Recording Guitar Loops onto the OP-XY: A Practical Guide from Windowbed

Creator: windowbed (James)
Video: Watch on YouTube
Tags: #teoperator #teenageengineering

Overview

Denver-based musician and teacher windowbed (James) digs into how he’s been recording guitar loops directly into Teenage Engineering’s OP-XY, sharing a wealth of insights on setup, recording workflow, and mixing tricks. Using firmware 1.0.21, James walks through everything from creating a DIY count-in to understanding when to use the drum versus multisampler engines.

This isn’t just a tutorial—it’s a peek into a real creative workflow evolving in real time.

The Challenge: 20 Seconds to Shine

The OP-XY’s 20-second sample limit sounds tight, but James shows how it fits neatly within a loop-based songwriting process. Working mainly in eight-bar loops at 96 BPM or faster, he easily stays inside the limit without losing creative flexibility.

Making Your Own Count-In

One of the OP-XY’s quirks: no built-in count-in.
James’ workaround is simple and smart:

1. Add an empty Scene 99 in Song mode.
2. Enable only the Punch-In FX track for a two-bar metronome count-in.
3. Record your part, then delete the count-in scene.

It’s an elegant fix that improves timing without breaking flow.

Drum Engine vs. Multisampler

James compares the two recording engines head-to-head:

Engine	Pros	Cons
Multisampler	Melodic grouping keeps guitar loops musical	No individual panning
Drum Engine	Each sample can be panned separately for stereo feel	Groups into percussion gain stage

His go-to? Record with the multisampler for melodic tone, then transfer to drum tracks for stereo imaging and extra control.

Capturing a Clean Guitar Loop

Using a mono cable straight from his acoustic, James dials in threshold and gain. Pro tip: the OP-XY’s meter only reaches about two-thirds of the visual bar—it’s normal.
After recording two takes, he trims the edges, balances volumes, and disables looping so the parts play once. Layered together, they already sound rich—but it’s when he moves them into the drum engine that the stereo magic happens.

Creating a “Real” Multi-Tracked Sound

By panning one take left and the other right, James simulates classic double-tracking. Add a high-pass filter to clear low-end space, toss in a bit of FX send, and you’ve got a surprisingly wide and mix-ready loop—all inside the OP-XY.

He admits it’s not studio-perfect, but the goal here isn’t perfection—it’s immediacy and creative iteration.

Lessons Learned

• Group awareness matters. Know whether your loops sit in melodic or drum gain groups.
• Silence trimming differs. The drum engine auto-trims better than the multisampler.
• Save often. Accidental deletions happen (and did happen on camera).
• True stereo = two tracks. Two multisampler tracks panned left/right offer finer control than one drum track.

Final Thoughts

James wraps up by reflecting on the learning curve. Things drift a bit, mistakes creep in—but the OP-XY invites that kind of experimentation. For anyone trying to merge guitar and groovebox worlds, this video is an essential watch.

“If you really wanted this to sound awesome, you’d probably want to use two multisampler tracks and pan those separately… but this will do for my purposes.” – windowbed (James)

Creator Notes

windowbed’s calm, methodical delivery and willingness to troubleshoot out loud make his channel a must-follow for OP-XY owners. His Patreon community even helps choose tutorial topics—a great example of creator-driven collaboration.

📺 Watch the full tutorial: Recording Guitar Loops onto OP-XY (Tips & Tricks)
🎧 Support the creator: patreon.com/windowbed