How to replicate Teenage Engineering OP-1 and OP-1 Field for free. | GAS Therapy #35

[@BradTennant]

"OP-1 won't make you a better musician - it will only make you poor" your channel is speaking to my soul lately

[@playpm]

Appreciated, long time fan here, your opening scene is really addicting 😁

[@GrzegorzBojanek]

Love this sentence!

[@russellzauner]

*chuckles in TX-6*

[@BradTennant]

@@playpm haha thank you! Keep up the solid work my guy!

[@AlexeyFilippenkoPlummet]

There's a big function of OP-1 that is missing in such reviews. And that is - a stylish design. It's an eye-candy, with the layout andd the entertaining graphics of the micro-screen. And it draws views when you record a video with it. Much fewer people are going to watch you play a 2014 laptop, much more many people will look at you satisfying an OP-1 with your hands.

[@marcobertotti5796]

Me in 2005:"I need a software that removes the vinyl noise from my samples". Me in 2022:"With these plugins I will add the vinyl taste that is missing from my tracks".

[@Couvrs]

Truly

[@a.tevetoglu3366]

@@Couvrs you know you are 27 years behind Neh Neh Cherry's Homebrew album (1992).

[@ibrajimenez2098]

Reminds me of how it's considered a style to make computer graphics like PS2 when you can easily do more realistic renditions😂

[@Rooftopaccessorizer]

This is such a refreshing take on gear. This "free" setup is better than a pro grade setup from 20 years ago. I think people are just so spoiled for choice that they're desensitized to how powerful even low cost gear is these days

[@Mr.Marbles]

yes! i mean literally the cheap korg volcas basically do what a 1000$ machine did back in the day.

[@Rooftopaccessorizer]

People are willing to pay 3k for the model D which is sonically the same (more or less) as a volca keys. But people really do convince themselves its somehow worth it

[@hexadb]

I think people are happy to pay to have *less* options. One of the advantages of things like the Volcas/OP-1/Pocket Operators are the limitations. Less time spent searching for plugins, learning more software, programming sounds, getting stuck in “analysis paralysis” and more instant gratification, more time creating. There’s no doubt that a laptop can do way more but sometimes that’s a disadvantage. Sometimes I think I’d create more music if I only had a stylophone and a tape recorder instead of a DAW with a load of plugins!

[@robertosswald5896]

@@hexadb That makes sense, but it's not worth 1200-2000+ EUR for a 200 worth of low end hardware. Heck, there are raspberry pi projects like zynthian which do a similar thing for little more than a price of RPi and an LCD and few knobs.

[@hexadb]

@@robertosswald5896 some of it does seem overpriced but then I guess paying a team of developers for the software side is going to cost a lot more than (for example) an open source project with a load of people contributing and working on it for free. I think there’s a place for both approaches

[@ashleygillespie9883]

No company is safe with this man around. From this day forward , I will come to this channel whenever a new piece of gear is released

[@BrendonBrooks]

This man saved me $1200 from buying a Syntakt lol

[@yuriwongmusic]

Love it! Taking the focus off "I must have [specific gear] to make music" and bringing attention to accessible tools is a great service to all of us musicmakers. You rock, dude.

[@ChumpyDumps]

There’s nothing wrong with either. Not having something is definitely not an excuse to not make music nowadays but there’s nothing wrong with wanting or owning an OP-1 either, as long as you’re not making a poor financial decision by buying it. Seems to be lots of “this or that” type of conversations where one is better than the other or people are wrong for wanting or not wanting something. Make music with what you have and how you want. If you want to make music one way versus another, do that. Edit: just realized who I replied to. I saw your recent video on this and yeah you hit the idea spot on. The gear doesn’t make the music it’s the musician.

[@Ringer1982]

Love music you've made on the OP-1 Yuri! My favorites: Omae wa, Gorlami and I'm a Dude.

[@i0.0t]

video producers like yourself and Bad Gear should make others in the genre check themselves. Respect for teaching keyboard commands. They really make using a laptop more immediate and musical feeling.

[@Divuar]

This new generation of music gear youtubers is awesome. Love those guys.

[@bartosz_xenon]

are there any more? I'm very much inclined to unsub from all the usual popular sellouts. Michael, Florian from Bad Gear and WeaverBeats are probably the only people that actually do inspire me to make music

[@maquettemusic1623]

BoBeat is the worst offender, and his music is trash

[@goldentemples9041]

the work you put into this deserves a strong round of applause…. And got me thinking. It’s a good point about groove boxes in general just being very weak computers, never thought about it that way 👏👏👏

[@PorchBass]

Keep latency in mind e.g playing soft synths live to a real drummer will need a decent laptop whereas a second hand synth could be cheaper and retain value. Latency is the killer value in hardware Edit: lol i bet the op-1 has latency hidden by the hurdles of the UI

[@DaveChips]

For that money... I'd go with Rog flow x13 Small, portable... Smokes them all 😅

[@illford]

@@PorchBass well if your using a groovebox your probably not trying to play to a drummer most of the time. I don't think Latency is a large issue. I'm getting s groovebox to use on its own not with live people. Even then another solution is to just export it and let the drummer listen back to it. Takes a second but I know musicians use iPods to listen to stuff while drumming

[@PorchBass]

@@illford loads of people have midi setups. Just ask guitarists what they do with their pedal boards. Latency is an issue even for digital guitar pedals... By the time you've put your guitar through a few digital pefals phase is happening

[@yvespillot1245]

Worth mentionning : This is also a very good free plugin list

[@15thMonkey]

True that! Although a Quality reverb is missing - that would have been a nail in the coffin for the op1 field

[@yvespillot1245]

@@15thMonkey just add Supermassive from Valhallah and you're good to go!

[@ericwycoff1399]

@@15thMonkey Free VST plugin called ambience works wonders

[@athemalive]

CloudVerb my friends

[@jayhu6075]

This is a mind blower. You make it as a open source tools for everybody. Not to make music artist poor, but give there chance and opportunity to make music. Respect.

[@playpm]

Just a chance to save the money and enjoy the life.

[@jayhu6075]

@@playpm 100%

[@aquaticborealis4877]

The music device/plug-in world is absolutely dizzying and it really helps to have someone showing how you don’t have to spend money. For a beginner, it is very hard to know where to go, what to get. So many KZbinrs reviewing and showing expensive ways of making music. Wish I found your channel a couple of years ago.

[@crnova7]

As a hobbyist I had often tried to make music with a computer. That was partly before the time when we could look everything up online. With the OP-1 I have finally achieved that after a day of computer work I am not again distracted by notifications, updates, appointments or frustrations due to non-functioning software or plug-ins. Ok, you can switch off notifications and you can take a laptop on your lap, but now that I can also take the OP-1 with me on the train, it is irreplaceable for me. At home I mainly use it to jam and work out ideas. On stage I use it as a supplement. As a drum computer, pad or bass. I like it very much. I think the new field is way too expensive. I also had mine second hand. But thanks for the ideas.

[@leafsoup]

$2000 is a lot to just come up with ideas. You can get any of the Yamaha Reface keyboards for $300 and they are similarly sized.

[@NJTurnpikeExit12]

@@leafsoup the reface keyboards aren't samplers, recorder/sequencers though

[@Moneymakinshark-dawg]

This is seriously a GOLD MINE of a video for anyone who feels like they have to pay money to make great sounding music

[@samray3461]

This series is the best illustration of what it feels like to be a professional Designer. Everything aggravates you, but once in a rare while, something so simple and mundane can completely delight you. You could experiment with a series where you celebrate objects that do delight.

[@OhVicanne]

Your videos are so important. While most youtubers flex their gear or do advertisement for this gear, you are here telling us that gear won't make us a great musician, and to not wasre our money. Thank you!

[@donnoone9665]

Your brutal honesty about the crippled nature of many hyped products is refreshing and humorous. I agree that any laptop or iPad with a cheap controller smokes most “all-in-one” devices now in performance, features and display quality. Very entertaining!

[@ev7800]

love this kind of content. op1 does seem very fun and gimmicky, but at the price, impossible for budget producers to obtain. showing how to utilize free software and vsts is extremely valuable for any producer/engineer. subbed!

[@Spudcore]

I love how you state things so bluntly! It is not necessary to dance around the point, there are only so many minutes in a day after all.

[@EMU_STUDIOS]

Absolutely! Totally agree!

[@JohnTurner313]

As someone literally considering an OP-1 purchase: mind blown. Thank you for the wake up that I didn't realize I needed. I'll definitely be watching your other videos.

[@martinabancens9633]

I think the most interesting part of the op-1 is as many stated it's limitations. There's actually a term for this, "choice overload", which is a cognitive impairment when having too many options. Specially when you are just starting out and don't know what to do or where to start experimenting

[@zip753]

I definitely agree. If you have a limited piece of hardware, especially if it's on the expensive side, you use the shit out of it and try to push it. If you have a thing that does everything or a lot of different things then you might be paralyzed with all the choice and just not do anything because of that. It takes a special kind of willpower to stay focused in a world of infinite possibilities, while if your choices are limited, then you'll be focusing on putting them together. It's like you're in a smaller box, so you can focus on making it your own, and you can choose to move on to the bigger box once you have an idea of what you would do with the bigger number of choices.

[@martinabancens9633]

@@zip753 Exactly right! Thats why im loving my dirtywave m8 headless at the moment! Cheers!

[@infn8loopmusic]

Limitations are the origin of all inventions therefore... They fuel creativity.

[@andewprod]

Really really nicely summarized!! I like that you encourage people to explore what they already have and that you showed free software for every function of the OP-1. I personally dont have the Op1 and it really doesnt sound appealing eigher but since I saw a couple of KZbinrs like Andew Huang or RedMeansRecording jamming on it and still talking about it years after.. it has to have something. I dont know If you were talking in general but there is obviously a difference between jamming on a laptop or on external gear. In theory, if you were a skilled music composer you will be able to make an entire album using only your laptop keyboard - but a MIDI Keyboard helps a lot and even permits you having more control over MIDI parameters like velocity, aftertouch etc. The same goes for hardware synths, you dont really need a analog synth to make analog sounding sounds but once you have it it just leads you to totally different creative workflows that you wouldnt be able to do on a laptop. And the same goes for the OP-1 I think. Maybe people WANT to ave only 4 tracks and deal with the risk of messing up. Maybe people use the OP-1 only to start a song and then use a DAW to continue. Heck maybe they even use it just for fun without realeasing any song, just playing around with the Op1. Many people say similar stuff to me when I mention that I have a Eurorack setup and a couple mono synths. "But you could use VCV rack" "But you cant save presets" "But why waste all the money" "But there are free analog sounding plugins" etc. I know why I bought the gear I have and maybe so do people that pruchased the OP-1 and still enjoy it and feel that its worth the money. Its important to know WHY you get your gear, and in case of doubt you can usually return it or resell it. But if you are just starting out, defenetly just use the laptop, no doubt. Greetings from Spain :D

[@Robster881]

I think the OP1 is a great tool for forcing limitations on people who are already successfully making music - can be a big help for "writers block". It's 100% not something you NEED to make music though and this video shows why. Bravo!

[@frankstetka7206]

You nailed it.

[@IScreamedWolf]

Yeah that’s a great way to put it

[@zayHEEM]

was thinking this too but then I thought, you could easily replicate the limitations.

[@kierenmoore3236]

Impose limitations on yourself (it’s called self-discipline), if you want to, for free … why pay extra to have a permanently, ‘hard-limited’, hamstrung, gadget/hipster-toy … ?!?! Seriously!!?! 🤪🙃

[@milhouse777]

I think the same, the Op1 toys is very expensive for the people in general, even more to the ones that live in emergent countries like I do 🇧🇷 I have my pc, midi controllers setup but if I had the money flowing I would buy the Op1 for the portability and hands-on factor, even knowing that l can do the same with an old pc or laptop.

[@64north20west]

The time that you took to do this research and time saving review is enough for me to subscribe. And I have an old enough MacBook air that I barely use anymore to try this out on. This is a great effort!

[@wotori]

This video clearly demonstrates the significant role the OP-1 played in the development of modern music. GarageBand becomes much clearer and more interesting through the lens of the OP-1. I just bought this device, and it's an amazing piece of equipment that inspires creativity and is pleasant to hold, much like an old Game Boy, whose games can, of course, be emulated on a computer.

[@istillwantthatgasyes3464]

As someone who owns the OG OP-1 & have purchased other overpriced gear, I love this. He’s definitely right, you don’t really need any of that crazy expense gear. I’ve had the OP1 for a while now and I’ve only probably used it 3/4 times & only once seriously. Don’t let these companies fool you, you can do all this for free & it’s more rewarding finding it yourself.

[@derekfernandez7701]

Wow - I really appreciate all the plugins you've linked to here! A lot of them I've never heard of - they sound great!! Thanks again! 💙

[@guitarfumar]

This man is giving the best music advice on the internet. I applaud you, sir.

[@XanderEwald]

Love your channel lately! Always great to get a reality check when GAS kicks in.

[@Grainz_music]

The world needs your videos. Finally someone not shilling for endless consumerism

[@ltfringr]

I have been having a lot of fun with the OP-1. It's not possible to be as precise as I can be with a laptop, but I am able to make multiple tracks in a day and enjoy myself.

[@Hanoveur]

And playing a laptop isn't as enjoyable...

[@Qmayb]

i like the way this guy use his common sense, not like the 90% of gear reviewers on youtube (of course they are sponsored)

[@iosmusicman]

Michael, this video has only one drawback. It came out after I bought the OP-1 😪 On the plus side, having bought the OP-1 (thinking there wouldn’t be an “OP-1.5” after 10 years), at least that purchase stopped me buying the new “field” 😵‍💫 Absolutely marvellous work. Thank you.

[@mspahr213]

you are a saint...thank you for the reminder that I don't need more hardware....until I hit the jackpot when I'm 70 and spend my inheritance on teenage engineering gear....

[@midiwerks5450]

Very cool video and take on expensive digital synthesizers. This is exactly why at this point in my life I've decided to concentrate on my vintage analog synths. No amount of physical modelling software genuinely replicates what machines like my OB-1, AX-60, JX-3P etc. can do.

[@kurisuchiinathecrocodile333]

Maybe you just like analogue more? XD

[@sauzeeee]

i'm glad i found your channel. i just started getting into music making and i already got bitten by the GAS bug, i dont even know which plugins and harware to start with. now i'm binging the whole GAS Therapy series at work and at home lol. thanks to you, i'm looking into buying a macbook and explore all the plugins in your videos. keep on doing this great series, it's a therapy for me.

[@sebastiangomezmusic]

I’ve made a point of visiting your channel any time I get GAS and it helps so much! I’m amazing at how much great trick you have and really enjoy experimenting with them much more than I have the times I’ve used devices like OP1 and OPZ

[@playpm]

Appreciated, I'll deliver more once I finished my lunar new year vacation, stay tuned 😋

[@MarkAlbertoImage]

I agree with every single point you’ve made here. You are precise! …also, I still want an OP-1 field. 🥺

[@nofaceexe]

I bought tons of output gear - synthesizer, guitar pedals, modular & selled most of it. Stripped down to my modular and prophet. Most of the time I just use diva - nobody can tell a difference in a mixed record with vocals on top!

[@M1no0o]

We need more channels like this, thank you for your content

[@AdamsBrew78]

I think an even better OP-1 alternative = iPad or iPad mini with Drambo 2.0 and a few select plugins. (Tera Pro, Synthmaster 2, IK Mixbox, + Eventide/Fabfilter or Toneboosters Effects) and Loopy Pro … That setup will run circles around OP-1 Field or any other groovebox on the market.

[@soysos.tuffsound]

Agreed, I've been digging into the Drambo update heavily. It's like the best of Ableton, Elektron and modular synthesis concepts. I don't even use it with any hardware controllers. It's not "free", but it's pretty much affordable to almost anyone who already has an ipad

[@jennoscura2381]

I have some synth apps on my android phone. I plan on getting a second hand tablet just for music.

[@aquaticborealis4877]

@@jennoscura2381 I would highly recommend an iPad over an android tablet. The number of music apps on the iPad OS is massively higher.

[@kowloonbroadcast]

was actually thinking about Drambo while watching this video way too many times. all the hell load of plugins for all the use cases described in this tutorial is replaceable with this software, that fits in my pocket and is actually with me everywhere I go (both literally/physically [a walk, public transit, plane flight, etc] and virtually [ready to be used as a main production environment/DAW/host or just as an instrument plugin or a midi controller inside other DAWs] speaking) and it’s actually just as convenient and powerful as a dedicated groovebox and helps the creative flow to keep running - UI design and all the “back-end” entity of it is just godlike. I’m really happy that we as humanity finally got to this point in music production lol. though I admit that all that’s been said in the video has its value for sure - laptops are still widely used for production purposes. And the fact that it’s all based around freeware DAW - is already a legit reason for respect.

[@JamesMcMeeken]

+1 for Drambo 2.0. Your description of it being the best of Ableton and Elektron gear is exactly what I was thinking recently

[@bg307]

Free is one of my favorite words. Thanks for EVERYTHING!

[@a2hop]

Thanks! Very inspiring video and a good reminder that it’s better to invest in ourselves as musicians instead of buying new gear

[@Saycheeseanddie84]

That song you made around the end of the 18th minute is dope.

[@coltenwigington7296]

I love the philosophy of your channel. Please keep making content because people are so obsessed with gear(especially in the synth community) we need a channel like this to remind us gear wont make your skills better. Thank you for what you do! Also could you possibly do a Norns shield video possibly???

[@playpm]

Appreciated, another way of curing gas is ignoring it 😉

[@kquat7899]

You must be the bane of music hardware manufacturers' lives but also a gift to the rest of us.

[@playpm]

They need to work harder to survive :)

[@SONWU]

Wonderful work here. This is a channel is very valuable and important for people new in this gear focussed world. I will still get the OP-1.5, but I would love to enjoy using my computer for music...it would save a lot of money!

[@jorgillo86]

Just got an op-1 field and love it. Sure it’s expensive but that’s what money is for.

[@GuyGamer1]

Really digging your channel. Every time I see a new thousand dollar (or more) synth review I always think "what is this accomplishing that I can't already do in my DAW?" Ooh wow dedicated knobs, I'll just get a midi controller and map it to a VST...

[@boarderking133]

Everyone follow this man's wise council.

[@jennoscura2381]

I like hardware. The main piece in my setup is my Arturia Keystep Pro. I can use that for plugins, MIDI hardware, or my modular synth. With so many good free synth plugins and great MIDI controlles; overpriced toys like the OP-1 are a waste of money. For the price of an OP-1 you can get a good MIDI controller and some vintage hardware.

[@phucduongnguyen67]

I kept replaying your final beat because it’s just so good. Great content! So inspiring

[@robertminnis6540]

(Teenage engineering watches video, takes sip of coffee) “Now it’s 3000”

[@playpm]

Only if 🪴 included.

[@mbero]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@leolovetoparty]

I absolutely LOVE your videos - thank you so much for the research and love that goes into them. Every other music youtuber is trying to get you to buy something - something that you usually don't need. I won't name any names but you can only have a couple of secret weapons that no-one's heard of. When you have 100 secret weapons, by definition, they are not secret (esp if you keep telling people about them). And if you're pushing one product that does one thing and a month later a product that does exactly the same thing, then which one is the secret weapon... Most youtubers who make gear videos are essentially a marketing extension of the companies/products they are reviewing. They know who they are... In all this stench of BS, you are a breath of fresh air. Love and respect!

[@playpm]

Chill man, we all need to find a way to live, I just want to be healthier to myself.

[@leolovetoparty]

@@playpm sure everyone needs to make a living... My comments were not directed at you. They were directed at those who push the products that you are constantly finding cheaper alternatives for. Maybe you misunderstood - I was actually praising you. And I didn't name anyone directly...

You should do a video about all the free plugins you use. That might be a killer 😃

[@MrQmason]

Agree..... and there are tons of them out there these days....

[@agsup]

There are some free plugins that are absolutely stunning. Matt Tytel's Vital and Valhalla's Supermassive come to mind

[@pauljs75]

ZynAddSubFX is definitely under-rated. It may have an ugly UI as a free VST, but it's very capable. If looking for hardware there's also a bit of Raspberry Pi based kit called Zynthian that was originally intended for it, and also runs a whole bunch of VSTs. Does more than most of the heavily promoted collector synths that people are happy to throw money at, yet gets very few videos on KZbin.

[@illford]

@@pauljs75 Zyn doesn't work on x64 last I checked though which is a bit of a problem now.

[@illford]

@@agsup Surge, Grace, everything from TAL and the MFreeFX bundle as well. Basically got everything you need

[@logouttube]

What a great resource for interesting plugins - loved the quick demo’s you did for each one which made clear what each one does 🙏

[@Divuar]

I hope the CIA won't arrest Michael because of his ruining the music gear industry :D Amazing series, thanks. I still buy gear tbh, but your videos make me think more about the real reasons if i need those. In the end, sometimes purchasing some gear is a big inspiration boost itself (or it's tactile feel, or its look etc)

[@rudyvalentino6559]

You make logical sense like Spock. Thanks for helping our budgets amigo

[@Buttafingaz]

Ahaha, the good looking flower/plant part killed me 🤣🤣😂

[@tablaninja]

Espresso out the nose when I got to that part. Lmao. Such a delightful video!

[@futurfry]

16:32 those voiceless velar plosives went insane for a minute there! my ears!

[@superbaconsh4ke76]

thx 4 this! GAS Therapy is so useful

[@andreasheer5876]

This saved my fucking money for usefull gear

[@oscwildle1]

This was a wonderful tutorial on how to bring your passion for music to fruition on budget! So many great resources, you reminded us that OP-1 is just a GROOVEBOX with such limited capabilities. THANK YOU!

[@Imetalman2000]

You seriously used a laptop to compare how it can replicate an op-1 when the whole point of having an op-1 is to get off the laptop. The op-1 is more then just a sum of its parts. I personally got sick of working in a daw and constantly needing to update and debug things. Also I’m a musician not a sound engineering, the laundry list of plug-in you mention was making my eyes water and made me appreciate how feature pack the op-1 is.

[@pedrohenriquelourenco8486]

Well, this "get of the laptop" is just a excuse to charge almost 2k in a toy with small screen, they can even say the point of op-1 is being portable because a laptop is portable either. Also, you don't need be a sound designer to use these plugins, they come with a lot of presets.

[@Saycheeseanddie84]

“But I have plant too” 😂 You’re the best dude

[@jesusrocks7500]

Got my fingers crossed that Behringer makes a knockoff... They could get all the Star Wars junkies into making music by calling it the OB-1! 😄

[@playpm]

That'll be the grand grand pa of TE 🥸

[@xylic]

I hope this comes true haha

[@jennoscura2381]

Hell yea! Instead of a cow it could have a bantha. LOL I love Behringer making gear I can afford.

[@jesusrocks7500]

@@jennoscura2381 😊😄😅

[@TheBurdenOfHope]

As I trawl through store websites seeing device after device that doesn’t really meet my requirements either through their price or functionality I won’t need, I see this video. I like working in the box because I’m a guitarist by trade. It’s a totally different workflow that just stimulates me. Maybe I don’t need a hardware device. But already use the more than adequate laptop I already have. Thank you. You’ve got my subscription today ❤

[@erickrick3901]

that line, “the op-1 won’t make you a better musician, it will only make you poor”. And i think i’m officially done being obsessed with this stupid thing and wanting one. Gear is an addiction, you do need to explore a bit at first to know what’s what but after that you can pretty much make the same music with not a ton of money.

[@paulmattle6683]

I think the people that love the OP1s just do, because they spent $700 more than they needed. I'd like to get one of the new MPCs that have trigger outputs, just to have new and cool ways to use the triggers and a standalone sampler. For now, I went with the cheapest route and picked up a used Novation Circuit. I just got a Circuit Rhythm, which I haven't dug into yet. I may even not want or need the MPC, after I get into the Circuit Rhythm. Most of my stuff is stand alone, but also have capabilities to connect to a computer with them as well

[@cougarten]

Just my 2 cents on what the op1 gives: - simplicity: worst case you try all the buttons, it's never too overwhelming (different to the power user tools that reveal every knob right away in a big mess). Makes you focus on the music, not the tooling (so it might actually make you the better musician). - good curation and integration of the functionalities (this you maybe recreated) - portability and no setup, "just works" - lovely design - UX consistency Still thank you for the video, the plugin curation and the lovely tune! :)

[@playpm]

Only a bad note would make you want to smash it 🥂

[@cougarten]

I also don't own one because it's too expensive XD.

[@playpm]

😅 I'll suggest you to try one somewhere and try to make a full length beat with it, then judge it by yourself. Don't trust us KZbinrs, we cut out shitty parts all the time 🙂

[@alleykat6273]

I swear if teenage engineering makes a full size polysynth it would have a 6 figure price tag

[@oscitancy]

All teenage engineering products are ridiculously overpriced and I have no idea why. People must be buying their stuff though otherwise they would not keep the prices so damn high.

[@Rgdonaire_07]

I sold my op-1 a while ago as I noticed the ipad is a brilliant portable music making device and you have some tactile experience.

[@ciiman]

Great video. Just quick thoughts : I too understood that technically, groove boxes are wick computers. This said, I don't think that their purpose is to give you as many options as possible, but to the contrary, to provide us with limitations, an a specific workflow, to allow us to focus on what's important more. On a DAW, one can spend hours just browsing through thousands of samples, and chaining dozens of plugins in the hope to find the perfect kick drum. On a Tr8 or even an old Electribe, we have limited options, a few sweet spots to find and that's it. We have to think about the composition as a whole rather than to find each bestest instrument to use for our masterpiece.

[@SeanHyland]

In addition to this, not having to stare at a computer screen for hours to jam out and make music, especially if staring at a computer screen all day is what you do for a living is another reason. But overall, it was a well-put-together video.

[@playpm]

Choosing a sample or preset is a sound design process, and it's only the start, I'll try update my mind if I can't make the decision. You can try use sample manager at first.

[@opart]

Also, while OP-1 did not make better musicians, it made lots of sound making concepts really accessible to non-musicians, just through experimentation, thanks to the great intuitive interface. In other words, If you use it and it's not collecting dust, it's worth every penny.

[@lokvideos518]

@@opart someone understands real product value here

[@Mclennnan]

Finaly somebody had the courage to call out these over priced pieces of niche shit once and for all. Thank you X

[@3nyder]

Thank you a lot for this video, I wanted to do music and thought to buy "the best" equipment, I was considering buying the OP-1 field, but my intuition told me that my computer should be more than enough but had no idea where to start so I really appreciate your video and all the links that you shared, I'll definitely go to support you on patreon, you just got yourself a loyal follower

[@rafbass]

This video kinda doesn’t make sense. Of course you can replicate the sounds in a computer because the computer is much powerful. It’s not about that. It’s about having a portable unified solution one-size-fits all in a single unit.

[@JamesGecko]

A laptop is also a portable unified one-size-fits-all solution in a single unit. 😉 An old MacBook Air is admittedly larger (2x-2.5x the size of an OP-1, depending on the laptop) but that's still extremely portable.

[@sonofaglitch]

Outstanding video, this channel is quickly becoming one of my favorite music production channels. This is video is fairly comprehensive, while maintaining the ability to stay entertaining while being informative. Really nice work, thank you for sharing!

[@mirllewist3086]

Boy, "dawless" was a great marketing ploy to separate people (myself included...) from $$ for cool looking boxes that do less than the software I already own... Most musical things I have ever created have been on real guitars, Reason, and Koala sampler

[@SamanthaGobert]

I love the honesty in this video. It's tempting to want this super aesthetic looking tool that looks so fun and easy when people post videos of them. The huge pricetag yet the crazy drawbacks like lack of a simple undo button, among other things! Also the fact that you have both mac and pc option for every single step is super thoughtful. thank you for blessing us with this knowledge!

[@JamesMcKenzie1972]

You make interesting videos but honestly one of the main reasons people buy grooveboxes like the OP-1, the OP-Z and the pocket operators is to disengage from their computers. Certainly you can replicate the sounds of these synths with a computer based DAW but the process is completely different. I've been searching for a video which replicates the PROCESS of the OP-1 rather than the sound engines etc.

[@lokvideos518]

Woke comment.

[@russellzauner]

@@lokvideos518 generous oofsauce

[@RobinParmar]

The OP-1 is a computer, just a very limited one. That's the whole point of this video. It's not as though the OP-1 replaces a computer. It's an extra expense. You STILL NEED a computer to record, mixdown, upload, etc. Or to write a comment like the one you wrote here. Then you will own TWO computers. The process is indeed different on the OP-1, because it's so limited. I remember using a Portastudio, but I have no intention of going back to that! Shift your mindset and expand your options. Like the man said "OP-1 won't make you a better musician..."

[@JamesMcKenzie1972]

@@RobinParmar I understand the point of the video. It’s definitely a valid and interesting perspective. My point was simply that for many of these devices the workflow is the draw. I see that you’re a professional musician so I totally get that you would use whichever tool gets the job done. I personally run a hosting company so I spend way too much time on a computer. I enjoy playing grooveboxes as instruments. Like sitting down to play a guitar- which I also do. I could probably get similar sounds from a string sampler on a daw but the process would frankly be painful. Again I’m not diminishing any perspective on this issue. I’m just pointing out - horses for courses. Cheers!

[@RobinParmar]

@@JamesMcKenzie1972 I also understand your perspective. If the workflow and interface of the OP-1 (which I have only used in passing) was especially good, then I could agree with you more. For example, a synth that has a function-per knob interface has many advantages over a soft synth. Especially if the performer is going to dedicate themselves to learning the muscle memory and use the instrument live. The qualities of affordance of an interface is paramount in determining its quality. Hence I don't mean for the comments I make abut the OP-1 to not apply universally for all synths/samplers/etc. But this particular device feels like a toy, has a terrible keyboard, and a workflow based around accidentally over-writing your work. I'd recommend a Deluge over this in a heartbeat.

[@janvollgod7221]

You hit some very good points. Of course all of these gadgets has in some situations some advantages, but frankly i was never in such situations. Not even when i had to carry my Atari ST and the great little black white Monitor, to make music on some events. And now you have 1000 times the processing power in your thumb.

[@themagikian4237]

Im loving this fella! Never seen him before. I've just sold my OP-1 Field after 1month. He's a deadpan killah, watch out companies!

[@playpm]

Appreciated. I'm curious what triggered you to eventually sell it?

[@ToyKeeper]

OP-1 does a lot of things, but it's not particularly good at any of those things. The main appeal is that it's little and cute and has everything pre-configured. It's like going to a drive-thru and ordering a #1 on the lunch menu... while a computer is more like having a full kitchen. Except in this case, the drive-thru costs four figures, and the kitchen is free.

[@ChumpyDumps]

Computers are free?

[@ToyKeeper]

@@ChumpyDumps The assumption is that virtually everyone in Teenage Engineering's target market already has a computer... probably a few. Even an old hand-me-down from a friend is usually good enough for this sort of task. People who shop for four-figure grooveboxes are generally not lacking the ability to run a DAW... they just don't want to.

[@DaveDaves]

So far LOVING this video as I didn't think I had so much more to learn about excellent free audio instruments & effects! The lack of many features elucidated in this spot-on video is why I've never even considered paying big money (as it always is) for it - for $100 I'd absolutely buy it as an ultra-portable little tool which doesn't risk my computer when I need to go around and have simple needs. Teenage Engineering, for whom I have love based on the PO-35 and PO-16 I purchased being built to suposedly lowest costs maintaining audio-performance - most if not all of that range is cheaper than ANY dedicated hardware, half-decent laptop, and many software equivalents! But if you look at their non-instrument, consumer offerings you'll get how big, as this video says, they do engage in hype marketing so that their customers will want it at costs Im guessing are 5x-10x similarly-performing gear. I am going to comment more on the Volca FM video assuming that again you talk about Dexed which I've been tryna tell everyone for YEARS. Must check out the recommended mastering tools. Wonder if they're better/worse (altogether) than my 10+ year old iZotope Ozone v4 mastering plugin which is pretty good especially if you know how to use its M/S mode in addition to regular L/R stereo (even if you're starting and ending with L/R 2-channel regular stereo).

[@afinchadapted]

Love your video. I own and love my OP-1, but anyone that thinks an OP-1 can beat out a DAW is delusional. Portability, and the lack of distractions is a big factor for me using it. I like that I can use it easily on the train or on my lunch break without having to lug around an extra laptop. In the end though it's usually just me playing around with ideas that I will use on my computer at home. I know you already did a video on LSDJ. I'd love to see you feature other trackers like Deflemask or the Dirtywave M8 Headless.

[@dennismosercreativearts]

This. This is YOU at your best!

[@redbirdsaraceno]

Love how so many youtube producers are calling out teenage engineering for their GREED . great video ! any one wanting to get into electronic music and sampling should just get a laptop a daw and some plugins with an interface for a mic and line ins your good to go . if you want knobs just get a midi controller. light weight version macbook air and korg nanokey. not as portable as op1 but also not a blatant rip off !

[@maybient]

Love it. The point the video makes goes much beyond than just commenting on the OP-1. It’s about ’gear fetish’, which is such a distraction.

[@reylxreyln7052]

So dont you think a single device that is super realiable, easy to use, fun, and one solution (not all this seperate designed software by different people and extreme hassle to manage) also worth something. I can order food at a restarant and pay more or i buy tons of ingredients and do it myself for less. Both are viable but one is extremely more firendly and relaible aka just ordering food. The op.1 is a cultivated designed device and excels extremely well at what it does. Also the setup you created lacks fun

[@bboyeducator]

This video is great. I don’t regret owning 2 OP1s and an OP-Z. I will pick up an op1 field as soon as I am able. They are fun and inspire me to no end. Dawless battery powered portable amazing news. Again, love this video. I just love the teenage engineering instruments more

[@chrisharrison809]

only thing for me, the mpc one is latency free on drums in a way that a laptop just can't do. It feels like playing a drum set, vs latency, even with a 2021 imac pro maxed out 128gb ram.

[@playpm]

Really? What software are you using on your Mac?

[@ledheavy26]

The CPU speed dictates the latency, as well as the audio device/drivers. You should be able, with that computer, to get imperceptible latency values with a low buffer size setting.

[@guillll]

If you get noticeable latency with such a computer, there's something wrong with the way your software is configured. And the MPC One also has latency, every digital device has it, it can't be avoided because of the fundamental laws of physics.

[@chrisharrison809]

@@guillll well, you’re right. If I run just the mpc software, it’s pretty close at 32 samples. Problem is, if I’m using the computer, and stacking instruments, latency comes in. Having the mpc stand-alone let’s it be super sample accurate and links with ableton, so it’s smooth as butter, never latency. Which is just impossible in a computer if you’re running a studio. Somehow latency on akai machine is just tighter with somehow almost 0 latency finger drumming while using ableton to run the session.

[@chrisharrison809]

@@ledheavy26 it’s almost there, it runs keyscape but has trouble when you start stacking say, an orchestra one instrument per track. Batch freezing in Cubase will change things now that it’s here.

[@soyginna]

You fought marketing with marketing. Clever.

[@krazywabbit]

If you don’t like Michael’s video and enjoy wasting your money, you do have the option to not watch and go toss your money to a greedy company. It’s ok. We will be just fine too.

[@playpm]

Thanks for taking my line.

[@soundtinker]

I have a lot of gear and watch videos about it. Your video on the subject is hands down the best I've seen in months. So much info packed in here that I need to take notes. That's after I sell my OP1 and OPZ since they are just collecting dust...

[@kgbinfo]

I see what you’re doing here, and I can appreciate that a computer can do electronic music production and performance just as well as any modern digital hardware can, but who doesn’t know that? Also, I think you’re forgetting that what people actually want from their hardware is to have something to play that feels like a musical instrument.

[@paulmattle6683]

And to do it without a computer. That's why I like stand alone synths, and the Novation Circuit series. I've always scoffed at the cost of these little synths. For that price, you can get Modal Cobalt and a Korg Minilogue XD. Which is what I think I'll be doing in te future. I'm not impressed at all with their price point, vs just about any other powerful synths on the market as well. I think people like these, because they spent over a grand on something that is smaller than the old battery powered Casiotones

[@mlhbro]

I think the key is that a lot of people who watch videos about gear operate on impulse. They skip the step of asking themselves "Do I really need this?" and just instantly go to lusting over every new thing that drops. There are countless videos on KZbin where people feed this impulse in exchange for views (and possibly even freebies or kickbacks from the manufacturers). This is one of the only channels dedicated to doing the opposite. Michael is performing a much-needed service, in my opinion. His message is basically to stop slobbering over every little piece of music gear that drops, and start making music with the tools you have at hand.

[@myHorribleMusic]

Getting a decent MIDI controller can pretty much solve the tactile problem though, can't it? So long as you've mapped the controls appropriately, you can get a lot out of plugins without even looking at the computer.

[@playpm]

Thanks for post scripts from my next video 🙂

[@illford]

Yeah but here's the thing. Show me a groovebox that's cheaper then me.just buying a laptop and a few plugins that's gonna do what the computer can. Options are low and it's definitely not the OP-1 secondly OP-1 is missing a few features that I'd want if I wanted it to be real, mainly s proper keyboard at that point I'd rather just use a computer. Even then I don't like keyboards because I can't play piano so I'd rather do it in Mid by hand therefore I woundlt gain anything. Your ignoring the fact that not everyone can play the keyboard because it only real if you play the keyboard

[@CrazyMetalDrummer214]

I always wanted to try the OP-1 to make music but being a beginner in this scene, it just seemed so expensive to jump into it knowing if I would even enjoy making the music I wanted to try and make. Now that I am a recent Mac user, I always thought of GarageBand as just a cheap free gimmick software used for fake rock instruments sounds. After playing with it just now and listening to all the different Synth engines and playing around with all the different features.... I am so glad I found your video. Now I can experiment FOR FREE to see if its even a hobby I want to get into.... Thank you for opening my eyes. Now I can just buy MIDI keyboard (or even find a free one!) and not have to spend two grand on something I may put down in a week. Thank you sir!

[@playpm]

Glad I helped. The only weak part of GB is tracks don't talk to each other, it can be hard to achieve Sidechain function, but I don't know any hardware gears can achieve this properly either, at least not cheap ones.

[@amslu]

Thanks for sharing those tips and not just complaining like some other lame ‘youtubers’…😅

[@goldcoastj]

You are a breath of fresh air!

[@palanibala5396]

Thanks! Gone back to 2015 MacBook Air with Akai Midimix. Using your Sample Player and have a nice little Logic template setup. Much more productive now...and not poor!

[@playpm]

Appreciated for the support! That MacBook model has the BEST design! (IMO)

[@NatiiixLP]

I don't know how you do it, but you hit a single random not with a couple of random filters on top of it, and make it sound like a finished piece of Hans Zimmer for the next big sci-fi film. I love how the open-source community is slowly but surely undermining all of these hugely over-priced industries, and hope for their success. It's ridiculous how much audio hardware costs.

[@doug_velasquez007]

This is gold! Thank you! Just found your channel searching for why this device is so expensive.

[@schubie02]

I don't know how to use an OP-1 or Garageband, but I watched your entire video because your personality is gold.

[@playpm]

Thanks mate, stay tuned for my next free plugin release, destroying more greedy companies 😋

[@aravartanian7578]

Several points: 1. The reason the undo limitation is there is because the OP1 is audio-based rather than MIDI-based and undo on audio would dramatically increase the amount of storage required. It has to preallocate tape audio because the processor couldn't handle unbounded numbers of channels. Do you want more projects or more undo? Practically speaking, it's not a problem because everyone makes a habit of copying their tape fragment before working on it. Tape was good enough for all musicians before, say, 1980, so I think it's just fine as a design compromise. 2. What you are paying for is thoughtful design. Products like OP1, Deluge, Norns, Dirtywave are thoughtfully designed by a small group of people. And everyone complains that they're not as cheap as stuff from Roland, Yamaha, or Apple. Well, of course. Some people complain about corporate hegemony and lack of innovation. Other people complain about high prices. Plz pick one. 3. The OP1 will make you a better musician if you explore it, learn to use it, as *any* musical instrument will. 4. Yes, some of us are on a computer all day and don't want to hit Cmd+Shift-S or whatever in GarageBand ffs. 5. Another thing you are paying for is uniformity of interface. Depending on what your time is worth, having the OP1 is cheaper than the amount of time it would take you to wrap your mind around and incorporate two dozen plugins to do the same thing. 6. Yes, a computer can do anything any piece of hardware can do. We can say this over and over again for every piece of hardware. It gets a little tedious to hear it. Obviously, there is something more going on in hardware. In my mind it comes down to two things: (a) thoughtful design (each piece of hardware is its own instrument, with its own limitations and expressive potential) and (b) portability (some of us love being off the screen) (c) composability (yes I can have a bank of laptops along with my guitar pedal board but bleh: most digital signal chains are difficult to compose outside of a DAW (ever written a Python interface to a VST?), whereas hardware makes it comparatively simple). Having said that, thanks for compiling a lovely list of plugins and alternatives. :)

[@kewk]

I knew I loved this channel not long after it started. But you REALLY hooked me when you dug in on DAWless jamming hahaha well played dude!

[@shivanjamal1375]

Wow, I can't believe your channel is this small!! I just subbed, and I can't wait to see with with millions of subscribers!!! Keep working hard, you deserve alot❤️❤️

[@tr1co0]

Most refreshing music gear related video I’ve seen in a long time