# Your opinion about Zebra 2



## AMAROK13 (Sep 14, 2018)

What do you think of this Vst?

He looks very powerful and sounds sound quite advanced and evolved apparently.

A very particular grain.

On the other hand the grip does not look simple.


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## DivingInSpace (Sep 14, 2018)

It is by no means simple, but is probably capable of producing some of the most organic and beautiful sounds in the world, only beat by actual acoustic instruments and omnisphere maybe.


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## Divico (Sep 14, 2018)

Its one of the most popular synths for film scoring I'd say. Not simple but very powerful.
If I am not mistaken Uhe offers a free upgrade for Zebra 2 owners once version 3 will be released. 
Hans Zimmer is a fan of Zebra. Check out Dark Zebra, an addon for Zebra 2 showing off patches from the Dark Knight.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 14, 2018)

Thank you for your reply.

According to the videos and tutos viewed on the net, beautiful sounds indeed, but also very complex.

I'm surprised, however, that Omnisphere 2 could be superior to it compared to the fairly specific and specific possibilities of Zebra 2.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 14, 2018)

Thank you for your reply.

Also used in electronic music and Zebra produces breathtaking sounds (Leads / Plucks / Pads) among others its immense capabilities.

But what can put off, the complexity of the grip of this Vst that abounds with sound possibilities.

I will consult that.

Many patches marketed excellent qualities also


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## EvilDragon (Sep 14, 2018)

Zebra is extremely simply laid out despite its possible complexity. It is not overbearing, it shows you only what is used in the patch, for the most part (bottom section is fixed, but the generators and modulators panes are laid out pretty smart).


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## gussunkri (Sep 14, 2018)

I consider Zebra 2 to be my main workhorse synth and my desert island synth. It is complex, but I actually do not find it very difficult. There may be other synths which are more powerful within their niche, but Zebra is so flexible so it can take on almost any role. I love starting with a blank slate in Zebra and just build a sound that I have in my head from scratch.

Because the demo version of Zebra is not very restricted (and allows saving presets), I would recommend trying it for yourself, rather than listening to what people say here.


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## zvenx (Sep 14, 2018)

Divico said:


> Its one of the most popular synths for film scoring I'd say. Not simple but very powerful.
> If I am not mistaken Uhe offers a free upgrade for Zebra 2 owners once version 3 will be released.
> Hans Zimmer is a fan of Zebra. Check out Dark Zebra, an addon for Zebra 2 showing off patches from the Dark Knight.




I think this applies to ppl who have license of Zebra2 + Dark Zebra (Zebra HZ).

rsp


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Sep 14, 2018)

It's made by U-He, so you know it's outstanding. Easily my favourite softsynth, along with Omnisphere 2.


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## Parsifal666 (Sep 14, 2018)

Zebra/HZ is my favorite synth, easily. I loved its sound and workflow so much I just _had_ to study the user manual paragraph by paragraph, and took a terrifically helpful course on ADSR to learn even more. My introduction to this synth was through the film Dark Knight, and it really acted as a muse for me.

I should mention, this synth (and probably all U-he synths) have a pretty distinctive sound. For something more vanilla you might try Omnisphere and/or Serum.


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## DivingInSpace (Sep 14, 2018)

gussunkri said:


> Because the demo version of Zebra is not very restricted (and allows saving presets), I would recommend trying it for yourself, rather than listening to what people say here.



True, there is really no reason not to try the U-he products.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 14, 2018)

Thank you for your answers.

Even if a little complex approach for me, seen, that at the base, I am more a consumer of patches and than ever made of sound programming, all these modules seem to me abstained.

But, it is true, the essential is displayed and a question of habit and manipulation and use of the Vst must bring a logic of operation compared to the sound construction.

Zebra 2 seems like Omisphere 2, won all votes.

Indeed, the tutorials of ADSR are really excellent and very pedagogical.

In fact listened to Zebra Dark and not bad at all too.

Really Vst very powerful and inspiring in any case this Zebra 2.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 14, 2018)

On the other hand if that is a little special and that I do not understand well, it is the installation of the soft and banks of sounds.

I'm under Fl Studio 12 and my Vst are put in the Vst \ plug ins x86 location and my soundbanks in my document folder.

On the other hand if that is a little special and that I do not understand well, it is the installation of the soft and banks of sounds. I'm under Fl Studio 12 and my Vst are put in the Vst \ plug ins x86 location and my soundbanks in my document folder.

*
Windows

*
Presets (local) _...\VstPlugins\u-he\Zebra2.data\Presets\Zebra2\_

Presets (user) _...\VstPlugins\u-he\Zebra2.data\UserPresets\Zebra2\_

Preferences _...\VstPlugins\u-he\Zebra2.data\Support\ _(*.txt files)

Themes _...\VstPlugins\u-he\Zebra2.data\Support\Themes\ _(skin folders)

Module presets _...\VstPlugins\u-he\Zebra2.data\Modules\_

Microtuning _...\VstPlugins\u-he\Zebra2.data\Tunefiles\_

To rigorously uninstall absolutely everything (including Zebralette / Zebrify), delete all the

above *except *the Mac _Themes _and _Microtuning _folders, which might be used elsewhere.

