My question is at the end, but a quick intro to it here. I am new to synths and find Z3ta incredibly capable, but very confusing. I discovered the "Initialize" button which has helped me learn faster, since I can hear changes more readily. A few videos have done tutorials, and I agree with one video I saw that the LFO was the least understood component of a synth. After seeing an unrelated post that someone could not find a MIDI file for the Cars "Magic" I thought, "What a good song to learn with," but even the basic pulsing synth (not the overtones) used in the intro is stumping me. The hands-on doing helps, but now the "recreate what you know" seems overly complicated. Question: If z3ta+ 2 is initialized (all presets removed). What is the quickest way to make that intro synth sound in the Cars "Magic" using the waveform, LFO, and matrix?

I don't know the answer, but the guy who wrote this book may be able to help you: http://noisesculpture.com/cakewalk-synthesizers he knows his stuff and i would highly recommend his book also, i would post this question in the KVR forums. More sound designer types hang out there. This forum seems to have more guitar oriented types...at least that is how it seems.

I am not sure what waveform, but try one saw wave LFO set to 1/4 notes controlling filter ... and the step generator timed so that the first four sweeps are an octave higher than the next four.

at the very least, this thread has motivated me to attempt making the sound. I have done very little in synth programming outside of create bass sounds.

Hi all. I only had a few minutes to sit at the computer last night and became even more frustrated. After initializing z3ta+ 2.1, I chose a simple generated sine, no modification. A generic LFO has only speed and depth controls, so for a solid tone, can create the "pulsing" effect. Regardless of variations used, I could not get the z3ta+ to change the sound (only using LFO1). I only used one wave, tried them all, shifted back and forth from sliders to settings, and even tried linking LFO1 in the matrix to various outputs, and no luck. Ironically, if I use the arpeggiator, a simple "UP" and 1 octave will create the pulse (by re-keying to the beat essentially), but I cannot do it with LFO1. It is comical to understand the theory, but not be able to get it to work. A simple sine wave with some speed and depth should make any tone pulse. Any clue what I am doing wrong?

DOH!! After reading site after site I went back to the z3ta+ manual (should have done sooner)... I missed one VERY important part of the matrix... RANGE!! It defaults to zero (no effect). So... the answer to my initial question is set a waveform of choice... set LFO1 to sine, LFO1 speed to ~3Hz... then in the matrix LFO1 (source) with range maxed, and output to "Main Volume." Ugh, what a lesson learned this was. My hat's off to all sound engineers that create from scratch!! :)