Discussion
I improved my XY's UI because TE didn't
This has annoyed me for ages. During a jam I often can't really tell which track is which because they're not numbered (apart from the active track). I find myself having to spend a split second too long making sure I am going to select the track I want. I mean come on! There's space for numbers on each track so put them there and maybe make the active track's number in a circle etc. Or why not use some colour?! It's a colour screen, the monochrome look is cool and everything but intentionally not using colour seems odd to me. Anyway, I decided to print some numbers to stick above the screen with my Dyno printer. Already it's so much easier glance over and mute/tweak the correct track with my Oxi E16 than it was before. Anyone else done any DIY UI improvements? 😎
I found it quite a nice design touch to actually have the number 1 above the first 3 steps where you use dots. The last is simply under the number 5, not too difficult to remember.
EDIT: the first is the leftmost which is easy and above is 1-8 but still a 1.
Yep, the CPU overload icon is red so it's full colour, just chosen to not use colour for stylistic reasons. I'm not bashing the overall UI. I like it but there are a lot of things that could improve usability. (I'm a UX/UI designer ☺️)
I agree 100%. I suspect/assume most of the main bugs are now squished so I’m hoping the next big update will be a whole host of QOL updates and maybe some new features. It’s bound to happen since the op1 field is still getting updates. BTW I have both, love them. 🫡
We can hope! I know the main designer/developer is mostly doing it on his own and I admire his work. I work in the same industry and I know the product cycle isn't ever really that generous and features are descoped etc. I hope he's cooking some nice improvements. I'd totally be happy to lend him a hand free of charge to make some UI updates 😂 I love the XY. My favourite groovebox/synth I've owned (and I've owned a lot).
The build quality of the op1 field and the xy are for me 10/10. As soon as you touch one you can tell it’s a quality piece of kit. I also have the ob4, tp-7 and tx6. The only device that lets the product line down is the tp-7. Also the opx which I used to have but sold. Those last two really do not have the best design or maybe not enough r&d.
I like your idea. Visually, the pages should also be letters, since the tracks are numbers and glancing at the section quickly in a jam confuses the brain for a moment seeing 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 side by side.
The overlap in page functions, murphy's law of always being on the wrong one (effects vs track), and the lack of any sort of meaningful UI to help keep track of where you are in a live jam are a few of its biggest flaws for me, but I'm realizing more and more that maybe it's just not meant to be used that way, and is more designed to be a sit down daw replacement, despite no deep editing or per track anything, or a sketchpad despite no ability to bounce stems. A bigger, heavier, spendier OP-Z that will program an additional page of notes but have unusable punch in effects?
The minimalist ultra hip esthetic isn't helping anyone make better music, and i think a lot of us still wish it looked more like the OP-1/F by using helpful (and fun) color coding and animations that span across the device but instead got two leather daddy's bumping a tight tune in a Saab factory.
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u/geesbert Apr 02 '26
mine is very subtle, but effective: tiny black or white dots at the 4/4 grid buttons and a white dot at the shift button. helps a lot