#49

Hang on, so are you saying that if you mix a -5v offset with a 0-10v envelope you get a bipolar envelope that goes from -5v to +5v?

If this is true then this is good news for me and my system!

#50

Yep, that’s why offsetting mixers are so nice to have in a rack. You could also take a -5 to +5 LFO, for example, and add a 5v offset to turn it into a unipolar 0v - 10v LFO.

4 Likes
#51

Thanks man, that’s really good to know.

I was trying to work this out ages ago just in my head and was massively overthinking it to the max (involving modulating something like Veils with a bloody synced ramp up or something daft).

I need a slap sometimes honestly! :S

2 Likes
#52

I dusted off my ZADAR after a while.
I have both the Zadar and the NIN exapnder. I found it irreplaceable in the wild and very slow droning (with times over 5 minutes) but with the 4 chained envelopes triggered by a single trig. On all other occasions I find it not very musical and not very interesting in the filters’s modulation.
I always find the 4ms Pingable Generator irreplaceable for that.
I must say that even VST solutions such as Gatekeeper or Shaperbox are many times much more interesting even in AM modulation.

In addition I must admit that the impossibility of editing the vectors is a limit. I have found very few really musical banks in my case (maybe the T bank is one of them). Otherwise, its highly glitchy character leads me to tire quickly
I’d like to hear more up-to-date advice on this before I sell the module.

#53

I discovered a new way to use Zadar as a Sample + Hold. Here’s how…

Set a channel to wave shape L0. Set the time to a long value (at least longer than the anticipated time between the need to sample & hold). Turn the Level for that channel all the way to 0v. Go into the Assign menu and assign that channels input to Level. Set that to 100.

It’s then the simple case of sending CV into the Assign in and the trigger into the trigger in. It almost tracks v/OCT!!

Not bad if you’re in a pinch for a quick and dirty sample & hold.

8 Likes
#54

So the overall long term RS with this unique module wasnt lasting?
I am quite interested in it. I would add attenuverter for more hands on of envelopes.

#55

It’s super simple to attenuate the envelopes / LFO’s right from the menu, one of the many things I love about this module.

#56

I read that adding attenuverter (maybe offset was meant?) to the assign Ins give fast, hands on of clssic AR response compared to the fine grained encoders and channel selecting etc. so making it more respond like an EG. Opinion?

It would be my only/main EG and mod source so playability is the aim of this thought

#57

Ohh I misunderstood what you meant. Yes, with an offset you can adjust any parameter via the assign in, and then one more if you use the expander.

#58

In the end, it all depends on what you want to do and how, but if your modular intentions are anything approaching mainstream, I doubt you will want Zadar as your “only/main EG”. I don’t doubt a few folks are doing it, but I definitely view Zadar as a secondary EG to add special sauce. A good analog (or faux-analog) AR/ASR EG like Maths (or Quadrax) is always going to trump Zadar for immediate, hands-on, meat-and-potatoes tasks. I don’t say this to denigrate Zadar (which I like a lot), but horses for courses.

5 Likes
#59

I agree with this and I’m less likely to target the usual suspects (volume, filter cutoff) with Zadar and more likely to target it at something like wavetable position or FM index. Although I will say Bank T is pretty nice for targeting the usual suspects and getting something of a different flavor than a more traditional EG yields.

#60

I see what you guys mean. Mainstream, no far from it. More like experimental film soundtrack and sometimes beat things, working a lot with samples and modular-sample-norns instrument is tiny. The vco is just friends and would be modulated + shaped (lpgs) by zadar. The hands on via offset does speak to me. The encoder issues are scary

With just friends i am mostly trying to get that pseudo poly thing going with spreading the voices through lpgs. I thing the mutli nature of zadar should be quite fitting for me.

#61

One alternative to Zadar if you expect to only use it occasionally would be Starling VIA META. I kind of think of it as a cut-down Zadar and cut-down Plaits in one module. It’s all wavetable-based, with:

  • an envelope mode (looping or not, with several trigger/gate options) and CVable rise/fall times
  • a “sequencer” mode (looping or not) which is just a bunch of complex waveforms with CV over speed and warping
  • an oscillator mode
  • a drum mode with a few basic models

Each mode has a few available wavetables to choose from. But unlike Zadar it has no display, so a scope is very helpful to see what’s going on with it. And it’s just the one channel, not four.

The VIA platform also has two input VCAs, normalled to +5 and with an attenuverter, and crossfades between them as the modulation signal rises and falls, which is nice. And you can switch between several different compatible firmware options and faceplates if you want the module to do something else entirely – there are a few neat options there.

1 Like
#62

Is it possible to get a bipolar voltage-offset feature in software in the future? Or is the hardware incapable of outputting negative voltages?

#63

I don’t get the impression XAOC intends to make any changes to Zadar.

#64

So i decided to jump on this vs another funct gen next to just friends wich is mostly in sound modes. Added a 2hp DC wich should be a good fit.

Main reason next to good visual feedback is the channel independence, with a super mini setup thats hard to beat. No extra lfos needed etc

For tricks like making the most of it as Osc or generally making it respond smooth and analog like, skipping the glitch stuff, self patching, experiences in combo with JF i am all ears if someone likes to give examples.

I have 5 channels of LPG to feed and dual CV/Gate from norns or 4x trigger

1 Like
#65

Love mine–hard to find a faster source of complex modulation. I think it already sounds smooth–the glitchy stuff happens with short wave cycles or using the “noisy” waves. I don’t like it at all as an osc because it won’t track 1V/oct. It thrives with some modulation—self-modulation is your friend.

1 Like
#66

It does track fairly close, of course just not as close as an OSC. I usually find that it isn’t too noticeable it just might take a bit of tuning with the time parameter.

Edit: I view it more as an experimental sound source with non-even-tempered tuning, but you get some pretty interesting tuning differences when playing the Zadar side by side with another oscillator.

#67

If you mix a -5v offset with your 0-10v envelope you will have the bipolar envelope you’re looking for. Cheapest option if you don’t already have one would be something like the Joranalogue Add2.

#68

I have justed picked up a Zadar and its not behaving like i think it should- it may be faulty or perhaps my current case isnt supplying it enough power. All the animations on screen seem to work fine I just dont think its pushing out any cv.
Can some one confrm: the zadar doesnt need a trigger if you have a channel in infinity mode?- i can see the line moving across the screen.
Are their any jumpers or things on the board i need to make sure are in the right place.
Could this be a power thing? I tried testing the output with a multimeter - not a very fullproof method - and I get about 300 milivolts.

any thoughts ? thanks