Op-z MIDI Thread

OP-Z
#141

Thanks for this. Have you tried sending clock and/or midi notes to an iOS device from opz through the RK-005? Or perhaps having the RK-005 setup as a masterclock for multiple devices? I’m interested in buying the opz to sequence iPad apps but a tight sync is essential.

#142

I haven’t tried that exactly yet but I can give you a few crucial pieces of info:

  1. the OP-Z would be the master clock, or an iPad app would be the master clock - the RK-005 won’t generate clock signal on its own

  2. the BLE implementation that the OP-Z uses to send information back and forth between the hardware and the iOS app is nice for better control of the OP-Z but the actual midi information through that wireless interface is spotty - most likely will improve over more firmware updates but not there yet.

That said, using the USB connection and the RK-005 you’ll be creating a USB hardware connection and in the process firming up the midi signals. You should be able to control many iPad apps worth of instruments from the OP-Z - but when you do that you may not also be able to reliably use the OP-Z app as well.

In conclusion, If I were you, I would either use the OP-Z with iOS apps through USB midi WITHOUT the OP-Z app (or any reliance on the BLE midi connection), or I would use the OP-Z app along with the OP-Z and other physical hardware.

When I get back down to business with the OP-Z again I’ll try some additional combinations - but at the moment I don’t have any “fast” iOS devices. I run into app related crashes often when I try to do “too much” with my i devices.

You may have some better luck with a newer iPad - but I have read about other people having lots of issues with the OP-Z’s clock when trying to use it over BLE, so you’re doubling your potential trouble when you use a slower i device along with the still buggy OP-Z firmware.

1 Like
#143

Thanks for your detailed resopnse. It looks like the RK-005 is a real handy swiss army knive for midi duties. Just to be sure: the OP-Z can not output any midi data (notes or clock) straight to an iPad CCK without the RK-005 right? And I wouldn’t have expected the bluetooth midi to clog the usb midi output. Once I get the OP-Z I’ll report how syncing works with my newer iPad in terms of CPU.

#144

I actually am relatively sure that you CAN get midi data to an iPad without the RK-005 as I have been able to control external equipment through USB midi directly and using the right iOS apps you can “see” all the different midi devices.

It will take more testing for me however as when I was attempting more sophisticated setups using JUST usb midi, my concurrent attempts to use the OP-Z app was causing problems.

I’ll post here again after doing more testing but I can’t do it right now

#145

Not sure if this is covered elsewhere but I can’t seem to transpose when using the drum tracks (channels 1 to 4) when sequencing external MIDI gear. Is that right? Only seems to be 5 channels where this is possible, bass, lead, chord, arp and master.

#146

u can just plug the usb cable from the Z into the CCK of the iPad.
theres no need for additional gear

#147

Did you select the first four channels at the M track?

#148

What I meant was… when entering notes in the track I can’t go beyond the two octave range. Seems to be a limitation of the device, not a big deal.

#149

The first four tracks are like a samplebank of 24 samples. Not chromatic. You can pitch the samples with lfo and env and with the green dial.

#150

Is anyone using a USB-to-MIDI cable that provides MIDI power? Specifically to plug into my MIDI Solutions Quadra Thru [MultiVoltage], so as to get MIDI data to 4 devices.

I bought the Asmuse USB-to-MIDI in/out cable (it’s on Amz) and it works great to control one device, or even two with a basic MIDI Y-cable (controlling a Volca Bass and FM), but when I plug into the Quadra, no light comes on, even though the Asmuse flickers signal.

Any suggestions, especially that won’t require plugging into external power sources, greatly appreciated… thanks in advance!

#151

I had hoped that the note range could be expanded for when using external gear. Maybe something that could be added to the MIDI settings page?

#152

For external it is not possible i guess. Right now.

#153

I’m on the fence about getting an OPZ, not really interested in using an iOS device with it.

Will the OPZ currently send midi clock directly to something like this:
http://www.customliveelectronics.com/syncman/index-en.html
???

I really want to use it with my jamman looping setup.

#154

the op-z only has usb, you will need another device that can take a usb cable and give a midi cable

#156

what he said

#158

Did you delete your comment because that cable solution you recommended won’t work?

I had one of those usb to midi cables before and never could get it to work

#159

I deleted the comment because it was already commented :). I must have been sleeping while commenting :slight_smile:
It works.

#160

I still don’t see where it was already mentioned. Can you quote it please?
Could you please recommend a link to a decent cable?

#161

op-z only has usb, you will need another device that can take a usb cable and give a midi cable

There it is
By kingof9x

#162

Having a go at using OT and OP-Z sequencing Korg Electribe Wave on iPad:

https://twitter.com/echoopera/status/1099213633739866113?s=21