set of tags."
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 21
Search
CATEGORIES
FEATURES
CHARACTER
Bass
Bright Dark
Mono Poly Duo Chord Dry
Glide
Constant Moving
Soft Aggressive Phat Thin
Clean Dirty
FAVOURITES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Soft Attack
Pads Leads Keys FX Drums Seq+Arp Other
Slow ReleasePercussiveModulated
Natural Synthetic
BPM FM Comb
TAGS
TOC PRESETS
Categories and Subcategories
Here are a few bullet points to get you started. Especially for Category tags, following a
step-by-step tutorial is much easier than studying a full technical description. Try these:
Each Category has its own set of subcategories. Not selecting a subcategory here means
“show me presets tagged with any subcategory”. Click on [Leads]…
You can select multiple categories without specifying a subcategory if you hold cmd (Mac)
or alt (Windows) while clicking on the category. Try that with the [Keys] button. The number of hits increases dramatically.
Selecting a subcategory (e.g. [Bass]) with the same name as the main category means
“show me all presets in the Bass category that do not have any subcategories defined”.
Complete category+subcategory tags appear below the subcategories as buttons with ‘off’
switches [X] so that you can add other main categories by simply clicking on them.
Search by Tags Tutorial
•
Click on the DIRECTORY tab, right-click on the Search History smart folder and select
clear. Double-click on Local/3 Fillers to restrict the scope of the search to that folder. Instead of preset folders, the selected path appears below the Search field.
•
Click on the TAGS tab. In the Categories, select [Leads]. Subcategory buttons appear
and the preset window is updated to list all presets in 3 Fillers that are tagged as
[Leads]. In this case there is only one, namely HS Dom7Plus.
•
Now click on [Keys]. The [Leads] category is switched off, and the preset window is updated to list all presets in 3 Fillers that are tagged as [Keys]. There are quite a few of
those! Note that you haven’t specified a subcategory yet.
•
Hold down the cmd (Mac) or alt (Win) key and select the [Leads] category again. The
previously selected [Keys] button remains highlighted and the list includes the preset
HS Dom7Plus again – it shows all presets in the 3 Fillers folder that have either [Leads]
or [Keys] category tags, disregarding any subcategories.
•
Click on the DIRECTORY tab: The text #Leads:* #Keys:* appears in the editable field,
as well as in the Search History followed by the number of presets that were found. The
colon symbol ‘:’ functions as a separator between Category and Subcategory, while the
star (*) means “any Subcategory, even none”.
•
Click on the TAGS tab. Select the [Pads] category without holding cmd/alt: the [Leads]
and [Keys] tags are removed from the search. Now select [Dist+LoFi] as subcategory.
The result is a list of all presets in the 3 Fillers folder that have the #Pads:Dist+LoFi tag.
Immediately below the subcategory options you will see the complete tag in the form
[Category:Subcategory|X]. Clicking on the X here would remove the tag, but don’t do
that right now…
•
Instead, let’s widen the scope by including another subcategory: Click on [Vocal]. The
[Dist+LoFi] tag remains selected and the list is updated to presets which have either of
those tags. Click on [Dist+LoFi] again and the tag search will find just one preset – the
only one tagged as [Pads:Vocal] in the 3 Fillers folder.
•
Click the [Leads] category. Below the subcategories, the [Pads:Vocal] tag remains in
place because it is complete (Category with Subcategory). Check the tags in PRESET
INFO by clicking on the two presets in the list: they will include a Pads:Vocal tag or a
Leads tag (with any or no subcategory), or both.
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 22
TOC PRESETS
•
Click on the DIRECTORY tab. The text #Leads:* #Pads:Vocal appears in the Search
field as well as the Search History smart folder. If you are feeling adventurous, you can
try editing the characters in the Search field – after hitting Return, the results will be updated accordingly.
•
To the left of the grey search path is an ‘up’ [^] symbol. Click on this to exit the current
folder, which in this case changes the search path from Local/3 Fillers to the Local root.
The list now includes more presets because the range of the search spans all of Local.
•
Another click on [^] expands the scope to the entire preset library i.e. /Local and /User.
Note that clicking on the [X] symbol to the right of the search path will exit any subfolder.
•
Repeat the above a few times if necessary – you’ll soon get the hang of it!
Search by Text
The Search field lets you find presets according to a string of characters i.e. text. If you
remember that the preset you’re looking for has the word “clock” in either its name or its
description, simply enter clock into the Search field and hit Return…
Search normally looks into the preset name, author, DESCRIPTION and USAGE (see the
PRESET INFO panel). Searches are not case-sensitive and quotes are not required unless you want to include spaces between words.
