A Bunch of Questions and Ideas

That was actually a reason why I haven’t used it for several months, yeah. I have started using it again now as part of a larger hardware setup with lots of battery powered things, using the Oplab of course. Pocket Operators are part of that, but also a Bastl Kastle, a Bastl Kastle Drum, one (soon two) Volca Modular, and a Korg Monotron and NTS-1 for fx and squelches.

The OP-Z on its own does sound somewhat sterile, there’s barely any dirt in there. The rest of that setup provides ample of that, so they complement each other really well IMHO.

The OP-Z in this context provides the master clock and stuff like pads or longer chord progression type things that the POs aren’t as good at, and it can also send CV to the Bastls and Volcas.

I’m still learning all the components and their interactions, but it’s a great little setup, and it’s all battery powered.

The OP-Z perfectly fits in there because of its strong sequencing capabilities and the CV. I’ll watch your Raspberry experiments with great interest because I think such a little thing would nicely fit into that setup, too - maybe for more fx, or as another more drone oriented sound generator.

I agree about the organ. IMHO it works nicely for little accents here and there, and it gets more pressure when it’s used as a bass or when there’s a big reverb accentuating it, but it isn’t really a church filling instrument on its own in its current iteration. It is already possible to use the LFO or automation to change between organ types, so I’m sure that’d work on the OP-1 too.

I feel sad when I see people suggesting new features for the OP-1, since the chances of that happening are likely zero…

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The newcomers have to learn at some point.

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@punji, @oxxi, I might be a newcomer, but I’m not neive and believe it or not, I’m well aware of how many people are not too pleased with the way Teenage Engineering do and don’t do stuff. So just to be clear, I’m not living some misguided fantasy thinking that any of the suggestions I have will ever make it.

That said, what I do know is that when Teenage Engineering decided to relaunch the OP-1 and duly updated their marketing material for it, they specified in the actual specifications that new Engines, Effects, Modulators etc will be coming in an update. My point here, being that none of these things have happened yet, which means they’re still to come, which means that if they read this forum they might take away some ideas from it.

Being silent about suggestions when there is a forum to facilitate it just seems a bit pointless to me, so saying “The newcomers have to learn at some point.” might very well be true, but it feels a bit condescending to those of us who are not living in fantasy land, especially when it concerns a piece of hardware that is about to set them back twelve hundred quid!

Personally I’m drawn to the OP-1 due to its workflow and portablitily. I’ve been doing sound design for over thirty years so have a good idea of what would work well on the OP-1 without even owning one.

Anyway, one more wish, one I forgot to mention in my second post, is that I’d love to see a versatile distortion/overdrive/fuzz effect. Something that can take your sinewave and do anything from subtle tone shaping, all the way to thick, heavy, Death Metal tones!

Just remember, updates are coming to the OP-1 and they’re not here yet. The dumbest thing any OP-1 user could do in that situation, is remain silent.

@haslo Sounds like a neat little batter-powered rig. Will have to check-out the Kastle Drum, and I’m a big fan of the Volca Modular. Was going to buy two at one point while there was an ebay sale on but the checkout fucked-up and I missed out. Could have picked them both up, brand new at £123 each, but now the retailers have ran out of stock cause of the Covid thing and they all seem to be price gouging.

Still intend to buy a couple when the prices are back to normal though.

Regards the OP-Z, yeah, I kinda feel the same about it and can understand the duties you’ve given it. It seems more suited to hooking-up to something like TE’s own POM-400 modular, it would make a neat partner for something like that. Anyway, don’t know if it’s still editable, but I’ll add what I forgot to the second post after posting this if it is.

Regardless of how slim the chance TE might read it, it’s better there than not IMO.

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Nah, it’s not editable now … bummer :unamused:

Came here to comment just that.
I think part of owning an OP-1 is coming to terms with the spec sheet being 10 years old. It’s a complete product and the OP-Z answered a lot of updates in a completely different and unique product, I think they pair nicely since the z has some sounds and effects I can’t conjure out of the 1, and the Z can act as an audio interface for both.

I always hope to see more work put into it, but I think it’s done. It’s direct and to the point, adding much more at this point would be cumbersome and detract from the experience, IMO.

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Thinking of picking up a Volca modular too

I agree with you, porting over some more of the OP-Z effects to the OP-1 would be nice or some new ones entirely like the distortion. I always wonder what I would really do with more effects when I am simultaneously trying to avoid the whole resampling multiple times to stack effects thing.

