u-he Zebra2 Modular Synth - Electronic Delivery

u-he Zebra2 is a sound-design playground. The powerful, high quality (but still CPU friendly) sound engine and the numerous sound sculpting tools make Zebra2 capable of a near-limitless range of new sounds and textures. A favorite amongst soundtrack composers, producers and sound designers, Zebra2 provides all the tools you need—the rest is up to you.

Zebra2 combines many different types of synthesis with a powerful modulation engine. Imagine —you can create any additive, freehand or spline-based waveform you like, apply a vast selection of spectral effects, morph between those waves and send them through classic synth filters. Perhaps use that entire sound as modulator for an FM oscillator, or route it through a comb filter —the building block of physical modeling synthesis. All generator modules, all signal paths, all effects are stereo.

Modules

Zebra2 is a wireless modular synthesizer designed for flexibility, ergonomy and low CPU hit. Its 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!

Zebra’s modules are divided into Generators and Modulators, and include freely assignable controls that directly modulate important parameters.

Mix and Match

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. Any module can route signals between lanes. Add modules, drag them around, and change the routing – it's a playground!

Below the main grid is a 4-channel Mixer. This is where you adjust pans and volumes, select envelopes, and the routing to the FX grid for each lane.

There are 3 different routing options for the FX bus. You can also select which envelope to use for each specific lane, and specify modulation for the pan and volume parameters.

Lower Pane

The Lower Pane is where you will find Zebra2's global settings and many other features: effects, in-depth controls for oscillators, MSEGs, performance control settings, arpeggiator/sequencer, and the modulation matrix. The global settings include controls for the main synthesizer's pitch, glide, and voices. A Swing generator and microtuning options are also available.

Next to the global settings is the Effects section. Zebra2 includes Chorus / Phaser, a flexible multi-mode Delay, two different Reverb units, Compressor, and Equalizer. It's also possible to use certain generators as effects, such as Shape, VCF, Dist. Zebra lets you modulate practically all effect parameters (e.g. reverb size or delay feedback).

In-Depth Editors

The Wave Editor is where you create your own oscillator waveforms. The Multi Stage Envelope Generator is a complex modulation source offering total shape control as well as continuous rate control. This is the expanded editor for the MMAP modulator.

Arpeggiate and Sequence

Zebra2 features a fully-fledged arpeggiator and sequencer. Up to 16 steps, with various loop and order options. It also includes two extra values per step, which can be used to modulate any parameter in step with the arpeggiator.

Modulation Matrix

All generators in Zebra2 include assignable knobs, but the plug-in also features a Modulation Matrix. This is where you set up any kind of (control rate) modulation. There are 12 modulation slots, allowing many possibilities.

Performance

Up for a live performance? Zebra’s Perform panel includes four X/Y pads which can control up to 16 parameters each, all at the same time.

Alternative skin

With the release of update 2.8, Zebra2 got a new user interface. Apart from the new standard DotEight skin, the plug-in includes an alternative, darker one called DarkEight.

Features:

• 4 powerful wavetable oscillators (16 waves) with integrated spectral effects
• 1, 2, 4, or 11 times unison, with detune and stereo spread
• Polyphonic (up to 16 voices), duophonic or mono and legato modes
• 4 FM oscillators with 8 alternative waveforms (not only sine)
• 4 regular filters with 23 different modes
• 4 cross-modulation filters (XMF)
• 12-slot modulation matrix with depth modulation from a second source
• Flexible signal routing: 4×12 main patching grid, 3×6 effects patching grid
• 4 syncable multi-stage envelope generators (MSEG) with up to 32 segments each
• 4 assignable XY pads
• 4 per-voice LFOs plus 2 global LFOs
• 21 stereo effects: 2× chorus/flanger, 2× delay, 2× EQ, 2× compressor, 2× reverb and more
• Resizable UI from 70% to 200%
• MIDI learn page and editable list
• Over 500 factory presets

System Requirements:

• Mac OS X 10.7 or newer, Windows 7 or newer, or Linux
• 1GB RAM, more recommended
• 50MB free disk space
• 1000 × 600 or larger display
• Modern CPU (Sandy Bridge or newer recommended)
• Host software

Zebra2 is not a standalone product, it requires host software. Satin is compatible with nearly all DAWs. Available as Audio Units (AU), VST2, VST3, AAX (Pro Tools 10.3.7 or later) NKS, plug-ins with 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Presswerk supports Native Instruments’ NKS format and is compatible with Maschine and Komplete Kontrol hardware.