3 years w/ the OP-1 // Does it STILL deserve to be a top seller?

[@LiamKillen]

Interested in buying the OP-1? Support this channel while you're at it! Below is a Perfect Circuit affiliate link which I make a small commission off of at no extra charge: ►bit.ly/3e11gjC

[@TheDungeonDive]

Great vid. I’ve had mine since the year it was released. I’ve been playing synths seriously since the early 90s. The OP-1 is my favorite. It’s the single most inspiring instrument I’ve ever played.

[@LiamKillen]

Wow that means a lot coming from you then!

[@gameboyjacks]

liam i just wanted to say youve done it, ive finally picked up the op-1! i was at guitar center and they had one used for $800... it was a steal in my book, ive been rewatching your videos and red means recording. been wanting one for 10 years :,)

[@LiamKillen]

Congrats and have fun with it 😊

[@ScowlerJase]

It does have a battery level indicator ( hold down the help key and the level indicator acts as a battery level ). Whether it’s actually trustworthy is another matter ;-)

[@LiamKillen]

Ooohhhh!!! Thank you for this

[@XtianApi]

Yeah mine shows 1 bar almost all the time.

[@FrancescoFp]

You should calibrate your battery if the indicator is not good: let it discharge without turning it off, then charge it from zero to 100 always plugged in. Now it works. It’s also recommended in the manual.

[@elsantoproductora]

Inspiring, fun to use and beautiful, I just love it the way it is. It also has a poweful hidden feature, it automatically detects boring people :)

[@LiamKillen]

😂

[@cartermaneki]

Your setup at 7:48 sounds a lot like the classic Roland D-50 patch Soundtrack, love the sounds the OP-1 is capable of producing! After years of deliberation, I finally decided to pick up an OP-1 and I'm looking forward to learning the workflow and integrating it into music with my vintage synths.

[@LiamKillen]

I would suggest the field 😏

[@lolroflstomp]

It's probably one of the few pieces of music gear I've bought that I know I'll never ever part with. I don't even perform with it, or write full songs with it. I only got it as a couch instrument, but I've been able to put together more quick demo ideas using the OP-1 than any other method so far. There's just so many times I sit down, and jam with it, but it never feels like I'm wasting my time. Sampling religious radio and pitching it way down can entertain me for hours on end.

[@LiamKillen]

It’s an idea powerhouse

[@ChrisDodgen]

Couch instrument. I love that.

[@Two-Eyed_Boy]

Went through a phase where I wanted, then needed an OP-1. I think I've since admitted that the workflow isn't a fit but I still enjoy seeing it on others' desks!

[@LiamKillen]

It’s a looker atleast 😂

[@iosmusicman]

Thanks Liam. Great delivery. Cheers. Lee

[@LiamKillen]

Thx for watching Lee! Cheers

[@laurencejazzperry6086]

I'm impressed that your internal mic still works - mine gave out in year 2

[@LiamKillen]

Really? Damn

[@laurencejazzperry6086]

@@LiamKillen I thought it was pretty common for it to die - maybe only on my generation though (I bought it when they first came out). Other than the mic, it's still perfect and the way I use it has evolved so much.

[@JoshIsMakingMusic]

Great video. Your OP-1 content was super helpful to me when I first got mine.

[@LiamKillen]

Glad to help!

[@callumalston5755]

Absolutely, still the most inspiring instrument I own

[@LiamKillen]

It’s up there for me too 😊

[@timdanyo898]

I'm subconsciously waiting for the OP-2 so I'm holding off on getting an OP-1. This is the same for the Push 2 (or rather 3.) It must be an old tech bias. But really, at this point, music making is still a hobby, so my GAS is very much tampered down by cold hard reality. My pro world is video production centric, so for instance, I just spent $2000 on new lights. I will continue living vicariously through your very entertaining and educational synth channel and keep dreaming of owning and creating on these synths for fun and profit one day! I do love the OP-1 for it's tape recorder function. I'm gen X and worked all summer long to get a 4 track in the early 90s which was a massive opening up of possibilities- even though it was limited. I found ways to milk that recorder for all it had!