Another side note: are updates really coming to the OP-1? Do you know that for sure? Very recent midnight operations podcast seemed to sum it up to:
“We have some stuff floating around, previous work that we could finish up and release but it’s a finished product as is”

I don’t think it’s the focus of new development, I don’t even feel like the OP-Z is the focus of new development

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Well I’m not TE so can never say for sure, but I assume that is the case due to the updated literature used to sell the updated unit. Here’s a copy and paste, I’ve highlighted in bold the relevant parts which suggest that updates are coming:

FEATURES
Multiple Synthesizer Engines with Exchangable Architecture
Built-in 24 Voice Instant Live Sampler
4 track Tape Recorder with Variable Tape Speed
6 Minutes Recording Time. (Up to 24 Minutes)
4 track Mixer with EQ, Effect, Drive and Master Out
Multiple Exchangable Effects
Multiple Exchangable Sequencers
USB MIDI Controller - MAC & PC Compatible
2-Way USB File Transfer - MAC & PC Compatible
Colour Coded Vector Based User Interface
Instant Reverse and variable Tape Speed Recording
Full Classic Tape Editing Capabilities
Master Tempo with Beat Matching to Tape Feature

SPECIFICATIONS

Synthesizers:
Multiple Synthesizer Engines with exchangable Architecture
8 dedicated instant sound select keys

Sound Engines:
Dr Wave - Raw 8-bit yupe sound engine
FM - Easy to tweak FM synthesis engine
Pulse - Square wave type engine
String - Physical modeling with a twist
Digital - Raw digital type of engine
Phase - Phase distortion engine
Cluster - Multiple Wave Cluster
Future additions of Engines will be available with software upgrades

Sample Engines:
Dedicated instant Synth Sampler with 6 seconds sampling time for each slot
Dedicated instant Drum Sampler with 12 seconds sampling time for each slot
With automated layout feature
Instant sampling with built-in Microphone or Line in

Envelopes:
Classic ADSR type of envelope
Dynamic Envelope for Drum sounds
Future additions of Envelopes will be available with software upgrades

Effects:
Multiple Effects with exchangable Architecture
Delay - Classic delay type
Phone - Hacked phone effect
Punch - Adds punch to your sound
Grid - Grid based echo
Spring - Spring reverb type
Future additions of Effects will be available with software upgrades

Tape Feature:
4 individual tracks with instant Solo
Instant variable Tape Speed
6 minutes recording time in Normal tape speed.
Up to 24 minutes recording time in Low tape speed
Loop function with movable region
Tape tricks for Break Tape, Bits and Reverse
Memo 1 & 2 for instant memorizing Effects / EQ / Pan or Levels / Tape Speed
Reverse Recording
Classic Tape editing Features Lift / Split and Drop
Lift tape recordings back into Sampler for endless sound design

Motion Sensor:
3 Axis Motion sensor (G-Force)
Assignable to any synth, envelope, effect parameter or to pitch

Built-in FM radio:
Sample direct from any radio station
Record direct to tape

All I’ve done is correct what I believe to be a typo in one sentence, but other than that, the information here is a copy and paste of that used to sell the latest version of the unit. According to this we can expect “Future additions of Engines”, “Future additions of Envelopes”, and “Future additions of Effects”.

Curiously there is no mention of ‘Future additions of LFOs’, but regardless, none of these additions have been added since the updated unit was released under this literature, so I’m just assuming that these additions must still be in the pipeline, hence my enthusiastic wishful thinking.

I’ve not heard that podcast you mention but you have me a bit concerned now, so will check it out.

Looks as if you’re right. I just noticed that although the stuff above is being used to sell the new unit, they’ve not listed the new stuff that is already available on that version and therefore it still looks as if new stuff is due in the future. That feels a bit sly, and it’s a bummer to discover, but oh well.

Here’s another part of that same literature (which I did not include in the original copy and paste):

" Full Description
Updated for 2019

The OP-1 has been refreshed, reimagined, and reconfigured for 2019. The updated features include a brand new PCB and an update to all important OLED screen."

So it’s clear this literature is for the updated version yet they never included the updates that it already had in the list of features. Unless the updates came after the release of the updated unit, but I was under the impression that the updates were already released as part of the updated unit.

Did Voltage and CWO, for example, come after the updated unit was released, or before?

Basically no new features since firmware 218 release on Nov/2016 (the OLED display update happened on Dec/2018). In the last Midnight Operations, I understood TE saying that the OP-1 firmware became very complex and hard to maintain, so this may be one possible reason for only releasing small bug fixes after that.

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Well now I know what oxxi meant when he wrote that the newcomers have to learn at some point. In my defence, I cannot be blamed for what I read, but nevertheless, I feel like an absolute tit now for even botheting to post any of that stuff.

I just watched Midnight Operators #11, was the first one I’ve seen and it was nice to meet the peeps behind it all. Does sound as if they consider the OP-1 complete now though. At least it makes the decision easier on whether to buy one or not. Either I accept it for what it currently is, or give it a miss.

If it were not so expensive it would be a no-brainer, but it’s a sobering thought when I could pick-up a brand new Korg Krome Ex 88-Key workstation for that sort of cash. You have hand it to TE though, cause the fact that such a decision should even be hard, just goes to show how desirable a good, hands-on workflow can tip the scales in a products favour. They definitely got it right in that regard, though they screwed-up big time for not giving it an SD card slot, and ultimately, if anything, it might be the lack of that card slot that loses the sale.

Will have to have a very good think about it (as if I haven’t thought enough already).

