So what are some things those of who have the OP1, the new OS update, and an iPad really should try?
Ideally, it would be good to try out things that don’t break the OP1 workflow. Stretch it, and open up some new inspiring or useful things from the iPad.
My first thoughts are to start using Koala Sampler, since it is on my phone all the time. And it seems to have a rabid fan base. But I can’t say I know enough about it to say more.
Thoughts?
Joe
P.S. It’d be better if the new iPad thing I try doesn’t have a humongous learning curve.
I tried using blocs wave with my OP-1, super fun! I can record loops with the OP-1 into blocs wave slots and play them with blocs wave’s drum or bass or fx sounds, and maybe record them back to the OP-1 tape (I’m pretty sure perfect synch can be achieved using Audiobus).
When I’m satisfied with a loop, I can export the stems and import them into AUM to add fx and for further mixing/processing.
I’m thinking for portable scratchpad music creation to keep OP1 Tape as the destination for the song. And using the iPad for more instrumental sounds or for better sample manipulation.
Patterning 2 is another iPad app to call out. My fav drum machine in iOS. But TBH the OP1 drum Finger sequencer remains my favorite ad hoc drummer.
Gotta’ also say the “human” drummers on Garageband are good.
Is anyone having issues connecting to iPad after #243 update? I’m a newb on this device but it seems a myriad of synth apps had little difficulty usually auto detecting the midi in but now I get a second or two of sync audio (in addition to keys) and then it goes silent and I just get the app keys to sync minus the audio. Any suggestions? I was using AudioKit Synth One via USB Apple CCK dongle most recently.
So I have tons of iOS synths as it’s my main DAW to record into, and right now my favorite thing is to use some of my more experimental, noisy, glitchy apps and sample them into the OP-1 and then playing with the tape speed and effects.
Ok, so the first reason I got excited about usb audio, was specifically for koala sampler. I adore koala, and being able to play chords with the op1 straight into koala would be amazing. It doesn’t work. First, the op1 is a midi controller, so it’s constantly triggering midi in koala, if you go into koala settings, and change the midi channel to something the op1 doesn’t use, then it stops triggering midi, but my midi controller also stops triggering midi
But most importantly: there’s no audio. You can’t hear anything. Koala can hear the op1, and you can even sample the op1 to a pad, but koala is like, trying to use the op1 as the audio interface, but the op1 isn’t receiving it. So no sound comes out of the iPad speakers, and no sound comes out of the op1.
I even tried using a hub that has a headphone jack, to see if audio would come out of there, but nope.
So as of right now, op1 + koala is a no go
I don’t have the gear in front of me, and it’s been hit-or-miss. The most reliable integration with the USB connection has been the OP1 taking in audio from the iPad. Which, of course, it could do before with the right audio cable. I’ve also been able to pipe audio from OP-1 to Koala, but, yes, you want to disable the MIDI on Koala.
I have been able to OP1 to play virtual instruments on the iPad-- like the Moog Model 15 – and have the audio come back to the OP1 Tape. Well worth it! The trick here is to have the OP1 Synth instrument set to a zero-amplitude patch. Take the red knob and turn all the way down. That way when you press the OP1 keyboard, it doesn’t simultaneously play your OP1 synth and iPad instrument.
Trying to reliably the new connection with BeatMaker 3 has been frustrating. Hit-or-miss.
The OP1 “midi controller” mode into the iPad has been ineffective. Regular mode is more productive. YMMV.
I’m not familiar with the OP-1’s MIDI/audio implementation but I’ve had a fantastic time using AUM with the OP-Z.
Basically, AUM is an open-ended MIDI/audio environment with basic recording capabilities. The OP-1 isn’t multi-timbral so the setup wouldn’t be quite as dynamic for live use but AUM SHOULD make it easy to route MIDI to the iPad instrument of your choice, and would definitely facilitate sending audio to and from the OP-1.
FWIW my main setup was an 8-track with two effects sends, an audio looper send (Audio Damage Enso), and a master track with tape sim and headphones correction (Toneboosters ReelBus and MorphIt). I used a combination of the OP-Z, Bram Bos Rozeta, and Atom 2 to control sessions. Tracks 1-6 were whatever I wanted them to be (usually some combination of Moog, Audio Damage, and Bram Bos instruments); track 7 was the looper receive track and track 8 was the OP-Z audio.
I put this setup to rest this winter when my OP-Z’s double-triggering got too severe, but I fixed that a few weeks ago and am planning to give it another spin soon.
Gotta’ question, but also wanted to report back on how things are going.
Since my first post, I have to say I’ve gotten more into iOS work. Especially enjoy learning AUM.
So the coolest integration trick I’ve found that help my song writing involves using a nice midi chord app called ChordPolyPad. What it gives me is the ability to play each chords, with my own custom voicings, with each pad. And I can play the OP-1 keys with the same sounds as well
Setup is:
Connect OP-1 to iPad via the Camera Connection kit
Use OP-1 tape and microphone to take in the USB signal
Set OP-1 synth to a “blank” preset. Just turn the red knob all the way down. (This is a workaround to avoid hearing the OP-1 synth
Fire up AUM on the iPad
Setup AUM with ChordPolyPad as Midi to play into AU audio instruments. One or more. (I’m using Module and Digitalism and Pipa.)
Setup the AU audio instruments to respond to MIDI from ChordPolyPad and the OP-1 keyboard
Plug your headphones into the OP-1
Open up ChordPolyPad from AUM
Use the chord library and the virtual keys in ChordPolyPad to create your own chord pads.
Go to the OP-1 Tape and record and play your chord progression via your ChordPoly Pad. And from your OP1.
Let me know this is clear or if you have questions.
