JUNE 30, 2022 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
TX–6 firmware update 1.1.4 – out now!
two months after the release of TX–6 we have our first firmware update for you, and it's a doozy.
here's some of the update highlights:
how to update:
visit the downloads page and follow the steps to update your TX–6. the user guide has also been updated to cover the new functionality. (and in case you're wondering: no, the flash drive in the photo is not a product... yet!)
SEE THE UPDATE IN ACTION IN THIS VIDEO
TX–6 field mixer
accessories
JUNE 23, 2022 POSTED BY DANI ROSSI
built exclusively for swedish house mafia's 2022 coachella set and us/eu tour, the jumbo live performance deck, MOAD, or mother of all decks, is our latest custom design.
MOAD, MOTHER OF ALL DECKS
back in 2010, when we launched our very first product OP–1, we were approached by a group that was soon to shoot a music video for their first song. that group was swedish house mafia, and the song was "one", feat. pharell williams. and it was also the beginning of a long friendship. 10 years later, we've teamed up again on our first product collaboration, MOAD - mother of all decks.
LIVE AT COACHELLA WITH THE WEEKND
the live performance deck is 5 m x 1.2 m and breaks down into nine parts, to be set up or taken down in about 30 minutes, making it easy to tour with. when it finally came time to construct the deck, we worked with another longtime friend of ours, daniel araya.
INITIAL SKETCHES
the inside holds a computer, multiple mixers, dj decks, sequencer and samplers, effect processors, custom made light effects and mechanical tape reels. MOAD made it's debut at coachella 2022 and will travel with swedish house mafia on their us and eu tour.
CUSTOM DISPLAY AND CONTROLS
MAY 5, 2022 POSTED BY DANI ROSSI
to celebrate the release of TX–6, we thought we'd give you a look into the design and engineering process behind our portable mixer. here software developer and product owner marcus nilsson shares his experience working on TX–6 over the years. also, with the ability to travel again, we have some behind the scenes footage of our customized production process, filmed in our factory in malaysia.
MARCUS NILSSON - SOFTWARE DEVELOPER AND PRODUCT OWNER OF TX–6
hello marcus! can you tell us about what you do at teenage engineering? i'm the main software developer and product owner of the TX–6 field mixer. i joined teenage engineering ten years ago when we were only seven people working in a garage. at the time we only had OP–1, and since then i've been involved in many of our products along the way.
KNOB CALIBRATION JIG
so what's the story behind TX–6 and field? the idea behind field system is to let you make music or perform when you feel like it and wherever you are without the need for a computer or other bulky gear. the TX–6 mixer is part of that system and we felt that this was a missing piece of equipment on the market. i know i've been looking for a product like this! and on a personal note, when i was 12 years old i was given an electronics kit which just happened to be a mixer. i soldered and built it, using it to make mixtapes - so working on TX–6 feels like a childhood project coming full circle.
INSIDE OUT
take us through the design process, how did it develop? what were the main priorities for this product? we usually start with a physical design without much functionality specified. it kind of evolves and grows during the whole project. there are always a lot of ideas but we can't have it all. we need to find the right balance between a rich feature set and usability.
a lot of effort has been put into the user interface. we wanted to squeeze in many features but still make it intuitive and not too complicated. some functionality was removed or simplified because of this. the goal has been to make a product that is easy to understand and that feels playful but still professional. the timeline during a project like this is very dependant on the production schedule and some features just wasn't ready in time for launch. but we have many ideas for future updates.
MARCH 3, 2022 POSTED BY DANI ROSSI
love hultén is an audiovisual artist based in gothenburg, sweden. working at the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and modern tech, he began by tearing apart electronic toys - eventually professionalizing this interest by attending HDK academy of art and design. this is where his passion for woodwork began. from there, the natural progression was obviously to combine his woodcraft skills with electronics, making tactile synthesizers, game consoles and other audiovisual contraptions. a frequent user of teenage engineering products, he recently created TE-LAB, a wooden "sound machine based on modules from teenage engineering, holograms microcosm and a custom-built sequencer inspired by lomond campbell's turntable". a unique instrument, we were curious to know more and thought you might be too - so here he is to do just that.
