Complete noob, advice needed on which PO to purchase

Pocket Operators
21

A Volca FM seems to be the best Volca.I’m listening to Cuckoo on his right now (mega tut).It sounds lovely.
I’ve already got the 'Keys which is also nice.
It would be a good progression for you into gear land and a nice synth source.
VolcaFM > PO > KPmini2 ,then OP-1 if you can.
You have no mixer, but can get by chaining stuff together if gear has external audio inputs.The POs,KP and OP-1 all do.Volcas dont.
Monotribe has a lovely LPF audio input and is like a heavy Volca.
If you ever need to mix multi instruments into one machine input (to record) like OP-1/KPmini2 ,then consider @DarenAger’s hand made passive (meaning requires no power) mini mixers like this…
https://www.operator-1.com/index.php?p=/discussion/2157/new-6-channel-mixers-available-ltd-edition/p1
I have a four channel that was £20.

22

Thank you all for your help, it is much appreciated.


I am just a bit confused on what thing does what. I feel I am so close to everything clicking in my brain, but I think I could benefit from a simple categorisation of the gear.

Please, correct if the below is wrong or inaccurate:

- PO are MIDI controllers or/and musical inputs to a MIDI sequencer that would aggregate the inputs into a “song”.

- KPmini2 is for creating effects from other inputs and it might have some samples of its own, but mainly to produce effects. Normally they would have something like a PO or another MIDI controller as inputs and their outputs to a MIDI sequencer.

- Volca FM would mainly be a synthesiser, an input to a MIDI sequencer.

- Keystep would be a MIDI keyboard/controller as input to MIDI sequencer.

- OP1 is the holy grail and can do anything.

I imagine I would have use audio out connected to a laptop and use some software to record the audio in order to get my songs into mp3 (I suppose I would have to compress from wav to mp3 as well).

Just trying to figure out how it would all work together if I had the budget and got myself the kit.
23

POs are not controllers of anything else.They are self contained synths/drum machines.They dont use midi.They can use a sync signal to keep BPM locked with other (sync recieving) machines ie other POs.
Volcas and POs share the ability to clock bpm via this sync pulse that POs use.
POs have audio out aswell,and these two signals can share their output socket, which is a 1/8 inch stereo mini jack,Mono audio on left ,sync pulse signal on right, or just audio over both if sync isn’t used. There is also an input on POs that receives sync the same way and can “piggy back” audio from another device (PO) and output that ,combined with its own audio output.
You can tell a midi socket by its large 5pin circular socket.There is one midi socket on Volcas next to their sync in/out and audio out sockets.(There is also -less commonly- midi via usb ,that OP-1 is able to use…)

Midi is a way for one digital musical instrument to tell another when to make a noise.It doesn’t send audio, just a msg that say’s “Hey you over there, play notes C,F&A -now” and the instrument receiving midi will play those notes, producing audio with its own synth engine.
Midi isn’t a concern for you as yet,most of above gear wont be communicating with it.Just audio from one machine to another,so the final result can be recorded as an audio file .The KP or OP-1 is good for this recording in machine,no software needed to record with.Just drop the recorded file to a desk top at a later date. (Audacity is a good free software for converting to mp3 and doing final edits once there).
Yes the KPmini2 is for effecting another synths audio signal, but is good for recording too.
You have a general grasp of the VolcaFM & Keystep, but your terms are a bit off, so for clarity’s sake …
The FM is a synth yes,but has its own inbuilt sequencer. It can also be controlled by an external seq. The external seq would input to the Volca via the Volcas midi input.(The ext seq would be outputting midi messages).
Yes the Keystep is a midi controller.It also has its own step sequencer.It could be input to a bigger midi seq(DAW) to record messages (of note on/off etc) or be plugged into a synth (that receives midi) and control that synth.It makes no audio itself (just triggers other devices via midi or CV).

The OP-1 doesn’t do everything ,but does a good job of covering most bases in a simple and fun way and connecting the different areas together easily.

