Excellent advice, thanks! Interesting you sold the two synths I‘m thinking about as well 
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Hi there,
I’m a brand new op1 field user and I’d like to midi sync it to other gear, let’s say a Syntakt or a Monomachine.
It feels quite easy with a computer. But without it, how would you do that ? If someone is used to use a similar set-up, I’d be very grateful to know more about it.
Many thanks.
K.
“The OP-1F is also very great in conjunction with iPads and iPhones as you just need a single USB cable to connect it and it’ll play the synth apps audio through the OP-1F.”
Did not know it could do this!! Holy cow I gotta try this out! Is there a setting to change on the op1f?
You have to make sure the Microphone icon is switched to the USB icon which I think only pops up when you have it plugged into a USB device but it might just always be there. You’ll see it with a USB device plugged in though. Just press Shift+ Microphone button and scroll to the USB icon as your input source.
At that point you should be good to go. You can sample into the sample engines from your phone over USB or right to the tape and you can use the OP-1F as a MIDI controller (now with velocity!) all with one cable.
OP-1F is a synth, sampler, recorder, FX unit, audio interface, and MIDI controller all in one tiny package.
Edit: another thing is you can utilize sequencer apps like Drambo or Cykle or something to control the OP-1F with MIDI so if you want a sequencer that’s a little more robust than what the OP-1F has on it that would be your answer. Then you can use the MIDI LFO to have 4 lanes of modulation for your synth rather than the standard 1 plus you get much more control with the (extremely underutilized) MIDI LFO.
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I became a bit overwhelmed with 3 Elektron sequencers (OT, A4, AR) while patching sounds on the Rev2 as well. They’re all such powerful devices, but require a lot of mental overhead that took away from the joy and spontaneity of making music.
Moving to OT + OP-1F (still noodling over whether I’ll keep the Rytm) has really increased my focus and allowed me to dive deeper with each. I do miss the lovely pads on the Rev2, however!
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So you are running OP1 into OT and sample it there? Or more like a live-mangling situation on your OT?
Agreed. Whenever using Rev2 or A4, I kinda get lost in fine-tuning sounds and sessions become more sound-designy. With DN, on the other hand, I tend to move to the next pattern way faster because I don’t dare to make my own sounds and thus focus more on crafting melodies and songs. I was hoping that OP1 field could maybe have the same effect.
However, not sure whether a non-sequenced, straight committing to tape device would result in me making any songs. I like that my midi and sound data is stored on Elektron boxes and can be sent to other devices and always changed. For now, I first have to finish some stuff.
So you are running OP1 into OT and sample it there? Or more like a live-mangling situation on your OT?
Yep, I’ll prepare something on the OP-1’s tape (if I want to add layers, etc) and then sample it directly into the OT and can chop/arrange. I usually do this when I’m not near my desk. The tape is where I prepare sounds/chord progressions rather than flesh out full songs. I find the latter a bit laborious.
Or, I’ll sequence the OP-1 using the OT via MIDI when I’m jamming. I’ve been using the Strymon Volante via Cue, as I find the OP-1’s delay to be somewhat limited.
They’re really complimentary devices and I’m loving the workflow I’ve landed on. Gives you the best of tape and Elektron sequencing!
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You’ve already had some great answers, like Son Wu synth engine videos.
You can have one ‘engine’ working at a time - OP-1 is monotimbral that way… so there are “four blocks” essentially the first block can be instrument sampler, drum sampler, drum synth or any of a bunch of other synths, next block is envelope and parameters like poly/mono/legato, portamento etc, third block is insert effect, there is a bunch, last block is lfo, and there is a bunch of those to choose from too. Any combination of those four blocks can be saved as a preset.
When you record to ‘tape’, it’s an overdub, not an overwrite. If you hold REC and press a key eg middle C, it records to tape starting at the right time.
I’m mentioning this, because you can record layers of sound to tape from various synths. - even basic sine waveforms, adjust the pitch a bit then record again in the same place. Or different octaves. Then you can ‘lift’ that bit of tape and drop it into the sampler block. This resampling from tape into sampler method gives you the option of making some huge sounds, in device. There is a master effect slot too, and you can record to tape from the output so you can record through two effects that way.
Oh, the mic sounds excellent, but is mono. Doesn’t matter for a guitar or vocals but if you want to capture a wide ambient image of an environment you’d want stereo. I grabbed a cheap Zoom H-1n which has been excellent for this, works fine with the Field.
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Day 2:
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I’m doing exactly this, sequencing the OP-1 with Drambo, and using the OP-1 as a midi controller. It’s an absolutely amazing combo.