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Well decision made; I won’t be buying one despite the fact I really want one. I had an epiphany yesterday (well multiple actually), I figured out a way to sample in stereo and even back-up both audio and presets without USB. But there are just too many limitations that feel so damn unnecessary. I mean even the EQ, if they had added a shift-knob function to it so that you can set the frequency of each of the three bands, that would be massive in that it would make mastering on the OP-1 itself a heck of a lot more viable because the EQ would effectively have Parametric function. It’s things like that, and the distortion, again, why so needlessly basic when shift-knob functionality could boost it sonicaly is much needed ways?

So while I love the concept, I’m not buying it that these shift-knob functions would in any way harm the concept of simplicity. I actually love the fact that sound design on the OP-1 forces a bunch of layering/sampling/resampling, but the functions it does have feel a bit too needlessly dumbed down.

In the end, I decided that I’m not prepared to drop twelve hundred quid on something that could easily do these thing, but doesn’t. I’ll not point out what I’ve decided to go for instead, that would be rude, and if ever another update comes for the OP-1 I hope it will finally sway me to buy one. But the current firmware, if that’s it finished, then nah, I just can’t bring myself to do it.

I think you made the right decision.

Yes I did, for now at least. Would be kinda dumb to spend twelve hundred quid on a device designed to be stand alone, but thanks to lack of an SD card slot that would have cost TE less than £1 extra in parts, it can never be. And before you say anything, yes, I’m well aware you’re that guy from the other thread who the others were getting pissed-off at due to your suck-up-like comments challenging valid points they were making about TE stuff.

TE lost a sale here and I’m sure they loose thousands more sales of the OP-1 for the very same reason. The concept was genius, but the decision to omit an SD card was dumb to the extreme, especially on such an epically priced product. And since you like to stirr-up a reaction, 512MB sampling time isn’t exactly what one expects from such a pricey piece of kit, either.

I watched ‘Free Beat’ rant on YouTube the other day about the up-coming ‘Circuit Rhythm’. He was ranting-away about the device having only 240 seconds sampling time, and asking the question, WTF is wrong with these manufactuers when memory is so cheap? I totally agree with him, because this corporate greed or stupidity (whichever it may be) extends to the MC-101, MC-707, and worst of all, the OP-1.

You just gotta accept that people are going to get pissed about this stuff, and rightly so. I don’t understand why you go around this forum posting the way you do, just because they don’t like something. It’s not as if TE are paying you, is it?

Or are you just jealous cause I won the New Member of the Month Award for February? :grin:

Yes you sound like a daw kind of person. No limits.

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OP-1 is absolutely full of limitations, some are very painful (I hate e.g. the impossibility to sample in stereo), some are designing choices, and others might be due to hardware limitations.
Anyway, it is the nature of hardware products to be limited.
Even my beloved Elektron, the sequencer of which is highly praised, have their bunch of limitations.

To be happy with a hardware device and actually create music, you have to embrace such limitations, and follow the lead. Either you click with the workflow, or you don’t.

You might have high expectations for a priced item, but deciding you won’t get a piece of hardware because it doesn’t have parametric EQ is a bit strange, to say the least.

Maybe something like a Deluge would fit your expectations better, or a 1010Music Blackbox maybe…
But I would admit that to me as well, >1k€ OP-1 is also a nonsense.
I’d rather get an Elektron box any day, or the aforementioned Deluge or Blackbox, if I really need something portable.
Still, I just can’t sell my OP-1.

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Wasn’t the EQ that stopped me, sorry if that’s the impression I gave. It’s because on the whole, I wouldn’t be able to get the sort of thing I wanted out of it. Nothing to do with embracing limitations etc. Like I said, I like the fact that layering, sampling and resampling are a big part of it. It’s really a combination of the price V’s lacking that swung me away from it.

Regards sampling in stereo, actually, I think you can, but without owning one cannot check to find out unfortunately. Might sound an odd thing to say, but providing the sample editing fine-adjustment mode works down to the individual sample, I see no reason why it can’t.

Say you had just captured a stereo recording with a hand-held stereo recorder. As long as it has either a balance control or a way to record separate files for left and right, all you would need to do is record them to the OP-1 Sampler one channel at a time, then record one on each track, and pan the resulting two sampled tracks that are now on Tape, hard left and hard right. Use the trig to set the same level when recording-in each channel and it should work.

On the off-chance the sync between the channels is off after recording them both in, all you would need to do is use fine-mode to edit the start of one of the channels sample until they sync (this is why it would need to work down to the individual sample in the sample editor). Another cool thing is that editing the start point of one channel against the other will also give you an adjustable stereo width control.

So it can be done, but only successfully if the fine control of sample editing can go down to the individual sample level when setting the start point, and I’m not sure whether it can.

I recorded this track (and a lot of mine) on OP-1:

I had a sound on my Elektron A4 that used the stereo a lot, with LFOs on panning
I chose to record twice, once on track 1 with hard pan right, and the second time on the other track hard panned left. It’s doable, but such a PITA ^^

So yes, you can sort of record in stereo, but it’s neither comfortable nor precise.
This is the limitation I loathe.

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Is it a PITA because of the workflow or do you mean it’s not possible to edit the sample at sample level? The workflow would not bother me but it would never work properly unless the sample editing allows you to trim down to the individual sample.