I can’t resist. I have to gush about this device. I love all my gear, minor flaws and limitations included. Some people focus on what a machine CAN’T do, like they can only use the very best equipment. I just like to make sounds, and usually the only real restriction is in the user’s imagination.
But this op1 blows me away. Fantastic synth engines and sequencers. Effects presented in a unique way that can actually teach a novice how the parameters work in simple terms. EQ, adsr, bouncing, mixing, mastering,
Drive/release, @$#%ing Chopslifter! Monkeys and wormholes and cows digesting audio. Musique concrete, field recordings, DRUM SYNTHESIS! Thank you TE. I was sick of having 128 tracks to work with. Deep down, I knew I only needed 4.
^ Agreed! I got mine 3 years ago now, and I’m still figuring out new and cool ways to use it!
I haven’t used a “standard VA” sound in ages. The OP-1 and Patchblocks keep me endlessly entertained on the hardware front, though I do still dig my MicroBrute. ITB I haven’t touched anything but sample manglers and fx in over a year.
yea! op1 was the catalyst for so many thigns for me. it taught me a lot about what i like, and what i don't like. it opened my mind to new ways of doing and approaching things. and was a huge step in getting away from the computer.
now i'm like just using my hardware and having a shit ton of fun. fuck that computer yo!
its rocking even me and my eclectic choise of weapons A TRUE MASTERPIECE we have in our hands (SHAKING IT SOMETIMES ALSO)
all my excuses for using only analog machines have vanished by DNA + zuper sloooow 4 TRACKS travelling through PHONE abuse.>THANKS
Much as I love my other gear the OP1 is very much a favorite of mine too, since the 80’s I have been into synths, and the OP1 very much has an 80’s vibe about it, from the Game and Watch-esque graphics, to the clever re-imagination of 80’s staples (4 track tape, spring reverb, sampler etc) BUT it also is more powerful than high-end 80’s gear in some ways.
For me the tape and drum sampler are where its at, I like the synths in their own way (some much more so) but the small portable audio studio is something that I think sets the OP1 alone.
the clever re-imagination of 80's staples (4 track tape, spring reverb, sampler etc) BUT it also is more powerful than high-end 80's gear in some ways.
Whenever I hear people complain about the Spring, I just don’t get it. It’s so integral to the sound of the OP-1. If there were more, different reverbs, the OP-1 would start to sound like everything else. PLUS I miss my old analog spring reverb and have often thought of ordering the same model I used to have via eBay. Ah, one day . . .
Otherwise the OP-1 is so perfect. All of it’s limits are treasures to enjoy, as much as I want expanded memory with SD cards, my work would suffer if I had it. Working on 1 track at a time is as much of a godsend as any part of this beauty. I love how TE has expanded it over the years too (I never even thought of getting one before the accessories were launched, but then it was “go time”. To me, that showed TE was committed to this device, which was inspiring). If anything ever happened to mine, I would replace it in a heartbeat. I love this machine, more than all the others combined.
Heh, yeah one thing that is fun with the spring is to use the g-force sensor in element LFO to simulate the effect of bashing a reverb tank, I usually set it to either white (damp) or red (level) can sound quite authentic 
there it is. who needs an os update ???
=]
I had to have spring explained to me(turn everything to zero) but now I am a faithful addict to spring.
I like to use it for general ambience with blue turned fully clockwise, green at max, white at or near max, red so that you can see 1 small dot in between the 2 larger dots, this way it almost sounds like a fairly clean 80s digital reverb, but if you want some real spacey drones put it on a sound with everything turned up and experiment with white and green until you get some huge sound, then record it with you sound onto tape at a low level, then either take the reverb off or change it to a sensible setting and then record the same part to tape at normal levels, you get some lovely warmth and depth like that, well worth experimenting for a few hours.
Oh and spring is great for drone work too, get something like a kick put huge reverb on it, then record it to tape, lift into drum/synth sampler and edit to taste, at low pitch you get a pretty massive space drone of doom.
Back on topic it is these kind of workarounds and limitations of a “closed” system that free your creativity, necessity is the mother of invention and all that!
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Spring definitely comes on strong, if u judge it by the default setting…but isn’t the default setting always like that? I think spring works great on the mixer FX, if u use a light touch.
As for synths, I thought I would never understand / find a use for the FM. But now I’m getting huge church organ sounds out of it. I don’t think I could pick a favorite synth, seq or FX because they can all work together toward a better finished production.
my issue with Spring is that it actually sounds bad - i.e. quantised, aliased, and echoey. I’m fine with aesthetic choices (grid) but an alternative reverb that actually doesn’t sound so cheap would be good - it’s a building block, just like the normal delay. the same goes for a decent compressor which I can’t see anywhere near the Dbox where it’s so much needed. Clearly room for an OS update. I’d love a Mix-paste tape “trick”…
Good thread but … I thought this was a thread in reference to The Shamen "Possible Worlds"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLe-F5xCAOE
(There’s currently a Facebook group called “Bring Back The Shamen” btw)