#102

Sampling and resampling can also do wonders for ambient sounds. Recording with the internal mic includes a layer of noise that sounds lovely at slower speeds. Recording at a slower speed also downsamples the quality. Sequencers like endless can get you very interesting evolving patterns… its very good at ambient I think. If you havent, check out hainbachs videos about it in youtube!

3 Likes
#103

I suppose you have the latest firmware? They have fixed some midi sync issues in some of the updates in the last couple of years.

#105

Yes absolutely: I’ve been using my OP1 mostly for this purpose. I got it to travel with, and its proved equally useful at home.

Here’s an example I completed with just the OP1 (all improvised overdubs over a base sequence recorded to the OP1 tape):

Recording acoustic instruments and ambient noise with the internal mic, sampling with the radio, re-sampling, and slowing down the tape speed have all proved really useful in getting nice ambient tones.

The reverb is pretty bad (IMO), but can lead to interesting results when recorded and re-sampled. I’ve found the delay to be really nice though,

8 Likes
#106

Recipe for instant ambient while traveling

  1. Find the local classical music station with the FM radio.
  2. Sample to tape at high speed.
  3. Crank knob to “super slow”. Maybe reverse the tape.
  4. Immediately post to Bandcamp.
  5. Reward yourself with meusli, runny cheese, smoked nuts or whatever it is the locals enjoy.
21 Likes
#107

While I was configuring the Expert Sleepers FH-2, I saw there was a new firmware update a few months back that fully fixed the sync issues with the OP-1! It now actually listens to the FH-2’s clock, though it seems to be very picky about the order in which things are turned off and on & plugged in.

Love the FH-2 more and more all the time. It’s really amazing to be able to sync the OP-1’s sequencers, have dedicated CV/gate outs for it, and to sequence & play the OP-1 from other MIDI gear - all without needing a computer to be the middleman. It was a great purchase and the customer support has been really amazing.

Makes it feel more like it’s part of the unified system as opposed to stubbornly forcing you to do things “its way” (which does have its place, but the OP-1 goes a little too far with this philosophy IMO).

5 Likes
#110

Great to hear, a few years back I looked at getting the FH-2 but os from ES didn’t have an OP-1 and couldn’t trouble shoot it. I was leaning towards the Poly2 by Polyend recently, but this is cheaper and less HP. Great to hear the OP-1 works with the seqencers. I had an organelle a little while ago and that worked perfectly with the OP-1 sequencers, but that was a sort of closed loop if you know what I mean, this opens up more avenues for the little keyboard which is what I want to see also.

#111

I’m trying to find where the 16th note beatmarkers show up on tape but I can’t seem to find it anymore. Can someone point me there please?
Recently installed the new 241 firmware.

#112

@Shiftr ok i knew this was possible but it took forever for me to find it. really not clear online. in case you never figured it out: when you see the bar markers on the tape (beat match ON in metronome page), on the tape page you can press shift+stop to adjust resolution of the bar markers from 1 per bar up to…ah i can only get it to go up to 8th notes. if you’ve gotten it to go up to 16th before, i cannot help you. i’m on 235 i think?

4ish years into picking up one of these things used, i am generally in the “op-1 workflow is very inspiring and it sounds…OK” camp, basically just using the samplers and radio. nothing about the sounds justify its still-mindboggling-to-me new price tag.

but i have to admit, it is absolutely wild that i’m still encountering new timbres and ideas all these years later. this is just a d minor chord on the “digital” synth. some combination of the tremolo and the CWO turn it into this kind of lilting almost reverse sounding arp, i think because the the lfo and/or effect are phasing based on when the keys were pressed? as if it’s 3 separate mono synths instead of a poly.

5 Likes
#113

Just thinking. If you have “room” to double the bpm (within the possible range) you could get the 1/8th note markers to show 1/16th in the original tempo.

1 Like
#114

couple updates:
-I got that $29.99 USB isolator linked above and it really helped with the digital ground hash
-I got notified that Ifixit has the connector boards back in stock. My output jack has gotten unreliable so it’s been more of a sequencer & controller lately, but I’m excited to have its sounds back in the mix
-I deeply crashed mine by trying to just put audio files straight into the tape tracks folder, and I had to do a factory reset :imp: luckily, a few months ago I spent a whole evening organizing my preset library, so it was fully backed up. but you won’t catch me trying to do that again. back your presets up everyone!!!

1 Like
#115

I’m late to the OP-1 game, and I just recently got one. I’ve been looking at them on and off for a few years but always found it to be too much money. I’ve been working on my songwriting the past while though and wanted to try it as a sketch pad and idea generator as I’ve been feeling a bit stuck trying get out of my comfort zone.

So far, a week in, I’m having a lot of fun! I’ve gone from being slightly worried I bought a toy to start with, to starting to realise some of its potential.

My mind was somewhat blown last night as I hooked it up to my Norns and thought about the possibilities, starting with looping sounds from the OP-1 using oooooo, using the OP-1 as a midi controller to record back Organelle patches through Mother.

Now I’m wondering if I can use Norns as an external FX for OP-1? Maybe I’m stretching it here, because the OP-1 only has one output and one input, and so I don’t see a way to hook it up that won’t just feed back.

In any case, the OP-1 and Norns are best friends already here!