LOVE HULTÉN
tell us love, what do you do, and how did you end up here? the aesthetics of electronic products often mirror where we are today in terms of technical possibilities, that's just the nature of tech. what is affecting product design negatively today, in my opinion, is the industry itself and the throwaway excess products it keeps churning out to consumers - frightened by expiration dates and desperately craving the latest iPhone model. my work is a reaction to that i guess. i'm quite inspired by mid-20th century concepts, when we had a different view on tactility, quality and craftsmanship. i aim to create products that will breathe through time, rather than get suffocated by it - unique products that sparkle and live on through generations. it's hard work being a one-man-studio, but it's also hard to complain. i'm very fortunate to be able to do what i love, and i will continue doing so as long as my ambitions allow for it.
TE-LAB
take us through your design process - how do you start your designs? do they always end up as you imagine in the beginning? i'm very torn between conflicting takes on design actually: dieter rams "less is more" approach where form follows function and the complete opposite - form before function, where a visual idea is in control and purpose/function becomes slave. my designs are usually based on something i've come across recently - anything that sparks my imagination. i then scour my mind for a function, a purpose that could connect with my visual idea in an interesting way. when i find a satisfactory mix between usability and aesthetics, it's a go! i play a lot with values and standards, suggesting a different perspective on how to relate and interact with objects. i give objects new functions, new values. the smashed-up references in my work have a triggering effect on the viewer/customer i guess. i want my audience to be enlightened – not just feel nostalgic. nostalgia is involved to a certain extent, yes, but it's not looking backwards. it's taking steps in different directions simultaneously by using fragments from both the past and today, creating unique and balanced objects. today we are caught between two worlds, one physical and one digital. our digital world is expanding, and to keep one foot in the real world we need physical interaction with real objects. for example, touch screens are great for some forms of interaction, but the instant physical feedback we get when we press a button gives us a completely different sense of control.
POM-400 MODULES
what triggered the idea for TE-LAB? was it one module in particular that got you thinking or did you have something in mind before? both in terms of functionality and aesthetics. i wanted to take the basic concept of the POM-400 and expand from there, so i basically used the modules from that kit (plus some additional ones) and arranged them in my flavor. i knew i wanted to add a bit of depth and atmosphere for a more organic sound and experience. the granular microcosm from hologram electronics seemed to be an interesting fit. aesthetically i wanted to create something resembling test- /laboratory equipment combined with a playful approach, and that playfulness inspired me to make a circular sequencer to complete the setup. to illustrate the POM-400 expansion i ended up using the very same color - bright yellow.
4-CHANNEL PROGRAMMABLE ROTARY GATE SEQUENCER
on that note, please explain the turntable! how does the 'needle' read, interpret and emit sound? the turntable is a 4-channel programmable rotary gate sequencer, inspired by a project by lomond campbell. the device is sending out triggers based on the placement of neodymium magnets (32 steps). the "needle" has 4 reed switches mounted below that picks up trigger signals for each channel. these signals are then being sent to the POM modules via CV/gate. the turntable is mounted on top of a stepper motor with speed control (arduino). then the real-time spectrum monitor takes outputs from the POM modules and displays the waveforms, simple as that.
OB–4 TAPE REEL
and the idea for incorporating OB–4? the OB–4 is being used as speaker out for the TE-LAB, but also delivers some fun sound manipulation using the motorized "tape reel". discover more of love's work here , and see TE-LAB in action:
FEBRUARY 24, 2022 POSTED BY DANI ROSSI
welcome to our textile department. heidi is what we call our textile category manager, but really, she's way more than that. handling all the product design for our apparel and accessories, her day-to-day involves everything from contacting suppliers in multiple timezones, to research, design and quality control. now at the tail-end of the production of our new textile series, here she shares a little about what drives her and what she's looking forward to this year.
TEST STATION
''it's fun to be nerdy and this happens to be my element. this is my way of expressing my creativity and how i envision things - i see it through garments, creating a feeling and mood through them, that's what i'm excited about.''