If you want to restrict the search to a particular path e.g. Local/04 Pianoids, double click on
the 04 Pianoids folder. This path appears below the Search field instead of the preset fold-
ers. You will only see smart folders plus any subfolders within the specified path:
The [^] button to the left moves the search path up one level (in this case to /Local). The
[X] button to the right sets the search path to include all Zebra2 presets (i.e. Local and
User), and the regular preset folders reappear.
Try it: Enter three or four letters then hit Return. For instance, star would find all files containing the text string star (e.g. mustard or starters). Entering "star wars" (with the quotes!)
would find e.g. Battlestar Warsaw if such a preset exited."
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Search History
Saved Searches
Favourites
Junk (0)
Tags
Author
/Local/4 Pianoids
Search
DIRECTORY
s
TOC PRESETS
Syntax
Scope
You can limit the search to just the preset name or parts of INFO by using name, author,
desc (description) or use (usage) followed by a colon. For instance, author:the finds all
presets by authors whose names include ‘the’. Similarly, desc:space will find all presets
with the word space in the description.
Logic
The AND operator specifies that presets contain both words surrounding it. AND is implicit,
but can be written explicitly if you prefer: For example, star AND wars (or simply star wars)
will find presets that contain both star and wars.
OR only requires that presets contain one of the words surrounding it. For example, star
OR wars will find presets that contain star as well as presets that contain wars. Or both.
NOT excludes presets containing the following word. To find all presets that contain star
but do not contain wars, enter star NOT wars.
A few examples
brass OR string ‘brass’ or ‘string’ appear in the Name, Author, Description or Usage
brass string both ‘brass’ AND ‘string’ appear somewhere in the preset
use:vibrato ‘vibrato’ appears in Usage
"at =" aftertouch usage is mentioned in the Author, Description or Usage field!
‘=’ is not a valid character for preset names
“hs s” ctrl #Mono All monophonic factory presets starting with an ’s' that use at least one !
of the A / B performance controls"
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TOC GLOBAL
Global Settings
To open this panel, click on the GLOBAL tab in the lower bar.
Lower pane, the GLOBAL panel
PITCH
Transpose
Shifts incoming MIDI notes within a range of +/- 24 semitones.
Fine Tune
Shifts all oscillator and filter pitches by +/- 100 cents (relative to 100% keyfollow).
- Bend +
Sets pitch bend ranges independently from 0 to +/- 48 semitones.
GLIDE
Mode
time....... The duration of the glide is constant, irrespective of the note interval.!
rate........ The duration of the glide is proportional to the note interval.
Range
Lower values shift the beginning of the slur closer to the target note.
Glide, Glide2
A smooth pitch transition between consecutive notes. Glide affects the Key Follow modulator, so it is applied to all modules that include this parameter (OSCs, FMOs, Combs,
VCFs and XMFs). Glide2 is a bipolar offset for the even-numbered modules. The modulation source KeyFol2 is the same as KeyFol, but includes the Glide2 offset.
VOICES / MODE
Maximum Voices (VOICES)
To prevent glitches while running CPU-intensive presets, you can reduce the maximum
number of notes that Zebra2 will try to play at once: Few = 4 notes, Medium = 8 notes,
Many = 16 notes. Due to intelligent voice allocation, these are only approximate values.
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 25
TOC GLOBAL
Voice Drift
If set to On, each new note is slightly detuned, emulating the imprecise pitch of classic
analogue oscillators. Switch this off for “absolute” precision.
Voice Mode (MODE)
Poly: normal polyphonic.
Retrigger: monophonic, each new note triggers the envelopes.
Legato: monophonic, envelopes continue i.e. they are not retriggered until you leave a
space between consecutive notes. Enables more interesting musical phrasing.
Arpeggiator: polyphonic, triggers and pitch offsets etc. are defined in the Arp/Seq panel.
Duophonic: emulates an interesting feature of a few classic analogue synths which of-
fered both low note AND high note priority. Zebra’s duophonic mode distributes modules
like this: odd-numbered OSC, FMO, Comb, VCF and XMF modules follow the lowest
note, while even-numbered modules follow the highest note. Glide rates (see Glide2 on
the previous page) can also differ, and there is a even a ‘KeyFol2’ modulation source
that includes the Glide2 offset.