*Important*: If a realtime malware scanner such as Windows Defender is allowed to check

the _Zebra2.data _folder every time it is accessed, the new browser will become unusably


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 the above _/u-he/Zebra2/_

resource directories to the exceptions list.


My question is my next or should I install all this? Sorry me who is doing the installation of my machine and I am lost.

Same questioning for the banks of additional patches or do I have to put all these elements?

*
Installing the patches

*
Copy the "Transmission" folder from "Transmission Patches" to:

C:\Program Files\u-he\Presets\Zebra2\

If you want to use the versions of the patches without reverb and delay effects, copy the "Transmission NoFX" folder instead.

Restart Zebra if it is running, and the Transmission folder and all sub-folders of patches and patch templates will now show up in your Zebra patch browser.

*Installing the templates
*
The oscillator and MSEG templates go to a different place to be seen by Zebra. Go into the "Transmission Templates - MSEG Templates", select all the *.h2p files, and copy them all to:

C:\Program Files\u-he\Zebra2\Modules\MSEG\

Then go into the "Transmission Templates - Oscillator Templates", select all the *.h2p files, and copy them to:

C:\Program Files\u-he\Zebra2\Modules\Oscillator\

_Note: Don’t copy the whole oscillator or MSEG templates folder itself into these paths, as they won’t show up - Zebra will only see template files in the root of the template directories. You need to copy all the template files inside their folders into the template paths above.
_
*Installing the skin
*
Quit Zebra if it is running, and copy the Images and Scripts folders to:

C:\Program Files\u-he\Zebra2\Data\

This will overwrite the original gui, so we recommend you back up the original Images and Scripts folders before installing the Transmission skin.

Many thanks in advance for your help and explanations on the subject.


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## ChristopherDoucet (Sep 14, 2018)

I like it a lot.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 14, 2018)

I understand, this Vst seems very inspiring once mastering its mode of operation.


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## Saxer (Sep 14, 2018)

There are good YT tutorials for Zebra. Takes an hour to watch and the concept is clear. From there it's only a lifetime away to explore the possibilities.


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## Parsifal666 (Sep 14, 2018)

Saxer said:


> There are good YT tutorials for Zebra. Takes an hour to watch and the concept is clear. From there it's only a lifetime away to explore the possibilities.




One of the things that really helped me spread my wings with Zebra was studying up on how to modulate envelope parameters. I'd put LFOs on the decay and release and experiment with all kinds of audio rewards.

The more you put into learning and applying what you've learned in Zebra...the payoffs are large and ongoing.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 14, 2018)

Thank you very much for your advice, I will watch the video with great attention.

Regarding the installation of Zebra 2 and expansions, know how to tell you more?


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## wst3 (Sep 15, 2018)

I (finally) picked up Zebra2 this past summer. I've read all the glowing reviews, I've listened to too many well produced demos, and yet I waited.

Up until now I would say that Camel Audio (brief moment of silence) Alchemy was my favorite soft-synth. It seems like there is nothing it can not do. But is is discontinued for Windoze, and I'm not buying a Mac just for a synth.

I am still learning, but Zebra is rapidly gaining on Alchemy for the top spot in my synth list. They don't sound the same, they are both capable of creating wonderful sounds, and I am finding it much easier to learn how to program Zebra.

It probably isn't for everyone, and it might not be the ideal starting point, but it is a great sounding, very capable, and reasonably easy to use tool.


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## Parsifal666 (Sep 15, 2018)

wst3 said:


> Up until now I would say that Camel Audio (brief moment of silence) Alchemy was my favorite soft-synth. It seems like there is nothing it can not do. But is is discontinued for Windoze, and I'm not buying a Mac just for a synth.
> ​


​
I still have my classic Alchemy, and love it like crazy. In some ways it's like Kontakt, and can certainly act as a synth. I find it baffling that Camel decided to kind of screw their old users the way they did, it's a fine v.i.

.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 15, 2018)

Thank you for your answer.

It is not me who installed and configured the PC.

Here I have two SSD, everything is on the first, the second is for recording

the first SSD to my VST in the folder Fl Studio 12 plug ins and my sound banks are installed on this same SSD, but in the folder document.

I just wonder where I have to install the rest?

Since everything is already in my document folder, I presume that apart from the location of my Vst which is in the folder plug ins, the rest must be in the document folder?


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## wst3 (Sep 15, 2018)

Parsifal666 said:


> I still have my classic Alchemy, and love it like crazy. In some ways it's like Kontakt, and can certainly act as a synth. I find it baffling that Camel decided to kind of screw their old users the way they did, it's a fine v.i.
> 
> .


In fairness to Camel Audio, I would not want to operate a music software business in the current climate - at least I'd be really wary about ignoring an offer from a larger company to support my development efforts. So I understand why he sold out.

