I’ve yet to do any instrument pairing beyond using my keyboard controller to occasionally control my OP-1. For the next step in my growing up process, I’d like to use the OP-1’s effects to chat up other instruments.
1) How would I do this with hardware instruments? Specifically, I’d like to use it on a Moog Sub 37 I have on order. Is it as simple as connecting the Mono out of the Moog to the input of the OP-1? Is it also possible to use the Moog’s USB instead (Moog USB to my laptop) and do some routing in my DAW so that it understands I wish the Moog’s signal to go through the OP-1 first?
The Moog’s I/O in case that helps:
2) How would I do the same with software instruments? (My DAW is Logic.)
The Hardware outputs of the Sub 37 are completely separate from the USB interface (which as I understand only passes MIDI, not Audio signal). So routing audio in software is not possible. The Sub 37 audio input only routes through the Filter if I recall correctly.
You can use a 1/4" to 1/8" cable to get output from the Moog into the OP-1’s input. The input of the OP-1 is mono, so feeding stereo sources in will be summed to Mono (Sub 37 = mono). Then set the gain for the input signal by pressing shift+Mic button (start with volume @ 0 on the Moog, VERY hot output on the Phattys). You can then monitor that input and process it with the Main Output FX block by going to the Mix button (in-between ‘tape’ and the 1 2 3 4 buttons) and applying the FX by pressing 3. You can’t record to tape with the effect as far as I know, but could record to a DAW via the OP-1 audio out.
I personally run a bass through my OP-1 and use it as an effect - sounds great!.
To route it other ways, you could plug the Moog into your audio interface, set up an audio send in your DAW (send the audio to an analog output on the interface), then send the signal into the OP-1 input via audio cable, process it, and send it back out the OP-1 into a stereo pair of inputs on your interface. Kind of pointless if your doing it in real time, but you could process pre-recorded items through the OP-1 like this.
Setting up sends in Logic is easy, but it’s also easy to forget to set the output gain of the send. If you’re unsure how to set up sends, I’m sure there’s some tutorials for Logic on YouTube that cover that.
Wow that was a long winded answer. Hope this doesn’t confuse the shit out of you haha have fun
Short winded answer, neither the moog or op1 do audio over USB. Plug the moog into the OP-1 and use the master FX to effect the moog. Simple! Great answer by @picoVolt tho
PS, if you use the OP1 as a send fx on a mixer or your interface make sure the effect is set to 100% wet (only effected signal) so you don’t double up the unaffected audio.
@picoVolt, not long winded at all. At my stage, lengthy explanations are perfect.
Then set the gain for the input signal by pressing shift+Mic button (start with volume @ 0 on the Moog, VERY hot output on the Phattys).
What's it say about an instrument when it's output is hot (or cold)?--anything about the quality of its components?
Hope this doesn't confuse the shit out of you haha have fun
I am confused about the Sends part, but through no fault of your own. I’ve yet to deal with Sends so it just reads as an abstraction for me for now. But once the Sub 37 arrives, I’ll refer back to your Sends instructions to try it out.
Thank you for the thoroughness of all the information. I’ll go order that cable now, so I can use the Cow filter on the Moog!
PS, if you use the OP1 as a send fx on a mixer or your interface make sure the effect is set to 100% wet (only effected signal) so you don't double up the unaffected audio.
Do you mind explaining what it means/looks like (what the setup is) when an instrument is set up as a send FX to an audio interface? Is that different from the first setup option picoVolt explained (1/4" TS from Moog to 3.5mm TRS into OP-1)?
And what does that mean to set an effect to 100% wet (I'm familiar with the terms wet vs. dry)?; does that mean maxing out the effect?
I use Ableton, this is how I set up a send, you’ll need an interface with 4 ins and 4 outs. Two ins for to get your instruments into your daw normally and two outs to your speakers as per normal. The extra two outs (well call them 3 and 4) go to the input of the op1(you’ll need proper cables, dual 1/4 inch to 1/8th inch). The extra two in ins go to the outputs 3 and 4. Create a send track in ableton. Set it to go to outputs 3/4. Create a regular track in Ableton set it to receive tracks 3/4. Create a track from inputs 1/2. turn up the send knob on that track so it goes the the send you’ve created to go to 3/4. Now this audio will go out to the op1 and come back on the audio track set to 3/4. This is where its key to set the fx(op1 in this case)to 100% wet. this is so you only get the effected signal on that track. Most effects on the op1 the orange knob is the wet/dry control. Some fx like nitro and spring don’t have wet/dry controls.
There is another way of setting your DAW for use with external effects.@Virtual_Flannel sets up OP-1 as a send effect.Traditionally send effects were reverb or delay effects were the unit was connected to an out put on a mixer called the effects send.Each channel has a control to tap some signal along the effects bus and sent out this socket to the reverb.Some channels could have more and some could have less/none and the reverb would be mixed back in with the original signals.The dry signal is the original sound sources and the wet signal is the effect(reverb).So a channel with little or no verb (sent)would be dry,one with lots would be wet.So wet/dry control is just mix level between effect and source.
Another way is the Insert effect.This was used for compression/gate/EQ and is useful for filters also(Nitro).The effect would be inserted into the signal path of a channel and the whole signal routed to processor with no original signal sent to master,then processed signal would replace source by being routed to master.Nice to set up the OP-1 like this and use EQ/Drive and wet/dry effect controls and treat it as part of the OP-1.You would need to switch off any sign routed to your master out in DAW and have your signal(s) routed out channel 3&4 into line in,with Mic On.If Mic off or OP-1 is switched off you wouldn’t be hearing the channel.
Hope this is useful,just thought I’d go over those terms.Its also useful for using M1/M2 to drop mix level up on Orange control on effects(wet/dry mix).Also avoids nasty,unwanted phasing when combining OP processed signal with source -at different latentcies.(that latter would occur if you mixed in dry signal off OP-1,ie used Orange less than 100% on most effects).
Hope this is useful,just thought I'd go over those terms.
It is! I thought I understood Wet/Dry, but your explanation clarified some things for me–I had some things mixed up.
There are some other points you made that I don’t quite understand; I’m not quite at that level yet. But I’ll refer back to it later on, as it appears to be some fundamental concepts I’ll come across soon.
