A collection of songs I made using one of my favorite synths of all time, Teenage Engineering OP-1.  A couple of them were augmented inside Ableton Live, but even those tracks began in the OP-1 and much of the creation process happened in the OP-1.

OP-1 Tracks

I made this track using Teenage Engineering's OP-1 for many of the synth sounds, as well as its built in FM radio (with which I sampled happened upon Salt n Pepa's "What a Man" ... destiny I suppose).  I recorded the sounds straight into Ableton Live, where I further manipulated them.  Another sample came from The Hues Corporation vinyl I had around the house.  

Using the OP-1 was a blast! It encouraged me to come up with some new ways of twisting sounds.  My personal favorite is one of the high pitched synth parts, which I labeled with a comment.  This sound was made by looping super tiny portions of the Salt n Pepa sample, and changing the length of the loop on the fly.  Changing the length changes the pitch of that note, and coming up with a melody is a matter of turning the knob just right (really fun and awfully random).  

Thanks to Anthony Ricciardi for the photo from Lit Lounge 6/30/11


"Salt Shaka" (OP-1 & Ableton Jam, July 1, 2011)

This is the first "A-side" I made with my OP-1.  Features samples from Salt n Pepa and random gibberish.  The last bit  (about 4:15) was recorded sitting on a rock by a stream (the stream was sampled of course), ah the joys of portability.

One Day- OP-1 a-side

This song was made using Teenage Engineerings OP-1 and Ableton Live.  It started by turning on the OP-1s FM radio and randomly sampling the drum breakdown from "Head to Toe" by Lisa Lisa (lucky!) and bits from a classical piano performance (I may never know what it is called).  From there I built the beat, made a bassline from my Nintendo Rack ( http:bit.ly/freesynth6 ), used the OP-1 for some synth sounds, layered on vocals and even played a little melodica.  Big shout out to G$ and Big C! 

Yours Tonight  -Ableton and Op-1 jam

This track was recorded on the OP-1.  I realized last  night that you can use the mic to record anything into the tape recorder, so I played guitar and sang right into it.  

Come on Home OP-1

This is a little acoustic track recorded on the OP-1 during the most brutal heatwave ever (I think).  Everything was recorded right into the built in mic on the OP-1 and you can hear the summer bugs bugging out on the vocal tracks.  Those bugs were pissed because it's so hot out. 

Always Mine/Always Yours OP-1

228 Million Dollars was recorded on the Teenage Engineering OP-1 and finished in Ableton Live.  All sounds were created using the OP-1's built-in synths and FM radio. Visit http://bit.ly/freesynth120 to download a free Ableton Live Pack featuring all the sounds in this track.  

228 Million Dollars

Living Breathing

This track was recorded completely using the OP-1's built in mic. It features my 1913 piano, vocals, and the sound of my shower running during the vocal take.

Lyrics:

It always starts the same
Catch me by surprise
Lead me in your eyes
Waiting for replies
Sifting through the lies
It just multiplies
Fill the air with sighs
Read in between the lines
It always starts the same
It always starts the same

It Always Starts The Same

Inner Dialog

This track was written and recorded on Teenage Engineering's OP-1. Acoustic guitar recorded with sm58 connected to OP-1. 

There's Nothing That'll Keep Me Away From You

Lock the doors, get a gun and surveillance.
Get a dog with a big, loud, scary bark.
Give the police a call.
I'll avoid them all.
Hell, I'll fight them off.
There's nothing, no nothing, that'll keep me away from you.
No matter how tall, I will climb that wall.
There's nothing that'll keep me away from you.
No, there's not.

There's Nothing That'll Keep Me Away From You

An ambient track recorded on the Teenage Engineering OP-1, featuring ambient sounds from Lake George, NY.

Sleeping By The Lake

"All of My Life (I Have Been Waiting For You)" was recorded outside in a screen house around midnight 8/18/12 on Long Island, New York.  Written and recorded by AfroDJMac and SuperKid.  Recorded on the Teenage Engineering OP-1, using its internal microphone for guitars, vocals, and percussion.  Keyboard added inside Ableton Live with the AfroDJMac CP-35 Pack (free download of that instrument here: http://bit.ly/freesynth9)  

Lyrics:

It's alright Tonight
You'll be home before long
All of my life I have been waiting for you
When I'm alone I dream of you
Before you go make sure you know
All of my life I have been waiting for you

http://twitter.com/superkid_3d
http://afrodjmac.com

All of My Life (with SuperKid)

I'm so sad the end is here again!

Recorded onto Teenage Engineering's OP-1, played on a Gibson acoustic guitar.

The End

Musician, Producer, and Educator from New York. 
Host of the Music Production Podcast. 
Author of 5-Minute Music Producer. 
Berklee Online teacher. 
Ableton Certified Trainer.

OP-1 Tracks

Brian Funk