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Ten years of OP-1

teenage.engineering

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Re: Ten years of OP-1

#201

Post by capableweb »

rozab wrote: post #191
capableweb wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Do professionals use the OP-1? Of course, you can find lots of "boutique" instruments being used by a range of creators. I don't think there are a lot of them only using a OP-1 for full tracks though, although I have seen some live performances made with it together with other instruments at the same time. Actually this submission seems to be about a few pages, one of them being "made on OP-1" where you can see jus…

This is the most insane approach to responsive design I've ever seen. Just scale down everything, including the text, as the window gets narrower?

They (TE) make musical instruments and gear, they are not a technology web 2.0 startup so of course they won't build the greatest websites. For something truly insane, see how Moog built their website, lots of fun and confusion, even though their equipment is ace: https://www.moogmusic.com/

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#202

Post by capableweb »

smoldesu wrote: post #62
kazen44 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

do you know any good hardware for hobbyists to get started?

Stock up on Behringer gear. Haters will call you everything from cheap to anti-semetic, but their synths hold up just as good as some of the biggest contenders on the market.

Just because Uri Behringer happens to be antisemitic[1] doesn't mean that people buying Behringer gear are also antisemitic, so I don't think people would call you that if you buy it. Although I personally stay clear from their gear for lots of reasons.

- [1] https://www.musictech.net/news/is-this-how-behringer-respond...

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#203

Post by capableweb »

brandonmenc wrote: post #195
capableweb wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think Behringer only creates clones of "out of patent" hardware but also current gear that is still being sold. I guess the latest example is the Behringer Swing that is obviously a clone of the Arturia Keystep.

There are only so many ways to arrange three knobs and transport controls on a keyboard. This is like two mobile phone companies putting their volume buttons in the same place. This is another weird aspect of the (often amateur, electronic) music production world - making something simple and obvious seem like a mysterious and unique breakthrough. This is a community that likes to use the terms “aleatoric” and “eucli…

> There are only so many ways to arrange three knobs and transport controls on a keyboard.

You're joking right? There are thousands of combinations of where to put things to make a clone less obvious, but obviously they didn't care to do anything of that.

Have you seen them compared side-by-side? It looks like a Mark 2 version of the Keystep, except some naming changed, here's an example: https://www.gearnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/behringe...

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#204

Post by tomduncalf »

capableweb wrote: post #200
tomduncalf wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah it is probably overstated, but it is definitely a slightly confusing machine compared to other modern Elektrons (I have the Machinedrum, which you can clearly see how it inspired the Octatrack). I don't use my OT that often and whenever I pull it out it takes me a while to reorient myself with how I load a sample, why is that track muted, etc. etc. Of course out of this architecture comes great flexibility too,…

Funny that you mention the Heat as I just got that one a few days ago as a complement to my Rytm and Octatrack. It is so much more than "just an effect" and currently sitting on my master output, making everything sound just better. Thinking of getting a second one to put between the Octatrack and my other instruments too, but have to let the GAS build up a bit first I think.

Oh no why did you have to say that? Haha! Maybe I'll have to try one now lol

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#205

Post by LegitShady »

smoldesu wrote: post #57
tenaciousDaniel wrote: post #2

I randomly came across the OP-1 on Youtube a few months ago and was blown away. Keep in mind that I know next to nothing about music, so I don't know how the OP-1 compares against other tools of its kind. But still, it seemed like an incredibly cool gadget and made me want to experiment with making digital music.

Teenage Engineering also makes a little device called the PO-33, which gives you the sampling capability of the OP-1 in a much smaller (and much cheaper) form factor. Check it out if this stuff interests you.

Only mono, limited sync options etc.

I had a bunch of pocket operators so don't get me wrong they're neat devices and an interesting start into music and sequencing but overall I don't think it provides the same abilities

I do like my op-z although I wish it was built a little better and that the iPad app (or another function key) let you zoom in on The sequencer so you could do longer sequences in something other than live record.

