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Description

Unleash your musical creativity with the Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth, a powerhouse in the realm of synth plugins. Known for its wave-shaping capabilities, the Z3TA+ offers a sophisticated suite of tools for sound design, making it a favorite among electronic music producers and sound engineers. Its flexible modulation options, paired with an extensive library of presets, provide endless possibilities for crafting unique sounds.

The Z3TA+ is equipped with a robust set of oscillators, filters, and modulation modules that allow you to delve deep into the synthesis process. Whether you're looking to create lush pads, intricate leads, or basslines that punch through the mix, this synth is up to the task. Its user-friendly interface ensures that both beginners and seasoned professionals can navigate and manipulate its features with ease.

Integrating seamlessly with your DAW, the Z3TA+ supports both VST and AU formats, offering compatibility with most major music production software. Its flexible modulation matrix gives you the power to route signals in virtually any configuration, adding layers of complexity to your compositions. Dive into an immersive sound design experience with this versatile tool that promises to enhance your music production workflow.

Key Features:

  • Advanced wave-shaping capabilities
  • Comprehensive modulation matrix
  • Extensive library of presets
  • Compatible with VST and AU formats
  • User-friendly interface for easy navigation
  • Robust set of oscillators and filters
  • Ideal for creating pads, leads, and basslines

Product specs

Operating Systems Windows
Cakewalk

Cakewalk

Z3TA+ 2 Sound Examples - Sequences and Arps

Video thumbnail for Z3TA+ 2 Sound Examples - Sequences and Arps by Cakewalk

Z3TA+ 2 Sound Examples - Sequences and Arps

Cakewalk

Cakewalk

Video thumbnail for Cakewalk Z3ta+1 Synth Overviewed In Gearwire Studio, Part Two by gearwire

Cakewalk Z3ta+1 Synth Overviewed In Gearwire Studio, Part Two

gearwire

gearwire

Reviews

PROS

  • Excellent and unique presets for creative sound exploration

  • Comes with a separate effects suite for additional versatility

  • Inspiring sounds that fuel creativity and musical ideas

  • Great for producing uplifting synths, arps, and plucks

  • Offers a versatile wave table synth for diverse sound design

  • Comparable to high-end hardware synths like the Access Virus B

  • High-quality sound design capabilities

  • Affordable for the range of features offered

  • Easy manipulation of patches for custom sound creation

CONS

  • Can be resource-intensive, possibly requiring a PC upgrade

  • Not as easy to program compared to using presets

  • Occasional reliability issues, with the plugin breaking unexpectedly

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth.

Software and compatibility

  • Z3TA+ 2 is confirmed to be VSTi only, unlike its predecessor, which was both DXi and VSTi.

    Source
  • Offline activation of Z3TA+ 2 can be achieved through the Bandlab Assistant app, involving exporting and importing activation requests and responses.

    Source
  • Contacting BandLab's community team with a valid serial number and registration code can yield a download link for Z3TA+ 2, even without an active Cakewalk account.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • Registering the Z3TA+ 2 requires using the regsvr32 command in DOS, but only if the DLL is correctly located in the specified path.

    Source

User experience

  • Users have successfully activated Z3TA+ 2 on new systems despite inactive Cakewalk accounts during 2014-2017, using detailed offline activation processes from community forums.

    Source
Add

4.5 out of 5

Based on 22 Reviews and 67 Ratings

5 star
4 star
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1 star
djfriendzone

free powerhouse with excellent presets but challenging programming

I got it free from CM magazine. Its a real powerhouse, although its not as easy to program as to use the excellent presets...

jhon_shepherd

Z3TA

I cannot say enough good things about this program. I love the overall sound design and versatility that it offers. It will more than likely always be my go to stand alone VST. Every bit worth the investment.

danielcuda

Exploring unique sounds with an amazing layout

Z3TA+ is good for finding unique sounds. The layout of Z3TA+2 is amazing.

D

Awesome and unique presets. And of course CHORDS OF LIFE. <3

mike_byrd

Great sounding synth comes with a separate effects suitr plugin

This is z3ta 2's little brother it comes with a separate effects suite plugin that can be used on vocals etc the synth itself sounds great and you can manipulate patchs to your hearts content great sounding synth and easy to use.

dgc_official

Great sounds

This thing rocks i love all the sounds it has very inspiring to use!

housecat

Versatile VST for uplifting synth productions

I use this VST to produce "uplifting" synths that you hear in my productions

austinpayne

Good plugin for sound design.

