Teenage Engineering has announced the OP-1 (Operator-1), a pocket size synthesizer and controller.

Teenage Engineering OP-1

OP-1 features

  • It’s a controller — OP-1 stands for Operator 1. The OP-1 is a pocket size controller for your favorite software sequencer. Connect it to your laptop and it lets you control your sequencers transport with the common play, stop, rec, forward and rewind. Use it to control your software synthesizers with the 4 rotary encoders and 16 dedicated quick keys for fast selections.
  • …and a Synthesizer — When you disconnect the OP-1 from your computer you suddenly have a stand-alone portable wonder-machine with 8 synthesizer models, 8 samplers and effects like Delay, Flutter, Filters and EQ all built in. Use all that synthesizer power to record your work with the truly unique (at present time, secret) sequencer. We promise you a really cool and creative way to record your sounds and tweak them in a completely new way.
  • A portable wonder! — Use the magic step sequencer/arpegiator to get the notes right. If that is not enough use the built in motionsensor that sense every shake or move you make and turn it into really cool sounds. Then relax and sample a beat from the built-in FM radio or memorize a tune by whistle it into the built-in microphone. Play your piece to your friends through the built-in speaker. Or…convert it right away to mp3 and mail it to them.

In case you think the OP-1 looks too good to be true, the developers have posted a nice video.

The OP-1 is still in development and should be ready in 10-12 months.

When the time is right we will sell 100 OP-1:s to those of you who are ready to beta-test the pre release product. Fill in the form to the right to be part of this exclusive beta-program. We are looking for all types of users from professional sound designers to ordinary users just interested in sound and synthesizers.

More information: Teenage Engineering / OP-1

Link via CDM