How’s the sequencer stack up to an elektron sequencer?
It feels strangely familiar and similarly powerful. Step components are a great idea. The OP-Z has even been dubbed „pocket Elektron“.
3 Likes
I’d like to see
(1) a ‘here’s what we were planning’ dual firmware release for OP-1 and OP-z that brings them both much tighter together as natural, clever partners in a thoughtful way.
(2) super simple editor app to upload kits/samples to both machines.
(3) a roadmap of modules they are considering for the OP-Z. It is better to know a little about what is coming. Will it have a 4 track mixer in? Will it have more flash memory? Will it be an actual sampler? Will it record all separate stems to wav? Should we think of it as a 2 channel doodle-box? Where will they take the instruments, if anywhere?
6 Likes
That’s what I was hoping to hear. Caught my interest slightly since hearing some less bleepy demos, I love how small and portable it looks and it seems to do quite a lot as a sequencer
In some ways it’s better. The step components take trig conditions to the next level, with things like step jump, hold, etc. I was playing with the OT lastnight and wishing I could do conditional ratcheting like on the OP-Z!
5 Likes
Sounds rad. What’s the going second hand rate on these roughly? Seeing as I need to sell OT anyway might consider a part trade on one of these to retain the elektron ish sequencer. Would be nice to have for portability
Sorry for the late response. Life has been a bit crazy. Basically, Step Components, parameter locks and triggers can all be set to occur by chance via what TE calls Spark Components (I think that is what they are called). Furthermore, a number of Step Components combined can turn one step into multiple triggers with changing pitch and parameters, etc… There is also a “jump to step” Step Component which I would imagine could be used for short tangental loops… I don’t know man, the sequencer is real deep but still incredibly easy to use. It’s really really good.
1 Like
Felt better to me, more room to play unquantized even at slower scale lengths. Not too sure what the difference is technically but I think it has something to do with the OPZ allowing more notes/trigs per step. Elektron allows one and its also affected by scale length.
1 Like
I would go as far as to say that the sequencer is better in almost ever way, but it could just be my personal preference. I posted my reasons on another topic + step preview as someone later pointed out.
Really wish I could deal with the lack of visual feedback and small size of the Z. Sequencer looks great but not sure I’d always enjoy using it. Especially with external gear. Like I’d constantly forget what CC I’ve mapped etc. Hoping the Z is big enough success for TE to want to make a slightly bigger model at some point…
Going to try the Z ASAP though and see if I’m being over-cautious and naive about my issues with it.
I don’t think this is likely to happen, tbh. It was a deliberate design choice.
If you haven’t tried it yet, you should reserve judgement until you do. I’m used to making music with small devices so it wasn’t difficult at all for me, but you might be surprised at how easy it is to use. And once you’ve spent a bit of time with it, the visual feedback (yes, there is feedback) starts to make sense and it becomes easier to read the LEDs. Considering how minimalist the visual design is, I think they’ve done an amazing job on the UI/UX design.
8 Likes
i think te designed it that way to be super portable and cheaper. I’d be surprised if te didn’t see some sense in eventually making an op1 sized one, even if it was only a sequencer with a bunch of connectivity and a bare bones screen. The hard works already been done and it’d definitely sell…
if I’m sequencing a bunch of external gear I really prefer some knob value feedback etc so I’m not having to wiggle everything just to see where it’s at. Not saying screen is a must have feature for everyone, I just personally like screens on anything complex. No screens at all on my Euro, but can see all the knob values and connections. That stuff makes a big difference for me, I start feeling overwhelmed if I have too much stuff to try to remember and mentally visualise when all I wanna do is jam 
And not everyone is going to be interested in pocket sized portability, I think a bunch of people would probably be more interested in a slightly less compact UI with all buttons on the top.
Yeah, reserving judgement til I try one but haven’t been tempted yet after watching videos, whereas with op1 I was always in pure GAS mode…
Dunno if you heard about the Zynthian, which is open source and based on the Raspberry pi, but it does everything you ask and much more.
I just heard that TE has difficulties to keep up production with the high demand, they hope it will get better in Q3 2019 – thats a long time. But they didtn tell any absolute numbers, how many opz they produce and sell.
There’s still stock at stores in Uk if anyone’s looking to grab one.
Gear4music has plenty in stock as do several other stores…
Hey everybody,
I am personally looking for a powerful step sequencer that I can bring everywhere (opposite to a Zaquencer for example) and that has physical control (otherwise I would just take my iPad) and that is polyphonic (so no beatstep pro) and powerful (to go deeper than, say, a Novation Circuit).
I am not looking too much for a groovebox or an internal “box does it all”, more like a MIDI step sequencer for all my other stuff, that I could use too as a powerful all-in-one.
So my question is :
Can I use all the niceties of step sequencing this box has, for example the “step elements”, with external gear?
Or would a more traditional but more powerful step sequencer, like a Midibox Seq4, be more indicated for what I have in mind?
I bet they do!
Im with Nick on this one… it looks like a proper headache… Up its own rabbit hole…
Sorry!
1 Like
TE is planning on releasing a bunch of new OP 1s when they get the new production going later this year next year and plan on releasing modules for the OP-Z over the next two years or
so I don’t think their planning any big sized OP-Z. They seem to have a plan for the next few years of what they what to do.
If anything they’d just want people to get both so you can sequence the OP1 from the Z.