[@LiamKillen]

I love my 4 track! Thinking of picking up a porta one

[@timdanyo898]

@@LiamKillen you can do some serious “back masking” 😎

[@opart]

The good thing is that OP-1 really holds it's value, and judging from what TE did in the past they will not make just an updated version of OP-1. It will be something else entirely (if even that). So dive in, get a used one, and selling it will not be a problem. I got mine very early on, for 600 (sales and price matching game paid off). Likewise, I am not a musician (I'm an illustrator), and use OP very rarely, but any time I do, it gives me enough joy to know that it will stay in my hose indefinitely.

[@gordonbelfort7176]

Personally for me there isn't any alternative on the market yet , such possibility in a compact package. especially when you know all the workarounds the go-to option on the fly

[@LiamKillen]

And there never will be!

[@mickeymickey9914]

@@LiamKillen i doubt that.

[@ScottieCagno]

Love ya Liam, this is not a hater comment at all, would just like to add a few things. Maybe some tips for those who don't know? Something that I have started doing and now it's just a habit, I always leave one track open to record fresh takes onto, that way I can lift the track if I mess up-which can kind of act as a temporary undo. I will also frequently record bars outside of the main loop I'm working on and lift and drop them into place which helps avoid various mistakes. But also sometimes mistakes are your friend. And the other thing is a pro to this little guy, I have a lot of samplers and so far the op-1 is the only one that can actually take a lot of my longer samples. A lot of samplers on the market have a built-in time limit with regard to the length of a particular sample. The op-1 is able to hold my longer samples of several minutes no problem whatsoever. Anyway, always appreciate the content, keep it up man!! Edit: I actually completely love the workflow of this little guy too. But admittedly that's probably because I do record onto an actual four track studio reel and so I am extremely familiar with this type of workflow. So yes admittedly I prefer it.

[@LiamKillen]

Yes! Always open to additions! Thank u 😊

[@kathleencoveny3860]

Downright dynamite ... the sounds coming out of this OP1 are symphonic .. salsarific .. dopey opey !! ... no matter how many years later .. cheers and thanks for another great walk through ...

[@LiamKillen]

Dude-no-miiiite!!

[@QuantumKatmusic]

I will say I first hated the op-1 4 track work flow but as I got used to it I've made easily 15 + full length tracks on it. It does take some practice and research, typically I use thr sequencers to keep things in sync, but my first month of thr op 1 I almost returned it. Certainly a learning curve to it and people get star struck easily seeing dope videos of it in use

[@LiamKillen]

Woah that’s a big accomplishment with the op1!

[@wiggesobk]

Great video. Shouts out to the OP1 fam 🙌

[@LiamKillen]

✌️

[@denniskubitza6715]

Thanks for this video, I love your content on the OP-1. It is sad that TE just have (or had to) discontinue(d) this masterpiece of an instrument Regarding your point on the missing "undo" functionality. even if I totally understand that most users wish it would be there, I actually love the fact that it is missing! I am into early electronic music and use the OP-1 hooked up to my (Behringer) ARP 2500 as a tape recorder. The missing "undo" and limited recording capacity gets you fast into the feeling of the early days of electronic music creation and "musique concrete". It is so controversial since at the same time it is such a modern instrument!

[@LiamKillen]

I’m not sure they actually are discontinuing in the end.

[@LiamKillen]

It may be fake news it’s not confirmed yet

[@laurensbreugem3936]

Oh man, there is a used OP-1 for sale near me at a KILLER price - I am so tempted to just go for it.

[@Mode-7]

The good thing about it still being expensive when bought new is that if you buy it and decide not to keep it, you’re not really losing any money.

