Teenage Engineering OP-1

[J.R. Rogers]

I wanted to introduce you folks to a little device that's been stealing a lot of my time lately. This is the OP-1 from Teenage Engineering. A curious little sound-making device that includes a 4-track analog-style tape recorder, drum machine, synthesizer, sampler, sequencer, mixer, and an album recorder for mixdown. A huge amount of fun in a tiny, simple, and easy-to-use synthesizer workstation.



There are scores of reviews about this thing out there so I'll stick to what I really love about this box. It really brings back the fun and simplicity of some of the cheap synthesizers from the 80's, but also throws in a 4-track tape recorder that works like it's all-analog. So this is a retro-modern workstation-in-a-box - not just a cool toy. (Okay, it's just a cool toy but it's a lot of fun anyway.) First of all, the build quality and the parts used are top-notch. Every time you hit a button, you can feel that this thing is built to last. It uses aircraft-grade switches and knobs that are meant for durability and it's encased in an aluminum shell with a tough finish. It's truly designed to be mobile and stand up to a lot of use. The screen is an AMOLED screen and the animations and look of the display are just beautifully implemented with classic 80's-era, Atari-like animations to everything.



Usability and software: There is no manual included. Just a map of the various buttons. It's designed for you to jump in and start playing, kind of like a video game. You learn as you go and of course you'll probably hit the website for some in-depth, but right out of the box this thing is incredibly fun to make music with. The software is very intuitive and the display is playful, usually with some retro animation that you manipulate as you change the sound. Everything is color coded to the knobs so you instantly know which knob adjusts which parameter on the screen.



It has a tiny but loud built-in speaker that is surprisingly good and it has a 16-hour battery life that will make you wonder what's powering this micro-monster. It lasts for days of fun making this a great little synth to throw in the backpack and take with you somewhere your Yamaha will never go.

There are also a lot of cute little touches that I haven't delved into - an FM radio (yes really) that you can sample from, an etch-a-sketch that doubles as a sequencer, a "Chopper Command" video game (yep), an accelerometer that is mapped to an LFO effect so you can whip the thing around to manipulate the sound, Lego attachment knobs, a rubber-band bender for effects (like a wah pedal), and they even thoughtfully included attachment points for a strap for live use.



Open-source hardware: The folks at Teenage Engineering have shared their CAD files, making parts available through online manufacturers. If you happen to break a knob, or want to invent a new attachment or something... there is stuff available on Shapeways (online manufacturing-on-demand via 3D printing.)

The sounds - this thing is clearly aimed at EDM sorts of music but the built-in synthesizers are actually pretty powerful. It includes eight or nine sound engines and a sampler. (The latest update just added another synth) And a built-in mic for on the spot sampling. You can even plug it in via USB and upload your own samples if you want. Or you can use the OP-1 to control your DAW or other synth... or you can control the OP-1 via MIDI. Here's some videos...
http://www.teenageengineering.com/products/op-1/videos

One accessory for this thing that looks really geeky is the Oplab board. It's a board that is designed to give you a bunch of additional controls including several analog CV controls, MIDI, USB, etc. Make your own synth.


Check it out and buy here:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OP1/
http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Engine...dp/B005AQC2B4/
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keybo...le-synthesizer
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Teenage-...67-i3131744.gc

[Steev]

Looks like a lot of fun, but seriously useable!
Love the tape scrubbing and reverse record...

[MikeBmusic]

At close to $900 ....

[muscmp]

very interesting. i'm awaiting my guitar wing any day now.

http://guitarwing.com/

play music!

[J.R. Rogers]

Originally Posted by muscmp

very interesting. i'm awaiting my guitar wing any day now.

http://guitarwing.com/

Very cool looking in the video. I'd love to check one of those out. Thanks for the tip!