Zebra 3 by u-he modular synth plugin interface

Zebra 3: Modular Hybrid Synth Plugin by u-he

Rated 4.8/5 on Plugin Boutique (14 ratings)

Zebra 3 is a modular hybrid synthesizer plugin by u-he that combines wavetable, additive, FM and physical-modelling sound sources with a flexible modulation system and a global effects grid.

VST3AUAAXCLAPWindowsmacOSLinux64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

Download Now

Opens the store in a new tab

01Overview

Zebra 3 is a synth plugin built around a modular, patch-driven workflow. Its interface shows only the modules you add to a patch, arranged by drag and drop. Four oscillators can run as wavetable or additive engines, and FM oscillators, modal resonators and noise and exciter modules extend the sound palette. Pitch, gate and trigger signals can be routed like modular patch cables, so rhythmic and melodic structure can come from inside the voice itself.

Best for

Evolving pads
Physical modelling textures
Techno basslines
FM bells and plucks
Sequenced modular patches
Ambient soundscapes

Developer: u-he
Category: Synths
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Adaptive interface that shows only the modules added to the patch
Over 1,200 factory presets
Unified spline editor for oscillator waveforms and MSEG curves
Wavetable oscillators with up to 16x unison or additive with up to 1024 partials
Filters with 13 models and up to 12 responses each
FM oscillators with two operators plus an audio input as a third
Modal resonators and comb filters for physical modelling
Vector and scan mixers blending four sources with an XY pad
Mappers that act as step sequencers or drawable transfer curves
Support for MPE, microtuning and MTS-ESP

03In depth

Sound Generation: Wavetable, Additive and Physical Modelling

The oscillators morph between spline-drawn waveforms. In wavetable mode, each oscillator supports up to 16-voice unison. In additive mode, it uses up to 1024 partials, which can be set to inharmonic values.

FM oscillators chain freely, and each one accepts any rack signal as a third operator. Modal resonators and comb filters, with control over feedback and damping, handle physical modelling. Noise and exciter modules can drive those resonators, so a marimba or bell profile can be excited by a shaped noise burst or a patterned pluck.

Filters come in 13 models, both classic and original, and each offers up to 12 responses.

Modulation and Workflow for Sequencing and Sound Design

Zebra 3 provides four ADSR envelopes, four LFOs and four MSEGs. The MSEGs support up to eight morphable curves on a shared timeline, with freely positioned loop points.

Four mappers reshape any modulation signal through a custom transfer curve, and trigger signals can turn a mapper into a step sequencer. Four Mod Math modules combine and transform modulation sources before they reach their targets.

The effects grid receives audio from four voice lanes, and send levels from the voice grid are modulatable per voice.

04Specs