I lack musical talent. I don’t have rhythm, melody, or a grasp of theory. I like music, though, including chiptunes and other electronic music. I’ve thrown myself at (and immediately bounced off) music-making software like GarageBand, which offers too much power and not enough structure.
Then Teenage Engineering caught my attention. It’s a Swedish company that makes the Pocket Operator synthesizer series, purpose-built, pocket-sized music devices that are controlled entirely with push buttons. A recent collaboration with Capcom produced the $89 PO-128 Mega Man Pocket Operator, a small, cool, music-making device that lets you tinker with digital instruments to produce music using Mega Man game sounds. The PO-128 makes it relatively easy to sequence tracks, but you still need a good ear to create music that’s worth sharing.
Pocket Music
Before getting started with the Pocket Operators, you need to understand just how unique these synthesizers are, by design. Each Pocket Operator, including the $89 PO-33 K.O! and PO-133 Street Fighter, is a completely naked 4.1-by-2.4-inch circuit board with a monochrome LCD, 23 tiny buttons, and two knobs. It’s a layered board, so most of the circuit paths are hidden, but the pins connecting the knobs and LCDs are all visible on the back, along with an exposed clip for two AA batteries. It looks like a pocket calculator that someone took apart. It’s a striking, but potentially daunting design. Thankfully, Teenage Engineering offers $29 silicone covers that ensconce the Pocket Operator in protective rubber and give it a more conventional appearance.
The LCDs aren’t pixel-based displays. Instead, they use preset images on each screen, like in old Tiger Electronics games. The Mega Man Pocket Operator features Mega Man, Dr. Light, Dr. Wily, and Metal Man dancing around the screen, with two energy bars on the left and a series of dots and blasts that streak between the characters. The Street Fighter Pocket Operator features Ryu and Chun-Li in various stances, with health bars on the top. These graphics don’t display much information besides music activity, but the energy/health bars indicate pitch and volume levels. In addition, a four-digit alphanumeric section displays the selected notes and loops (along with time, when the Pocket Operators aren’t in use).
The 16 numbered buttons feature red LEDs that light up under different circumstances. Depending on what other buttons you press while also pressing them, they let you access stored loops, sounds, or different steps in each device’s 16-step sequencer. A lit or flashing button shows you the accessed memory slot or enabled sound. The interface is functional enough, but it feels limited and occasionally awkward; be prepared to repeatedly hold buttons down as you press other buttons or turn the knobs, and make sure to check whether the Write icon is shown on the LCD before you press any of the numbered buttons. There’s a lot to remember.
Mega Man vs. Street Fighter
Each Pocket Operator has different capabilities. The PO-128 Mega Man version is based on the PO-28 Robot Pocket Operator, so it’s an 8-bit synthesizer with no sampling functions. The PO-128’s sequencer has three channels for high melody, low melody, and drums, so you can add a bassline on top of the higher beeps and drum clicks. The device comes loaded with several faithful Mega Man tunes, including Metal Man’s theme. It can produce a wider variety of tones than the PO-133 Street Fighter Pocket Operator, without sampling.
If you want to sample sounds, check out the PO-133 Street Fighter Pocket Operator. It’s is a micro-sampler based on the PO-33 K.O!, so you can use its microphone to record up to 40 seconds of sound that you can later tweak and tune for playback. The PO-133’s sequencer has just two tracks: one for melody, one for drums. It also comes loaded with classic Street Fighter II riffs, a few dozen Street Fighter sound effects, and general tones. Curiously, Guile’s theme is absent.
Music Machine
Like Teenage Engineering’s other handheld music makers, the PO-128 Mega Man Pocket Operator lacks USB connectivity and computer-based programming (the PO-32 Tonic does, however). It’s just your fingers on the buttons and knobs. You can synchronize Pocket Operators and other devices using 3.5mm cables for multiple effects and layered projects. In a nice touch, the PO-133 Street Fighter Pocket Operator lets you back up and restore music patterns and sample data as an audio recording on an external device.
I tinkered with the PO-128 Mega Man (and occasionally the PO-133 Street Fighter), experimenting with different sounds and arrangements. Unfortunately that’s where I ran into the brick wall that is my lack of musical talent. I tried, but I just couldn’t compose anything that didn’t sound, well, random. Without an ear for tone and some sense of scales and arrangement, I couldn’t actually get anywhere with making music.
This isn’t a knock on the Pocket Operators at all. They aren’t marketed as beginner-friendly or educational synthesizers. They’re just pocket-size synthesizers and sequencers, and they’re undoubtedly powerful in the hands of musically talented individuals. I’ve heard incredible music come out of modified Game Boys, so I’m sure that skilled people can create amazing compositions with Pocket Operators.
The Pocket Operator’s built-in, tiny speakers are only useful if you’re working in a quiet room. The sound generated by the speakers is barely more than a beeping whisper; its useful as a stopgap if you don’t have 3.5mm headphones or external speakers.
Make Some Noise
Teenage Engineering is on to something interesting with its Pocket Operators. Each one is a unique toolbox for synthesizing or sampling, and they can be chained together for interesting effects and compositions. They can’t be directly connected to computers (except for the PO-32 Tonic model), but they’re small and inexpensive enough to simply play with on their own, and use for live performances or analog recording.
The PO-128 Mega Man Pocket Operator, as well as its PO-133 Street Fighter Pocket Operator sibling, should appeal to any musician who appreciates classic Capcom tunes. It would not be surprising to see a musically inclined Fighting Game Community (FGC) member pick up one, plug it into a speaker, and DJ a local tournament.
If you’ve ever dabbled in synthesized music and want a tiny, powerful sequencer to play with, consider grabbing a Pocket Operator—or several. Just make sure you have some musical basics down first.
