This set of videos, via Red Means Recording, takes a look at the Teenage Engineering OP-Z synthesizer.
17 thoughts on “Teenage Engineering OP-Z Walkthrough”
Not for me, no screen no bucks.
‘I bought myself an iPad to go with this.’
Much as the OP-1 is a work of art and a fantastic innovative tool, I find the OP-Z totally uninspiring: a boring slab of grey that has to be tethered to some other device to even be usable. But please correct me if I’m wrong.
Once you get the gist of the sequencer and punch in effects this thing is SO much fun to use. You can create real complexity and movement with just a simple loop. I agree the design is really lacking though. They seemed to hit an awful point of too big to play hand-held with your thumbs and too small to play on a desk with your fingers.
“But please correct me if I’m wrong.”
If you’ve followed any of the demos that people and commentary that owners have been sharing, you’d know that you’re spouting nonsense.
Most if not all demos of the OP-Z are RUBBISH. Almost anyone with an iPad or iPhone and Gadget for example easily makes better sounding music.
I sold my OP-1 once I got the Z (only needed 1 portable instrument!), I much prefer the Z and hardly ever use the screen.
It’s weird because I feel that way about the OP-1 but not the OP-Z – I got rid of the OP-1 after a few weeks because I couldn’t gel with it. I’ve used the OP-Z daily for the last few months and love it immediacy. I guess it’s made for me and maybe not for you. The sequencer is an amazing design, so clever yet intuitive.
It would be great if people could stop suggesting the external screen is required in any way. I’ve had mine since the week it came to the states and I’ve used the screen less than an hour outside of using Photomatic with it live. Learned the entire OS in a day or two. It’s sequencer is complex enough that it now runs all my external gear (replacing Octatrack and Digitakt), along with visuals and DMX control of my light rig. Out of the 200 or so pieces of electronic gear I’ve owned over the years it’s easily my favorite. People just get caught up in a frenzy due to its size and it not having a screen, but if it was the size of a workstation and was $1500 people would be praising it left and right for what it can pull off.
how do you connect all this?
you have many options from USB hubs to interfaces with full size midi ports. it’s a usb host so class-compliant devices work (give or take some compatibility issues). sorry for the lack of specifics, but there are some good videos on this stuff on YouTube.
I have a few ways to do it but lately I’ve been using a powered USB C hub that has 3 USB inputs which also charges the Z. 1 for my Enttec DMX USB Pro, 1 for my Launch Control XL, and 1 for a cheap USB MIDI adapter that sends out to a MIDI Thru box to send the MIDI 4 ways. When the CV/MIDI module comes out it will allow CV/PO/MIDI control straight out of the back too. One more thing I’d like to point out is that people thought the OP-1 was a toy too when it came out and now the amount of artists that use it is staggering. That and the fact that the OP-1 has had countless upgrades over the years while this device has been in the wild onky 4 months so it’s quite reasonable to expect more great things to come.
Out of the 200 or so pieces of electronic gear i’ve owned over the years it’s easily my favorite as well. It walks my dogs, vacuums the carpets, cleans my teeth(no longer have to go to the dentist!), it signs for packages when I am not home, trims my toe nails, makes me yummy pudding pie, mows the lawn, it draws me beautiful pictures of rainbows and unicorns, and I am thinking about buying another one to make my world even more happy and joyful. Haters gonna hate.
word!
Worth noting that TE hasn’t even rolled out the expansion modules for this. Once they do… imagine interoperability with modular and much else. Granted, those upgrades won’t be free as with the Novation Circuit — another screenless device folks seem to love or hate — but there’s an iceberg/tip phenomenon worth noting as far as this thing goes. And, yes, it is fun to use once you get over the initial shock of having to master STREET FIGHTER 2-esque button combos to unlock the sequencer’s special moves.
i like mine, and would compare it to a beefy pocket operator. ditto to everyone saying the screen is unnecessary; it’s helpful for learning but unnecessary after that for all but the least commonly used functions (so if your phone dies, you still have a ton you can do without it).
i am hoping that they add some more depth to the engines and to the tape machine. would really love:
– more depth in engines
– tape freeze
– send to tape or tape dry/wet mix (per track or even just dry/wet mix for combined input to tape)
– ability to switch lfo to cycle once to use as envelope (if not a dedicated mod envelope)
– step components on the tape machine
– send fx and/or per-track insert fx
– sampling (duh)
– step component to trigger every time a (selectable) previous step triggers
– make it open source and we’ll help! 😉
Not for me, no screen no bucks.
