Op - 1

Discussion in 'Soundgear' started by louislouis, Aug 22, 2018.

  1. louislouis

    louislouis Producer

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    I have decided to pull the trigger a buy an Op1 and was wondering what you guys thought of it and if anyone over here has one and can maybe give some tips or information on owning one :wink:
     
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  3. fiction

    fiction Audiosexual

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    I always found it a very interesting gadget, although at a price aimed at the more wealthy musicians :winker:
     
  4. louislouis

    louislouis Producer

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    I am definitely not a wealthy musician, but just really want to get away from the computer, and actually be able to put together a meaningful piece of music, I'm hoping I can achieve it with this, it is pricy but there is nothing else like it about, I had an electribe 2 sampler, but sold it as it was hard to transfer or finish ideas with it.
     
  5. Olymoon

    Olymoon MODERATOR Staff Member

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  6. taskforce

    taskforce Audiosexual

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    i guess ever since this - kinda much hated and much loved at the same time track, OP1 was turned to a household gadget:
     
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  7. louislouis

    louislouis Producer

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    I am getting the vibe that you guys see this as a bit of a Gadget as opposed to a serious instrument, I think this guy is doing great things with it.

     
  8. electriclash

    electriclash Guest

    kind of a quirky royksopp vibe- cool, good luck with it man! Post your creations :wink::wink:
     
  9. robotboy

    robotboy Producer

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  10. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    :hahaha: made my day!
     
  11. taskforce

    taskforce Audiosexual

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    @electriclash
    Why dislike man... Don't popular vids have an impact on the various types of markets? Isn't Teenage Engineering a Swedish company? The vid by Swedish House Mafia was made in 2010 and the OP-1 was oficially released in 2011 and was only exhibited in shows like NAMM in 2010. Nobody except the synth scene insiders knew of the OP1's existence before that vid. I stated that it is indeed a controversial track anyway.
    Peace
     
  12. electriclash

    electriclash Guest

    never heard it before, zero vibe... cannot get on board with that

    *just that era I suppose. Round then I would see morillo play and p.diddily would come out and rap over the next 8 records... real bummer, circuit destroyer
     
  13. taskforce

    taskforce Audiosexual

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    It is a very capable mini workstation. It's physical size though along with the plastic parts makes it look and feel gimmicky. As much it is uniquely engineered and crazy good, it's still the Casio CZ of our times, imho always.
    Really?
    Charts and certifications
    Weekly charts
    Chart (2010) Peak
    position

    Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 25
    Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 2
    Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 6
    Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 88
    Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[17] 10
    Denmark (Tracklisten)[18] 20
    European Hot 100 Singles[19] 26
    France (SNEP) Download Chart[20] 16
    Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 41
    Hungary (Dance Top 40)[22] 11
    Ireland (IRMA)[23] 7
    Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] 1
    Poland (Dance Top 50)[25] 2
    Romania (Romanian Top 100)[26] 7
    Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[27] 4
    Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 11
    Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 13
    UK Dance (Official Charts Company)[30] 2
    UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[31] 7
    US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[32] 3
    US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[33] 6

    90+ other million people seem to have heard it lol.
    And i mean you don't get it that it's not about the track but about the popularity, what vibe do you expect from typical EDM i don't know... What is definite is Teenage Engineering knew these blokes had a hit in their hands and were looking forward when they provided the OP-1 to them for that popular vid.
    PS: For at least a year after that track, all EDM and dance pop was mimicking that very same track you never heard of. Whether you and i like it or not, it made its own impact on the scene. I dare say by EDM standards the track is iconic.
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2018
  14. Iggy

    Iggy Rock Star

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    I always felt like it was the Ikea of keyboards (I won't go into all the cutesy add-ons), but it's fairly cheap for a trendy music gadget and it seems like you can at least use it to sketch music ideas. I know it's been used on actual songs, so it's definitely not just a "toy" ... but damn, it sure looks like a toy. For the price, though, you could actually get a full-sized used keyboard workstation off of eBay or Reverb.com.
     
