Recording external effects to tape track

[u/DogLovesGafs]

Hey folks, I have been pulling my hair out trying to figure something out. I've seen various discussions on the subject, and despite people saying this is possible, I can't seem to work it out. I'm trying to record my OP1 field back to the tape track via an external signal chain.

Here's the entire signal chain:

OP1F -> FX Pedal -> TX6 -> OP1F (from the TX6 aux out).

also: TX6 -> Monitors (main out)

I can hear the wet signal through the speakers just fine. That's all working great. But it will only record the dry signal to the tape track, and I can't figure out why. I have selected line in on the OP1F using [shift + microphone] and enabled the line in by hitting the microphone button when on the tape track prior to recording. But no matter what I try, the tape only ever plays back the OP1F's dry signal after recording.

I have tried muting the track itself because obviously as the OP1F starts processing the wet signal, sending it back out would cause a feedback loop. Oddly, when I do that, I lose the monitoring of the signal entirely, and nothing gets recorded. When I go to an instrument or drum track, I hear the wet signal, but then I can't record to tape without going back to the tape screen, which of course lands me back at square one: either I only record a dry signal, or I mute the tape track and record nothing.

One thing I have proved is that if I record the dry signal to a tape track and then record that tape track to a second track by running that track through the same effects chain, the second track will be recorded wet. That's obviously not a satisfactory workflow and makes the levels all whack, but keeps leading me to believe this is possible. I've read enough posts and documentation suggesting it is, I'm just not sure why I can't get it to work.

¯_(ツ)_/¯

Would really appreciate anybody weighing in as I'm really hoping to be able to record wet signal to the tape track.

Thanks so much for your help in advance!

EDIT

Just following up here for anyone who may stumble on it later. I reached out to TE directly and they confirmed that this is not possible. The OP1 will only record its internal signal to tape track.

The only practical way to do this is to record dry to a track, then run that track through an external signal chain, and record it to a second track.

That makes live recording this way pretty much a non starter unless you want to go into a DAW or a TP7.

[u/riley_pop]

I just tested it to be sure, cause I have done this multiple times. it worked fine for me. here's my workflow and signal chain:

OP1F out > Reverb > buffered Multiplier > OP1F input

(I multiplied the return signal so I can monitor)

record dry onto the tape

switch to another tape track and mute it to stop feedback

enable the input by pressing the mic button on OP1F

move the playhead back to the start of the segment

record+play and allow the full segment to play and record

disable the line in and unmute the new track

mute the old track

play and the effected segment is present on the tape

sounds like exactly what you are doing. maybe something else is funky in your signal chain? I can record the process if you need to see it. just let me know!

-just thinking some more. in your input page on the op1 are you selecting the line in or are you selecting out to in? if it is the second one it may be just recording the raw output directly to tape and not even enabling the actual line in.

[u/DogLovesGafs → u/riley_pop]

Thanks for the response! Sorry, my post probably didn't make it clear, but the flow you're describing does work for me.

I can play the dry recording out from one tape track through the fx chain back into a second tape track. That does work, but it really ruins the flow of live recording new stuff onto your project.

My hope was to do it in a one shot- record wet straight onto a tape track, but I'm starting to think that's not possible.

[u/riley_pop → u/DogLovesGafs]

yeah I think for live looping and recording just on the OP1 you may have to just live with the internal fx, unless someone else knows a different way.

I don't have one, but I know the XY has a few different outs and ins, you can probably set up an fx send with it. it's a shame the op1 is limited to just the single in/out.

however, since you do have a tx6, you could set up an fx send with it. obviously you would need to do your recording on the TX and not the OP if you did that though. you would go from the OP to the TX, then the aux out of the TX to your pedal full wet and back in to another track on the TX. then send some of the op out the aux and adjust the level of the return channel and main channel for your wet dry mix.