MICROTUNING
Microtuning
Zebra2 supports standard .TUN microtuning tables. Tuning tables are available online,
and most of them are free. Put .tun files into the following folder on your hard drive...
Win: C:\Users\[you]\Documents\u-he\Zebra2.data\Tunefiles
Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/u-he/Tunefiles
...or equivalent locations in accordance with your VST and Zebra2 installation paths.
Soft Attack
Instantaneous attack times allow clicks at the start of each note to become audible. To
avoid this (quite natural) effect, switch Smooth Attacks on.
SWING
Swing Generator
In most synthesizers, ‘swing’ is only applied to the timing of an arpeggiator or mini-sequencer. In Zebra2, it also affects any synchronized LFOs. Set a rhythmic basis in the
popup menu and a swing factor using the knob. Trial-and-error is often the best strategy
here. Note that the indicator will stop flashing if swing is set to zero.
Bypass FX
Click on this button to deactivate all effects in the grid. A preset already drenched in effects can be difficult to edit methodically, and in such cases it’s a good idea to temporarily dectivate them. Tip: I often catch myself forgetting to reactivate the effects – so
if all your presets sound strangely lifeless today, check the status of Bypass FX!"
presets global generators modulators outs+fx perform config targets 26
TOC GENERATORS
Generators
OSC main panel
To state that the Zebra2 oscillators are ‘highly flexible’ would be a huge understatement.
They are so powerful that the Zebra2 package includes an extra instrument called Zebralette (just one oscillator transplanted into a much simpler synth framework). The Zebra2
‘OSC’ module looks like this:
oscillator panel with the MIXER sub-panel selected
The button next to the module label is for loading oscillator presets (see Oscillator Preset).
Switches
Stack
Selects single or polywave i.e. 2, 4 or 11 stacked oscillators. The eleven mode is much
more than a “supersaw”, as the polywave effect can be applied to any waveform at all.
PWM
Adds an inverted copy of the waveform. Applied to a sawtooth, phase modulation creates an effect very similar to classic PWM (only the phase of the original wave is shifted
around, while that of the inverted copy remains fixed). See PHASE below.
Sync
Activates oscillator-internal hard sync. See PHASE below.
Reset
Causes the oscillator to start at the same phase position each time.
Knobs
Wave
The position (index 1–16) within the waveset. Unlike the row of selectors below the
wave editor, this knob lets you set intermediate values.
The knob below Wave is for wave index modulation (+/-16) – right-click to select a
source. How smoothly and precisely waves are interpolated depends on the oscillator’s
Resolution setting. Note: The center of the waveset is 8.5, so a modulation amount of
7.5 from a bipolar source is enough to span the entire waveset. To reach Wave 16 from
Wave 1 using a unipolar source (such as the mod wheel), set the amount to +15.
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TOC GENERATORS
Tune
Oscillator pitch offset (+/- 48 semitones). You can hold down SHIFT for finer control, but
there is also a Detune knob to the right. The knob below is for Tune modulation (+/- 48
semitones). Right-click to select a source, then turn up the amount
Detune
Detune actually has two slightly different meanings, depending on the polywave setting:
In Single mode it is for fine tuning (+/- 50 cents). In Dual, Quad or Eleven modes it does
not lower or raise the overall pitch of the oscillator, but spreads detuning equally. Of
course you can still fine tune the oscillator via Shift+Tune.
Vibrato
The amount of pitch modulation directly from LFO1 (0 – 100). The maximum depth here
is only +/- 50 cents – for deeper vibrato, click on the assignable ‘…’ control below the
Tune knob and select LFO1 from the list.
The oscillators in Zebra2 may appear quite harmless, but there is a lot more than meets
the eye. Apart from the extra parameters in the lower panel, oscillators have 3 switchable
sub-panels, Phase/Sync, Osc FX and Mixer, selected via the buttons at the top right...
PHASE
Click on the oscillator’s PHASE tab:
Phase/PW
Adjusts the oscillator phase (from 0° to 180°, but you can
modulate it up to 360°). Rapid phase modulation normally affects pitch, but if the PWM switch (see above) is on,
the effect is similar to pulse width modulation.
Sync
Pitch offset for the oscillator’s integrated hard-sync. This
classic ‘analogue’ sync adds a lot of upper harmonics.
OSC FX
Click on the OSC FX tab:
The oscillator waveform can be processed by a couple of
spectral effects, which are routed in series (left > right).
To select a spectral effect, click on the label of an upper
knob. Adjust the value and/or modulate to taste using the
assignable control. Here, the Scrambler effect is set to
zero, but is modulated by the pitch bender.
