Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
OP-Z Teenage Engineering New Workstation Coming Soon - Perfect Ipad Accessory or Irrelevant?
Okay so Teenage engineering’s Op-Z is about to be released (early May it looks like). Now TE is saying it’s not an OP-1 true successor but it seems far more powerful (and apparently it can be connected to OP-1).
The design is quirky... like a sleek remote control. There’s no screen and it’s meant to work with a IOS device through visual interaction (much like OP-1 little animations).
From TE wevsite:
sequencing
advanced multi-speed 16-track sequencer.
step component composing
endless sequencing steps
track independent length
track independent speed
parameter locks
step recording
live recording
midi, cv and trig track sequencing
image and 3D graphics sequencing
DMX light sequencing
instrument tracks
16 individual and independent synthesis, sampler and control tracks.
kick
snare
percussion
sampler
bass
lead
arpeggio
chords
FX slot 1
FX slot 2
tape
mixer
midi
cv & trig
light
motion
patterns
160 user programmable patterns
endless patterns chaining
effects
upgradeable modular effects architecture. included effects: delay, reverb, filters, tremolo etc.
step components
14 multi-program step components for advanced step sequencing.
screen
when paired or connected to an ios device, the ios device will act as a screen for OP-Z.
ios app
OP-Z ios app will be free to download from app store.
compatibility
compatible with any ios device that is apple metal graphics specified.
dual domain synthesis
dual domain synthesis for extreme low latency performance.
hardware
analog devices blackfin 70X DSP
cirrus logic audio co-processor
1250 MMACS
48kHz 24-bit DAC
122 dB SNR
sensors
6 axis motion sensor (g-force) assignable to any synthesizer parameter
wireless
bluetooth 5.0 LE
battery
2 years stand-by time
connectors
usb type c
3.5 mm 4-pole jack
tactile input
2 octaves of musical keys
51 mechanical keys in total
pressure sensitive pitch bend
4 x multi purpose color coded high resolution encoders
volume knob / on switch
pairing button
ui
53 led indicators
microphone
integrated MEMS microphone
durable design
ultra rigid engineering plastic housing
IXEF 1022 PARA + 50% glassfiber
unique encoder design
teenage engineering designed floating ball bearing hall sensor encoders for minimal stacking height and wear.
dimensions
L 212.5 mm
H 57.5 mm
D 10 mm
- 5 mm length for volume knob
included in package
usb type c to usb a for charging and control.
https://www.teenageengineering.com/products/op-z
My questions are:
1. Is this the perfect Ipad companion?
2. Will it be relevant when considering how powerful IOS apps are (Gadget, Cubasis, AUM etc..)
3. What do you think of the design?
4. What do you think of it’s features as compared to other devices and apps currently available?
5. Is $600.00 too high for what it does?
6. Will you get one?
https://www.teenageengineering.com/_img/5880c2b8a887bb0400a5b28d_512.jpg
- Instabuy! Can’t wait!27 votes
- Hmmm not sure... looks interesting40.74%
- Irrelevant Gimmick - Ipad can do so much more59.26%
Comments
Cuckoos latest post (he’s a beta tester)
More vids and photos
https://www.instagram.com/zoperator/
What can it do that an iPad can’t?
I use ipad and op-1 only and the big advantage of using op-1 is more time creating music and less time troubleshooting. I love working with both. Op-z is instabuy for me.
Because it is hardware? As far as I remember the iPad doesn't has any knobs to tweak
I own an OP-1 and love it, I cannot see myself buying this based on what I’ve read/seen so far.
It appears to be over priced for what it is however T.E. could easily have a surprise in store and I could change my view. Time will tell...
I have my eye on this. Never owned an OP-1 but admired it from afar. If this turns out to be better, then I'm all over it.
I'm really curious about the OP Z. I've been searching the web since it was first announced.
It would be a real shame to have just 1 sampler slot, and I would assume that's pretty limited too.
A used nanokontrol is very inexpensive.
OP-Z looks to be a nice little synth. I’m very curious about its external sequencing capabilities. If it sequences more than 1 external device then we’re in business.
I hope they release it at superbooth and show it driving a ton of external gear
I was turned off the nano control cheapie feel (i bought the clanky keyboard - which works fine but is almost cereal box prize quality, the keys pop off all the time in my bag). I recently picked up a midi twister fighter for a good price and used it to map all my ipad synths.. pretty decent solution actually (just a littlej difficult to remember what knobs are assigned to what parameters).
Edit- i must add the MTF requires powered usb hub.
Cuckoo said he prefers using it without the screen. I'm definitely excited to see more.
It seems the OP-Z is going to be a real niche product... TE needs to show us how this can really improve IOS music making. All the vids so far are really quirky chip-tune sounding... nothing impressive to my ears as of yet...
Does Cuckoo post here? Would be great to hear his take on it. He’s had one for quite some time.
That's kind of their thing though, as far as I can see.
I've got an OP-1 here, and a PO-20 (on loan), and it's all very plinky plonky.
Red means “plinky plonky” 😜
So this was supposed to be out in May. Has anyone seen an OP-Z in the wild?
Limited few to be released 30th July in one shop in America. Then trickling though stores after at a slow pace, the date in nederlands is October. I lost all my lust for the op-z infact I ended up buying a IPAD because I couldn’t wait any longer for it. Best decision I ever made.
It's kind of irritating, this false scarcity that Teenage Engineering exerts. People do love the OP-1, but I feel like it's success was created entirely by the audacious overpricing of the unit. I bet no one would have looked twice if it was a reasonable $300. At $500 you might think, Well, it's kind of neat but hardly essential. But at $900? Somehow it's magically indispensable.
TRANSLATION: Me publicly talking myself out of lusting for an OP-1 but settling for whatever the hell the OP-Z — world's ungainliest TV remote? — is.
You hit the nail on the head, it’s called premium pricing and it can be an effective method. However it has risks as once the public do not believe in the brands perceived value the company is up a certain creek without a paddle.
It's really bizarre that such a lofi sampler sells for so much. I like it, but I've always considered it kind of a scam.
It’s so lofi, it fun but totally unusable. Bizarre is the word. The fans are hardcore too.
The strength of this device appears to be it's sequencing. Beyond that it's hard to say, as I can't really find concrete details about it even though I've been following it. If the sampler is halfway decent that could be a strength too, because it would help expand the type of sounds you can get from it.