#264

Well I guess it’s best to get the disappointments out of the way as soon as possible.

We’re going on holiday next year, and I can really see myself picking up one of these before we go1. The OP-1 is portable enough that I’ll tote it round the house, but it’s still too heavy/bulky for me to what to sling it in a backpack.

1 Or months before given how what the availability/demand will be like

#265

I’m tempted to purchase the OP-Z mainly for the functionality of it sequencing my eurorack system but I’d like to verify that it’d behave as I’d imagine with Ansible. With the OP-Z hooked up to Ansible could Ansible output four different CVs and triggers, each CV/trigger corresponding to a different MIDI track (for different MIDI tracks total)? Thanks!

I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on this in general, the fact that the OP-Z doesn’t have a screen has really kept me away from it (I don’t have an iOS device and have no plans on getting one), but if I’m using it mostly as a sequencer a screen probably won’t be needed.

2 Likes
#266

unfortunately ansible does not have a 4-channel midi mode. (i’m wrong! latest version does have 4 channel midi mode) you can either use one channel monophonically, or one channel 4-voice polyphonic (with voice stealing).

i remember asking @ngwese about adding a 4-channel mode, but the unanswered question is: how do you set which midi channels to use? it could be hardcoded in the firmware, but then it’s not easily changeable.

all i can think of is some sort of front panel button combo like holding the two “key” buttons to switch into channel setting mode and watch how many times an led flashes for each cv/gate pair? key 1 = decrease value, key 2 = increase value, both keys advance to next cv/gate pair.

2 Likes
#267

i mainly use mine without an iOS screen and after a few days of being overwhelmed it’s manageable.

my two struggles with the interface:
• setting destinations for LFOs - very hard to remember which color LED corresponds to which parameter
• step components (which are amazing) have some inconsistencies in the functions associated with their numeric value. so on one step component a value of “0” means random number each time, while on another step component to get random it’s another number like “7”. i’d prefer that “0” is always random.

but gosh - what a fun and immediate and tiiiinnnnny sequencer! so fun :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#268

As you state a multichannel mode would basically require hardcoding some default MIDI channel number choices like using 1-4.

Things could be made more configurable by leveraging teletype - but that requires a second piece of hardware to configure features which in my opinion is not great from a design standpoint and bad from a karma standpoint. That said there are a few features of the midi arp mode that are only accessible via ii commands…

I do see some value in a 4 channel mode with pitch and gate out and well as a 2 channel mode with gate, pitch, some cc, and a note off trigger.

The front panel buttons are already heavily overloaded with combos. IIRC the logic to save midi mode configuration is a button combo that flashes the mode light to provide feedback.

2 Likes
#269

oh i just realized there already a 4 voice mode preset to channels 1-4 - how did i miss that?? cool.

continuing the ansible midi convo here:

#270

I’d have to agree with you here.

Really enjoying the lack of screen as well. Since I am an android user, I had no option but to learn the device without a display from the start. It feels very well thought out and intuitive to me. I’ve been using mine since late october.

Haven’t had much issue syncing with other devices I own. My favorite little rig that I’ve been toying with is Digitakt + OP-Z + 0-Coast.

1 Like
#271

lil follow up on my op-z + ansible exploration:

  1. default setting = op-z “drum” tracks are midi channels 1-4. in the current firmware the drum tracks do not respond to the octave + - buttons. so, as things stand, if you want to use the first 4 tracks of the op-z to sequence midi, you’ll need some octave control on your instrument. if you need octave control on the op-z you can reassign the midi channels in a config file on the op-z if you boot it in disk mode. so you could make the synth tracks midi channels 1-4, drum 5-8, and then you’ll have octave settings.

  2. i’m getting some sort of bug where ansible inverts the gate output sometimes. so the tr output will hang high and when a new note comes in it’ll turn off for the length of the note. might have something to do with incoming midi notes overlapping? also happens some times when the sequencer is stopped and started quickly. this is a bigger problem i’m going to keep troubleshooting.

3 Likes
#272

Probably a naive question - would future firmware updates be able to make the OP-Z appear as a sound card to a computer? It would be cool if I could hook it up to my DAW and see each track as an input for multi-track recording. My guess is - no, but…was interested if any smart hardware people had input based on the handful of teardown videos / blog posts that have popped up.

#273

i am not very smart but my guess is also no, given how it’s taken elektron well over a year to add that to digitakt (assuming they literally did not start on it before announcing the feature). would love to be wrong

#275

I really appreciate this exploration-- thanks so much

#276

Oh, I didn’t know that was a feature of Digitakt, cool.

#277

not out yet! still in closed beta. it’s called “overbridge” if you want to look into it

#278

Anyone want to share any current OP-Z experimentations?

Something fun I was toying with the other night. Not super well thought out, but was fun having everything play nicely with ableton in between!

6 Likes
#279

Mine should be arriving Thursday! I currently plan on combining it with my eurorack and Trying to decide how much I want to spend on a midi-cv module. I plan on the Opz being the master clock. I am Leaning towards an fh-1 because of pricepoint but the hermod and polyend is looking pretty ace. Any euro users have any recommendations?

It’s funny I got into euro to get away from midi but I have now come full circle :o: :wink:

Really looking forward to getting my hands on this!

1 Like
#280

Skip the FH-1, go for the Hermod. It has better interfacing options and much easier to use.

1 Like
#281

Hermod is what I was thinking of snagging. How are you using it with the OP-Z? Are you able to send clock as well?

#282

For eurorack intergration I’ve been using Shuttle Control and really like it. Its come a long way since it first came out; Being able to modify the setup from a web browser interface and output directly to the module from the browser (usb connected) is a great way to work through, what can be, a complicated and large array of options.

I posted this in the tracks thread a month or 2 ago, shuttle control + opZ
Graphics are a custom opZ pack I made in unity

12 Likes
#283

are the drums programmed on the op-z as well? Did you play them live to achieve the loose/swung timing?

Beautiful track btw :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#284

Thanks! :beers: Yes the drums are straight from the opz. I played them live, but then made some adjustments/shifts. Also of note - the beat is just one bar with lots of step components, as well as the tape track messing things around.

3 Likes