[@LiamKillen]

😏

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah I heard that too

[@mattumont201]

For the ''UNDO'', I use to lift and paste the loop on which I'll record later, than start recording my jam,. If i end up messing it up I'll paste again the section I lifted before ending up with a clean loop again. Hope it makes sense and sorry for my bad english :D

[@LiamKillen]

Makes total sense! But it’s a bitch to have tot do that for every single loop

[@mattumont201]

@@LiamKillen Agree but at least you are not forced to make a perfect rec, and it still works by lifting all the tape tracks together :D

[@strayferal9341]

Lol. This game you showed - "Chop lifter"" was a classic on Apple II computers. I loved it back then and played it a lot

[@LiamKillen]

😏

[@thestatpow5]

I just forked 2kCAD on one. I never thought I would spend so much on a single piece of gear let alone digital. I own about 6k worth of analog synths and I think in the 4 years I've had my collection .. I've only made one track or two with them and at this point I can just call them toys because the workflow just isn't for me with hardware synths. But a DAW workflow is productive and boring I think the OP-1 fills that middle. The joy of haptic feedback and having gear all the while not being boring and it allows me to sample anything. I have ADHD and most of my daw projects are one sitting projects that i either finish there and then or tell myself I pick them backup later and never do. With a usb to midi hub I might just give a second life to my other gear by sampling it. Waiting on shipping, will report back when I've had it for a month.

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah it’s a big hit- glad that it works for you!

[@r3dsnow757]

that's insane, did you end up regretting it at that price? i got mine for 1.1k cad

[@WetTape]

Had one. Thought it was really cool. Even when I had it back in 2017/2018, I thought that TE was kind of taking us for a ride at that price point with such limited internal memory. Kinda makes it hard to get a lot out of the sampler. I would love to see an updated version of the OP-1, but I shutter to think how much they would charge for it. Still, such a fun little machine.

[@LiamKillen]

The OP-2 👀

[@kyriakosxanthopoulos3468]

OP-1 post covid special version for €2020

[@51AM_]

@@kyriakosxanthopoulos3468 hate how right you were lol

[@kyriakosxanthopoulos3468]

@@51AM_ well I just freaked out. It was supposed to be a joke, but ... here it is... Spooky

[@ToyKeeper]

I'd say no. After having an OP-1 for 5 years, I've found it is very poorly suited for making songs, because as you said, it is just so tedious to make full tracks on it... which is the #1 thing I want to do. For that, the workflow feels like it's mostly work and very little flow. I spent most of my time just trying to work around its quirks and limitations. To actually finish songs, I usually had to dump the tape into a DAW and then spend days on the computer... which is ironic since getting away from the computer is why I got an OP-1. I almost never did the computer parts of the process; I'd just dump the tape and move on. So the OP-1 became a place where my musical ideas went to die. Eventually I switched to something more designed for producing full songs, and I've been much happier. I got a brand new Force for less than the price of a used OP-1, and it does everything I need for the entire creation process. But mad respect to folks who can make the OP-1 shine despite its limitations.

[@LiamKillen]

For me it’s still a great idea starter

[@ToyKeeper]

@@LiamKillen Oh yeah, it's a great sketch pad. It just took a while to realize that's what it is, and realize that's not what I need.

[@User-wq9ri]

I remember the first time I saw it in the Sweetwater catalog. It looked like a toy and had Teenage in the company name. Thought it had to be a toy. Then I saw the price. Wow! Got mine after watching some KZbin videos. Most expensive peice of gear I own.

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah me too actually

[@redxheartxshapex]

Great stuff Mr Killen :)

[@LiamKillen]

Appreciate that Rich!

[@loissio481]

Hi Liam, I have one since november, and I love it, but not having an undo button and the workflow in general makes it more an idea generator to let the imagination fly and play with experimentation than a daw on the go. This in my opinion is something that would really make me purchase an OP2 if they improve it. Thanks again for a great video!