Still an amazing device. I can sit down and have a sketch down in a few minutes which is something I could never say about my desktop daw

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#206

Post by brandonmenc »

SauciestGNU wrote: post #199
brandonmenc wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are only so many ways to arrange three knobs and transport controls on a keyboard. This is like two mobile phone companies putting their volume buttons in the same place. This is another weird aspect of the (often amateur, electronic) music production world - making something simple and obvious seem like a mysterious and unique breakthrough. This is a community that likes to use the terms “aleatoric” and “eucli…

>There are only so many ways to arrange three knobs and transport controls on a keyboard. >This is like two mobile phone companies putting their volume buttons in the same place. In this case I think Behringer directly copied the look and feel of the keystep because of its amazing success in the low budget controller space. I don't expect much innovation in the budget controller space, but this one seems to be a clea…

> this one seems to be a clear case of trademark/copyright infringement

Then Arturia should be taking Behringer to court, right?

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#207

Post by brandonmenc »

capableweb wrote: post #203
brandonmenc wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are only so many ways to arrange three knobs and transport controls on a keyboard. This is like two mobile phone companies putting their volume buttons in the same place. This is another weird aspect of the (often amateur, electronic) music production world - making something simple and obvious seem like a mysterious and unique breakthrough. This is a community that likes to use the terms “aleatoric” and “eucli…

> There are only so many ways to arrange three knobs and transport controls on a keyboard. You're joking right? There are thousands of combinations of where to put things to make a clone less obvious, but obviously they didn't care to do anything of that. Have you seen them compared side-by-side? It looks like a Mark 2 version of the Keystep, except some naming changed, here's an example: https://www.gearnews.com/wp-…

I have seen them, and I'm not joking.

> There are thousands of combinations of where to put things to make a clone less obvious

Disagree. This is like saying there are thousands of combinations of where to put doors on a car or volume controls on a phone. There are really only like one or two, and I doubt any of them are like, copyrightable.

These are simple devices with simple features, not a single one which was invented by Arturia.

If I slap an arpeggiator on a midi keyboard, do I have to put the knobs on the right hand side to not infringe on the Keystep? And at that point, can no one else put an arpeggiator in a 25-key midi keyboard because all layout combinations in that form factor are "used up?"

I just don't get the outrage over this other than I think it comes from people who already hate Behringer.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#208

Post by jh3 »

Spunkie wrote: post #196
jh3 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They retain value. You could buy one used and sell it for more, if not the same price you purchased it at. I think the worst case is you'll essentially be renting it for $100-200 if you really don't like it. This was my experience, anyway. It's a great device even if your job isn't music production. Easy to use, lots of fun, though I didn't enjoy the form factor.

They only retain value if they sit unused. Units that see regular use almost always have some break in the first year or 2, and replacement parts are not cheap.

Yeah I can see that. The one I had saw regular use when in my possession, but I had it for less than 6 months iirc. It was still in excellent condition.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#209

Post by wallwarp »

ljm wrote: post #90
gorgoiler wrote: post #70

The UI design on the OP-1 has to be up there with any number of great moments in industrial design. The decision to remove the Rhodes piano sample pack from the default firmware, including for anyone who upgraded, has to be up there with one of the worst decisions in product management of all time. Also, the disparity between models with clickable control knobs and unclickable knobs to this day makes me feel deeply u…

I splashed out for an OP-1 but I bought it from Amazon rather than straight from Teenage Engineering. It was still sold under their store name, it seemed. The best £1000 I've ever wasted, and kept the box for, just in case. It's a beautiful bit of kit (and it has the clicky controls) but I've still not become proficient enough to do anything but treat it as a toy. One day... one day ... I'll make something practical…

Wasn’t expecting a mention of Marc on HN, but I was pleasantly surprised. Things that bring true joy are easily worth £1000 :). Happy playing/composing!

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#210

Post by bzzzt »

joebaxter wrote: post #194
bzzzt wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a national pop festival here which is broadcast on TV; for years I've noticed there's always a high-end Moog synthesizer on the main stage, even when the act only plays guitars... it's just product placement.

To be fair, many bands will use automation through midi or otherwise to "play" synthesizers without actually physically playing them. Normally you'd just see them playing the raw audio as part of the backing track but i could see big money arena bands with fuck-you money doing it with real synths live.

Most of the time the synths are not even plugged in ;)
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