SAMPLE DELIVERY
''i love that we have a different mind set here, we look at things from a non-traditional standpoint. we might use fabrics from the car industry or implement knowledge from the hardware side to our bag trims and buckles... you can have a very engineer focussed point of view on textiles and that's where our worlds meet.''
RESEARCH AND PROTOTYPING
''i'm very solution oriented and technical about what i do. and here i get to be really practical about things, especially when some of our products are so small. that's a huge challenge from a construction and design perspective when it comes to bags and cases.''
INTERNATIONAL SOUVENIRS
''we actually design stuff so that the users of our products can protect and carry them in a good way, and with that comes solving different problems. with a design philosophy of using as little material as possible, as close to the synth as possible, sometimes the bag feels too small or the product is an unusual shape and we want to fit other things as well. so how do we make something that works for our products but also everyday life? that's super interesting and different from anything i've done before. here i actually get end-use and end-purpose which is very targeted.''
TEXTILE DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, BETTY
''i'm super excited for our new series to come out and for the whole team to see their efforts come to life after two years.''
THE NEW OB–4 MESH BAG
the latest products to come out of heidi's department are the new mesh bags for OB–4, available in black, green and red .
FEBRUARY 10, 2022 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
modular experiments to mark the release of the individual POM modules, we've put together three diy projects for your inspiration. each one uses separate modules from the POM range in very different setups. a playful lego mechanical lfo, a sturdy jamaican inspired dub siren, and a portable usb-powered business modular.
SQUARE BOX
strictly business this project is using all the modules from the POM-400 kit, together with the eurorack front panels from oddvolt mentioned in an earlier blog post . the case chosen is an auer esd euro case with an added handle . the eurorack frame is from clicks & clocks , cut to size in our workshop. for power we opted to go with a portable usb solution using the dedicated usb power cable from myvolts , connected directly to the psu , and powered by a powerful anker powerbank. the power distro is used to distribute the power to all the modules. here are some links to the external parts used.
esd case
handle
frame
usb power
DUB SIREN
dub siren from space inspired by a little aluminum siren effect box that was lying around the office, we decided to build our own enhanced version, with an lfo , a square module and a psu . we then added a line-level output, a 9V battery and a guitar pedal power jack. the green knobs select between different pre-patched connections that you can override by inserting something into the jacks. there's some more info on the build process over on speedbjorns instagram .
MECHANICAL LFO
mechanical lfo need an extra, sine-shaped lfo? of course you do. here we built a lego robot using a lego motor, gearbox and rod to control the tune knob of any wave generator. here the sine wave oscillator is used. very handy!
individual modules for your projects we hope this can spark your imagination and encourage you to explore and share your own modular projects. all individual modules are available in our webstore . mount them in your existing eurorack, using external panels, or create something fully custom and one of a kind. enjoy!
JANUARY 27, 2022 POSTED BY DEV TEAM
a new module for OP–Z our work with OP–Z is ongoing and here's a behind the scenes dev update. as you know, the OP–Z functionality can be expanded with hardware modules. in the past we've released the oplab and rumble modules and finally we can officially reveal that we have a new module in the pipeline. it is called the line module and will be accompanied with an OP–Z firmware update.
what it does the line module is designed to bring external audio signals in and out of your OP–Z. it adds a stereo line input and an additional stereo line output to the unit, as well as input and output for midi, trig and po sync, similar to oplab. use line in to add external audio signals to your mix and use line out as a second stereo output available within OP–Z. you can route individual tracks to the module output instead of to the main mix to separate and process the individual tracks, or make effect loops with your favorite effect pedals. depending on your needs, you can easily switch between mono and stereo signals. the output can also be used for headphone cueing of your tracks before bringing them out to the main mix. with this you can turn your OP–Z into a live performance dream machine. available spring 2022 we've been hinting at this module for a while and we're finally ready to officially reveal it. it will still be some time before it's available to buy so make sure to stay in the loop and we'll post again as soon as it is ready. thanks for your support! - dev team out
explore OP–Z
explore modules
JANUARY 5, 2022 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
celebrating creativity a new year is here and hopefully you've had a relaxing holiday. for more and more people, january has become synonymous with #jamuary. it's the perfect time to get creative with all your instruments, to overcome any challenge that may be holding you back and to share your music, no matter what. to celebrate creativity we are honoring #jamuary2022 in a special way. we've teamed up with cuckoo since a few years now, our good friend cuckoo has been taking the lead on #jamuary when it comes to electronic music. this year we're supporting this work by teaming up and giving away some late holiday gifts. cuckoo has issued a four-part giveaway challenge, with one winner per week, so this is your chance to collect your reward. how to participate every friday a new challenge will be announced over on cuckoo's instagram where you'll learn about all the details on how to participate. basically, there will be a new theme every week, and to participate you upload and tag your creations. the winners will be announced on mondays the following weeks, on the 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st of january. good luck! what you can win the prices for these challenges will also be revealed by cuckoo but we can hint at teenage engineering merch, cases, synths and maybe even a magic radio. happy #jamuary!