Note: When modulated, the speed and smoothness of
most of the spectral effects are highly dependent on the
oscillator’s Resolution setting.
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TOC GENERATORS
List of spectral effects
Fundamental
Adjusts the level of the fundamental. Range = -200% (inverted) to
+200%. At the central position, the fundamental is inaudible.
Odd for Even
Even-numbered harmonics are cross-faded into odd harmonics. This
results in a more ‘squarish’ waveform (square waves contain only odd
harmonics). With negative values, the opposite applies – odd harmonics
become even harmonics.
Brilliance
Boosts (positive) or attenuates (negative) higher harmonics, resulting in
brighter or darker waveforms.
Filter
A combination of lowpass (negative values) and highpass (positive values) filters. Because in reality the ‘filter’ code only manipulates amplitudes, its slope is more than 100dB/octave.
Bandworks
A combined bandpass (positive) and notch filter (negative).
Registerizer
Boosts any octaves of the fundamental while attenuating all other harmonics, often resulting in an organ-like sound.
Scrambler
Similar to operator feedback in FM synthesizers: the phase of the waveform is modulated by the wave itself, creating many new overtones. If
you need dirty-sounding digital oscillators, this is the one.
Turbulence
Periodically shuffles the harmonics at random. Even if not modulated,
the speed of this effect is dependent on the oscillator Resolution. Turbulence is useful in SpectroBlend mode with only a few harmonics.
Expander
Expands (or contracts when negative) the spectrum. Similar to brilliance
if the harmonics are distributed evenly.
Symmetry
Contracts the waveform towards the beginning or end of its cycle. Often
sounds like pulse width modulation – and for a square wave, that’s precisely what it is!
Phase Xfer
A variant of PD (phase distortion) synthesis. The original waveform is
not output directly, but is used as the phase response of an extra sine
wave – which you can hear when the value is zero.
Phase Root
The original wave multiplies the phase response of the sine wave.
Trajector
The original wave adds to the phase response of the sine wave. Like
phase modulation in ‘FM’ synthesizers – try Trajector on a pure sine.
Ripples
Multiplies the waveform with a variable harmonic, resulting in quasi-resonant sounds.
Formanzilla
Multiplies the spectrum of the waveform with a variable harmonic, resulting in formant-like spectra with several strong peaks and troughs.
Sync Mojo
Simulates hard sync by contracting the time axis then writing the waveform back into wave memory.
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TOC GENERATORS
MIXER
Click on the oscillator’s MIXER tab:
Pan
Panorama shifts the stereo position to the left or right.
Volume
Oscillator output level.
Width
If the oscillator’s STACK setting is dual, quad or eleven,
this knob controls the stereo separation of the polywave.
Does nothing if STACK is set to ‘single’.
Fractalz
Like Sync Mojo, except that the already contracted wave is contracted
again etc.. This results in a fractal waveform with even more harmonics
than Sync Mojo. Fractal structures can be found in nature.
Exophase
A classic 7-stage phaser is applied to the original wave. This effect is
equally useful for static coloration or resonant sweeps.
Scale
The relative amplitudes of harmonics are scaled, either to the power of
2 (negative, softer) or 3 (positive, brighter). Results in finer resolution of
quiet harmonics, so more precise control over the overtone structure.
Scatter
Similar to Scrambler (see above), but here the phase is modulated by
itself squared (i.e. to the power of 2). An FM triangle or square from a
pure sine, or absolute chaos from a sawtooth – Scatter is flexible.
ChopLift
Negative values raise an amplitude threshold below which all harmonics
are faded out (Chop). Positive values raise the levels of fainter harmonics (Lift).
HyperComb
Adds 3 copies of the original wave to the wavetable. For positive values
(only), the phases are randomly shifted, resulting in a subtle to dramatic
effect similar to chorus. Even when not modulated, positive HyperComb
is dependent on the value of oscillator Resolution.
PhaseDist
Phase distortion, as in the ‘80s Casio CZ series of synthesizers. The
wave acts as a function for the phase of an inverse cosine. The
‘amount’ knob crossfades between no effect and full effect, so the most
dramatic uses of this effect involve modulating Wave index.
Wrap
Inverts parts of the wave that extend above or below a threshold. The
limits for multiple wrapping are greater with negative values.
DX
Same as Trajector (see above), but approximately 10 times stronger.
Smear
Blurs the spectrum in one direction (negative = down, positive = up).
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