Teenage Engineering OP-Z

. I am more waiting for the midi/cv module than the sample management improvements at the moment.

I have faith in TE. They will get it done, both (and more)

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@virtual_flannel

I did actually try that but it does not work for me… Have you tried it yourself, is it working for you?

  1. I import a sample <6 seconds to the first slot (the top one, I assume?) of the OP-1 drum utility
  2. I export the .aif from the OP-1 drum utility (synth.aif)
  3. I mount the OP-Z and copy the aif file to one of the folders for example under samplepacks/5-bass/10/synth.aif
  4. I unmount OP-Z
  5. Turn off OP-Z
  6. I turn on OP-Z again
  7. I look under bass -> 10 (button 0) and nothing… the button is not lit, there is no sound?

What am I doing wrong?

PS: I find going through this process over and over again a huge pain… that’s why I would really love an app that can mange all this in a nice workflow…

Samples have to be exactly 6 sec. 16bit 44100 and have to contain op-1 format metadata. I found this webpage (on the operator-1 forum), which inserts standard op-1 metadata to audiofiles. When I get home I post the link.

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Hey, I gave it a try before I posted and it worked fine. Everything you said seems to be correct, couldn’t tell you what’s going wrong. I was loading a 24 bit 48k 4 second 808 sample. Best advice I could give is to back up and factory reset the Z.

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They can be under 6 seconds they don’t gave to be exactly 6 seconds.

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If shorter than 6sec they work, but you get strange results, it will playback other samples (with release full open) at end. They have to be mono also.

Webpage for inserting op z metadata:
http://gerotakke.de/op-z-sample/
You will have to tweak the adsr after importing.
This guy wrote a comprehensive guide.

Both TE and Elektron need to step it up with their sample storage/transfer shizz.

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@d4g

Thanks of the link. I think I saw that website before, but I don’t know if I like to upload my samples to someones website… I would prefer an regular desktop application or these features built in to the OP-Z iOS app… but maybe I am just being old-fashioned…

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I know, TE should make an app for this, for me it was the only way to get synthsamples on my op-z. But the guy took the time figuring this out and sharing it, that counts.
Also found that some sounds give me some aliasing on some keys, not all. Not sure whats going on. I hope TE updates the synth engines for 24bit and more tweakabilty.

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funny little machine so far, maybe a little bit expensive, but good portion of exploring, “LED screen” works good so far, most thing really self explaining and very well thought out… :slight_smile:

What do you think about the synths?
Isn’t it a bit too constrained?

it holds no compare to a fully fledged setup, but I bought it to have some fun while out of my house, and it seems that it delivers that, at least for me - so far… the synths engine indeed seem limited, but may be there is more to come or more to explore… anyway, nice mobile music box :slight_smile:

From the site:
“This all happens in your browser, the file is never uploaded.”

If you save the page locally, it should still work.

I actually like this. Not enough modern samplers have the ability to turn off interpolation. I want that gritty Protracker sound!

I’ve mentioned this before, but while the synth engines seem pretty limited, I think the real unique sound of the device comes from using the synth engines together with other features of the device, especially when exploiting the filter, effects (especially automated delay times!), tape track, filters on the effects/tape, master drive/compressor/chorus, etc. It’s not a deep sound design device like Elektron gear, but it doesn’t claim to be.
I see it as a device that is reminiscent of the days of using a cheap/toy* keyboard to make music, and making interesting tones with it by running it through a bunch of guitar pedals… except on the OP-Z the pedals are built in to the device. Granted, there aren’t as many effects as I’d like, but there’s room to add more.

* - For the record, I don’t like calling things toys if they can be used to make “full” sounding music; I was just using it as an example. For me, a toy is something that is severely restricted, e.g. a keyboard that can only play a cow mooing sound in a C major scale over one octave.

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it seems much more fun with an actual screen

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So, have people still been liking the OP-Z? I’ve heard some say that the synth engines get samey - do you find that to be true?

What about the sample handling, is it intuitive and rewarding enough?

Would really like this to work as a whole groovebox on the go for it to be worthwhile… Would appreciate opinions :slight_smile:

Yes! I take it almost everywhere.

On their own, yeah. But I’ve talked about this at great length; I’ve found the OP-Z to be a true “greater than the sum of its parts” machine. It’s unfair to talk about the raw synth sounds without considering what can be done to them using the filter, effects, or even the tape track.

This is one part where I feel there is room for improvement. I’m not sure if there’s extra space in there somewhere, but currently there’s no way to have all sample slots full, with maximum length drum kits, as the storage runs out well before it fills up. And adding samples seems a bit clumsy—almost every time I try, it takes a few tries before it actually recognises that a new sample has been added. I think the key is to empty the tracks you want to change, let it sync, then put it in disk mode again and add your new samples. It’s frustrating, but I’m hoping that in the future they’ll have something app-based that will allow for storage within the app itself. Or somehow magically unlock a “repository” space within the storage, like their version of a +drive. One can hope.

Aside from my one gripe about storage though, I think it’s definitely worth the money; the sequencing capability alone puts it way ahead of most other step sequencers I’ve used.

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My latest favorite thing is using the arp track as a hi hat with the digital engine. P-locking different arp rates :drooling_face:

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With ‘randomize’ I’ve not run out of intrigue yet

(Randomizing the synth voices, I mean)

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I totally agree… it’s a serious piece of kit and you can get a hell of a lot out of it in so many different ways.

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