CUCKOO #JAMUARY2022 CHALLENGE - GOOD LUCK!
bonus: #jamuary22together to add a little extra to your jamuary contributions you might want to consider an option initiated by aabattery . with the tag #jamuary22together he suggests using video layers to create an evolving collaborative musical piece. everything is explained in this post . have fun and good luck jamming!
DECEMBER 29, 2021 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
computer–1 build guide hey! still no big deal, but you really seemed to like our computer–1 case! we're thrilled of course and promise we will have it in stock as much as possible. here is a quick build guide video using various parts we found around the office. the actual build should be easy enough, as long as you follow the directions in the manual. as always, be careful when handling sensitive electrical parts. let's build!
recommended components sometimes it can be hard to find exactly the components you need. keep an eye out on all stores that sell parts and sign up to get notified when an item gets back in stock. also check the second hand market and stay safe and smart when buying like this. the computer–1 case fits a dual slot itx graphics card, not longer than 180 mm. use a low profile cpu cooler, not rising more than 120 mm from the surface of the motherboard. here are some suggested example builds. software engineer's build (no gpu)
NOVEMBER 5, 2021 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
A COMPLETE SET OF EURORACK PANELS FOR POM-400
the eurorack format eurorack is a very common system format when it comes to modular synths. there are tons of modules and manufacturers on the market and the pocket operator modular series is eurorack compatible. this means any POM system can be used together with any other module, from any other brand. while the pocket rack format is slightly smaller than eurorack, you only need some minor tweaks to fit your pocket operator modules in your eurorack system. here are a few ways to 'eurorackify' your pocket operator modulars and pocket operators, plus a bonus mod to really expand the capabilities of your POM-400 .
CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE - EURORACK PANELS FOR POM
eurorack front panels for POM the two companies malm.audio and jklmnt have joined forces and created custom eurorack front panels for the complete range of modules available in the pocket operator modular POM-400 and POM-170 . pick your favorite module and mount that in your existing eurorack system, or create a complete replica of an entire system. the various panels range from 6 hp width, up to 18 hp.
POM TO EURORACK COMPATIBLE POWER
power adapters they've also made a convenient power adapter that easily converts the power connector from pocket rack to eurorack. no soldering is required and everything above is available through the oddvolt webstore .
POKIT - EURORACK CONVERSION KIT FOR POM-16
pokit for POM-16 by grayscale the company grayscale makes modules and stylish eurorack front panels for a lot of products. their pokit is a eurorack conversion kit for the POM-16 keyboard. the front panel has a matte black finish and is 42 hp wide. the kit even comes with matching gray official knobs. this is a great option for enabling your system with the 4-channel sequencer, arpeggiator and keyboard that is the POM-16.
POM-400 MATRIX KIT
bonus: POM-400 matrix kit this is not exactly eurorack but an awesome project nonetheless. engineer david vondle has created a bolt-on kit to turn a POM-400 into a matrix synth, kind of like the ems synthi . so instead of just using cables to patch, you can use pins to connect columns and rows, corresponding to inputs and outputs. here's the system in action.
