Perfectly recreating your favourite patches is a great way to learn how to program synths. But it’s not the only way, so this month we’re taking a different approach. The plan is: we have no plan…
There are two ways to approach music-making. First, go in with an idea… a goal… even a plan. This is the efficient way. The way that always yields finished tracks and meets deadlines.
But it’s often the least fun way, the least creatively interesting. It suits our algorithmic world, where everything has to sound like something else that sells. The second way involves going in with no idea or intention… just having fun. It’s where magic can happen. Unconventional melodies and structures. New sounds. New knowledge and techniques.
A reliable way to introduce this into your studio day is with a new toy, by trying out all its features with no fixed ideas. Just turning knobs to see what noises come out. Our new toy is Zebra 3, u-he’s from-the-ground-up sequel to their legendary wireless modular soft synth, so today let’s just turn knobs to see what noises come out.
We’re documenting our steps here, as normal, so you can follow along. But before you do, why not try something different? Don’t listen to our audio yet. Load up the same modules we do (we’ll name them at the start of each relevant step) – but then apply your own settings. And maybe don’t listen to our audio examples until the end… then see how your patch compares to ours.
Step 1: Set Init
Open Zebra 3 in your DAW with an ‘Init’ patch and import the MIDI file WhoKnows.mid, add the file Kick.mp3, set your project tempo to 127BPM, and press Play. It’s playing the default oscillator and sounds pretty boring.
Step 2: Add FM Oscillator module
Let’s start making the patch our own with one of the tasty new FM oscillator modules in Zebra 3. We set the Ext. Mod Type to Dry and change the FM type from DX (classic linear) to TZFM (the new Through Zero type) and the Mod to 8. Playing with the Ratio yields a range of bleepy sounds and we settle on 1.0 : 2.5 as it sounds resonant and awesome already. In fact, we could almost use this as it is, but let’s keep pushing to see what else we can make.
Step 3: Add LFO to FM Oscillator
Let’s load an LFO to modulate the FM with a Mod Depth of 48. We set an LFO Time Base of 2 / 1 (two bars) and set Trigger to Single. It’s already sounding pretty serious and full of harmonics, even with just this single sound generator (that’s the joy of FM!), but why stop there? Below you can check out the triangle, sine, and square shapes. Square delivers arguably the least usable in its current state. But it’s got a lot of potential so let’s use it!
Triangle
Sine
Square
Step 4: Feedback
It’s harmonic… but too polite… so let’s take things up a notch. After twirling some more knobs it’s clear the Feedback knob does something pretty nice when we dial it up, starting with some crunchy distor