The Synth Thread...

[Shadoweclipse13]

Hey man, sorry for the delay.
Yep, I use simple patch cables at the patch bay in different lengths. I just got a bunch of those sets of cheap cables in different colors, so I don't get too puzzled with the signal routing. As for the signal loss: I haven't really found the time to mess around with it a lot yet, but so far it seems to be okay. Lots of the pedals have a buffer built in, I guess that helps. In the worst case I could probably just route the signal through a bypassed Boss pedal.
I use my synths with guitar pedals for years and never had any issues. I just don't turn them all the way up. But a lot of them have quite a low output anyway. The Peak and the Minibrute are the ones to be careful with, but even the Microkorg is pretty tame and the vintage ones are pretty much guitar level.

Thanks for the answers! I'll have to get a bunch. I like the idea of the color coding too. I may grab a dedicated buffer just in case, and have it in a patchable place.

Glad you've never had any issues! And that I could control that with the synth volume. Do you run your synths through a mixing board before/after patchbay or before/after recording inputs? That could maybe help with volume control as well. Unfortunately if the vintage ones are better than modern synths as far as signal going into the pedals, that won't help me. Both of my synths are modern. I'm tempted to take the advice from someone here (sorry, I don't remember who said it!) and get a re-amp box just in case the signal is too hot for pedals.

I watched the video you posted and it is great information! That guy is funny too! I tried finding more for other people's ideas to add to his, and found this one:
Once Upon A Synth - Why PATCHBAYS are AWESOME

I thought it was pretty cool that he has a 1/4" input dedicated for guitar or bass use on the back-side of his patchbay. I will probably do the same thing. I think I might route 6 send and returns from the patchbay to my bypass loop footswitch (Gig Rig Quartermaster 6), as I think it would still be cool to be able to control the effect pedal patches I build with my feet for performance-based stuff. I think I might add my expression controls to the patchbay as well. I am CRAZY excited to try this out. I never play with other people, and mostly at home anywho, so this could be my ultimate setup. Thank you so much for posting your setup Zork!!!

[Zork]

Thank you so much for posting your setup Zork!!!

Aw, I'm glad that it inspired you so much and you seem to bring the whole idea to a whole different level. I'm curious to see the outcome and hit me up any time.
Once Upon A Synth was by the way one of my favourite youtubers. It's a shame he's not active anymore. He made a series where he documented his work on a lofi indie pop album and it's just so enjoyable! => https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyWV ... L_Y6Qldf5-

[mediocreplayer]

Once Upon A Synth was by the way one of my favourite youtubers. It's a shame he's not active anymore. He made a series where he documented his work on a lofi indie pop album and it's just so enjoyable! => https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyWV ... L_Y6Qldf5-

Same here. I am so bummed that he stopped. He also wrote a couple of little cool free apps, e.g. https://note.kitchen

[Shadoweclipse13]

Thanks for posting both of those! I should watch more of his stuff!!

[Shadoweclipse13]

Oberheim OB-X8

Calling Megan!! Do you copy? Megan, come in!

[Maggieo]

It's the OP–1 field!!!

louder, thinner and 100 times better.
introducing the all new OP–1 field. injected with more than a decade ofideas, refinements and improvements. just to mention a few: stereothroughout the whole signal chain, bluetooth midi, usb type-c, a newspeaker system with a passive driver for detailed, fat and loud sound,a massive 24 hour battery life, multiple tapes and recording formats,new great sounding reverb and the 'dimension' synth engine, an allglass, flush, high resolution display. we also meticulously reworked allgraphics, screen by screen. did we mention fm broadcasting?well, that's just some of the 100 new features:

[Zork]

Glad you've never had any issues! And that I could control that with the synth volume. Do you run your synths through a mixing board before/after patchbay or before/after recording inputs? That could maybe help with volume control as well. Unfortunately if the vintage ones are better than modern synths as far as signal going into the pedals, that won't help me. Both of my synths are modern. I'm tempted to take the advice from someone here (sorry, I don't remember who said it!) and get a re-amp box just in case the signal is too hot for pedals.

The synths are plugged through another patchbay in a 19" rack mixer and are then routed through a stereo output in a Mackie mixer with firewire interface.
I can route them through the second patchbay that is connected to the pedals or use the outputs of the synth patchbay to individual inputs of the recording mixer. There's always the possibility to connect for example a volume pedal or something in between ins and outs of the patchbay. Also I use DI boxes on some of the synths to help with grounding issues or just use the 30db tab of the output from the DI if the level gets too hot. I use the passive Palmer DIs, they are cheap, reliable and solid.

