OP-1 field feature requests

This is my 4 cents.

  1. An effect slot on any input selected whether sampling or recording to the tape.

  2. Tape wobble effect resample to another tape track.

  3. External midi control of at least the tape functions including transport (mappable).

  4. This I will also mention on the Elektronauts forum in the Syntakt feature request thread: make a colab with Elektron. Make the usb audio host work with the OP-1f, and then TE makes a machine or two for the Syntakt with their logo incorporated into the machine design, and likewise Elektron makes a synth or sampler for the OP-1f with their logo incorporated into the design of it. Peace on Earth is achieved.

Sorry, bonus: I know development has it’s costs, so make a store and also open up development to third parties. There is enough space on the device imo, but I’m not TE.

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improve communication with ipad: external effeects, synchronized recording, file management!

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Given the DAW workflow that I am used to, I would love to see the tracks recorded in tape retain their attributes i.e. sequencer used, synth parameters etc. so that I can go back and make changes if needed. I understand that the tape is supposed to be something where once you print the sound it is final but still having such features will really make the need for DAWs less and less and make me more productive. That kind of a feature would also help me to make sketches/ideas that are ever evolving until they take a final shape.

Absolutely! In the hardware world if you time travel back to 1986 and you’re using your porta studio and you’ve saved up and bought an external reverb unit, connected via Aux sends and returns you can send a lot of the keyboard pad sounds to the reverb but only a little on the drums, so you’ve put the snare on its own on track three and sent LOTS of that to the reverb. You can only do this destructively on OP-1 Field by printing the effects into the track.

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I can see that view but the tape is definitely audio - and midi exists only before hand in the signal chain, powering the synth and drum engines. I’d like to see some sequencer improvements just snapshots of saved patterns would help. Like when I change my mind and want to re-do the drums I can’t bring back the last pattern I used I have to do it again if I want to (for example) make it identical but no snare because I’ll treat that snare differently this time.

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If you want to work this way on the OP, then you really want to record onto part of the tape each element as separate components… so kick on track one, snare on track two, hats on track three… then print the whole thing down to track 4 and then copy/paste that print to wherever you want it… then you can mute the hats for example, and just print the kick/snare and copy that where you want it.

The paradigm is all about the track on the OP-1, so if you’re trying to use it like a DAW where you have access to edit individual notes and such, you’re probably going to get very frustrated. My advice though… be aware of what instruments you are using (take some notes on paper, or speak into the mic on the tape or whatever) and then record different drum parts by hand. A lot of fun with the OP-1 is the happy accidents, changes to swing as you play, or whatever, that you wouldn’t get in a DAW without being intentional…

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Not sure if this is possible, but I want them to change the tape file format from 32 bit PCM to 32 bit float. Not very many DAWs can accept 32 bit PCM besides audacity and garageband, so the benifit of having the individual tape tracks is minimized becuase you have to use one of these daws to convert to 32 bit float before you can use in something like logic or ableton.

Also, if that’s not possible, then multitrack out via USB should definitely be a top firmware update priority IMO

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Unless I am mistaken, all WAV files are PCM (Pulse Code Modulation.) This is true of AIFF files as well. Those pulse codes are fixed points when 16 or 24 bits, and are floating point in 32 bit.

In other words a 32-bit WAV file is always PCM encoded with 32 bit floating point values.
& a 16/24-bit WAV file is always PCM encoded with 16/24 bit fixed point values.

I think the issue with some DAWs not opening the file lies elsewhere, and that should still be fixed though. Maybe something wrong with the header where some DAWs care and some don’t? Then when you save that file in those DAWs, the file gets a new header that is accepted by the other DAWs? Just a guess, but I don’t think it has to do with the encoding itself.

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Ahh i see, thank you for the clarification. I’m a noob when it comes to advanced file types like these lol. I just wanna be able to drag the tape files into ableton without them breaking ableton cuz it’s clipping too hard.

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I don’t mind the mixer not being linked to the tapes but I would like to see an additional mixer channel for the selectable inputs.

Use case would be having the OP-Z or another OP-1 feeding into USB for monitoring through the Field, but adding panning and NOT having to select it as sample input. This would make it able to monitor Z sequences (or external OP -1 etc) playing through but still be able to overdub new OP-1 parts onto tape.

Since the TX-6 exists, I’m sure we won’t see such a feature.

Watching various videos had shown that some of the features in my list above were actually implemented in Field already:

  1. Random LFO is routable to individual params.
  2. There is per-patch setting for patch volume. Very important feature, given how different engines can be much louder or quieter on various settings.
  3. Bend range is settable per patch.

I am surprised no one covered this in prior reviews.

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It would be extremely useful for live performances if FX section on both mixer and synth stays off when switching FX with it off.

Hi, I have an 4 channel USB mixer, that i would like the 4 Tape-tracks to be output through. Cant believe that even TX-6 cant this from what i understand, only the stereo output.

Thanks!

These were covered in a few reviews, but I can’t recall them all being in a single one which I agree would be surprising if that’s the case!

right now I feel like TE are more into the TX-6 than the op-1f. I could be wrong but that’s the vibe I’m getting. I would like to be able to monitor the input (mic or line or usb) with effects.

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Does anyone else feel like (or fear?) that TE will enable more than 4 tracks of recording when you connect the TX-6 to the OP-1f via USB-C? I noticed they specifically call out their tape tracks on the OP-1f and tag them as “4-Track” to possibly imply that future tape styles may have more than just 4 tracks, and I assume connectivity between these two devices along with a USB-C drive may be how they accomplish this. Just a thought.

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i wouldn’t expect a bunch of additional features y’all. if you already bought or plan to buy the op1f then it should probably be because there is already something there that is worth it to you. it’s most likely to be bug fixes and maybe a thing or two here and there. but things like more tracks, undo, totally new features, etc, just isn’t likely imo. and imo shouldn’t be expected. i guess its fun to think about? but i think the chances are very very low. the op1f is a great device and is def an improvement over the og… we may just have to live with that for a while

Booo this realistic mature viewpoint sucks!
Such a buzz kill. I’m literally holding out for like 5 more synth engines, 10 effects, and three sequencers though I have no ideas for what any of them should be, oh and Bluetooth audio with no latency.

Hahah no but seriously, it’s good to take the approach you’re suggesting, though it’s also totally fair to be expecting of things because of the nature of TE’s marketing. They very much said the op-1 was a ten year platform and this is a ten year platform too. Granted those updates got fewer and further between in that timeframe, but still, I think it might be fair to put pressure on them to market accurately and deliver

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fair enough, hear hear =)