Edit: @Azzarole the OP-1 F is also a great partner for the Digitone. USB midi, and you can send the audio back and forth over cables, and monitor it all from the DN headphones.
Use the DN to sequence the OP-1, and use the DN’s reverb, delay, chorus, and overdrive on the OP-1
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This is a great explanation of the architecture of the OP1. It is a weird/unique device due to the integrated Tape recorder. I have been caught out by the routing sometimes as a consequence.
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Azzerole,
Judging by the way you use words, I would say you would appreciate the field.
It does what it needs to do for all manners of sound design, but it does it in a different way than any other well stapled devices. I would dare to go as far as to say it has a soul to it. The price is eye watering for what it seems to be, but if you can afford it without that denting into your basic needs, go for it. You can always sell it without loosing too much money.
Don’t expect to produce well thought out sounds with many parameter mangling shenanigans though. In that regard it is quite limited. But, if you want to have something that produces unexpected, surprisingly good results in any genre, you will be satisfied and surprised most of the time.
Especially consider it if you like going on hikes or traveling. It plays well with mobile phones, ipads and such, so in that regard your options to create open up considerably.
If you are looking for a versatile synth for sound design, I would say it does the job, but you will be better off getting some dedicated powerhouse synth. The field is not about that. It’s about the feeling and versatility more than any one capability.
If you’re like me, you will also appreciate the design, build quality and overall friendliness of the device. You will come to love it very quickly.
That said, it’s not for everyone, especially if you are a utilitarian person who just wants the best bang for buck.
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Thanks for this! I really like your take on it having a soul. To me, the Digitone feels a bit like that. It feels like a device that makes you come up with creative stuff by using all of the onboard possibilities in combination.
I‘m not interested in using it with Ipad/Phone though. Would prefer to just hook up a keyboard or sequencer over regular MIDI, it’s sad there’s not even a mini MIDI output.
It is pretty easy: just use an usb c adaptor to connect in usb to your Syntakt. If you want to use the bpm start stop from the field, activate receive transport and tempo on the Syntakt. In OP-1 field activate midi sync or beat match in metronome menu (don’t remember exactly which one). Then in shift + com, choose the option you want in midi menu and you are set. You can also sequence OP-1 from ST. For that just configure the same midi channel on both and make sure to activate receive midi notes on OP-1 in midi menu
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I use a Yamaha MD-BT01 - it’s a pair of midi plugs linked together with a super short cable. It takes its power from the midi ports, and allows for Bluetooth midi. So I plug that into my Nord Grand, and it’s wirelessly communicating midi over Bluetooth with OP-1 Field. It doesn’t do clock sync over Bluetooth but normal midi playing is easy. It even fits in the OP-1 Field bag’s little pocket. I can use it with my Yamaha QY-100 too, or anything else will full size midi.
Here’s a little groovy loop in which I embedded some Theta Binaural tones into (made in Drambo of course). Why you might ask…cause they work for me or so I feel 
Just load the track in your preferred looper (Koala, Drambo, Loopy Pro) and let it play as long as you like and let me know if anything materializes from another dimension
Break down of track:
Drums : PlayBeat 3
Synths : All but 1, OP-1field, iOS synth Nambu + Loopy Pro for audio capture
Theta Drone : Drambo (Oscillator Mini Tuned to 130+136 Hz) Hard Panned L/R+Mix
Synth Track : Drambo Pitch Shift -0.32
Master Track : reAmp + Grand Finale 2
Recorded : AUM Loop capture
Project File: Enjoy Your HeadSpace
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Thank you for this! Totally worked. But how do I get it so only the iPad synth plays and the op1f internal synth doesn’t play? I have it hooked up to Animoog and it’s working but only with the internal synth as well, unless I use shift+com and hit ctrl.
Go to your synth engine, go to envelope, press shift and turn the volume all the way down. It’s a little funky but at that point I’d just save your patch as a “midi patch” so that you can just recall your synth preset. I have mine permanently saved on slot 8 so I know if I press that I just have silence and it’ll only send data to the USB device.
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Brilliant! Thank you!
One more question to anyone that knows-
When I sample something with the synth sampler, it’s always looped, and I can’t figure out how to turn off the loop. I’ve been searching in the manual and on the internet but I haven’t figured out how to set it to 1-shot or gate (hold to play) mode. Turning down the release and sustain on the envelope helps but is there an easier/faster way?
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I think the only real way to do it in the sampler engine is to move the loop start point marker all the way to the end and then you’ll get a one shot.
I don’t have my OP-1 in front of me to look at that though
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