[Shadoweclipse13]

Glad you've never had any issues! And that I could control that with the synth volume. Do you run your synths through a mixing board before/after patchbay or before/after recording inputs? That could maybe help with volume control as well. Unfortunately if the vintage ones are better than modern synths as far as signal going into the pedals, that won't help me. Both of my synths are modern. I'm tempted to take the advice from someone here (sorry, I don't remember who said it!) and get a re-amp box just in case the signal is too hot for pedals.

The synths are plugged through another patchbay in a 19" rack mixer and are then routed through a stereo output in a Mackie mixer with firewire interface.
I can route them through the second patchbay that is connected to the pedals or use the outputs of the synth patchbay to individual inputs of the recording mixer. There's always the possibility to connect for example a volume pedal or something in between ins and outs of the patchbay. Also I use DI boxes on some of the synths to help with grounding issues or just use the 30db tab of the output from the DI if the level gets too hot. I use the passive Palmer DIs, they are cheap, reliable and solid.

Great information!! Thank you so much for all the help with this.

I ordered some server racks for the pedals themselves, and some rack rails so I can build my own rack/cabinet. I'm so excited to start messing with this it's not even funny.

[mediocreplayer]

It's the OP–1 field!!!

It’s $2k!

[wooderson]

The Field has some very useful upgrades - 20 seconds of stereo sampling, better recording methods, seems like the UI is less quirky for the sake of being quirky.

Damn shame about the price but no one's come out with a truly portable challenger even at the price of the old one. People point to the wide range of gear you could put together at that price point but hauling around a backpack full of gear and a power brick is a rather different game.

If I had, say, an hourlong train commute every day I could easily see the value in an OP-1 Field even at $2k... but I don't.

The closest thing to an OP-1 I know of is the Dirtywave M8 but trackers are not compatible with everyone's brain.

[Maggieo]

It's the OP–1 field!!!

It’s $2k!

I know, right? But considering inflation and that a new guitar costs that, I'm not surprised.

[mediocreplayer]

The Field has some very useful upgrades - 20 seconds of stereo sampling, better recording methods, seems like the UI is less quirky for the sake of being quirky.

Damn shame about the price but no one's come out with a truly portable challenger even at the price of the old one. People point to the wide range of gear you could put together at that price point but hauling around a backpack full of gear and a power brick is a rather different game.

If I had, say, an hourlong train commute every day I could easily see the value in an OP-1 Field even at $2k... but I don't.

The closest thing to an OP-1 I know of is the Dirtywave M8 but trackers are not compatible with everyone's brain.

I agree with all of this but I am always confused when the suggestion that there is no challenger is brought up. I can do everything an OP-1 can do (and a thousand more) with my iPad Pro. Is it as cool as the OP-1? Of course, not. But it offers much better functionality. I understand however that the "coolness" factor is important and can be enough in making someone want to make music when they have their OP-1 vs. when they have their iPad.

[wooderson]

I agree with all of this but I am always confused when the suggestion that there is no challenger is brought up. I can do everything an OP-1 can do (and a thousand more) with my iPad Pro. Is it as cool as the OP-1? Of course, not. But it offers much better functionality. I understand however that the "coolness" factor is important and can be enough in making someone want to make music when they have their OP-1 vs. when they have their iPad.

I like my iPad Pro but no keys and no tactile controls (ie knobs) make it an entirely different experience. The process of recording with an iOS DAW/AU host/etc. is pretty different as well. Getting audio and MIDI in and out is also more complicated - you need some kind of interface, it's either going to drain power from the iPad or need a plug and you're going to have the latency of a USB interface to deal with.

A true competitor would be a musically focused box with keys and knobs, a multitrack recorder, battery powered for hours on end and similarly lightweight. There are products that come close (Organelle M, Dirtywave) but aren't as user-friendly.

I backed the Liven SamplTrk Kickstarter because it's battery-powered, reasonably portable (I don't need to fit it in a jacket pocket) and sampling was the most useful part of the OP-1 - the Liven was 15% of the cost of an OP-1 Field.

[eggwheat]

OP-1 field is a joke.

How to replicate Teenage Engineering OP-1 and OP-1 Field for free. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU8alMWUmDI

[wooderson]

OP-1 field is a joke.

How to replicate Teenage Engineering OP-1 and OP-1 Field for free. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU8alMWUmDI

Now you just need a way to carry all of those plugins on the bus in a 10 oz package and you've got an OP-1.

Videos like that are incredibly dumb - yes, there's alternate gear that's not the same that might be more or less affordable and do similar things. Might as well make some videos about how much of a bargain desktop computers are vs. laptops and maybe throw in some Mac vs. PC clickbait too.