HERE'S DAVID ON POM-400 WITH MATRIX KIT TALKING TO ALIENS
there is no soldering required and once mounted you can use the full system as you usually would, with the added flexibility of the matrix. truly amazing work. if you really want to unlock your POM-400 but not divide it into separate modules then this is definitely worth checking out. for more details and to place an order go to http://matrix.vondle.com
pocket operators and eurorack the usually hand-held regular pocket operators can also be used in a eurorack system. this could for instance be a great way to create a portable and powerful grab-and-go live performance instrument, or to have pocket operators tightly and neatly integrated into your studio setup. here are two examples of how to mount pocket operators in a eurorack case.
EURORACK ADAPTER BY LPZW
lpzw eurorack adapter for pocket operators the german company leipzig west makes this really nice eurorack adapter for the pocket operator series. this comes as a kit and some soldering is required, however you can also get it pre-soldered. more information can be found at the lpzw website , and to order, visit thonk and select your item. if it's sold out you can sign up for their waiting list.
THREE POCKET OPERATORS IN ACTION - USING LPZW ADAPTERS
PRINTABLE HOLDER FOR POCKET OPERATORS
3D printed holders spillerphoto is another german company making accessories for the pocket operators, among other things. the euroten and eurotenduo are 3D printed pocket operator holders, for simple solder-free eurorack mounting of one or more units. buy them pre-printed or get the .stl files and 3D print yourself. visit their website for more information.
conclusion there, a small selection of modular mods and tools for extended eurorack compatibility. let us know if you've made any modifications yourself or if you have any other favorites. don't have your own pocket operator modular yet? check them out below.
explore POM-400
explore POM-170
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
IMAGES PROVIDED COURTESY OF MAYKU.
the desktop factory we collaborated with mayku on the industrial design of their new pressure former, the mayku multiplier. designed to fit right on your desktop, it enables the production of highly detailed molds and production parts in minutes.
manufacture where you are pressure forming is an industrial grade manufacturing process, used to make molds and parts instantly. by utilising pressure when forming heated sheet material, the finest details and sharpest edges can be captured - a process that now takes less than one minute, right on your desktop.
want to know more? a limited run of mayku multipliers will be available for pre-order starting october 2021. find out more at the mayku website .
SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
videolab creators videolab creators is an online community of expert unity and OP–Z users, open to anyone who is interested in learning how to create videopaks for their OP–Z. a videopak is a graphical bundle made in unity, that can be sequenced and interacted with using the motion track on OP–Z. for more information check out the OP–Z videolab page or join the videolab creators discord server .
videopak master contest recently videolab creators hosted a competition to find and celebrate 'videopak masters'. check out the talented winners in the video above. congratulations zumshawnydsmusic , zumconquesomusic , zumjebrald0 , zumdigiklvb , zummastervolume and all other contestants for your amazing submissions.
LOLA WITH TAJIMA SAI
custom prizes we supported the contest through product prizes, and we wanted to give something a bit special to the winners. so in addition to just offering products, we decided to get creative, now that we're finally back at the office. let us introduce the newest machine member in our workshop: tajima sai , our japanese embroidery machine. the sai is operated by lola.
LOLA PREPARING ARTWORK FOR EMBROIDERY
TAJIMA SAI IN ACTION
FIRST TRY - LOOKING GOOD
custom patches here we have the final result, a set of five unique iron-on patches. one for each of the winners to enjoy! this was fun and we sure enjoyed making them.
FINAL RESULT - CUSTOM MADE EMBROIDERED PATCHES
more information follow these links to learn more about the capabilities of OP–Z in general and about videolab in particular. how would you operate as a videopak master?
explore videolab
JULY 14, 2021 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
OP-1 OS #243 – out now! as you know, we have been updating the OP-1 regularly throughout its first ten year lifespan, constantly adding new features and fixing bugs. these updates have all been free of charge and have been compatible with every unit released, from the first early beta units to the very latest batches fresh from the factory. the newest firmware update #243 is no different. it is free for all and compatible with every OP-1 unit available. except this time the addition brings functionality to OP-1 that many wouldn't expect to be possible for a product that is over ten years old.