Don’t worry too much about terminology (and midi), just get some basic starting kit,connect the audio cables and jam.It will make more sense as you explore.You seem to know the difference between a synth and an effect :slight_smile:

24

PO + KP + Volca + Mixer + KeyStep + this + that… In no time you’d have spent the money you could buy an OP-1 for.

25
PO + KP + Volca + Mixer + KeyStep + this + that... In no time you'd have spent the money you could buy an OP-1 for.

So true. I knew this from the beginning, the key thing is my wife will not let me spend £700 in a “toy”, so I have to spread the cost into smaller chunks to my chagrin, because I don’t get to buy an OP-1.

26

It’s not a toy, it’s the key to fame and money. :smiley:

27
It's not a toy, it's the key to fame and money. :D

You made me chuckle! (at the office! with open plan!).

28

It arrived!
I first had to confess the purchase to the wife, but timing was right today.
On top of that she found the PO-20 cute, after all we met each other at an MSc in microchip design at uni.
I did a quick jam and found it quite easy to use, although everything sounds great to my ears at this moment.
Cannot wait to find some time this bank holiday weekend.

29

I think you’ve got to get a try of them all :slight_smile:

I’ve no PO atm, but I’d the opportunity to try @LyingDalai’s one, and I totally agree about the PO-20, that 8bit sound is awesome and very playful (no need of master keyboard :slight_smile: )!

Have fun @sprocket314

30

PO20 + PO28 = smiles for miles!

31
PO20 + PO28 = smiles for miles!

Precisely. That is the next PO I would buy. But I think I’ll get the kaoss mini pad 2 next.

32

I believe I got the hang of it, although I would like to spend a couple more days on it.

It is A LOT of fun.
But I can already see that this will only make me hungrier for bigger equipment. I already feel the limitations of the 16 samples (I know they are tweak-able, but still).

By the way, already got my 5-year old doing his first “song” with my help. I am trying now to get the wife hooked.

Haven’t had that much fun for a long while.

33

That’s on my list too! Be warned the urge to add an op1 increases with each PO :smiley:

34

Drink! Feck! Arse! POs! Got myself a PO-14 last Saturday. Should have done that before the PO-20. I’ve been jamming for about two hours straight with my PO-12, PO-14, and a UE Megaboom yesterday. If I could go back in time I’d convince [1] myself to buy a PO-14 instead of a PO-20. Just as an FYI :wink:


[1] Convince using a 4-by-2 LART that is.

35

I just love these little POs, but I can see myself getting the P-12, then P-28, then P-16 and then it will be even more difficult to justify getting the OP1. I just hope they Teenage Engineering release the OP2 and I can get a second hand OP1 for half price or something.

36

Fwiw i found a dealer here in UK that gave me 0% finance on my OP1 if a reasonable deposit was put down. Suits me (and the wife)!

37
Fwiw i found a dealer here in UK that gave me 0% finance on my OP1 if a reasonable deposit was put down. Suits me (and the wife)!

So tempting!
Would you mind passing me the details privately (or publicly)? I might join Christmas and birthday presents from wife and rest of the family into that.

38

I have finally mustered the courage to show the OP-1 to my wife and present the business case for it.

I didn’t get a straight no, and she admitted that the OP-1 is gorgeous, a piece of art. She actually loves the look of it.
I think she was expecting it to look very different. It also helps that the Teenage Engineering website is very visually appealing.

So I think she can accept it as my Christmas + birthday present as long as my family also contributes to the purchase.

So I am now looking at places to get it cheap first or second hand. I am a bit worried about second hand due to the warranty, but open to suggestions.

In my mind I WILL get one by Christmas, I just hope that is the case. To be continued…
39

Things are evolving here, good luck! Funny and entertaining thread btw ; )

40
Things are evolving here, good luck! Funny and entertaining thread btw ; )

Cheers!

Life usually is better than fiction :slight_smile: