I’m still hunting for an OP-1 but a Z came up and I dived in. Very excited, electronic music is brand new to me after guitar and piano for many years. Needed a new hobby after I gave up riding motorbikes. Anyway, I need help please.
Sampling - I understand this may or may not come on the Z but I also understand we can load them in via computer. I’m a Mac user, do I just use the OP-1 drum thing program that’s spoken about a lot? The one for making drum patches. What length samples can the Z take? I’d like to sample bits from vinyl etc and play with them along with the built in drums/synths etc.
MIDI - I want to stay portable, and so I’ll be using my iPhone X for Korg Gadget etc. What iOS apps play nicely with the OP-Z? I want to use the Z for control, the apps to make noise. I don’t like touch screens, hence the Z in the first place.
Recording - at some point I’m going to want to record stuff. What do people suggest here? I’d love the OP-1 four track, if that exists as an app in some kind of way please shout.
I’ll be recording my progress with this instrument. Hopefully I’ll see a big difference in the first year
Welcome to the rabbit hole haha - I took the same plunge about a year ago, first with the op-1 and now the z. I’m still a newb but I might have some useful info, and hopefully more experienced users here can correct my mistakes!
For samples you can use the op-1 drum utility but the standalone version doesn’t add the special op-1 code for the samples; there was a web app uploaded here a while back, that will allow you to modify the drum utility app’s output. Confusing, I know.
But if you’re using the VST version of the op-1 Drum Utility for your DAW then I think those samples work straight from the VST.
Midi works well with iOS apps; so far I’ve had success with Model 15 and Ripplemaker, although the op-z seems to send midi control to some of the various parameters other than keys, and I haven’t figured out yet how to control all of that. I think it will vary per app but it’s pretty much plug and play; the active tracks on the op-z will send midi to your app. Cuckoo just did a YouTube video where he was controlling different apps with distinct tracks, so that’s also possible.
To send audio to your iPhone you’ll need the Apple Camera Connection Kit and an audio interface of some kind - I use the Behringer U-Control; it’s a little bulky but stereo and works well. Others have said good things about the Roland Go Mixer. I’m still looking for a stereo solution that fits in my pocket and doesn’t need the Apple CCK as I’d prefer to just carry my phone and op-z. I’ve been recording to BeatMaker 3 on the iPad, but I guess you could also record to GarageBand or Audioshare on the iPhone to keep it more portable. The more I struggle with juggling all these things though the more I like to just use the op-z by itself, it’s super capable (to a newb like me) and still fun after about a month of daily jamming. Have fun!
I didn’t realise the Z was focussed on sequencing so much (lights etc) and wonder if the Digitakt would work better. I really want sampling, just wish it was battery powered.
Sounds like the op-1 would be really suited to you with your background in playing.
You’d want to familiarise yourself with Audacity, a free program on Mac, for preparing samples off vinyl etc for op-Z with drum utility .
Lots of apps work very well. Every app that can take midi from another app (that I have tried) has worked perfectly. I really like the korg and moog synth apps. There are some really cool looking samplers that I have been wanting to play with. I think korg gadget has a few. The impc pro2 is fairly straight forward to work with.
This thing is fun! I have so much to learn. One thing I’m struggling with are the sequencers, it seems they are fairly limited. For now I’m recording to the tape live to get around the limitation.
I need to get some time alone (family life!) to put some drum packs together. I have so many samples I need to order. But yeah, it’s a lovely machine. A keeper for sure, it’s a classic already. Thinking about adding a Deluge and Neutron to the desk next
Yes the sequencers are limited.
They tend to lead to unexpected stuff though, especially when combined with sampler. Each does have its own strength, like sketch can do pitch glide for synth.
I like finger a lot. Get use to programing it and a lot can be jammed with that, especially in Join mode.
Of course endless is the favorite by most.
(The tip of hold record then hit a key to trigger seqs aligned to the grid is useful, you may already know).
(Another tip for Pattern & Sketch is hit help to allow play back from the keyboard while on the seq page).