  15. Herr Durr

    Herr Durr Guest

    what can I say... except #metoo :hahaha:


    and then this subtle, yet masterful stroke.. ( pardon the pun )

    one would shudder to imagine what the hormone addled teen would actually decide to perpetrate
    with his newfound "crank"... just too rich..I'd better leave it.. :lmao:

    2018-08-22_19-07-14.png
     
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  16. Spyfxmk2

    Spyfxmk2 Guest

    ^
    Hello @louislouis :bow:

    I would like to share some thoughts with you if you don't mind.
    The biggest disadvantage of the Op-1 is still its price.
    I feel it has been out for some years now & it might be near its "product end cycle".
    "teenage engineering" might create an Op-2 upgrade model with more full features,
    same goes for the novation circuit,novation might create circuit 2 with more synth tracks/channels,
    so i strongly recommend not to pull the trigger on it at this time (op1).
    Yes the Op-1 might be fun & creative under some conditions,but is it worth $1000 & most important your time put in it /?
    (be aware that the "fun" you will have with it at the beginning might "wear off".)

    From my understanding you just want to step away from your computer,which is totally fine.
    An alternative "might be" for the same money an ipad pro with the apple pencil and something like Beatmaker 3 -> that is if you are "into" the
    ipad/ios app thing only
    (in beatmaker 3 for example you can "sample") op1 "samples" the radio but i'm sure you can do the same on the ipad
    Another option might be the Akai mpc live,but once again that is only if you are into the "mpc world"& you like it.

    I'm not a pc guy,so i don't know a lot about it,but a third "portable" option for around a $1000(maybe a bit more idk) might be a surface pro running Bitwig (that is if you're not on the mac platform).

    I don't know your current studio set up,so forgive me if the above does not resonate %100% with you,but for the same amount of money,
    perhaps you could upgrade your mic/audio interface/studio monitors/nice quality headphones/a new midi keyboard controller(or push2 if you're into Ableton live) "you get the idea"

    Thats all i can think for now :bow: ^ & i hope this info helps you in some way.

    btw check the channel red means recording for the Op-1 if you haven't already.
     
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  17. fiction

    fiction Audiosexual

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    For me, the current iPad model (below $400 with 128GB of storage) plus Korg Gadget with iWaveStation and the new DrOctoRex player (another $50 with the current offer) gives me a setup that I have found myself to be most productive with. Gadget has a pattern-oriented workflow which is not everyone's business but so does the OP-1 and there's so much kore in Gadget, even for a synth tweaker like me.
    BeatMaker 3 is great in functionality but bad in usability. So many procedures are more awkward than they'd need to be, most musicians will have to spend lots of patience and training before they really get going with it.
    Gadget, which runs on an iPhone too btw, also offers rock-solid MIDI sync in both master and slave mode and Bluetooth Midi keyboard support in case I want to attach a wireless keyboard/keytar/drum pad.
    Add Cubasis (or Auria if you want the FabFilter plugins later), TwistedWave, Zeeon, Lemur, Audio Evolution etc. and you have a portable production machine that is capable enough for most productions. Even video editing has become really usable on that "toy".
     
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  18. Iggy

    Iggy Rock Star

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    Yeah, that's just it -- anything you can do with an OP-1, you can easily do in an iPad with any number of mini-keyboard controllers and a few synth/sampler/mini-DAW apps for about the same price. Except you can keep buying new VI and sound recording apps for your iPad, or eventually get a better MIDI controller, and you're pretty much stuck with the OP-1 as is, although I hear you can buy a $20 FM antenna for it, and for only $15, you can buy the "Brick Shaft", which allows you to attach Legos to it to use as buttons (okay, what the actual FUCK ...?!?):

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Boosire

    Boosire Producer

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    It is, sadly, more of a gadget if you compare it to other devices in its price range.

    Mpc, Octatrack MkII... they are composition powerhouses, you can do anything with them and they have a world of advantage and options OP1 simply doesn't have, the sound is good but it is definitely more of a sketching device. I mean it doesn't even have a proper out routing.

    If you didn't mention how much you want to get away of the computer and make full tracks with it i wouldn't bother you but you need to know this.
     
  20. fraifikmushi

    fraifikmushi Guest

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  21. I looked at it a few years ago as a way to have a device of mass creation while traveling as it is tiny and unobtrusive. A few things dissuaded me, namely the price as well as the itsy bitsy keyboard. Even used the 7 or 800 bucks would be waay too much for what it offers to me.
     
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