Teenage Engineering OP-Z Synthesizer and Sequencer, Black

Product Information

snap a series of photos and sequence them to a beat. compose a song and create a completely synchronised music video 'a-la-minute'. the photomatic feature included in the OP–Z app is just pure instant fun.

while in play mode press and hold shift and momentarily hold the piano keys to add different punch-in effects. To be completely honest though, until very recently - ie the day our review unit arrived - we would have struggled to answer had somebody asked me to explain what the OP-Z actually is. It doesn’t help that the hardware itself gives very few clues as to its function. Its sleek, minimal form is adorned with buttons and rotaries labelled with often rather cryptic icons. Were you to hand someone an OP-Z without context, it’s likely they wouldn’t know whether they’re supposed to use it to make music, turn on the TV or try to make a phone call. Which all begs the question, what actually is the OP-Z? A synth? A sampler? An audio-visual sequencer? The answer is, to some extent at least, all of the above.My only reservation is about the synths. The sounds are good but nothing incredible. The biggest issue at this point is that it is very difficult to add new sounds (sample). Hopefully this will be solved at some point.

Minor bugbears aside, there’s a lot we really like about the OP-Z. It’s creative and unique, and while some might bemoan the reliance on an iOS app, we really enjoy the workflow between the two devices. From a performance perspective, coupling the visual and audio elements is really inspiring. The OP-Z is unlike anything else on the market right now. TE might have another cult classic on its hands here. connect the included usb cable to the unit and charge it using a computer or any charger with a usb port.

Technically there’s nothing you can’t do with the hardware alone, and there’s something to be said for relying more on your ears than parameter data, but functions like making LFO assignments or rearranging Step Components would prove very tough without access to a screen. The OP-Z hardware itself features a rechargeable (and user-replaceable) battery, which is charged using the included USB-C to USB 3 connector.

hold [tempo] to adjust bpm, swing, and the sound and level of the metronome. see chart 01 for reference. The tonal quality is fairly digital sounding, but that shouldn’t be taken as derogatory. They bring to mind ’90s-style house or classic electro, and paired with the filter and effects, each engine sounds great connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.any recorded effects are stored to the steps and can be cleared by pressing the corresponding steps again. this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.