Pretty versatile wave table synth. Good for sound design.

yousseflamlih

Best Synth

I use this VST to produce "uplifting" synths that Is Amazing Synth For Arp And Plucked

S

Great sounds, but is a resource hog

Admittedly, I need to upgrade my PC, but this really tears up my available resources. Otherwise, I love it.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Deadmau5 uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Deadmau5

Music Producer

BSOD

...
Verified via YouTube

At the side bar of Ableton you can see "z3ta+".

See how Avicii uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Avicii

Music Producer

Jovicii

...
Verified via YouTube

Avicii used the original z3ta+ by cakewalk in his older tracks before switching to z3ta+ 2. The preset is called 'crispy arp c1' which is located in 'Section B' in the original z3ta+. Avicii used the preset in his bootleg of 'Sex is On Fire' by Kings of Leon in 2011 April 15th, a few months before z3ta+ 2 was released.

See how Knife Party uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Knife Party

Music Producer

...
Verified via Twitter

Along with Massive and Sylenth, Knife Party's Rob Swire lists the Z3TA+ as one of his favorite software synthesizers. He calls it "such a sick little synth"

See how Feed Me uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Feed Me

Music Producer

Seventh Stitch

...
Verified via Photo

Users in the Random Forum Title forum identified the bassline from the Feed Me track White Spirit is a preset in Cakewalk Z3TA+. User DreamWalker says, "I believe it's called "some more FM" from the C tab." Original source here.

See how Mat Zo uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Mat Zo

Music Producer

...
Verified via Ibiza Nights: Protecting the Sanctity and Libido Of Dance Music

Mat Zo lists Cakewalk's Z3TA+ as one of his favorite software synths.

See how K-391 uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

K-391

Music Producer

...
Verified via YouTube

In 2:24, we can see that his 4th channel is z3ta+

See how Rob Swire uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Rob Swire

Keyboardist, Music Producer

Pendulum

...
Verified via Soundonsound

"For a lot of the bass sounds we just start off with something simple and then mangle it, or use our old favourite [Cakewalk] Z3TA plug-in. I love it, for anything. For some reason it's one of the quickest go-to synths for anything I want to do. I just think of a sound, go to that and do it, which I don't really have with anything else. There's sounds you can't get from Z3TA and that's why we have analogue synths, but at the same time, if you want something digital and fucked-up, they aren't really going to do it, except maybe for the Andromeda. If you want something like that it's not going to come from a Prophet. I find with Z3TA, more than anything else, it just fits right in against drums, the way that we do them, and I've never found anything else that does it so well."

See how Angerfist uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Angerfist

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via Google

My favorite plugins are Z3ta+, Sylenth1, Drumazon, Microtronic and the UAD DSP-Card. The only real hardware I use is a Virus TI Snow for those nasty screech sounds. I have a pair of Mackie monitors, but I do my mixing and mastering mostly on my Sennheiser HD800 headphone. That headphone is absolutely my favorite piece of equipment!

See how Ilan Bluestone uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Ilan Bluestone

Music Producer

...
Verified via Emusician

I interviewed iLan Bluestone on a Gibson Tour Bus about his music production style using SONAR. He mentions using Z3TA+ as well in the interview. Cakewalk is a Gibson Brand.

See how Basshunter uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Basshunter

Singer, Composer

...
Verified via YouTube

At 0:21 in the YouTube video "BassHunter Making Music," Basshunter is seen using the Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth, as indicated by the tab menu displaying options like Plugin, SMP, Ins, Misc, and Func.

See how Awe uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

Awe

...
Verified via Razerzone

AWE's Razer Music page lists Z3ta as one of his plugins.

See how DJ Splash uses Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth

DJ Splash

Music Producer

...
Verified via Archive

DJ Splash has been using the Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth since he began uploading his music creations on the Danish music website MyMusic.dk in 2004, as noted in his biography.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Cakewalk Z3TA+ Software Synth, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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