This video, via MrYellowTangerine, demonstrates making a beat on the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Synthesizer.
The OP-1 is now available, for $799, at the Teenage Engineering site.
OP-1 Resources:
Teenage Engineering OP-1 Synthesizer Beatmaking
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@ Andy H– There is no quantise function. There is, however, a sequencer specifically for drum beats. I think some people are missing the point, because what YT is aiming for is a lazy, not-exactly-on-the-grid vibe. This can make some people uneasy, seeing it as a sloppy performance, but in this case it is intentional. That’s why he recorded it manually, because the sequencer can’t “humanize” it.
@Stubbs– There are not latency or timing issues. Again, it was intentional.
@S42010– You say “It doesn’t matter what tools or processes you use, it’s the end result that matters”. I agree. However, you also say, “my criticism was not of the OP-1′s capabilities per`se, but of the convoluted process it took to create said beat.”
So does it matter or doesn’t it? I’m just trying to understand exactly what you are saying.
Also, you said, “I must wonder why you defend this ‘ Boutique ‘ toy with such conviction.”
Where in this thread have I defended the OP-1?
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I stand by my statement of the end result that matters…and the bottom line…the end result in the video really sucked…I won't apologize for syaing that either…
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i like the off-time rhythm as it's a bit of a glitchy loop. i think it all comes together at the end, even though it sounds pretty bad to begin with.
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Personally I was glad to see a quick build up of a loop using the tape function. Thanks!
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I think this is really cool … I've never understood the appeal of the OP-1 at all before but now I want to cook something like this up on the bus …
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So many negative comments here, makes me embarrassed to be in this community.
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I see it on some of these more "free" threads– where it requires the reader to skim and filter. Not much useful commentary– but that is in the eyes of the beholder.
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When I look at the specs for this box, it seems like the price tag is not surprising. It looks like a well-thought concept, a well-designed device, with a high quality, robust build. It includes some charming and intriguing features. The AD/DA specs (24/96) are impressive– especially compared to the Apple's which are pretty bad sounding. At a glance, my one gripe would be the lack of MIDI I/O– especially if velocity is lacking from the build-in keys (which I believe is the case).
http://www.teenageengineering.com/products/op-1/s…
Referring to the OP-1 as a "toy" doesn't seem fair– unless the person using it also applies it to most other below $1000 hardware synths and Apple hand-helds– in which case– it would go without saying. I find the combo of new (and some weird) ideas in an unusually small package kind of refreshing. Much as I would prefer that it be cheaper, the hardware described on the spec page seems like it would be difficult to manufacture in small batches for any less.
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Junk. They are showing up used on eBay en mass.
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This is pure funky goodness, you guys must be deaf. Ok so maybe it's a little overpriced, but it sure looks like fun to use. How often can you say that about software?
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I really can't believe all the bad vibes on here. Do people ever listen to anything not quantized?
I really have to give MrYellowTangerine props on this one. The video as a whole is slow to watch if you're not completely up on what he is doing, but it pays off with the recording at the end, which apparently most didn't get to watch.
This is pure off-beat goodness. Almost Dam-Funk esque. I dig it. And anyone wanting to take one video and use it as the comparison of it's worth shouldn't be making music. It's worth is what you will do with it, not what someone else will do with it. Once you take it to the park and make beats in the shade, you'll understand.
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Really? I don't see a single result.
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=teenage+engineer…
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If I'd have kids in pre-school age I'd buy that noise making thingy for them … for $30. I'm sure they would have fun with this.
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Concerning the ridiculous price: I bet that there's just a standard sound IC and an integrated amp IC plus some surrounding electronics built into this thing. Material worth round about $20, including the case. Want to save money? Take a look at that:
http://www.casio.com/products/Musical_Instruments…
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Jeez. Plenty of cynicism to go around these days.
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OP-1 supports midi I/O already — I've tried it using the ipad connection kit, works fine. Definitely works as a controller (for garageband, etc.). Not positive, but pretty sure it responds to midi velocity from a master controller.
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Does nobody listen to Flying Lotus or Four Tet or anything? Why is everybody hating on this groove? I love it.
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Really? Maybe you should read the specs before you open your pie hole.
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I was able to find ONE (in completed listings) that sold for $1059– sold on June 12. It was from a beta tester. Your phrasing makes it sound like they are CURRENTLY showing up, — as opposed to you saw one on eBay. You should look up "en masse" in your dictionary. If you saw a bunch of them on eBay a while ago, (I don't know how far back the "completed listings" show)– you should clarify that. Otherwise, it would be helpful to this forum if you didn't just make stuff up.
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I watched through to the end, and I really like the end result. That's the thing about music…it's different things to different people. I don't think I would ever buy this device…it's just too expensive, but I really like what it can do. As much as I like my iPad for making music, there is something about physical knobs and buttons that a touchscreen device can never replace. I love the screen on this thing, the whole gestalt of the device is appealing to me. Then again, I am addicted to tiny gadgets, so that's no wonder. To give you an idea of my kind of music, watch this travesty I put together with a Kazooka, the Kaosillator and KP3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C600lN9ZfUc
The OP-1 is right up my twisted alley.
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I watched through to the end, and I really like the end result. That's the thing about music…it's different things to different people. I don't think I would ever buy this device…it's just too expensive, but I really like what it can do. As much as I like my iPad for making music, there is something about physical knobs and buttons that a touchscreen device can never replace. I love the screen on this thing, the whole gestalt of the device is appealing to me. Then again, I am addicted to tiny gadgets, so that's no wonder. To give you an idea of my kind of music, watch this travesty I put together with a Kazooka, the Kaosillator and KP3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C600lN9ZfUc
The OP-1 is right up my twisted alley.
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Pretty funny. I'd have been tempted to edit that down, but I don't have much of an attention span. Travesty is a good word for it, I guess. But it was funny.
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"Midi and quantized timing are for those who can't percieve beyond 128 and 1/16th respectively"–
Not sure what you mean by that– but MIDI is for those who want to have different pieces of gear work together. Quantized timing is not an all or nothing process– most gear will quantize by moving off-grid notes closer to grid points by 1-100%. Quantizing can be used to tighten up a sloppy performance, or to make a groove have a more mechanical vibe.
When I hear a groove, I really enjoy it if it has an interesting groove (even if it doesn't stay on a grid). For some reason, the groove in this YouTube just sounds weird and I can't really understand what rhythm it is trying to be. I'm glad some folks on here can understand it.
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they would have to actually exist for that to happen
people would have to buy them first
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$799 will get you an iPad and the OP-1 applet that will be out soon after this hardware fails.
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can u actually quantize what you play on the OP-1 , if u wanted to?
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some people obviously don't like things funky, that vid is LUSH!
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Regardless of the demo above… you have to try this synth (if you're interested, anyway). Mine arrived. It's five times better/more useful than I expected. Yes, you can do this sort of thing with software. That's not really the point. This is all about the interface, the realtime manipulation, the spontaneous composition and the 'feel' of it. It's fantastic and very, very useful to me in the studio already.
There are no key latency issues or anything like that. The only downsides are the slightly noisy line out (minijack) and the DC offset I found when I rendered a track straight to the internal memory. And a few quirks with distortion here or there (related to the compression and EQ, I think). Overall, though, it's stunning and impeccably built. You may not want to pay $800 for one, but I'm personally not sorry I did one bit.
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Lots of trolltards commenting, that was fine and this thing sounds good on every demo i hear.
At first I was..whats this emperors new clothes shit on my nets.
Now i am 'DO WANT!'
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