for your Health.
"op to external devices and back. "Hey dude, was wandering down memory lane, and came across your post again...
Any chance you could elaborate on your method for going out and back in?
Also, what did you mean by "widen"? Some kind of stereo hack?
Quoting went weird.
Tried to fix.
Resultant massive failure.
It's a tool like any other, tools always have limits. You can use a shovel to dig a hole, and do it very well, but you can't fly to Albuquerque with it.Limits are what make things interesting, I think. While I love making music on a computer, there just too much damn choice sometimes. Flying through 500 different kicks in Ableton eats up too much creative energy.That's just me, though. I wish one could save sequencer patterns on the OP-1 because I have a poor memory when it comes to what actual notes I played and would like to keep those patterns around in a changeable form, even as files on my laptop. But there we go, trying to fly to Albuquerque on a shovel
Sensible post. Limitations are the genesis of creativity. With too many options you can get stuck tweaking things.
The only mild limitation I can think of is no velocity sensitivity on the keys–but you can make up for that by doing multiple passes and using the input trim. This can make snare rolls sound more natural, for instance.
Was thinking people might say their #1 beef was “no true Undo” but in my mind that is a positive feature. It forces you to concentrate on what you’re doing and to have good workflow where you use lift & drop (and place on a spare track) and other things.
But for these I have Elektron machines...I'm currently in a phase where OP-1 gets less love, I find playing with my other gear way more interesting these days... Until next time ;)
I just went through one of those phases! OP-1 was getting way neglected in favor of the sexy silver Monomachine and friends but then, for some reason, the OP-1 clicked again and I’ve been enjoying it a lot!
Shortcomes and oddities are welcome. There’s nothing like this little box. I don’t mind the mono because it’s damn easy to be clever around that with the tape. I disliked the tape for a while when I got into the Elektrons but I’ve found ways to use short loops in sync with the Machinedrum to make some interesting music. Recent LFO improvements (and me finding the ‘envelope’ option in the ‘Element’ LFO) have made the OP-1 better.
I’m happy this strange little device has found a place in my lineup again. I have other machines that can pick up for some of the downfalls. (it pairs so nicely with my monomachine’s sequencer, for example, using the OP-1’s MIDI LFO to get parameter locks).
(my one wish - threshold based sampling in the drum sampler… unless it’s there and i didn’t notice… I’d love to sample kits off of my MD more easily without going through a computer, but trying to hit everything I want within the 12 second window while also letting hits tail off nicely is a bit of a challenge. damn the digitakt for making this feature sexy again!).
My one wish is quantize
I’m beginning to think that with all of the dead units lately, maybe they don’t need to add anything else. I’d gladly trade tombola for more stbility and less quirks.
Still I love my OP baby.
I was wondering if the dead unit increase was poorer quality control (the’re assembled in china now instead of inhouse I think?) maybe ?
I can think of a short coming that is a hidden gift- it doesn’t make music too easily for us, while DAWs amd tons of gear does. It helps to understand music to use this instrument and forces some of us (me) to face some weaknesses
To me there are two main problems with the unit that made me sell it. First, in the software a lot of screen real estate is used on “cool” but useless animations (tape wheels, finger drummers). The track lines in tape mode are infuriatingly tiny, number four even more so at a table viewing angle. Secondly, and the dealbreaker for me, is the i/o options, or maybe rather lack of those. Shitty, noisy and delicate 3,5 mm jacks. No midi. Liked it in alot of other ways (sound, flexibility, character), but the output noise became unbearable for long sessions in the end.
To me there are two main problems with the unit that made me sell it. First, in the software a lot of screen real estate is used on "cool" but useless animations (tape wheels, finger drummers). The track lines in tape mode are infuriatingly tiny, number four even more so at a table viewing angle. Secondly, and the dealbreaker for me, is the i/o options, or maybe rather lack of those. Shitty, noisy and delicate 3,5 mm jacks. No midi. Liked it in alot of other ways (sound, flexibility, character), but the output noise became unbearable for long sessions in the end.
I don’t think you’re alone with your thoughts on this one, but I’m almost completely opposite on both points, so thought I’d share them (coz it’s the internet, right?).
1. The animations make it more engaging for someone like me who grew up in the video gaming generation. This is a purely aesthetic thing, so is always going to divide the crowd. Personally I love the animations and graphics as there’s literally nothing like it out there on the market in a serious instrument like the OP1. If I wanted a regular old grid for sequencing, or a stack of numbers and graphs, there’s plenty of other options here. If I want a synth that has obvious parameters that are clearly labelled, I’ll switch on my BS2 or Nord Lead, or load up a VST. For me, the OP1 interface slays a lot of other stuff, esp. when I want something with a bit of imagination.
