Today, Teenage Engineering released their latest synthesizer, the OP-XY. This powerful, new machine from TE triples as a sequencer, sampler, and synthesizer to add up to a massively musical and innovative instrument. Taking cues from their own OP-1 and OP-Z synthesizers, Teenage Engineering takes a huge step forward for groovebox and sequence-based musicmaking.
Shop the Teenage Engineering OP-XY
The OP-XY is an incredibly robust and in-depth synthesizer with universes of functionality to explore. To kick things off, here are seven things to do with your own Teenage Engineering OP-XY. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so run wild and make the OP-XY's universes your own!
Grooves
The OP-XY excels in beatmaking, so beat alchemists of the world, take notice! The OP-XY's Grooves functions allow for in-depth altering of rhythms for beats. With Grooves, the OP-XY offers a function usually only reserved for DAWs and similar gear. Utilizing Grooves changes timing of notes to get funky, wobbly, shuffling, off-kilter and so much more. Here’s some of the OP-XY's Groove types to get you on your way:
- Shuffle – a perfect swing to a beat
- Half Shuffle – a diet-friendly alternative to Shuffle
- Disfunk – a disco and funk combo
- Danish – a laid-back choice for chilling out
- Island Nod – a tropical, head-bobbing rhythm
Brain
To show off some real intelligent muscle, the OP-XY features the function “Brain” to assist in transposing tracks. The Brain’s powers of transposition can be used to automatically detect key signatures and change them however you see fit. Try Brain’s masterful key crunching on a whole song, or even single tracks – you scratch the OP-XY's brain, it scratches yours right back.
Scenes and Song Mode
Something to really make the OP-XY shine are its capabilities as an all-in-one piece of gear. This quality comes to light in its Scenes and Song Mode functions. With the OP-XY alone, you can become a true maestro to group patterns and sequences into up to ninety-nine distinct “scenes”. Each scene remembers its patterns’ arrangements as well as its mix settings.
From there, we can zoom out further to the OP-XY's Song Mode. This bird’s eye view on your work puts power in your hands to arrange your scenes into fully realized, structured songs. Rock out with your OP-XY and make full-blown compositions of your sequences. From starting at scratch to finishing with a fully realized bang, the OP-XY has everything you need to become a songwriter without compromises.
Multisampling
Where would we be without some sampling? We’re throwing it back to you, beatmakers of the world – we know you’re out there! The OP-XY's Multisampler engine allows for the closest of cuts and the highest-fidelity in your sampling. Grab your new favorite record, instrument, synthesizer, drum machine, Speak & Spell, or whatever’s got that je ne sais quoi about it and sample it! The OP-XY's got you covered for all your beatcrafting needs. There are never enough beats in the world, better get to work!
Step Components
When you’re looking for that special sauce for your sequences, check out the OP-XY's Step Components. In short, Step Components offer a wide range of variations to rhythmically and tonally spice up your sequences. Let’s run down a few:
- Pulse – repeat a step a defined number of times without progressing the sequence
- Multiply – multiply the number of triggers in a step, creating a ratcheting effect, perfect for things like hi-hats
- Bend – warp a selected step’s pitch with a concentrated bend
- Tonality – transpose a selected step by a fixed interval
Punch-In FX
Sometimes you’ve gotta get some effects in fast – real fast. For this, you can turn to the OP-XY's Punch-In FX engine to drop in a host of effects on your tracks and quickly record them for new, killer conclusions. With friends like a classic chorus, an echoing delay, an impressive reverb, and a bit-crushing lo-fi, among others, who needs enemies?
The OP-XY splits its Punch-In FX across percussion and melodic tracks to keep your ducks in a row. While you’re arranging those ducks, give the OP-XY's gyroscope a spin to adjust modulation or pitch effects for some real, hands-on interaction.
Synth Engines
For those looking to tickle the ivories (or anodized aluminums), the OP-XY comes loaded with plenty of synthesizers engines to play with. Keeping with the theme of “all-in-one", the OP-XY is readymade for beatmakers and synthesists to drop their own original compositions in – one and done. The OP-XY comes loaded with plenty of vivid and interactive synth engines, but here’s a few of our favorites to keep you company:
- Axis – an FM synth engine for creating colorful synth string arrangements
- Dissolve – a tonal noise machine for ambient pads and bright leads
- Epiano – an electric piano emulation for quirky, real-world melodies
- Simple – a bread and butter, start-from-scratch synth for doing it all your way
A New Future in Real Time
The OP-XY synthesizer is one small step for TE and one giant leap for grooveboxes, to abridge a classic quote, or two. Check out this latest release from Teenage Engineering and get in on the groove.
