Op-z MIDI Thread

Operators, let’s get a thread going on MIDI stuff relating to the Z.

Having so much fun with this thing and I’ve got the Z playing nice with a few pieces of external gear using an iConnect Box for the MIDI hub. One feature I can’t seem to get working or even know if it’s supported is sending Step components to the midi notes? Anyone had any luck here?

This is my main interest in opz. For use with external hardware and ios. Very interested to hear if step components/conditions etc work externally.

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the CCs and the setting channels is really straightforward, although I would like to be able to set the MIDI OUT channel without the app - which seems to be absent atm, Pretty cool the first time driving an analog filter with the little Z encoders!

So far connecting between the Z and 1 is in pretty broken:

  • crashes when syncing OP1 to opz if you press stop twice
  • opz iOS app with the two units connected crashes on Bluetooth connect
  • tempo between units syncs but is incorrect
  • switching to other tracks, all instruments are staccato or don’t work
  • connecting the units while on doesn’t work ( need to connect when off then turn on )

How does it cope with Bluetooth midi keyboards ? Like Seaboard blocks or any other option like the nanokey studio ? :slight_smile:

How many external track is it possible to control ?
can i have the 16 tracks sequencing external gear ? :smile:

@alexkehayias said:
So far connecting between the Z and 1 is in pretty broken:

  • crashes when syncing OP1 to opz if you press stop twice
  • opz iOS app with the two units connected crashes on Bluetooth connect
  • tempo between units syncs but is incorrect
  • switching to other tracks, all instruments are staccato or don’t work
  • connecting the units while on doesn’t work ( need to connect when off then turn on )
    I couldn’t even get any notes to travel from the op-1 to the op-z; how do you set this up exactly? I’ve got midi in/out enabled on the z and op-1 automatically sends midi, so not sure what I’m missing…

@alexkehayias said:
So far connecting between the Z and 1 is in pretty broken:

  • crashes when syncing OP1 to opz if you press stop twice
  • opz iOS app with the two units connected crashes on Bluetooth connect
  • tempo between units syncs but is incorrect
  • switching to other tracks, all instruments are staccato or don’t work
  • connecting the units while on doesn’t work ( need to connect when off then turn on )
    I couldn’t even get any notes to travel from the op-1 to the op-z; how do you set this up exactly? I’ve got midi in/out enabled on the z and op-1 automatically sends midi, so not sure what I’m missing…

maybe want to check the channel outs in the op-1 that match up on each track in the Z? (i believe shift+blue encoder in the COM CTRL menu)

maybe want to check the channel outs in the op-1 that match up on each track in the Z? (i believe shift+blue encoder in the COM CTRL menu)

That worked, thanks!
Hoping TE puts together a more comprehensive midi tutorial as more people get their hands on the op-Z.
Now that I can attach the op-1 as a keyboard, I’m finding I prefer just working solo on the op-z; it’s really fun for what it does. And although pattern sequencing is a different approach from traditional keys, it’s growing on me faster than expected.

Honestly the midi implementation the Op-1 hasn’t been all that impressive, seemed to have a mind of its own at times… I hope they do a better job with the Z, it is a sequencer after all. Oh I love both devices and don’t mind some extra sync / content procedures, as I believe having to choose content carefully lends to better production, but if I’m going to have issues with midi I want it to be a chain problem and not ghost notes and temp / pitch madness.

Step components work with midi. Punch-in effects also seems to send midi.

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@kwilson said:
Step components work with midi. Punch-in effects also seems to send midi.

That’s good news!

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So is it possible to pair a Bluetooth keyboard (roli here) to the opz?

Has anyone got it working in Bitwig? I haven’t spent too much time figuring it out but seems Bitwig isn’t recieving midi. Works fine on my iOS synths.

so i was thinking that my cirklon would nicely control op-z via MIDI. i bought apple usb c to digital av adapter. i thought that would do good midi and even able to charge op-z at the same time. However none of my assumption was possible. MIDI doesn’t work and it can’t charge op-z either… so what would be the best way to send MIDI in/out to op-z and charge it at the same time? i just burnt $69 on this adapter… I wish my octatrack was able to send midi over usb like digitakt…

@radar24 I know this won’t help with charging but have you been able to use a normal cable and get midi working without charging between the Cirklon and the opz?

@houtson what do you mean by a normal cable? i can’t connect op-z and cirklon directly and i need usb c to usb a converter so i thought apple adapter would work but it apparently not.

There are only a few oproducts that currently work with the OP-Z USB connectionm

https://www.teenageengineering.com/guides/op-z/usb#supported-devices

Once the first module is out there will be standard 5 pin midi (and CV) control in and out, you will then be able to control the OP-Z from any Midi device or send Midi to any Midi devie from the module track.

Just wondering if it’s possible to sync op-1 and op-z via a usb c to usb c cable, or a regular usb hub (like for expanding the amount of ports on a laptop)? Does anyone know if either of these would work?

@radar24 I was meaning with just a simple adaptor (one of the usb a-c for a couple of $) rather than the apple one - just to see if the midi works with the cirklon