2. I/O’s - definitely not the OP1’s strong point. I’ve not had problems with the 3.5’s personally (touch wood), and I have lots of gear that works with 3.5’s so that’s fine. Individual outputs for each tape track would be nice, but I knew it didn’t have that when I bought it. That all said, I don’t find my output to be too noisy, esp. when it comes to jams. Yes, if you want pristine noiseless output you’ll be disappointed. I’ve used it in a bunch of studio recordings, jams, and live gigs and it wasn’t a problem at all (can get a ground loop when it’s charging at the same time, I just unplug it. 16 hours of battery). MIDI needs a USB host, yes - which is a bit of a pain - but not really what it’s main purpose is.
I don’t really see any alternatives like the OP with a more logical interface. As you say the UI design is purely aesthetic, my point exactly. It’s just that I don’t find it the least bit “engaging”. Usability is engaging to me, not squinting nor static animations.
The noise is clearly a problem, just see Red Means Recordings last OP video to hear what I mean. Makes it unusable for a lot of applications.
I don't really see any alternatives like the OP with a more logical interface. As you say the UI design is purely aesthetic, my point exactly. It's just that I don't find it the least bit "engaging". Usability is engaging to me, not squinting nor static animations.The noise is clearly a problem, just see Red Means Recordings last OP video to hear what I mean. Makes it unusable for a lot of applications.
You’re right - there’s nothing quite like the OP1. There are some similar alternatives (new Electribe comes to mind) but nothing quite like it. IMO that’s one of the things that makes it great. I get far different results on the OP1 than I get from my Circuit, or Maschine, or Ableton, or the Octatrack I’ve had on lone for a few weeks now. All of them do essentially the same thing (synth, sampler, sequencer), but different implementations. Lot’s of “standard” UI’s there if I feel like using them, but my god it would be boring if they were all the same.
FWIW I have far more of a personal connection to the OP than the others. It feels like a tiny little grey friend.
The noise thing is just as much an aesthetic preference: I didn’t have an ounce of problem with RMR latest vid noise levels. Seems like he didn’t either. Seems to not be a problem for lots of other people too, incl. making it’s way onto lots of records. I’m only pointing this out as I don’t think it’s the OP1 that has the problem, I think it just doesn’t suit what you require.
One man’s trash, etc…
Much of the noise issue can be taken care of with proper gaining IMHO. The other large sources of noise are USB charging and the (master) effects. For low noise requirements recording to Album + copying to PC or off-board master FX probably are a good solution. Best results are probably achieved by a combination of the two.
Having said that, I regularly use Grid to “dirty up” my sound by adding… noise 
Its main downfall for me is the absolute faff in trying to record all 4 tracks to album to then bounce back to tape as one track (for the next loop) which then frees up 3 tracks for more parts. Sounds easy but try getting that next loop to sound seamless to the last (volume, issues with bouncing stereo to mono etc) is cack
Secondly I wish it was more customisable. Like TE setting up a shop to swap/sell the sequencers. I only use 2 or 3 of the sequencers and would love to free up the memory for diff sequences or effects. Same with effects, never a fan of the reverb or the punch (I only really use the filter nitro one) so would be nice to have options and change them…Surely this is a nice money spinning idea for TE, stop ipssing about with opz and give us op-1 options - we will pay!!
The noise thing is just as much an aesthetic preference: I didn't have an ounce of problem with RMR latest vid noise levels. Seems like he didn't either. Seems to not be a problem for lots of other people too, incl. making it's way onto lots of records. I'm only pointing this out as I don't think it's the OP1 that has the problem, I think it just doesn't suit what you require.
One man's trash, etc...
Okay, then I challenge anyone to record anything from the line out without getting that noise you clearly see at 10 800 Hz in the attached image. This is from RMRs (who’s great btw) last video. Every straight jack recording on YT has this too.
Okay, then I challenge anyone to record anything from the line out without getting that noise you clearly see at 10 800 Hz in the attached image. This is from RMRs (who’s great btw) last video. Every straight jack recording on YT has this too.
And there’s literally thousands of people that don’t care… strange, eh?
Okay, then I challenge anyone to record anything from the line out without getting that noise you clearly see at 10 800 Hz in the attached image. This is from RMRs (who's great btw) last video. Every straight jack recording on YT has this too.
Wait, you’re taking a freq graph of a recording, and then saying “I challenge anyone to record…”? That’s exactly what most of us are doing here anyway.
Noise doesn’t seem to be a major concern for all the other “famous” folk using OP1. Look in the “artists using OP1” thread, lots of people going straight out the 1/8", including Radiohead, Bon Iver, Chvrches, Childish Gambino, Tame Impala…
Jimi Hendrix’s white strat was pretty noisy too.
I would take a second lfo section for sure; One dedicated to synth modulation and the other one dedicated to fx modulation.
Noise: we better ditch all acoustic recording as it’s ruined by the background noise from the big bang.
UI: hope you’re not typing your OP-1 UI complaint on a computer which requires you press the ‘Start’ button to shut it down.
CB