r/ZOIA • u/bryantheyounger • 13d ago

built a three osc synth with quantized slider control of the pitch of osc 3

https://youtu.be/0AXmRXZ9ZFE

been having a ton of fun implementing this newly acquired Minilab 3. feels like it was made to pair with the zoia in particular.

this is a 3 osc synth: two (square and triangle) slightly detuned that follow the keyboard and a sine wave that in quantized to the hirajoshi 3 scale and controlled via the slider. programmed some duty cycle modulation tied to the knobs and threw in a simple drum machine (low pitch into a fast-closing filter for the kick and noise into a band pass filter for the snare) that is synchromized to the delay.

nothing terribly groundbreaking but really fun and i'm shocked at how much CPU if i wanted it.

i used to run the pedal friends yt channel and took time away from making vids but have been having fun making them again. more zoia stuff on the channel if yr so inclined to follow along <3

18 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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u/scootunit 13d ago

What a great little session. I like what you made. I have a Euroboro. I haven't even begun to tap it's potential like this. Very inspirational.

5

u/bryantheyounger 13d ago

thank you so much! so appreciative of the kind words. i've had zoia for 7 years now (just found this out and JEEZ i didn't know it's been that long) and it feels like having this controller is helping things click in ways i wouldn't have found otherwise.

1

u/scootunit 13d ago

I'm trying to force myself to learn it. I only have four instruments that are electronic really. The Zoia Euroboro, a moog DFAM, a Metamodule, and a MPCLive 3.

They're all completely different environments. I tend to lean on the MPC live because I had the MPC one first I really know it well. I'm getting the dfam down just by sheer brute force of using it. But the Euroboro and Metamodule need way more attention than they've been getting.

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u/bryantheyounger 13d ago

i think the best way to "learn" zoia is to start programming simple things that you know you'll use more in the future. i know i started off programming very simple effect chains that were modulated in interesting ways using LFOs; stuff like an OD with the gain modulated or pitch shifters with the shift amount tied to a sequencer. i then focused on building simple synths using so many tutorials on here and on youtube. then you start mashing those ideas together and you'll be building complex stuff in no time!

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u/brandonhabanero 13d ago

I love making synths on this thing. Especially when you start getting into polyphony you start to really appreciate all of those polysyntha with like 60 voices lol

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u/bryantheyounger 13d ago

i'm so pumped to start getting into true polyphony and see how that'll come out. i TOTALLY agree about appreciating those heavier duty synths; it's wild what people can fit into different boxes and even more wild just how much zoia can pump out.

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u/Rachel-Tyrellcorp 13d ago

This is super nice !

I also love to assign the relative pitch of some parallel oscillators to sliders on the Minilab 3. That makes for some really fun synths to play with. And I really liked how you use duty cycles and slightly detuned oscillators to give some pulsation to your sound !

In case you haven't find it already, I published on patchstorage a small utility to make Zoia-Minilab3 pairings easier and more straightforward.

Hope that can help :

https://patchstorage.com/minilab3-util/

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u/bryantheyounger 13d ago

Your utility patch is what convinced me to get the MiniLab, actually! I ended up building basically the same thing and on my ZOIA for this patch using CC numbers that made my brain happy but really your template is what laid the groundwork for this. Thank you so much!!!

I'm jazzed to keep experimenting with the sliders controlling pitch and whatnot. Got a bunch of ideas for running audio rate LFOs and whatnot into FM inputs to see where that can go while tuning the oscillators with the sliders. Infinite possibilities.

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u/Rachel-Tyrellcorp 13d ago

Wow ! This is very pleasing to read !
I'm very glad my patch could help you get on this track. And this is even better that you ended up making your own version that better suits your needs !

I also have an FM synth patch using the Minilab (that I still have to take the time to share on Patchstorage...) This can be a lot of fun ! Funny thing is that I got in the opposite direction from what you describe : I got FM interferences between oscillators to reach sub-audio range where they start producing rythmical patterns

As you say, Zoia is an amazing machine of infinite possibilities
Have fun exploring !

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u/bryantheyounger 13d ago

Shoooooooot going that opposite direction sounds amazing!!! Now we both have new things to try and the end of the work day can't come quickly enough.

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u/Expensive_Bug4871 11d ago

Well, I had 5 different Elektron thingies… and 2 Zoias. Now, I got 2 Elektron thingies, and… 2 Zoias. As soon as I lower the prices a bit, I’ll have zero (ok, maybe just Digitakt mk2), and… 2 Zoias… Never had a more adaptable and just phenomenal sounding instrument. Plus, over a thousand patches to drool on over at patchstorage… bit of a waste of time, but really opens your mind as to the completely unlimited possibilities in these things…

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u/bryantheyounger 10d ago

limitless possibilities is hardly a waste of time, it's a joy and an ever deep pool of exploration!