[@LiamKillen]

I’m on the same page as you there

[@HoochMusic]

Thanks man, I will be playing this copter game today 😎.

[@LiamKillen]

I suck at it lol

[@HoochMusic]

@@LiamKillen you and me both apparently… this thing needs it’s own tutorial.

[@d3maccus]

I love the op1, I also bought the field recently. I might end up selling one of them. anyways, I love the workflow and all-in-one package, but I must admit, since ive been getting into high end MOOG gear, part of me thinks the op1s just don't the same sound quality when you really get into synths.....it worries me because I love these little things, but without running them through external gear....the sound is thin and stubborn.... and the stock synth engines are trash.

[@LiamKillen]

I just sold my Field 😏

[@d3maccus]

@@LiamKillen yea I was thinking of selling mine. I really like the multiple track saving ability (it also saves tempo and panning settings, which I found really annoying about having multiple projects in the same track). aside from that, its not that much better, and its totally too expensive.

[@RaddMann3]

I love my OP-1 but another con I run into sometimes is running out of tape space if I go on a trip and I'm not near a computer to dump everything that I have created. Vary rare problem but happens.

[@LiamKillen]

Oh you’re prolific then!

[@theoldsasquatch]

Hey Liam, great videos. Where did you get the knob buttons from ? All the best.

[@LiamKillen]

3d waves! (On insta) cheers

[@freezerman5871]

I mostly share your views on the pros and cons, but you forgot one major downside of the OP1: you can only work on one project at a time, and there's no internal save for other projects. Swapping projects in and out of the OP1 is a major pain, requires a computer, takes time, is cumbersome, and is something I wish I knew beforehand (I probably would not have bought it, because it really takes away a lot of the 'portability' factor for me). Another major cons is the sample chopping that is very cumbersome and inaccurate. You can learn you way around it, as I did over time, but honestly, considering the OP1 has 4 knobs, a screen and a shift button, the dodgy chop workflow has absolutely no excuse (and what is that wtf soundwave rendering? and why no zoom?)

[@LiamKillen]

That’s true! I think of “projects” as just a loop on the tape reel. You’re right, it’s not effectiveness!

[@d3maccus]

thats the main reason I bought the field. it saves the tempo and pan settings for each project either.

[@sendalunar2974]

Op-1 got me introduced into the synth / electronic music world!. I had to sell it due to financial reasons. But I am saving some cash as we speak for another one .

[@LiamKillen]

The field? 😏

[@sendalunar2974]

@@LiamKillen I've heard it's sold out? Maybe I'll wait to see some reviews . The multiple projects / different tapes sounds great !

[@NothingNowhereNoOne]

Good stuff. Would you ever consider playing live with JUST an op1/ op1 Field ?

[@LiamKillen]

No way lol

[@LiamKillen]

It’s more of an idea sketch machine in my opinion

[@NothingNowhereNoOne]

@@LiamKillen it would be cool to be be that limited. I wrote an album all one one take. Got some praise from TE . Project name was Hellfiger. God, was I ever that young ?

[@jtm94]

Ever since it launched I still find it overpriced. Unless I find one for less than half the msrp I'll never get to own one. They've done a lot of cool adventurous things, but sacrificed practicality for some of it. I'm hopefully gonna try out a Dirtywave M8 and support a smaller guy's more budget option.

[@LiamKillen]

I def think it’s overpriced as well

[@r3dsnow757]

I love my op1 but i'm constantly scared of damaging it and not being able to ever find a new one. I just use it at home for now but like any expensive things i own i got like this anxious mentality that something might break anytime

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah I understand that feeling- there's def a certain anxiety with something like the OP-1.

[@jorgecuza9848]

Hey Liam! Sweet vid, love my OP1 as well. Was wondering if you sold or have any recommendations for .aiff samples that you use?

[@LiamKillen]

I’ve got a ton of samples here! samples.liamkillen.com/

[@Cryptocrazy589]

Thoughts on OP-1 Field?

