84 thoughts on “Teenage Engineering OP-1 Synthesizer Beatmaking”

  8. I was interested in buying two of these for 8 tracks of sequencing. Before hand I emailed TE to ask some questions. The 'interesting' wireless sync they touted actually does not exsist and they have not even set the protocol for it yet. They dont even know what the implementation will be. Also, they said MIDI sync is planned, yet not scheduled. They suggested I buy two and just hit play simultaneously on both units. LAME!!!! LAME!!!! LAME!!!! This thing was a neat idea, but its just an expensive joke in reality. It just shows that smart people can do some really stupid shit.

  10. Yellow Tangerine, that is the best thing I’ve heard come out of the OP-1 so far! I love it! Ignore the trolls and keep it up. Thanks for the quick video demo and for sharing your beats.

  15. I forgot about that one. Great quality video, but music preference differs by taste. I'm more into Yellow Tangerine's stuff.

  17. These comments are insane, did they even hear the end of the video? Or just say it was crap after listening to 20 seconds?!?!

  18. the fact that I can lay down a beat 10x's faster in my DAW, with software that cost 10x's less, I'd say my comments were on the sane side….the fingers creating a ( ahem ) ' Beat ' in this video went through a pretty convoluted process, and with 10x's more money than I have spent..
    oh wait…OP-1 is a ( LOL ) ' Boutique ' instrument…My Bad !!!..btw; I did watch the entire video..the economy is bad…I want 10x's the bang for my $800.00

    1. LOL…what would that prove ? the point I made was I could create a beat 10x's FASTER in my DAW [ Did I say 10x's better ? I don't think so ] my criticism was not of the OP-1's capabilities per`se, but of the convoluated process it took to create said beat. I HAVE created a beat far superior to what we experienced in the video above [ DISCLAIMER: IMHO ] in far less time…..[ It really isn't that hard…….REALLY !! it isn't ] but I get it…you like the OP-1, and that's fine..not everyone does and will…but I must wonder why you defend this ' Boutique ' toy with such conviction ?

      Did you even understand what I said in the comment you replied to ?

  21. The OP-1's not designed to compete with a daw and a multitude of plug-ins, it's means to provide a new instrument that can help you map out ideas, and has some decent synthesis power, and a battery life and form factor better than any other synth on the market for composing on the go, something that might be important to someone who's not yet making a living off of their producing.

    Man, plug-ins have really diminished peoples appreciation of instruments.

  22. I thought that was a cool beat. It had that funky type of swing Madlib and Flying Lotus use a lot, sounded good.

  23. plugins have diminished peoples appreciation of instruments ???isn't a PLUGIN an instrument ? I believe it is… you talk about the OP-1 as a ' Different ' way of doing things, but isn't plugins JUST THAT ??? I use to have a sig on some forum once..it said " It doesn't matter what tools or processes you use, it's the end result that matters " I have a mixture of both, hardware and plugins, but I tend to turn to plugins more often than the hardware just for the ease of use, and work flow…maybe it's because I am a sound designer first, and a musician sencond…I don't know…I just don't understand how others seem to talk like the OP1 is the next best thing…it isn't…plain and simple…I will not, and never will, fork out $800.00 for that thing..MAYBE…$300.00 AT BEST. 🙂

  29. Jimmy…keep using such cliche terms like " haters " and tells us alot about Jimmy…Just sayin…

    " haters " in ignorant terms = " Anyone that doesn't agree with MY point of view "

  30. @Jimmy, I have visted the YT soundcloud page…and personally, I think it's chaotic, random, but that is my opinion as YT does not agree with my musical taste…same as perhaps my music wouldn't agree with yours…doesn't make it garbage either way..but can you do me a favor please..stop using such tired terms as " haters " it's so ghetto..well..unless you are from the ghetto then…nevermind…the whole point is, OP1 isn't all that great..like some seem to paint it to be..fine..we get it…my main complaint is the OP1 is WAAAAYYYY overpriced.

  31. PROS: the video shows that the rig is pretty versatile, compact and has a pretty "quick" interface– (though I wonder how logical it is)

    CONS: unfortunately, beat and bass-line were not very well executed– which is most likely an issue with the user being a "Teenage" engineer — ok, smiles everyone, I'm just breaking b@lls. But a more serious concern is whether the OP-1 itself has any key latency or timing issues itself.

    It would be nice if they would get a demo to be executed by someone with more solid rhythm– but the person who did the other just needs to work on their groove for a couple more years.

  33. I've read the manual (which one can download for nothing) and I was surprised by how straightforward the operation is. The above demo strikes me as similar to the demo CD I paid to download from iTunes… it's not a great result. But it is a decent demonstration of what this thing is and how it might work and the sonic parameters in play. To my mind, that's far more honest than the equivalent of Yehudi Menhuin demonstrating a violin to an eight year old so she can work out whether to go for lessons in violin or flute.

