A4 vs OP-1

nedavine · 2013-10-03T00:47:03.000Z

SO I used to own an OP-1, I loved the sequencers, synths were meh but finger drumming on that thing with the tape was great fun. Portability aside my question is this, could the A4 and OP-1 be considered similar in anyway?

For me being able to sit down with the one machine and make a whole song was great fun. Obviously the A4 doesn’t have the portability of the OP-1 but thats fine because to my ears it seems to have much more practical studio use than the quirkiness of the OP-1.

Could I take it in my living room sit with it on my lap and just tape away at a small track with it?

jamrod · 2013-10-03T02:00:39.000Z

Yes definitely. A4 has enough going on that you can make entire tracks on it - though obviously it’s different in that you have to synthesize percussion from scratch, don’t have poly instruments, etc.

I think that kind of limitation is useful and forces you to do more with each track. That said, the stuff I’ve made with just the A4 so far doesn’t sound the way I want it too yet, as I’m still learning to program it well. There’s a lot more opportunity to carefully sculpt sounds. And just being able to return to your ideas and revise them later is a huge step toward making real tracks on the A4. The sound is a lot more inspiring to me, even if you have to work to find the sweet spots. The FX are great.

Portability: if you care about this (I do) there are rechargeable batteries like this one: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/618847-REG/Tekkeon_MP3450I_myPower_ALL_Plus_MP3450i.html

I agree with you on the OP-1, by the way - I love using it but don’t love the basic synth sounds. I do like sampling on it - I like making making more hip hop sample-y stuff on it a lot. And I have some kind of emotional connection that keeps me from selling it even though it doesn’t make its way into too many finished tracks.

nedavine · 2013-10-03T03:55:01.000Z

Thanks, I’ll reply to your email later by the way need to collect some projects to send…

Anyway yeah it looks perfect I actually just watched the cuckoo video of him making a whole song the way I used to on the OP-1 so I’m pretty much sold. If I can get the money together before my birthday I’ll try and get one by December.

Also with the OT and tetra it should be all I ever needed set up wise. But I’ll also be able to take it to the living room and just jam stuff.

Got a jar I the kitchen that says analog four fund.

natrixgli · 2013-10-03T04:06:29.000Z

Tempest.