op-Z battery only setup

OP-Z Help
#1

Thoughts please on ultimate small portable battery / power bank only setup.
I want to know best small things to carry together ( speakers, FX machines etc etc whatever, just all battery.)

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#2

First of all, fantastic username.

To answer your question, it depends on what you already have and what you want to do. I’m also fascinated by portability, but, for example, I would never recommend my equipment to someone interested in performing live because that’s never been my goal.

Here’s my full battery-powered setup, in order of what I’d recommend to a fellow OP-Z enthusiast (I assume):

  • Korg Mini Kaoss Pad 2s: storing backup loops and samples; recording songs and performances; playing performance FX as an external FX unit or as an end-of-chain FX unit. Can also be used as a (noisy) mic with a vocoder. Downside is it goes through batteries fast so I only recommend this if you have rechargeable batteries. I also find the sampler kind of pointless aside from storing sounds to resample on the OP-1/OP-Z
  • OP-Z Line Module: not sure if this counts, but the line module makes it easy to use the OP-Z with an external FX unit and easy to sync with other equipment. My other recommendations assume you have this.
  • Zoom R16: it’s a battery powered recorder/interface, but it’s still kinda big. Similar to a Tascam. I like using this to record instrument parts, and I use it to send audio from my mics into my OP-1 to loop (note: the OP-1’s line in isn’t great).
  • OP-1: the polar opposite of the OP-Z. They don’t work as nicely together as you would think (if you connect them via USB the OP-Z battery will run out quickly), but the weaknesses of one are the strengths of the other… and vice versa. For example, the OP-Z has an awful keyboard but amazing sequencing; the OP-1 has a great keyboard (imo) but awful sequencing. The OP-1 is great at looping and overdubbing, which the OP-Z can’t do.
  • PO-12 & PO-14: I love these devices and they sync well with the OP-Z, but they’re glitchy and I find the pocket operators to be more fun and useful when used individually or as a pair than with the OP-1 or OP-Z.

If I were starting over with only an OP-Z, I might get the following to address its weaknesses:

  • OP-Z Line module
  • A smaller MIDI keyboard with drum pads
  • A CME WIDI UHost or something similar (for BLE MIDI to avoid draining the OP-Z’s battery)
  • An MKP2 for extra sample storage, FX, and recording

I’m no expert but hopefully this gives you a few ideas to look into!

#3

Thanks. Yes, if I ever record / share anything that’ll be my name.
Really appreciate the thoughts there. I have one PO lots little Korg machines ( volcas/ monotron etc ) but interested in what others have actually used with the Op -Z . I do have a v nice Bose speaker too. I wonder if anyone has used any v small twin speakers for true stereo too. Thanks again - I will be returning to your ideas. I’m less interested in proper ‘performance’ , more the seaside / mountaintop experiences.

#4

My top combo is op-z plus the line module and 1010music Lemondrop. Very powerful granular synth that can also work as an fx unit or real-time granulariser on the op-z. It is tiny and can run on a power bank.

Looking at a SH-4D and I’ve heard the MC-101 is a great pair with op-z.

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#5

Thanks. Lemon looks really great. Will dig into that a bit. Any further comments on how you use that combo very welcome. Cheers.

#6

minirig speakers have worked well for me, can be chained together for stereo and used to charge things over USB

#7

Thanks. Those look so great. I didn’t know about the stereo option .

#8

Here is a pic of the setup, which is pretty portable for a work trip or vacation.

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I have the line module installed on the op-z.

I set my lemondrop on midi channel 12, the module track, and sequence it from there.

I can chose to have a synth sound come from the Lemondrop into the Z. I can also send audio from the Z for real-time granularising on the Lemondrop or just run the sound through the Lemondrop’s fx.

Typically I use it as an extra synth layer or for granularising the chord/lead/arp track.

I hope that helps.

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#9

Great! thanks.
Any videos of this combo out there ?

#10

A few on my Instagram: