I ask myself if I can exchange OT or A4 vs an OP1
I never finished a track and it makes me hangry…
I have fun with OT A4 and my recent UWMKII but I dont know how to finish a track and I am now wanting an OP1. Maybe you can help me ?
The MD UW OT _ OP1 looks like a nice combo,
What are you thinking about this ?
Trading an A4 for An op1 or OT for OP1 ?
Is it reasonable ?
Not sure how changing synths will help you finish tracks unfortunately.
You have all the tools necessary already.
If anything it may slow you down as you will need to spend time learning a new piece of gear.
Why can’t you finish these tracks?
What is the issue: recording / arranging / Final touch…?
Agree with the above. Op1 probably isn’t going to be any better for your ‘not finishing stuff’ dilemma unless you’re currently very busy with non-music/travel and the Op1 portability becomes a helpful factor.
What’s your feelings on ITB/Daw? I ask as if you haven’t tried ITB it might be worth a shot? I have a lot of fun with hardware and it always features in my tracks (and many of them born from random hardware sessions), but i also struggle pretty hard to ‘finish’ stuff, without hitting Daw at some point. Seems like some people excel at purely hardware while others (like myself) benefit from using a Daw…
If you have trouble finishing tracks on the A4/OT, the OP1 will not be helpful. Putting together tracks with the tape maching is fun, but it’s also very tedious and error prone. In my humble opinion it will make it more difficult for you to finish a piece. If I were you I’d focus on the OT or the A4 for a while and try to get something going. Build your initial pattern in slot A4 for example. Add everything you like to the pattern in this slot. Strip it down in slots A1-A3 and create variations in A5-A… Play your track using these patterns and practice building up your track by changing patterns and muting stuff. Add movement by gradually applying scenes and playing with the filters envelope parameters. Dig into arranger mode on the OT or song mode on the A4. Always have a recorder running and review what works well and what doesn’t. Just my $0.02
Best,
Hans
Thank you,
You know I always find great patches and fun with those machines, the fact is that I’m not using for example ableton to re-record so I have to arrange all my track on OT for example, I find the way a bit long to work with 3 machines and the OT arranger, It need to duplicate every pattern that I don’t do.
I cannot organise myself for the progression of my music…
The OP1 recorder look nice to add some little elements here or here… And build a track from little scratch things…
Thanks for the hobo I am 
You gave me some nice advices
I am an OP1 owner and while it is great to record rough ideas (stems, song segments etc) you will still want to transfer the stems in a DAW to arrange. Cause while you can move things around in the OP1 this happens via copy pasting and is tedious (and you are limited by the 4 tracks). If you already know what song structure you want it can work but how likely is that? Don’t get me wrong - the OP1 through its limitations will force you to commit ideas and move forward with your song creation efforts - but it is not going to solve the issue you described.
I won’t talk you out of buying an OP-1, it’s a beautiful piece of gear. The solution to you problem it most likely isn’t (as isn’t any other piece of gear if you ask me). You may want to check out https://makingmusic.ableton.com - lot’s of food for thought there that may help you to get where you want to go.
Best,
Hans
The OP1 is definitively a fun piece of gear by itself BUT the tape recorder is sometimes tedious to use for full songs.
However I know that @AdamJay has done awesome track just with this machine… so it is possible!
Before jumping to this solution I would advise to test it to make sure it suits to your needs / workflow / producing style. Another hardware option could be the new MPC? Once again it would be better for you to test it.
Anyway if you want to edit and arrange a lot, ableton would be the best solution.
I have owned and sold the OP-1 a couple of times… i have come to the conclusion that (for me), its best suited to sketching out ideas which I can then mixdown/touch up in Ableton afterwards…
Thank you for the link dear !
Sure thing. It’s well worth a read.
When your having fun can you keep going and changing things without stopping? The reason I ask is that I’m wired to keep things going in an improvised manner and have no desire to “finish tracks”. Some of us are better suited to improv… I can play for hours and have never finished a track, currently working on patterns and pre programming for an hour or two set, no finished tracks required… All of my recordings are from stereo out from mixer, performed in real time, they sound as if they were “tracks” as long as I get the mix right and I don’t f up…
Just thought I’d throw this concept out there, I’ve played music for 24 years, never finished a track, doesn’t bother me or keep me from performing…
I know that but at my level things not pre etablohed don’t look like tracks of masters I like and here of course I am disapointed.
I am on away to uncut live play and improv great stuff but the quality applied is not enough and effectively I’m on a "how to progress now " vs Fat WALL question
Thank you for the 24 years… I m just on the beginning of some things maybe 
I just thought I’d check in to see if that could be an alternative route for you, and say that’s it’s OK for some of us to not have “tracks”… I am in no way judging your abilities and do wish you good vibes with your music! One of these years I might start making tracks.
I’ve had that problem with other gear in the past - I could make really good patterns / beats, but could not expand them into a song. Whereas I just clicked with the Elektrons and have been really productive with them (and moderately productive on the OP-1, although I had a hard time using the OP-1 for a while after I brought Elektrons into my life).
Sometimes a workflow just doesn’t click and it’s time to move on. But sometimes it can be hard to recognize and separate that feeling from the never-ending GAS of “maybe this next piece of gear will fix me!”
I have an OP-1 and will agree again the tape is fun and cool for ideas but can be difficult when creating an entire song if that’s what you’re trying to solve.
Side note - My girlfriend will use just an DSI OB-6 and Nord drum and have a completed song within 30 minutes. The reason is she just creates a cool bass line or lead and keeps building/recording in Ableton without over analyzing anything. Kinda erratic work flow and sometimes start with drums or ends with drums. Just my advice instead of gear swapping…
Current owner of all machines and if I had to choose between the A4/AK vs. OP-1, it’s hands down the A4/AK. I make tons of music with my A4, and while I find the OP-1 truly magical, fun, and inspirational, I’ve only used it on a few songs. I love the digital synth machines a lot. I absolutely loathe the tape machines that others here are fond of. I freakin’ hate them so much - they’re such a PITA to work with and I can’t finish anything ITB.
That being said, I can’t bring myself to sell the OP-1.
Yeah if it’s the OP 1 you want go for it! also recording into a daw to arrange may help. I run stuff into an I pad chopping and arranging things there.