Onde Magnétique OM-1 Cassette Synthesizer

www.ondemagneti...
The OM-1 Cassette Synthesizer is an analog musical instrument built around the concept that when a continuous tone/note is recorded to tape, its pitch will change as the tape's playback speed is increased or decreased. Individual notes are playable via the 8 buttons (keys), each with a tuning knob directly above it. The volume of the notes can be articulated by using the pressure sensitive volume control - the harder its pressed, the louder the note. A three position switch controls attack/release response of the audio output - Short, Medium, and Long. CV/Gate inputs allow control over the cassette's pitch and volume from a linear (non-quantized) voltage sequencer.

[@inthefade]

I've been wanting to make this exact idea for years, but have never gathered all the technical knowledge to do it. A module that could be sequenced via MIDI would be absolutely amazing. I love the portamento from the tape speeding up and slowing down... Sounds exactly how I imagined it would. Fantastic work!

[@jazielephraim1427]

Sorry to be so offtopic but does any of you know a method to log back into an Instagram account? I was dumb forgot the login password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me!

[@jazielephraim1427]

@Bradley Eddie i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff now. I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@jazielephraim1427]

@Bradley Eddie it did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out!

[@bradleyeddie8429]

@Jaziel Ephraim you are welcome xD

[@lwispe]

WOW! (And flutter even, maybe...)

[@robbolandsvids]

Very cool idea..pocket Mellotron !

[@BasariStudios]

Yup.

[@busch028]

exactly what I was thinking when I first saw/heard it.

[@glenesis]

Better, cos much, much longer sustain!! This is brilliant!

[@Mendez573]

This is an instant box for Boards of Canada's sound 🔊.

[@jonathanfrazier4195]

Why do I always love these sorts of things ? This is awesome !

[@SineRider]

always dreamed of something like this! Can't wait to get my hands on it

[@marcbrasse747]

Fantastic build! And then to think that they called the Compact Cassette Hi Fi! :-)

[@rocanrolafx2179]

You are the best, man !!! I wish I had enough intelligence to create that fabulous device, I recently began to experiment with electronics in a self-taught way, it is an exciting world I cannot stop surprising me every time you built something that works ☮️💖✌️

[@maxmatson1578]

Reminds me of the machine that Chris Carter made and designed for Peter Christopherson in throbbing Gristle!!¡!

[@StingrayOfficial]

Thing sounds great! I have turntables that have MIDI in. The platter changes speed fast/slow to create notes. Reminds of that, except I get to directly manipulate the record if I want.

[@scttcmpbll]

Wow, very cool!

[@Lalaland.001]

do you have any videos on turntables, if not please make one, would love to hear them :D

[@AwkwardIntelligence]

Sounds like some next level Christian Marclay ish!

[@DIYGuitarMods]

Nice Job Scott!

[@traildoggy]

The Mellotron's illegitimate child.

[@kitsophrenik]

that is a thing of beauty!

[@nikolaj_ow]

Where I End And You Begin, nice

[@memopinzon]

Already standing in line with my wallet for wave No. 2. As cool as it gets. :)

[@AM-ui9mc]

This is awesome! Any documentation or instruction on the principles of this mod?

[@HANDMUSICTAPELOOP]

great sounds

[@LFOVCF]

That distorted part made me think of Daft Punk. Incredible sounds!

[@Chasing_Thoughts]

Very kewl

[@3SpeedBananaSeatMedia]

Ordered.

[@DolganoFF]

Genious. Not kidding.

[@stefanpaulus7594]

Sehr nett - hat definitv seinen Charme und ist das kleine Geld absolut wert.

[@scottcortez1313]

a CV mellotron, lovely.

[@sociologie4507]

sounds sick! Any recorded material we can listing from artists using the OM-1?

[@ifxman]

Really cool demo of auh hmmm whatever the hell that thing is LOL ! What a fun way to put VCO's to use. I subbed too, You have a lot of really cool stuff! I'll check 'em out later...

[@diveo]

crazy cool

[@CaboMTV]

love it!!!

[@MiggButchko]

ordering this in 2 weeks! hope it doesn't sell out by then

[@DanU_DUDESIGN]

already is... :(

[@shoegazer1298]

Where I end and you begin 👍

[@Roy_1]

Do people actually perform live with this kind of a thing?

[@marianocgomez]

GENIAL!

[@kamalmanzukie]

this is so fuckin rad

[@frankpalomacity]

i need oneee!!!

[@djnur]

ajaja Fantastic!!!!!

[@xpez9694]

@ 1:41 this is a great sample for an intro to something..haha!

[@hound_dog_stepping2446]

It would be awesome to have a 4 voice version, that uses a portastudio instead of a Walkman

[@scttcmpbll]

I agree! I plan on investigating that idea at some point. Not sure if the portastudio motor will be able to change notes as fast as this though, which would just mean more portamento

[@desertrance]

Soo cool thanks for the upload ! Have you used any of these elements in a song ?

[@FullFledged2010]

So its using the speed variation of the tape for pitch? Thats cool!!

[@scttcmpbll]

Yup!

[@Mr.MagnumDong]

What kind of Walkman are you using? I see that it has an input and an output or did you mod it?

[@Themingemoblie]

Anyone got any suggestions for tracks made on something like this?

[@BasariStudios]

Look for Jean Michel Jarre Oxygene Album.

[@LummusMaximus]

+1 for that, oxygene is incredible

[@djpopcorn]

Cluster or Harmonia.

