I can understand why you feel some things on the Op-1 are gimmicky but I don’t think so at all. The Op-1 is my absolute favorite. I love everything about it. But it’s not for everyone.
Even tho a lot consider it to have limitations, I feel like it’s completely limitless.
It took me a few years before I even gave it a chance, I felt like it couldn’t add anything to my set up. I was so wrong.
It depends on what you’re looking for, but any chance I get I rave about the Op-1. Nothing else out there like it & it fits me in every way. I consider it multiple instruments in 1… limitless sound design possibilities, I make crazy rhythms on it, so experimental, a lot of fun to try new things. & if you don’t like it, it shouldn’t be hard to sell. The Op-1 changed my life. No joke.
Edit: I wanted to add that, I create music because I enjoy it… the Op-1 changed my life & brought my music making to the next level because I enjoy using it so much. I also love to be challenged & love gaining skills when it comes to my passions. Op-1 not only challenges me, I had to gain skills to create music on it that I was proud of (for example playing chords, drums, ect un-quantized). It actually took me awhile to really make anything with it that I loved, I had to learn the “instrument” & gain those Op-1 skills.
I just got a blackbox to mostly sample my OP-1 and do transition tracks while I transition my elektron gear. Also it’s great for when there are thunderstorms, I can run everything off of battery.
The sound quality is absolutely superb.
So far I am having a hard time with the small screen unfortunately. I am sure I will get used to it but it just feels like a computer/mini iPad. I don’t know why I didn’t figure that part out when looking at all the reviews haha
had it and returned it .
Could not make it a sync slave. Not through USB and not by DIN.
Had it connected via iconnect midi 4+ and while every other item got a start stop and tempo sync the blackbox only received note information…
nope
I just read some stuff in the blackbox forum concerning sync issues.
I lost patience as midi sync is so basic. This should work without any effort.
As long as the sync or midi stays in a hardware environment - one without ableton or so - it is a nobrainer to get this done…
It really does work without no effort. The Blackbox reads sync automatically, unless you specifically tell it not to in the global settings. Just plug in a din sync or usb sync and the Bbox picks it up, and sends the sync through as well to other instruments.
Too bad it didn’t work for you, might’ve been a faulty unit. It’s so frustrating when these simple things just don’t fall into place. It’s like “All I want is the goddam kits to play in sync”, and all gear goes “Huh, what now?”
I had the BB only for a weekend but syncing worked right out of the box for me, even in a chained setup where the BB wasn´t connected directly to the main sequencer.
I would not say that this is an error by default.
I guess it was a faulty device. I really tried it and it did not work with the fw that it was delivered with and not with the 1.35 beta…
Thats too bad. I’m not having any sync issues here through the MIDI ports anyway. Sort of confusing that there is a menu option for USB but it isn’t implemented yet.
So I was going to return it but sampling the DFAM in Clip mode with Quantize settings absolutely changed my mind.
You can change beat length of the clip and get things your instrument could never do…
Since it has clock out it’s a great pair with the DFAM!
Here is a video showing what can be done. I first playback 3 pads that recorded the same DFAM patch at different start points with the same kick/snare on the blackbox.
Then I end the test video with a modified beat length clip and my mind is officially blown!
Next step is to mess around with the pitch/granular synth/reverse/timestretch and see how far I can take the DFAM.
I put up a vid in the new gear (whats-your-latest-purchase-what-are-your-intentions-with-it) thread. Might make you go above critical. Unclear. Never made techno until today…so much fun hahaha
I’m hitting a wall with the Blackbox, though not by fault of the Blackbox.
Rather, I have enough material recorded now to create longer structures, say sets of half an hour or an hour, with lots of automation, and the Blackbox isn’t designed to do that. So I’m looking at midi sequencers that can help me with this and ironically, closest candidate is the Digitakt. Essentially, a partner to the Blackbox that take over where the Blackbox ends.
Here’s what I’m after -
A midi sequencer that can send multiple CC signals, live or as recorded automation. This, the Digitakt can do.
Longer streaks of automation that span over say 16 to 32 bars. I figured that unquantified recording of midi CC from the Digitakt, in a pattern with a scale of say 1/8, would accomplish this. However, this I’m not sure. Is there a Digitakt experienced user here who can chime in? I’m pulling you into this @DaveMech , you’re the most accomplished Digitakt user I’m aware of out there
And uh, yeah, I guess that’s it.
I know the Pyramid can do this, but it’s awkward in workflow compared to the Digitakt, for me. I’m very familiar with the Elektrons by now.
The Social Entropy Engine seems a bit clunky for the purpose.
The Polyend Seq don’t seem to record only automation but always require a not attached to a midi CC message. Otherwise, that would’ve been an option, since the visualisation is more appropriate for me.
The Cirklon, should I ever find one, is way overkill.
The Deluge, as lovely as it is, is too confusing.
The MPCs are right out. I’m looking for an extension to the Blackbox, not an entire studio to attach to it.
And yeah, the Octatrack. I’m very familiar with the Octatrack but it’s too awkward for a task that’s quite easy in itself and don’t require many features, just the right set of features.
So yeah, I’m ending up with maybe the Digitakt is the best for the job, even though I wouldn’t be using the sampler much, or at all, for now. Kind of strange to get a Digitakt primarily for the midi part, but we live in strange times, don’t we?
I’ve reached this apparent dead end as well and the quickest way out of it was to lay down the basics in BB, then automate, arrange and mix in Ableton, and finally bounce it back into BB.
I would love to see CC automation on the BB, that would enable me to take things a lot further with the BB only.
I’m holding off the external sequencer solution for a while (in my case it would be the OT), in the hope 1010music add automation at some point.
Let me know how it goes with the DT!
That’s exactly my line of thinking as well. The sequencer window as a separate automation view would certainly allow for it, so I’d say it’s more a matter of if 1010 thinks this is something the Blackbox should be.
I’m going to hook up my Bb to a Digitakt in the store today and see where it takes me. I have a feeling it’s going to work quite well, which is going to make this Friday difficult to not buy shit. That I could do without. But would still enjoy having.