[@LiamKillen]

Maaaaajor upgraded but still tentative on the price

[@aseomg]

If the OP-1 was released with a darker color like black or gray when it first came out, people probably wouldn't say it looks like a toy. Arturia made keyboard controllers in white, people asked for black ones. They just released the Noir editions for their Brute series and those were already dark colored, lol. The Noir MatrixBrute just dropped, apparently with Artuia's new look website...hmmm 🤔 digging the new look on the individual product pages, though 😀 Moog had to drop Black editions for their synths...seems like anything synth related can't be anything but black 😔 Samplers seem to get away with colors other than black, Akai MPC's, Native Instruments Machine, Roland SP 404, Korg Volca Sample, Bastl Micro Granny, Elektron Model:Samples...designers are allowed to have fun with those products. LK, are you ready for the springtime TE drop?? April is around the corner!! They teasing us on the gram, LK...they teasing us!!! 😆

[@LiamKillen]

I know I saw that!!! Yeah it would be cool if they released different colours. Good marketing for them too

[@QuantumKatmusic]

I need a new key my c key doesn't work and I've had no luck finding a replaceable keyboard, makes me mad for what I paid for it and how popular it is and you can't even find replacement parts.. Other than that, I love my op-1

[@LiamKillen]

Ah shite-

[@QuantumKatmusic]

@@LiamKillen yeah it broke my heart when it quit working, I let someone see it ONE TIME and they hit the key too hard I guess, that's what I get for sharing lol but it is frustrating that there's no replacement parts available in the US,

[@joaobosepintodiaz7832]

What about the polyend tracker? I feel is such a good alternative. I got mine a few weeks ago, I also have the Digitakt and op-z, and honestly I think the tracker will become my main groove box.

[@LiamKillen]

I got one too! Here’s a review I did incase you haven’t seen it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6uZaWyDe899isk

[@eeclarkutube]

Excellent!

[@LiamKillen]

Cheers! 🍻

[@yeoldmedic7572]

800 bucks for the og op 1 seems like a reasonable price cause theres no substitution . but 1300 ehhhhh . we all know theres like a rasberry pi in there. The profit margin for it is nuts. I picked up a open box for 1000 a few months back and couldnt justify committing 1000 dollars to what could potentially feed more GAS. That being said i want another one now 😭. Luckly used price is down! What we need is a company to make a op1 clone : p organelle doeant quite hit the mark but its close.

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah it’s controversial for sure haha

[@yeoldmedic7572]

@@LiamKillen there still dope as hell

[@r3dsnow757]

i wish they were 500 or so, would make them relatively justifiable. Nonetheless i love mine, but i'm scared of it breaking

[@Imetalman2000]

If I had to get rid of all my synths and just keep one. It would be the OP-1. It’s a jack of all trades, master of none synth 😂.

[@LiamKillen]

It’s a next lvl synth for sure

[@hernanvassallo9902]

what is the name of the earphones you use?? thanks

[@LiamKillen]

Teenage engineering M1s!

[@hernanvassallo9902]

@@LiamKillen thank U so very much!!

[@johnnymandez]

I love the OP-1 content out there. But I still can’t justify spending $1299 usd on it.

[@LiamKillen]

Fair

[@ROLA1014]

great video

[@LiamKillen]

Cheers

[@dave09453]

build quality and customer support comment: I had a keyboard issue on delivery. Then I had a logic board failure that eliminated some stereo capability. The gen 2 is the most notorious for issues. My understanding is they switched factories between gen 1 vs gen 2. the newest version gen 3 was a product of manufacturer switch and I have not heard if the newer more expensive gen 3 is more reliable. THAT SAID, the battery life on my OP-1 has always been amazing, and the actual build feels very nice in your hands.