I think it is a shame Apple took the low road and dropped all support for Windows, but maybe they really are not big enough to support two platforms for such a niche product.

It is a wonderful VI, and I will continue to use it until I can't. Although I don't turn to it first anymore<G>!


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## zvenx (Sep 15, 2018)

Apple is a hardware company.....period.. they make software to make you want to buy their hardware..... one of the first things Steve Jobs did when he returned was it in 1997 was stop all third party apple licensed computers.
It would make zero sense for them to continue to develop Alchemy as a multiplatform. It is to make Logic seem more attractive ($199... why is it $199? so you would buy apple hardware)......

I understand why Camel Audio accepted what I imagined would have been a very generous offer from apple.
Although I got Alchemy from day 1, and I do appreciate that it can do everything including making toast in the morning, I never quite gelled with the sound, to each their own. To me it was too vanilla.

Zebra2 took awhile for me to gel with. I probably in the course of a year or two, demoed it five or six times based on kvr users gushing and couldn't figure out what I was missing.
Then one day I got it..Unlike Omnisphere which I love too, Zebra doesn't stand up and shout HERE I AM. Listen to me.... Focus on me....... what it does is it plays well with other sounds....gels in nicely, fits in the mix nicely. It has became one of my probably three desert island synths.
I say go for it.
rsp


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## DivingInSpace (Sep 15, 2018)

wst3 said:


> I think it is a shame Apple took the low road and dropped all support for Windows, but maybe they really are not big enough to support two platforms for such a niche product.<G>!



This is 100% a market decision, to make Logic and Macbooks more attractive. I mean, as far as i remember, apple has enough capital to run America for the next 11 years atm, so they sure as hell are big enough haha.


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## wst3 (Sep 15, 2018)

zvenx said:


> Apple is a hardware company.....period.. they make software to make you want to buy their hardware..... It would make zero sense for them to continue to develop Alchemy as a multiplatform. It is to make Logic seem more attractive


Oh I agree. Doesn't stop me for wishing (of course I also wish for a pristine pair of U-67s that I can afford<G>!)



zvenx said:


> I understand why Camel Audio accepted what I imagined would have been a very generous offer from apple.


I'm sure it was a very generous offer, and I'm equally certain it would have been foolish to turn it down. I get that part.



zvenx said:


> Zebra2 took awhile for me to gel with. I probably in the course of a year or two, demoed it five or six times based on kvr users gushing and couldn't figure out what I was missing.


You were quicker than I. I lost track of the times I tried the demo. It always sounded good, but during the demos I limited myself to presets. It wasn't until I started creating my own sounds that I was sold. And even then I blush to think of the time it took me to actually make the purchase. Sometimes I do move too slowly I think.

Same goes for Omnisphere - well, except for the demo part of course. I listened to hours of product demonstrations, I even spent some time at a friend's studio playing with it. It sounded great, but I didn't get why it would fit into my studio. Now that I have it I find I turn to it quite frequently. And I really lucked out, I bought it just before V2.5 was announced, so I started with the public beta. Only had to do the learning curve once!

As an aside to the OP... there are two kinds of plugins (this applies to processors and effects as well) - the first are attempts to accurately model an existing (and usually sought after) hardware device. I have quite a few of these because, well, I guess because that is what I am familiar with. And I like that familiarity - I can create a patch on these dinosaurs quickly. But sometimes I need features that weren't part of that hardware.

Which brings the second group to the front - plugins that may have even started as emulations, but quickly grew to include features that were not present (possible?) back then. I probably still lean on the emulations more than I ought to, but I am learning!


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 15, 2018)

People to explain me how to install Zebra 2?


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## Saxer (Sep 16, 2018)

AMAROK13 said:


> People to explain me how to install Zebra 2?


Download, double click, do what's written. Has to be on the system drive (like all VSTs).


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## EvilDragon (Sep 16, 2018)

Really? It comes with the installer. Follow the steps. That's all.



Saxer said:


> Has to be on the system drive (like all VSTs).



Well, no, no it doesn't. It asks you where your VST folder is. I have all my VSTs installed on secondary (non-system) drive. Only patches and plugin data are in Documents folder (easy backup).

Only VST3 want to be on system drive, in Common Files. But even that can be sorted out with symlinks.


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## Saxer (Sep 16, 2018)

EvilDragon said:


> Well, no, no it doesn't. It asks you where your VST folder is. I have all my VSTs installed on secondary (non-system) drive. Only patches and plugin data are in Documents folder (easy backup).
> 
> Only VST3 want to be on system drive, in Common Files. But even that can be sorted out with symlinks.


Ah, ok. Probably different here on Mac (though I didn't try symlinks for plugins). At least everything is automatically installed on system drive here. But especially synths like Zebra don't take a lot of storing space. No additional sample data. In my opinion (also on Win) it's the easiest way to install Zebra on the system drive.


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## EvilDragon (Sep 16, 2018)

Yeah Mac might be different in that regard. But symlinks should most definitely work even there.


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## AMAROK13 (Sep 16, 2018)

Thank you for your answers.


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