  35. I just listened to all of these "ideas" in less than 15 minutes. Nothing impressive here IMO, mediocre beats and not a single complete song. 1 minute long jams are easy to come by.

  39. Overpriced toy hanging on the high hopes of 1000 material obsessed kids will have their overpaid parents buy it for them, to make up for the lack of quality time they spend together.

    All kidding aside, is this company, in this day and age, really that naive to think this economy would support such a device?

    The first batch of 1000 "they" said were sold out immediately, i find that hard to believe. this might very well be the "real" first batch of "1000".

  40. Is this a joke? somebody tell me this is a joke..$800 for that?!? I’ve seen FREE VST drum machines that put this thing to shame a thousand times over.

  41. personally I cant believe they could produce a flagship batch of 1000, I mean the overhead costs to make such a complex synthesizer must be so high to constitute an $800 price tag.

  43. I'm happy to see there is hope for the future of music composition and instrument design! By that I mean to say it's heartening to see so many peeps dogging this apparently ridiculous and over priced toy? I yi yi!

  44. Might be fun… the thing about quirky gear like this is you can't have an enlightened opinion about it without actually playing with one…

    I personally don't "get it", but I also haven't seen an actual user who wasn't loving it… Actual user experience says a lot about an instrument…. so far this seems to be a winner…

  45. It makes me sad to see how easily people put things down. Here is a tiny company who have made there vision come true through alot of blood sweat and tears no doubt. The fact this device sells out so quickly should show there is demand and like all tools can be used in so many new and interesting ways. Just because you think its over priced or crappy compared to your laptop or plugin doesnt necessarily make it so. And even if you cant take it seriously then why cant it just be fun?!

  47. Ok ok fair enough about the haters comment (spent to long hangin around engadget) but i thought Id chime in with alittle positivity towards Mr YT and the OP-1 as comments like "yaaawwwnn" and "boring" where a little rude, especially as I all I see on the internet these days are people putting down and judging everything in a negative way. Yes we all have opinions and are entitled to them blah blah but some more positive and constructive commenting would be nice to see once in a while. At least people are creating and putting stuff out there, Teenage Engineering are a tiny operation who are going up against some giants who quite frankly haven't bothered to innovate for quite some time (apart from the Tenori-on).

  48. Yea because your "yaaawwwn" comment brought alot to the table. Or was it just rude, or do you a compulsion to comment on things you have no interest in?

  49. Then we could post that up and slag it down into the dirt like: "Are you all deaf? it was rubbish! IT. SUCKED. ASS. "

  50. terrible demo….really terrible. does the wee synth have no quantise to help out the players VERY bad timing issues! 🙂

  51. @ 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?

    1. 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…

  52. 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.

  56. 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.

  57. 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.

  59. 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?

  60. 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.

  62. 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.

  65. 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.

  68. 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.

  69. 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. 🙂

  70. 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. 🙂

  71. 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.

  72. "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.

  77. 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.

  78. 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!'

  79. HI! my name is pedroaggioactualli lukas vialli tevez in the artistic GODS virgin mary dream citizenship
    american citizen
    well im to old to arrive to more there thatn here and evulution to live it and the future the present love that i have 4 one person she became my wife byjesus christ and GOD Yhawe it self moises and YAWA mary

    spritually she became my love one in sprit didnt work her marriege in flesh and bllod it was a disaster
    in a way we are man,tryig to transforme the sprit in waves to GOD jesus chrsit and mom virgin mary and has well saint and Angel that that also have there own mather and rent by GOD its self trst me

    OP-1 it a very unique intrument like any ohter one and it doesnt take to much room and can be carriege any where COPS that that dont like,can have an angel and his arp sok in one plce

    thats why teenager OP-1 (synthto)sizer,

  80. HI! my name is pedroaggioactualli lukas vialli tevez in the artistic GODS virgin mary dream citizenship
    american citizen
    well im to old to arrive to more there thatn here and evulution to live it and the future the present love that i have 4 one person she became my wife byjesus christ and GOD Yhawe it self moises and YAWA mary

    spritually she became my love one in sprit didnt work her marriege in flesh and bllod it was a disaster
    in a way we are man,tryig to transforme the sprit in waves to GOD jesus chrsit and mom virgin mary and has well saint and Angel that that also have there own mather and rent by GOD its self trst me

    OP-1 it a very unique intrument like any ohter one and it doesnt take to much room and can be carriege any where COPS that that dont like,can have an angel and his arp sok in one plce

    thats why teenager OP-1 (synthto)sizer,~

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *