>Step by step

1. Oscillator Sync

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Our first task will be to open our favoured DAW package and load an instance of the Zebra CM plugin. We’ll start by initialising the patch, by clicking in the central display area, just below the Computer Music graphic. Select UH Initialize, as a starting point. 2

The patch we are looking to create could be considered vintage, but with a heavy dose of retro cool. We’ll reduce the waves to a single, non-aliased variety, rather than employ any wave thickening, with the onboard wave multiplying function. Switch the mode of both Oscillators to Single. 3

The Sync mode is activated by clicking the Sync button, which resides between the two oscillators. You will also need to dial in an Amount, via the pot which is directly underneath. This will likely need tweaking later, but for the moment, set it to a value of around 25 (which appears on the central display, as you make the adjustment). 4

The classic ‘sweeping’ effect, that we’re going to work on, is created through the use of an envelope. The default setting here is Env 1, which is already deployed for Amplitude (volume) duties, so we’ll swap it to Env 2, with a right-click of the mouse (on the pot), followed by a selection of Env 2. 5

Now the routing is in place, we have to dictate exactly how much of Env 2 we want to send to the Sync. In essence, the envelope is changing the pitch of Oscillator 2, but thanks to Zebra’s Sync mode, it makes the process relatively easy. As a starting point, increase the pot to its maximum. 6

As the Env 2 modulation amount has been dictated in the previous step, we can start to think about the duration of the sweep. Move to the envelope section (bottom-left) and move the Decay pot of Env 2 (the lower of the two envelopes). This will affect the speed of the syncsweep, allowing appropriate alteration for different styles and tempo of music.

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At this stage, the sound is fairly usable, but we can go further to suit our musical direction. Moving to the filter section, on the right of the Zebra interface, reduce the Amount pot relating to Env 2. We are sharing Env 2 for both sync and filter cutoff modulation, so we’ll reduce its amount substantially. Try an Amount of around 30, or 1 o’clock as a pot position.

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If you audition the patch now, you’ll find that it’s relatively dull. We can brighten the timbre by remaining in the filter section, and increasing the Cutoff pot amount. Try a value of around 50, or 10/11 o’clock, as a pot position.

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Our patch is currently employing the default amplitude envelope settings, which we could change to make more effective. Move back to the envelope section, and increase the Sustain of the upper envelope (envelope 1) to its maximum. This will have the effect of increasing the potency, sustain and volume of the sweep.

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We can create an even more piercing sound by changing the waveform currently being used by Oscillator 2. It’s a subtle alteration, made by moving the Wave pot within Oscillator 2, to a value of 2.00, which is around the 8 o’clock position. You’ll hear the colour of the sound change immediately, albeit fairly subtly.

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As the sync-sweep element is being supplied by Oscillator 2, we can blend the signals from the two oscillators, to provide the timbre that we’d like. Oscillator 1 is currently providing a solidly pitched sawtooth wave, so alter the volumes of each of the oscillators, to suit your taste and track.

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This sound is fairly intricate, with many factors at play to achieve the overall effect. It is worth revisiting the Sync and Env 2 Amount pots, to make adjustments, now that we have everything in play. It is also pretty essential to do this when in the context of your track, to get the ideal sound for your requirements.