[@babbylove1759]

Website down. I'd like to buy this in the next month if possible. Own a Philips PMC 100 an I see this an extension of that idea. Send me a message. Thank you.

[@squarewavesound1053]

Neat!

[@braindamage_eclipse]

The pitch is solely determined by quickly setting the tape player speed? to the speeds set by the tuners above the keybuttons?

[@scttcmpbll]

Exactly

[@braindamage_eclipse]

That is fantastic :) Personal desktop mellotron++

[@platypus8135]

Will the changing speed not harm the motor of the cassette player?

[@scttcmpbll]

No, the type of motor in these units can handle the quick speed changes, and is designed to work at a wide range of speeds

[@baddriddimworkshop]

personally i would of triggered the sound with the keybord. wery nice job, i'm working on this kind of things actually, i want to send an lfo to make a siren (an lfo witth 8 waveshapes)

[@twistedcrazywildzany]

uhh still waitin on this

[@djpopcorn]

I don;t understand how the cassette player changes speed? Do you need a specific tape player?

[@Roachesneedlovetoo]

This particular tape player has variable speed controls. It doesn't seem to be mentioned here, but the tape player must have the control voltage mod done to it. I have a couple of these and they do not natively come with that CV input. Here's a tutorial I was just watching on how to do this mod: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pneZipidn5x0b9E

[@darthvader5701]

i suspect the buttons change the voltage supplied to the motor, thus changing the speed.

[@OMEGAGENESIS-gw2fx]

I'm guessing that they'll never make these again. I get that the cassette players get scarce, but they could buy brand new recorders/players, and add a speed control to them. Maybe I'm missing something, but I think it should still work with the new ones too.

[@scttcmpbll]

I still make them. Next batch will go on sale Friday 3/3. Sign up for the mailing list on the site for more info

[@OMEGAGENESIS-gw2fx]

@@scttcmpbll I'm very happy to hear that. Thanks for responding. I believe I signed up the other day, but I did it again just in case. Do I have to be on a specific items page, or is it general? The email makes it seem that it's general info, and not per item. I didn't check, but if you take PayPal, I'm 99.9% sure I'll be ordering the full package.

[@scttcmpbll]

@@OMEGAGENESIS-gw2fx There's just one email list. I do take paypal

[@SonicYM2612]

Would be even more awesome if it could be controlled via MIDI. I guess a MIDI to CV converter would work too.

[@scttcmpbll]

MIDI to CV converter won't work unless you can adjust scaling. The OM-1 doesn't track notes at 1V/octave, that's why I mention using it with a linear (non-quantized) CV sequencer

[@SonicYM2612]

Alright thanks for the reply. I'm not too familiar with how CV works. So if I found a converter that outputs linear CV would it work?

[@scttcmpbll]

Theoretically, but I'm not sure if there are any readymade MIDI to CV converters that output linear voltage. There are many sequencers that do though.

[@SonicYM2612]

Ok, cool. :)

[@atacan2294]

i did only wish for you to turn that knobs, but you didnt. :(

[@patrickmccarthy8838]

work with beatstep pro?

[@scttcmpbll]

You *may* be able to use the Beatstep pro's Velocity output to control the OM-1's pitch, since its a linear voltage. I'll try to test this and post a video if it works.

[@patrickmccarthy8838]

that would be great. i'm sure lots of people have either the Korg or the BSP. thanks

[@claytonlevibrown]

this thing is weirdly different and oddly out of date but still very interesting

[@Roachesneedlovetoo]

You'd be surprised how many people are still messing around with tape and tape players to make crazy music.

[@nonbeing8032]

These have been sold out FOREVER

[@scttcmpbll]

Last batch of pre-orders was in April. You can sign up for the mailing list to be notified before the next batch goes up

[@ModulerDrone]

I challenge you to make a polyphonic version

[@scttcmpbll]

Ha! Its definitely a thought in my head...

[@ModulerDrone]

Maybe a modified Tascam Portastudio or other multitrack decks could work? :D

[@scttcmpbll]

I'm definitely looking into that, the thing is, any speed adjustment effects all 4 tracks simultaneously...

[@ModulerDrone]

Duh ofc it would... silly me Oh well at least it would be multi-timbral.

[@scttcmpbll]

yeh, it'd be like a 4 voice mono, which could be very cool too

[@radovanruzdjak8819]

hipster is strong with this one

[@RetningNord]

Hi, what is the modified Marantz doing? (and what are the modifications?)

[@scttcmpbll]

Cassette Tape Echo! instagram.com/p/BFMj3E9H0bp/?taken-by=scttcmpbll

[@RetningNord]

Do you have any of these for sale?

[@scttcmpbll]

I will in the near future, they'll be posted on the OM site. Mailing list will get first crack at them, so sign up if you're interested. Version 2 will have sound-on-sound tape looping capability (like a cassette Frippertronics), and I'm hoping to work out CV control for delay/speed

[@RetningNord]

Great, I'm all signed up.

[@PrimitiveInTheExtreme]

.:Wo___oW:.

[@xpez9694]

mellonchollytron..

[@scttcmpbll]

Yes!

[@xpez9694]

@@scttcmpbll I regret missing the last batch!!! Been missing these batches for awhile. lol

[@thevape5030]

r4

[@viv2600]

Dawn of the Dead main theme

[@procactus9109]

That is not a synthesizer