Yeah, if you’re looking to incorporate into an existing hardware setup, you may need an OPLab in order for the OP-1 to play nicely with other gear. It all depends on your workflow - I get by sampling my other hardware with the OP-1, but I would say the overall design philosophy of the OP-1 is much more self-contained than a lot of other hardware.
Well, I could certainly wait a bit longer and be able to afford an octatrack, but I really don’t have any synths that aren’t being sold to finance this new device. I’ve been thinking about the analog four, and I’ve gotta say, it sounds great, and the build quality doesn’t worry me as much as the OP-1. You guys are probably a bit biased, maybe I’ll ask this question on the elektronauts forum too.
The Analog four is great if you want some CV control for modular gear.
But if you want MIDI control, Octatrack, Machinedrum or even a mighty Monomachine would be what you need, I’d say.
A used Monomachine is around 700€, you can get it for 500€ if you don’t need the +Drive option (which is handy for saving/loading your settings I believe).
I don’t own one myself, but check LEM’s Monomachine only sets to see if it would fit your needs.
If the portability is not a must have for you, of course.
Both
Had my OP-1 for 3 years or so; no issues.
I’m also starting to get into modular, but I’m doing so via a couple of characterful, cheap semi-modular synths (The Erebus & Microbrute) They’ve proven to be great bang for buck and will make my transition into modular very easy.
My previous attempts to design a modular system were all over the place, but having now spent time cross-patching my semi modulars, I have a much better idea of the modules that I initially need/want.
Having some small semi-modular means I already have patchable oscillators, filters, LFOs and evelopes (not to mention a small CV keyboard and sequencer) that can interact with my initial “Doepfer system bridge”. I’ll be stuffing it with things like slew limiters, CV/audio mixers, attenuators, polarizers, DC offsets… Basically all of that stuff that doesn’t make a noise; and seems boring until you realise the power that such simple modules offer.
The OP-1 has proven instrumental in all of that - its sequencers are great - and having such a toublesome PC has meant I can still record hardware without the accompanying bag of wasps that live inside my PC’s motherboard.
On a side note, can’t wait to make up some CV cords for my A4 - seems like that thing might finally get some use!
I would get the OP-1 first and if you don't like it, sell it and build the modular. If you keep it, you have a sampler/recorder to process your modularing with.
+1
Had a small (still haven’t filled up 6U after several years: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/151597) modular and Minibrute combo for a few years now. Picked up the OP-1 (along with a Kenton USB Host) just recently. They really do complement each other really well. Both are very hands on and intuitive in very different ways.
The great thing about modular is being able to swap stuff out and try different things (2nd hand market is pretty robust, and you can sell stuff on pretty easily without losing much $ compared to what you bought it for).
If I was starting from scratch, and had to pick just one for now, I’d probably go OP-1. Mostly because the portability and interface of it are really well-implemented and inspiring.
But I’d definitely recommend some kind of CV-capable monosynth/modular combo somewhere down the road. Equally inspiring to the OP-1, in a different way. And, given the right module selection—well-suited to making tunes as well as robot farts;)
Both! They scratch different itches for me:
OP-1 is portable, quick to use and makes cool Lo-fi glitchy sounds (mostly).
My modular is definitely not portable, but fun to experiment with when I have plenty of free time, and sounds like a vintage analog synth.
I went for the MU/5U format after a couple of years not really loving my Eurorack setup.
Yes, I actually nearly went with a 5u before I finally decided to sell off my Eurocrack. Can't afford it. It's a financial black hole.
Actually, I just made a post about it!
http://operator-1.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1285/back-from-a-moduar-again-and-it-s-okay#latest
put them both…
I feel that modulars appeal to those aspects of the human mind that drive you to spend time and money on electronics without getting much in terms of the musical output. I know, I know, Vangelis and Carlos used modulars to start it all, but it’s not like they had much choice at the time. So, OP-1 for me.
Modulars are definitely very complex and complicated when it comes to getting musical results @Gambler. I still don’t know how people use LFOs, clock dividers, logic, etc to build sequencers. If I didn’t have dedicated sequencers outside the modular at my disposal I’d be so screwed.
That said, I haven’t used anything from my modular in a song, either.
put them both....
Damn… looks fantastic!
If you’re the kind of person that’s better at collecting gear, or endlessly tweaking patches, than making music, then that’s probably what you’re going to spend time doing.
GAS is not at all unique to modular. Nor is obsessive knob twiddling. You can easily put together a modestly priced system and make “actual music” with it, if that’s what you want to do.
Or you could spend $10k on a wall of modules and make self-generative, euclidean, avant-robot farts. But there’s nothing inherent to the modular format that’s making you do that.