>Step by step

Plaid’s rhythmic effect

1

We’ll begin by initialising a patch on the ZebraCM. Open your DAW and load up the plugin. Once the plugin window is open, move to the central display at the top of the window, click to reveal the drop-down menu, and select ‘init’ from the bottom. This will initialise the patch.

2

This patch is going to be a relatively loud one, so it’s good advice to reduce your master volume to a level of 30. Just as a reminder, every time you tweak a pot or setting on the plugin, you will see an accurate value/numeric in the upper display.

3

Let’s start sculpting our sound, beginning with Osc1; reduce the volume of this oscillator to a value of 70. We also want to thicken the oscillator texture, so leaving the waveform set to a sawtooth, select 4 from the aliased waves section.

4

Staying with Osc1, pan the oscillator all the way to the left hand side. To thicken the texture, we also want to set the Detune pot to a value of -3. For an even thicker texture, you can select an even greater minus value.

5

Now it’s time to apply similar values to the Osc2 section; increase the volume of the oscillator to a value of 70. Leaving the sawtooth in place, increase the number of aliased voices by clicking on the 11 in the Osc2 section. This should sound really thick, as a consequence.

6

Now set the Osc2 Pan control all the way to the right, and adjust the Detune pot to a value of 7. We are using a greater value here, when compared to Osc1, as the larger number of aliased waves need greater detuning to take effect.

7

We also want to transpose the pitch of Osc2 by an octave. Located the Tune pot, within the Osc2 section, and increase its value to a figure of 12. This indicates the number of semitones being transposed, with 12 semitones being in an octave.

8

Now it’s time to turn to the filter section. First, select the filter type from the drop-down menu, described as LP 6dB. Once selected, move to the Cutoff pot, and select a value of 75. This filter style is relatively harsh and abrasive, and perfect for our requirements here.

9

We are going to use the LFO section to generate a repeating rhythm. This will be directed toward the filter and the Cutoff control, so we need to re-assign the assignable pot to LFO1, and set it to a value of 115.

10

Moving to the LFO section, ensure that you have the turquoise ‘1’ highlighted. This means you are altering LFO1. Set the waveform to Saw Down, and ensure that the Rate pot remains in 12 o’clock position, which is a value of 100.

11

The last alteration we need to make to our sound relates to the amplitude envelope, Env1. Set the Attack pot to a value of 0, Decay to 50, Sustain to 80 and finally the Release phase to 30. As Env2 is not providing any modulation in this patch, we do not need to alter it.

12

Now the sound is complete, you can play it within your DAW. However, the secret to achieving a Plaid-style effect lays in the altering of the Rate pot via automation within the DAW. Try altering the Rate value within each bar, to vary the rate of repetition.