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah it’s weird some people say they’ve never had issues others say quality is poor- I don’t know what to say anymore I can only give my experience in the end- I’ve had to repair mine twice in 2 years

[@TheDungeonDive]

@@LiamKillen that is weird. I’ve had mine for nearly ten years. Take it everywhere. Still works and looks like new.

[@MicroBanshee]

Dipsh*ts on social media... who knew ;) Always wanted to pick up an OP-1 but like most TE products, it's way over priced, that would never sit right with me.

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah…it’s a lot

[@tsaience1]

Love the video but disagree “build quality is a weak point.” Shit is pretty solid.

[@LiamKillen]

I’ve had mine for 3 years now and have had to send it in to be repaired twice. It’s delicate for something so expensive.

[@PaulIsbell]

OP-1: Bon Iver in a box

[@LiamKillen]

😂

[@DrMuse-on2dx]

OP-1 was hype from the beginning and not worth the cost in my opinion. It relied on the unusual flashy design well thought out targeted advertising and the shiny object syndrome of its consumers. Purchasers of it were locked into boasting about it to justify the mistake they made in spending so much on so little. The new release is more of the same. Now the company is just resting on their laurels preying upon there fanbase like all companies that rerelease old ideas. What a joke. I feel sorry for the dedicated loyal users of this product and disgusted at the greed of Teenage Engineering.

[@LiamKillen]

I respect my disagree about the first model. There are probably close to 100 top lvl artists that use the op-1 in their music. As for the new release…yeah it’s hard to justify, not sure what to think of it at this point

[@cawashka]

well well well… :)

[@LiamKillen]

😏

[@joeg.santos8964]

👍🏾

[@LiamKillen]

🍻

[@shamardaniel4819]

Marx definitely wasn’t right, not sounding like that😂

[@LiamKillen]

lololol

[@d3maccus]

everyone knows cuckoo and redMeansRecording are the top op1 video guys!

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah like 5 years ago lol

[@d3maccus]

@@LiamKillen those vids still hold up and they have high view count, its the same op1 you know ? haha. anyhow, I didn't really use endless with drums (I use finger/pattern), but when you said it I was like -- "Total no-brainer!" thanks for that haha. and I was just giving you shit for touting yourself as #1 but you seem like a good dude i was in a trollish mood ;). after you responded to me I clicked your name and saw that 1.4 mixer. that was a real game changer for you? and what do you think of the new field mixer? it looks like you kept that?

[@kyriakosxanthopoulos3468]

OP-1 a toy? With such a "professional" price?

[@LiamKillen]

It has professional qualities as mentioned in the video

[@kyriakosxanthopoulos3468]

@@LiamKillen Of course it is not a toy. My irony underlines exactly what you mention in your video. Although the price is not always proof.

[@conceptrat]

You might say you're "OPP" 😬🙄

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah U know me!

[@MasDouc]

No it doesn't. This thing is a $300 product masquerading as a $1300 one.

[@LiamKillen]

Holy smokes

[@suntzu6122]

No.

[@LiamKillen]

😢

[@creativeuser]

redditor instrument

[@LiamKillen]

😏

[@sunlit777]

WFT? somebody bought it for 2 grand? It was a "top-seller"?!? ITs a piece of cheap digital crap worth 100$ not more than that! One can buy a Macbook plus decent MIDI-keyboard for that money and make REAL music.

[@LiamKillen]

If you can find og OP-1s for 100 $ buy them all and resell for what they're actually worth lol

[@sunlit777]

@@LiamKillen I am not crazy to buy this kids toy for the price of macbook air that I can use to make music and a host of other things also.

[@MrJackal43]

Naw..the circuit tracks workflow is the easiest. But I love my op-1.. it’s #1! ❤

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah i'm warming up to my Circuit rhythm too actually.

[@MrJackal43]

Ahhh, duh… 🤪🤡

[@LiamKillen]

lol

[@vroteg]

No.

[@LiamKillen]

no?