The core piece of Zebra 3

Get Zebralette 3

Free!

Download for Windows

Also available for: Mac OS X, Linux

Zebralette 3 in the spotlight!

Zebralette 3 is a single oscillator plucked from the mothership and embedded within a minimal synth environment: ADSR envelope, MSEG, two LFOs, mod matrix, delay and reverb effects. Like its predecessor, Zebralette 3 is freeware.

a screenshot of Zebralette 3’s user interface

Sights and Sounds

Screenshots

  1. Main view
  2. Waveform editor
  3. Preset browser
  4. Main view (dark)

Demo Tracks

  1. Oddvar – Stripes • A deep house track with only sounds from Zebralette 3.

  2. Hyboid – Rowlf’s Daydream • A smooth ride through the realms of fluffy jazz rock. All sounds by Zebralette 3.

The main view

a screenshot of the main interface of Zebralette 3 with markers highlighting certain features

num1 Envelope

a screenshot of the envelope of Zebralette 3

The classic envelope generator with adjustable attack, decay, sustain and release stages. All stages can be automated via the modulation matrix and your DAW. Velocity sensitivity ensures patches respond dynamically to your playing.

num2 Mod Matrix

a screenshot of the mod matrix of Zebralette 3

The modulation matrix provides a clear overview of all routings in the six slots. Assign any source to any destination, apply modifiers such as quantization, sample & hold or slew, and fine-tune modulation depth with precision. You can even modulate the mod depth of another slot with any mod source. A compact yet powerful hub for creative sound design!

num3 Two LFOs

a screenshot of the two LFOs of Zebralette 3

Zebralette 3 includes two fully featured LFOs with multiple waveforms, tempo sync and phase control. Use them for subtle movement, rhythmic modulation or controlled randomness. Each LFO can modulate several parameters simultaneously.

num4 Effects section

a screenshot of the effects section of Zebralette 3

A built-in effects section adds a delay and a reverb to enhance your patches. The delay is syncable to the host tempo and can generate regular stereo or ping-pong delays. The reverb is capable of short ambiences and huge halls. Great for adding polish, space or extra character “in the box”.

The waveform editor

a screenshot of the waveform editor of Zebralette 3 with markers highlighting certain features

num5 Editing tools

a screenshot of the editing tools of Zebralette 3

The waveform editor provides direct control over your oscillator shape.

Choose from several editing tools:

  • Scale moves and stretches a selection of points vertically, horizontally or both.
  • Multiply creates clones of a selection, positioned to the left or right.
  • Warp skews a selection by clicking and dragging.
  • Rotate shifts the phase of the entire curve or selection.

num6 Spline-based editing

a screenshot of the spline-based editing of Zebralette 3

A technique normally associated with vector graphics. We have taken it to a new level. Spline editing introduces smooth, curved transitions between points. It lets you create expressive bends, waves and transitions without the sharp edges of point-based editing. A valuable tool for building organic, evolving shapes that respond beautifully to modulation!

num7 Plot domain

a screenshot of the plot domain of Zebralette 3

The orange trace in the background can represent either the realtime waveform (oscilloscope-style) or the amplitudes of frequencies across the spectrum (spectrum-analyzer-style). When morphing curves, Time mode shows exactly what happens at waveform level, while oscillator effects often shine when viewed in Frequency mode.

num8 Oscillator source

a screenshot of the oscillator source of Zebralette 3

The curves can be interpreted in two fundamentally different ways: Curve Geometry uses the curve to create a conventional waveform (x-axis represents time, y-axis represents amplitude). With Curve Spectrum, the curve represents the harmonic spectrum: up to 1024 harmonics are scaled logarithmically for a range of about 10 octaves (x-axis represents frequency, y-axis represents amplitude). In other words: you can draw your own waveform, or draw your own spectrum, depending on which mode you are using.

num9 Oscillator effects

a screenshot of the oscillator effects of Zebralette 3

Two serial FX blocks apply post-processing to the oscillator, including spectral, warping, windowing and animation effects. For example, the Spectral Decay lets different harmonics decay at different rates: use this for natural-sounding plucked strings, or go all crazy and create truly spaced-out soundscapes! These effects operate at the oscillator level, before the global effects, shaping timbre at the source.

The MSEG editor

a screenshot of the MSEG editor of Zebralette 3 with markers highlighting certain features

num10 Curve Editing

a screenshot of the curve editing tools of Zebralette 3

The Multi-Segment Envelope Generator is extremely flexible. Create up to seven MSEGs and morph between them. Use the same versatile editing tools as in the OSC editor to draw envelopes, modulation shapes or even sequencer-like patterns using the grid. Add, remove or reposition breakpoints, adjust curvature or snap to the grid. Each MSEG can be looped using freely adjustable loop points.

num11 Curve set position

a screenshot of the curve set position of Zebralette 3

Up to seven different MSEG curves can be created and distributed along the horizontal timeline. Edit one curve while another is active, and morph between them for anything from subtle variations to radical transformations. Perfect for stretching or compressing modulation shapes without redrawing them.

num12 Spline editor

a screenshot of the spline editor of Zebralette 3

Edit MSEG points using the same sophisticated spline tools. Spline curves allow smooth, flowing modulation — ideal for pads, sweeps and expressive transitions. Adjust Bézier handles to refine the motion, from gentle arcs to sharply accelerating shapes.

num13 The grid

a screenshot of the spline editor of Zebralette 3

The MSEG editor supports snapping to X or Y gridlines — or both. Use X-grid subdivisions to create rhythmic patterns such as ratchets or triplets. Set the Y-grid to 12 or 24 and route the MSEG to oscillator pitch to turn it into a precise step sequencer.

Zebralette 3 Release Notes

Zebralette 3.0 Initial Release

  • Revision: 20399
  • Released: December 10, 2025

Known Issues

  • Sample import is an experimental feature (expect glitches)
  • There is a rare plug-in loading error in Cubase/Nuendo (load the plug-in on an empty instrument track instead)
  • Animations might be slow on some Windows systems (there’s a preference to switch them off)
  • The plot graph can cause audio glitches on Linux (you can switch it off to fix this)
  • The preset context menu misses the favourites and junk icons on Linux
  • There is a modulation depth indicator glitch when swapping Osc FX slots
  • There are some mouse cursor quirks in Pro Tools on Windows
  • There are some quirks and small bugs in the curve editor
  • There are no module presets for curve sets yet
  • No MPE support yet

Version 3.0.0 (revision 20399) – Released December 10, 2025
Release notes

Free!

Download for Windows

Also available for: Mac OS X, Linux

Please be aware the Linux versions of our plug-ins are still considered beta. While the plug-ins are stable, we are not able to provide the same level of support for these products as we do for the macOS and Windows versions. Support is provided via the Linux and u-he communities on our forum.

System

  • macOS macOS (10.10 or newer)

  • Windows Windows (7 or newer)

  • Linux Linux (glibc version 2.28 or newer)

  • 50–125 MB free disk space
  • 1280 × 1024 pixel or larger display

CPU

  • Mac: Intel Nehalem, Apple M1 or newer
  • Windows/Linux: Intel Nehalem, AMD Bulldozer

Formats*

  • Windows (64-bit): CLAP, VST3, AAX**
  • macOS (64-bit): CLAP, AUv2, VST3, AAX**
  • Linux (64-bit): CLAP, VST3

* This plug-in requires host software (DAW)

** AAX requires Pro Tools 10.3.7 or newer

Downloads