OP-1 IS NOW CAPABLE OF STREAMING STEREO AUDIO OVER USB
streaming usb audio with update #243, every OP-1 is now capable of streaming stereo audio over usb. this means that you can now sample and record to OP-1 directly from any usb audio host, as well as get OP-1 audio straight into your favorite daw, in effect replacing the need for an external sound card. it works with both pc and mac, as well as with ios and android, and has been made possible by adapting and using our knowledge from OP–Z. the update also includes a range of bug fixes and stability improvements. here's some of the update highlights
OP-1 portable synthesizer
$$$
JUNE 24, 2021 POSTED BY TOBIAS VON HOFSTEN
OB–4 MATTE BLACK EDITION IS AVAILABLE HERE
OB–4 midsummer update it's summer season here in sweden so we try to spend as much time as possible outside. since we still want great sound the OB–4 is the perfect portable speaker to bring outdoors. with this update we've unlocked some new magic features. how to update use orthoplay to control, configure and update OB–4. access orthoplay on ios devices through the orthoplay ios app and on android devices use the orthoplay android app . once updated here are some of the features you'll get:
beat match channel your inner dj and let OB–4 help you get perfectly timed loops from any audio source. beat match analyses the musical content of what you are listening to in real time and automatically detects the beats.
808 metronome looking for the perfect beat? OB–4 got you covered with the new synthesized 808 kick drum sound available as one of the metronome sounds. you can even tune it and adjust the decay for that optimal booom, right inside OB–4.
ambient turn any audio source into a drone using ambient on OB–4. try applying it on music or even talk radio. the news has never sounded more relaxing.
external looping looping works with any external equipment connected through the line in. here is an OP–Z pattern that is being looped and manipulated using the OB–4.
OB–4 matte black
OB–4 gloss red
JUNE 8, 2021 POSTED BY SCOTT CAZAN
playdate update our good friends at panic just posted an update about their upcoming 'tiny handheld game system' playdate , designed by us. we are very much looking forward to this release, so check out this awesome update while waiting:
also, here's a fun reaction video to this update, by adrian of super gamer boys. thanks guys, we're equally excited!
JUNE 4, 2021 POSTED BY JONAS ÅBERG
OP–Z firmware 1.2.40 is here a new OP–Z update just arrived. we've released firmware version 1.2.38 and put out two hotfixes, so 1.2.40 is the version you want to get. this lets you use multiple input sources and assign effects and lfo to external signals + much more. some of what's new
THE OP–Z APP NOW SHOWS MODULE + INPUT SIGNALS
update demo here's a nice video below by shimmery.mp3 covering the update. also check out ryan diefenbach's awesome update tutorial over on youtube.
MAY 28, 2021 POSTED BY EMIL KULLÄNGER
#10YOP1 beat contest first of all: thank you so much for putting your time and energy into joining our beat contest. we got 594 beats in total and we listened carefully to all of them. together with TĀLĀ and nosaj thing, the final winners have now been picked. listen to the winners at the OP–1 anniversary site .
SOME OF THE 594 TOTAL ENTRIES
594 beats your creativity really surpassed our expectations. to listen to more of the 594 entries, follow the #10YOP1 hashtag on instagram , youtube or soundcloud .
MOTHER OF ALL DECKS
to celebrate the release of TX–6, we thought we'd give you a look into the design and engineering process behind our first portable mixer. here software developer and product owner marcus nilsson shares his experience working on TX–6 over the years. also, with the ability to travel again, we have some exclusive behind the scenes footage of our customized production process, filmed in our factory in malaysia.
MARCUS NILSSON SOFTWARE DEVELOPER AND PRODUCT OWNER OF TX–6
take us through the design process, how did it develop? what were the main priorities for this product? we usually start with a physical design without much functionality specified. it kind of evolves and grows during the whole project. there are always a lot of ideas but we can't have it all. we need to find the right balance between a rich feature set and usability. a lot of effort has been put into the user interface. we wanted to squeeze in many features but still make it intuitive and not too complicated. some functionality was removed or simplified because of this. the goal has been to make a product that is easy to understand and that feels playful but still professional. the timeline during a project like this is very dependant on the production schedule and some features just wasn't ready in time for launch. but we have many ideas for future updates.
love hultén is an audiovisual artist based in gothenburg, sweden. working at the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and modern tech, he began by tearing apart electronic toys, eventually ending up HDK academy of art and design where he discovered his passion for woodwork. from there, the natural progression was obviously to combine his woodcraft skills with electronics, making tactile synthesizers, game consoles and other audiovisual contraptions. a frequent user of teenage engineering products, he recently created TE-LAB, a wooden "sound machine based on modules from teenage engineering, holograms microcosm and a custom-built sequencer inspired by lomond campbell's turntable". a unique instrument, we were curious to know more and thought you might be too - so here he is to do just that.
