I know there is no answer to this question, but it’d be great to see what you all reckon…
I have an OP-Z (love love love) and a few POs. I use a keystep to play the Z and an NTS-1, which I also love love love.
I’m thinking about buying an Organelle.
What would YOU do?
What piece of mini gear would be next…?
What’s missing from your music that makes you think that you need to buy something more?
1 Like
I had the Organelle, but never really got to using it, and finally sold it again. PureData programming is out of my league, some of the user patches were quite nice but most of them felt a bit unfinished. I also tried ORAC, but wasn’t comfortable with that either, it didn’t feel intuitive.
That’s a good question. I had to think about that for a bit.
I guess I don’t need to buy something more, but it’s not really about need. I was just popping the thread in, see what you guys would say. Maybe someone would think “Oh, he’s got this and this, then this would be a funky addition.”
I know it’s not about the gear, it’s how you communicate with it, but each piece of equipment is like a new person you meet. It’s got personality, and you don’t really know how that thing will change you until you start to play. That’s kind of the joy of exploring new gear, the way it lights new fires in your head, and it leads you places. I love that. I love the places this gear has brought me to already, and I want to explore more.
Music is my job, so it’s all tax deductible anyway, why not enjoy the process of choosing which toy to buy next?
but anyway… what’s missing?
I honestly don’t know.
1 Like
So maybe a little pondering in that direction would be valuable. What are your artistic goals? What do you want to do with all this gear? Isn’t there a better way to use the money?
If you have a need to shop, why not get some kind of microphone and bring the acoustic world to your electronic world?
It’s ok. Maybe my question was bad.
I have mics. Røde NT5 stereo pair, Avantone CV-12, Sontronics Halo. Also lovely guitars, pedals, amps and a dusty piano. A bucket of percussion and sound toys. Bird whistles, harmonicas, drums, stuff. I do record my own sounds and bring them into the Z and into the KO. Last week I made a kit from my uncle’s pans, and on Sunday, I recorded my friend’s cottage… the chain of his toilet, a cushion landing on the floor, a skewer twanging on the worktop.
So maybe my question was bad. But I think that ‘not knowing’ is a good place to be. Oh! The possibilities!
1 Like
I suggest waiting until you have exhausted all the possibilities of this gear before buying more.
2 Likes
Exhausted all the possibilities?
All of them?
That only leaves three more! Awesome. almost there…
Honestly dude, I’d hoped this would be fun, but you’ve really kicked the life out of it.
1 Like
Ahah, listen to Peter, he’s only talking reason.
A cool addition to your setup would be a sampler IMO. And as I am very fond of Elektron machines I would suggest a Digitakt, on which you’d be able to sample your gear, your voice, and use whatever field recording you want.
But there are chances you can cover such ground with OP-Z already, don’t you?
So maybe you can try to use your gear differently and find new workflows.
In the end, Peter is right: you can’t buy skills, practice with your actual gear. At some point you’ll figure by yourself what it is you would actually need.
1 Like
what are you using to tie the whole set up together? you recording into a DAW or using the opz to make your tracks on?
yeah, a fully featured sampler could be a good addition. i’m a big fan of old ensoniq samplers, but they sure aren’t “mini gear”. i don’t know anything about contemporary samplers. but isla instruments are about to release an sp1200 clone that looks really good.
but these are all groovebox style sampler/sequencers and you sort of have many of these functions already on the opz.
in your hand percussion box, do you have a shekere as big as your head?
LP make a one-handed triangle contraption that is really good if you make disco music.
a melodica?
A melodica is a nice addition if you want something portable and non-electronic.
What about the Artiphon Orba? Not quite available yet but should be in the next 6-8 weeks.
I’m really sorry if that came across as rude, but I really did find the suggestion that I ‘exhaust all the creative possibilities of my gear’ before I buy something new was patronising. There is literally no end to the creative possibilities of a triangle. The implication here is that I’m more focused on attainment of ‘stuff’ than with creative practice.
So, like I say, perhaps the question was bad. It came across as childish and unfocused, when it was meant to be simply wide open.It’s hard to get context across in forum posts, and quite often it goes wrong.
I obsess over sound and expression, and I do strive to understand and play with my own creative process. The simple question at the top was part of that process. We quite often allow our instruments to lead us in new directions, and new instruments cover new turf.
Thanks for the input regarding a sampler, although like you say, the Z has 4 sampler tracks already, and the KO is a crunchy little beast too, so perhaps I’ll hold back on that.
Finally, to your credit, the whole discussion has prompted me to study the tape track, which has sort of escaped me. That’ll keep me busy til I next get itchy brain.
Peter - apologies for offence caused.
1 Like
Intriguing!
No offence, no need for apologies - some people on forums appear to think that they can buy their way to inspiration, but you’re clearly more skilled, mindful, and thoughtful than that. I’m glad that it led you to find something within your existing gear to explore.
2 Likes
Hi oceanjaws,
I have got the exact same gear (OP-Z, Korg NTS-1 and Keystep, but no mics, harmonicas, drums, and uncle’s pans 
).
I think you want to talk synths, so here is what I’m interested in to compliment what I have. list in no particular order:
Korg Minilogue XD (I had a MS2000 which I loved but mistakenly sold, and the minilogue looks even better)
Elektron Model:Cycles
Waldorf Blofeld (recommended by a friend as a studio workhorse)
Makenoise 0 Coast
For cheaper and more portable gear:
Bastl Kastle (their instruments are interesting)
Korg Volca Modular
Korg Volca FM (but the M:C is meant to be way better)
something from the Roland Boutique Series?
Yamaha reface series?
I’m thinking in terms of expanding with new synth voices to sample from (such as minilogue XD/Blofeld/Reface), or control from the OP-Z/run alongside and add extra voices/tracks, or cheap and weird synths that could be portable.
But really should be fighting the temptation to buy anything and just focus on getting the most out of the OP-Z right now!
Curious to read what you think…
1 Like
No analog stuff in the list. You most definitely need analog! And modular! Teenage Engineering PO 400 Modular!
I had a lot of fun with it on my social distancing holiday in Sweden
2 Likes
Yes organelle all the way mate.
You don’t need to learn pure data as there are hundreds of quality patches out there.
I have been playing with the mutable instruments open source clones on it. Absolute monster of a machine.
I got mine off ebay for 360 £ with a 2 year guarantee.
Highly recommended mate
1 Like
I just bought a new guitar pedal called shallow water by Fairfield circuitry. It is one of the coolest pedals I have. I’d suggest get some FX pedals. My combo of count to five with blue sky reverb and shallow water adds some real emotion and depth. Next I’m getting a compressor pedal.
Of course, I’m a guitarist, but I love running synth and vocals through my pedallies.
Or follow the other guys advice & just make music with what you have. GAS is a real thing.
1 Like
I think you should get an OP-1? No one has suggested that yet? I had an Organelle. It was ok, but nothing like an OP-1 for fun.
Even though I have an OP-Z, I still have more fun with the OP-1.
…and more recently the fantastic Synthstrom Deluge.
2 Likes
I’ve got the Z, a Microfreak and have just picked up a model cycles. all 3 play pretty nicely together OPZ runs usb midi into the freak, and the freak out/thru into the cycles with everything sequencable from the OPZ. percussion on the cycles, lead on the freak and chords/samples on the opz
I really like the model cycles, workflow is similar (not as good imo) but the parameters have a lot of potential in each engine
3 Likes