‘I bought myself an iPad to go with this.’
Much as the OP-1 is a work of art and a fantastic innovative tool, I find the OP-Z totally uninspiring: a boring slab of grey that has to be tethered to some other device to even be usable. But please correct me if I’m wrong.
Once you get the gist of the sequencer and punch in effects this thing is SO much fun to use. You can create real complexity and movement with just a simple loop. I agree the design is really lacking though. They seemed to hit an awful point of too big to play hand-held with your thumbs and too small to play on a desk with your fingers.
“But please correct me if I’m wrong.”
If you’ve followed any of the demos that people and commentary that owners have been sharing, you’d know that you’re spouting nonsense.
Most if not all demos of the OP-Z are RUBBISH. Almost anyone with an iPad or iPhone and Gadget for example easily makes better sounding music.
I sold my OP-1 once I got the Z (only needed 1 portable instrument!), I much prefer the Z and hardly ever use the screen.
It’s weird because I feel that way about the OP-1 but not the OP-Z – I got rid of the OP-1 after a few weeks because I couldn’t gel with it. I’ve used the OP-Z daily for the last few months and love it immediacy. I guess it’s made for me and maybe not for you. The sequencer is an amazing design, so clever yet intuitive.
It would be great if people could stop suggesting the external screen is required in any way. I’ve had mine since the week it came to the states and I’ve used the screen less than an hour outside of using Photomatic with it live. Learned the entire OS in a day or two. It’s sequencer is complex enough that it now runs all my external gear (replacing Octatrack and Digitakt), along with visuals and DMX control of my light rig. Out of the 200 or so pieces of electronic gear I’ve owned over the years it’s easily my favorite. People just get caught up in a frenzy due to its size and it not having a screen, but if it was the size of a workstation and was $1500 people would be praising it left and right for what it can pull off.
how do you connect all this?
you have many options from USB hubs to interfaces with full size midi ports. it’s a usb host so class-compliant devices work (give or take some compatibility issues). sorry for the lack of specifics, but there are some good videos on this stuff on YouTube.
I have a few ways to do it but lately I’ve been using a powered USB C hub that has 3 USB inputs which also charges the Z. 1 for my Enttec DMX USB Pro, 1 for my Launch Control XL, and 1 for a cheap USB MIDI adapter that sends out to a MIDI Thru box to send the MIDI 4 ways. When the CV/MIDI module comes out it will allow CV/PO/MIDI control straight out of the back too. One more thing I’d like to point out is that people thought the OP-1 was a toy too when it came out and now the amount of artists that use it is staggering. That and the fact that the OP-1 has had countless upgrades over the years while this device has been in the wild onky 4 months so it’s quite reasonable to expect more great things to come.
Out of the 200 or so pieces of electronic gear i’ve owned over the years it’s easily my favorite as well. It walks my dogs, vacuums the carpets, cleans my teeth(no longer have to go to the dentist!), it signs for packages when I am not home, trims my toe nails, makes me yummy pudding pie, mows the lawn, it draws me beautiful pictures of rainbows and unicorns, and I am thinking about buying another one to make my world even more happy and joyful. Haters gonna hate.
word!
Worth noting that TE hasn’t even rolled out the expansion modules for this. Once they do… imagine interoperability with modular and much else. Granted, those upgrades won’t be free as with the Novation Circuit — another screenless device folks seem to love or hate — but there’s an iceberg/tip phenomenon worth noting as far as this thing goes. And, yes, it is fun to use once you get over the initial shock of having to master STREET FIGHTER 2-esque button combos to unlock the sequencer’s special moves.
i like mine, and would compare it to a beefy pocket operator. ditto to everyone saying the screen is unnecessary; it’s helpful for learning but unnecessary after that for all but the least commonly used functions (so if your phone dies, you still have a ton you can do without it).
i am hoping that they add some more depth to the engines and to the tape machine. would really love:
– more depth in engines
– tape freeze
– send to tape or tape dry/wet mix (per track or even just dry/wet mix for combined input to tape)
– ability to switch lfo to cycle once to use as envelope (if not a dedicated mod envelope)
– step components on the tape machine
– send fx and/or per-track insert fx
– sampling (duh)
– step component to trigger every time a (selectable) previous step triggers
– make it open source and we’ll help! 😉
will you marry me?