U-he, a well-known name in the world of software synthesizers, offers an impressive array of tools for sound designers, producers, and musicians. Among their most popular offerings are three free synthesizers: Zebralette, Podolski, and TyrellN6. Each of these synths delivers unique features, high-quality sound, and innovative approaches to sound design, all while being completely free to use. In this article, we’ll dive into what makes these three synthesizers stand out, and how they can enhance your music production toolkit.
Zebralette: A Taste of Zebra2’s Power
Zebralette is essentially a “Trojan horse” from U-he, designed to give users a taste of the power and flexibility of Zebra2’s oscillators. As a standalone synth, Zebralette offers a stripped-down version of Zebra2, focusing on one oscillator while providing enough sound design tools to create complex and dynamic sounds.
Despite its simplicity, Zebralette is more than just an introduction to Zebra2, it is a powerful synth in its own right. It features unison options (not limited to saw waves, hence termed “superwave”), 16 voice polyphony, and two envelopes, enabling users to craft a wide range of sonic textures. At the heart of Zebralette is its versatile oscillator, which includes an extensive waveform editor. Users can select a waveset from the library or create custom waveforms by drawing shapes.
Zebralette offers four waveform drawing modes: GeoMorph, SpectroMorph, GeoBlend, and SpectroBlend. These modes provide different approaches to shaping and manipulating waves, allowing users to explore diverse sonic possibilities. The WaveWarp control further adds dynamic motion by scanning through 16 waves, and users can apply up to 24 Spectral Effects to modify the harmonic content of their sound. While it may only have one oscillator, Zebralette proves that quality matters more than quantity when it comes to synthesis.
Podolski: Simplicity Meets Quality
Podolski is a CPU-efficient virtual analogue synthesizer that has been around since 2005. Despite its age, it remains a relevant and powerful tool for creating high-quality sounds with ease. Podolski’s architecture is straightforward, featuring one oscillator, one filter, one envelope, and an arpeggiator/sequencer. Although it may seem basic on the surface, Podolski has a few tricks up its sleeve.
The WaveWarp feature allows seamless morphing between three waveforms, giving users a surprising amount of flexibility from just one oscillator. Additionally, the Click parameter adds emphasis to the filter attack, creating sharper, more defined sounds. Podolski also includes chorus and delay effects, expanding the range of sound design possibilities without overcomplicating the interface.
Podolski’s most recent updates have improved its factory library, integrated the TUC Toys soundset, and made all presets NKS-ready. For those looking for a simple yet powerful analogue-style synth, Podolski is an excellent choice.
TyrellN6: The Hardware Synth that Became Software
TyrellN6 is an interesting product born from a community-driven project. Originally, it was conceived as a hardware analogue synthesizer based on concepts from the German online magazine Amazona.de. However, due to the time and resources required to develop a hardware synth, U-he’s founder, Urs Heckmann, turned the design into a software synthesizer instead.
TyrellN6 draws inspiration from the classic Roland Juno 60, offering a compact yet powerful set of features. It includes two oscillators, noise generator, ring modulation, and pulse-width modulation, capturing the essence of vintage analogue synths. In addition, it features two LFOs, an arpeggiator, and a matrix modulation system, providing plenty of flexibility for sound designers who love to experiment.
The synth has a sporty, compact design, with a user interface designed by Ryo Ishido in version 3, which was released in 2013. The VST3 support introduced in this version makes TyrellN6 compatible with the latest DAWs, ensuring it remains a go-to option for users looking for a powerful yet accessible analogue-style synth.
U-he’s free synthesizers—Zebralette, Podolski, and TyrellN6—offer an incredible amount of value for sound designers and musicians alike. Zebralette provides a gateway to the more complex world of Zebra2, Podolski delivers a simple yet effective analogue-style synth, and TyrellN6 offers the classic feel of a hardware analogue synth in a software format.