2 Likes
#116

You can use send effects with the OP-1, if you just use mono signals: https://op-forums.com/t/through-fx-pedals-back-onto-tape/12724/4

4 Likes
#117

Gotta love this thread for the OP-1

#118

I currently have no idea what kinda music I want to make and I’ve been consumed by a gear buying spree that has taken me to a lot of different places. Latest of which is that I wanted to DJ so I got the Octatrack, but learning it has proven to be painful and I’m intimidated by it that I end up not actually making anything. That and the fact that I now think DJing is pretty boring.

I want something portable that can move around with me and I want to make ambient music. Is the OP-1 for me? Do you only get 4 tracks of audio? if that’s the case then how do people make full tracks on it.

I have a Zoom H4N can that be used alongside the OP-1? what ideas do you guys have about pairing these two?

Would be good to get some opinions on whether I should switch the Octatrack for an OP-1 for more successful attempts at making music. I’m looking for something that’s pretty intuitive.

I might add an Empress Zoia to understand modular a bit more, does the OP-1 play well with a modular setup.

Just felt the need to get my thoughts out there.

#119

If you own a computer or a tablet, it’s a great way to explore electronic music to figure out what you’re trying to do, without spending a lot of time fussing with what to buy or sell or whatever.

In the early days, I strongly recommend focusing on the music as much as possible. Try to avoid the distraction of “gear”.

12 Likes
#120

I’m using Ableton Live Lite but honestly I’m trying to get away from the computer.

I want to get to know a device and build some muscle memory and use music as meditation source.

With Ableton I just end up cutting and pasting different audio samples together and calling it a day.

Like this for example:

1 Like
#121

The OP-1 is a really nice sketchpad. You could make whole tracks on it but I think it’s quite hard. You have to be really clever with the available tracks. It’s also a nice instrument just to add in tracks together with other things. It’s also a thing which makes me do experiments and discover new stuff.
The Zoia is a particularly difficult piece of equipment. I wouldn’t recommend learning modular on the Zoia. If you know modular and then go to Zoia it just makes much more sense.
Maybe you can have a look at the OP-Z … I think it’s a really quick and fun instrument. Easier to make full tracks on then the OP-1.
For learning modular: https://vcvrack.com/

2 Likes
#122

ah — i completely understand the position you’re in. my op-1 has acted primarily as my go to on-the-go instrument for about three years. it’s amazing battery life, simple yet effective tape recorder (with pitch control and a really manageable interface given the size of the screen), and some of the nooks and crannies of the drums/sequencers/fx the whole thing has an surprising depth to it.

re:modular + op-1 pairing. had to think on it but i remembered this bit that @shellfritsch shared on the executing the modular album thread that is so so true —

“this little wonder goes everywhere with me. so capable and fun - even as a basic 4 track looper. if i spend all my music time in one place i’ll feel stagnant. the op-1 helps me get out of that.”

i think that ultimately, the op-1 can be used to make full tracks if you really master stretching the tape to be not just for recording, but as an instrument itself (ie:stutter/reverse/speedshifts) along side the internal sequencer. but i don’t think that only the op-1 will satisify your every musical need. echoing what some other folks have said above, an entry level daw would be a great companion for the op-1 if you choose to go for it. hope this helps!

3 Likes
#123

Greetings! We have all wrestled with what you’re going through to some degree (which tools? what form? how to decide?). It’s hard, that’s for sure, and unique to artistic pursuits (the framer doesn’t obsess over which tools he needs to build a house. It’s a hammer, nails, and a tape measure).

What you’ll hear over and over is that there’s no right answer, as this is a very personal question. Take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I’ve transitioned this year from guitar-centric post rock music to electronic music 90% composed on modular, for what it’s worth.

I think this is mostly on point and jives with my experience, with one exception: modular. The physical act of patching unlocked synthesis for me in a way that VCV/softube never could. But that likely has more to do with my own learning modalities than anything else. The point stands that there’s a software version of everything, either free, bundled with live, or very affordable. Don’t buy a Digitone to try out FM synthesis; try it in software first, then invest if you want to go deeper.

Listen, for real- if the depth of the octatrack didn’t sit well with you, avoid the ZOIA for now. It’s a wonderful, amazing device. But it’s very small and very non-screen oriented. I’m afraid it will just be frustrating. Are you after a specific kind of effect or workflow? Or just want to explore? May I suggest the eventide H9 max in its place? Bout the same price used, loaded with fun, immediate effects of astounding quality. Less customizable, more playable.

My gut tells me the OT was the right choice, then. It’s a robust non-daw composition and performance machine. But getting to the level of nirvana that you seek is going to take a while. Deep hardware requires, as you noted, a certain degree of muscle memory, just like any traditional instrument. Work with it for several hours every day without missing a day for 60 days and see how you feel after that.

I don’t own an OP-1, bear that in mind. Mostly because, this late in the game, it’d tie up a pretty significant portion of my gear budget (I thought it made sense at $900, $1300 seems wild to me). People love that thing, and perhaps rightly so. If it helps you make music, go for it. But it’s fairly deep as well, and isn’t going to instantly solve what I think is your actual dilemma here.

2 Likes
#124

it sounds like you’re feeling burned out (it’s 2020, everyone is) and need music-making to be fun again. The OP-1 is great for that.

don’t worry about “tracks”, or what the bigger picture is. just turn it on and start experimenting. it lends itself to entering flow state and losing yourself in creativity. once you’re having fun again, the tracks will come automatically.

and once you’ve learned its depths, it fits into the creative process in a variety of ways. in the last 3 years literally every piece of my setup has changed except for the OP-1, which always has a role somewhere.

6 Likes