TEXTILES DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, BETTY
strictly business this project is using all the modules from the POM-400 kit , together with the eurorack front panels from oddvolt mentioned in an earlier blog post . the case chosen is an auer esd euro case with an added handle . the eurorack frame is from clicks & clocks , cut to size in our workshop. for power we opted to go with a portable usb solution using the dedicated usb power cable from myvolts , connected directly to the psu , and powered by a powerful anker powerbank. the power distro is used to distribute the power to all the modules. here are some links to the external parts used.
dub siren from space inspired by a little aluminium siren effect box that was lying around the office, we decided to build our own enhanced version, with an lfo , a square module and a psu . we then added a line-level output, a 9V battery and a guitar pedal power jack. the green knobs select between different pre-patched connections that you can override by inserting something into the jacks. there's a little more info on the build process over on speedbjorns instagram .
a new module for OP–Z our work with OP–Z is ongoing and here's a little behind the scenes dev update. as you know, the OP–Z functionality can be expanded with hardware modules. in the past we've released the oplab and rumble modules and finally we can officially reveal that we have a new module in the pipeline. it is called the line module and will be accompanied with an OP–Z firmware update.
recommended components sometimes it can be hard to find exactly the components you need. keep an eye out on all stores that sell parts and sign up to get notified when an item gets back in stock. also check the second hand market and stay safe and smart when buying like this. the computer–1 case fits a dual slot itx graphics card, not longer than 180 mm. use a low profile cpu cooler, not rising more than 120 mm from the surface of the motherboard. here are some suggested example builds.
software engineer's build (no gpu)
industrial designer and mechanical engineer's build
electrical engineer's build
the eurorack format eurorack is a very common system format when it comes to modular synths. there are tons of modules and manufacturers on the market and the pocket operator modular series is eurorack compatible. this means any POM system can be used together with any other module, from any other brand. while the pocket rack format is slightly smaller than eurorack, you only need some minor tweaks to fit your pocket operator modules in your eurorack system. here are a few ways to 'eurorackify' your pocket operator modulars and pocket operators, plus a bonus mod to really unlock and expand the capabilities of your POM-400 .
custom prizes we supported the contest through product prizes, and we wanted to give something a bit special to the winners. so in addition to just offering products, we decided to get a little creative, now that we're finally back at the office. let us introduce the newest machine member in our workshop: tajima sai , our japanese embroidery machine. the sai is operated by lola from our textile department.
streaming usb audio with update #243, every OP-1 is now capable of streaming stereo audio over usb. this means that you can now sample and record to OP-1 directly from any usb audio host, as well as get OP-1 audio straight into your favorite daw, in effect replacing the need for an external sound card. it works with both pc and mac, as well as with ios and android, and has been made possible by adapting and using our knowledge from OP–Z. the update also includes a range of bug fixes and stability improvements.
here's some of the update highlights
how to update visit the downloads page and follow the steps to update your OP-1.
OB–4 midsummer update it's summer season here in sweden so we try spend as much time as possible outside. since we still want great sound the OB–4 is the perfect portable speaker to bring outdoors. with this update we've unlocked some new magic features. how to update use orthoplay to control, configure and update OB–4. access orthoplay on ios devices through the orthoplay ios app and on android devices use the orthoplay android app . once updated here are some of the features you'll get:
external looping looping works with any external equipment that is connected through the line in. here is an OP–Z pattern that is being looped and manipulated using the OB–4.
update demo here's a nice video by shimmery.mp3 covering the update. also check out ryan diefenbach's awesome update tutorial over on youtube.
