How to use an analog TAPE machine as outboard gear for a digital audio workstation (DAW)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- Here is a tutorial on how to implement a reel to reel tape machine in your digital audio workstation so you can add an analog flavour to your digitally recorded sounds.
Decide for yourself if it makes a remarkable difference to use this technique and let me know which one of the different versions you like best. You can compare all three full length versions (tape, no tape, tape effect) here: bit.ly/ds-tapevsdigital
Support me on Patreon and download the Ableton + Max for Live Tape Effect - bit.ly/dominiksymannpatreon
Edit: Just a quick idea - if you don't own a tape machine but want to get some analog lofi effects using hardware this thing might be a cool way to achieve that. amzn.to/3Q0vO60
🎛⚙💾 Gear and software I have used in this video:
Presonus interface (new version) - amzn.to/3tfvdUt
My favourite electric guitar 🖤 - amzn.to/3Me2uWH
Overdrive pedal - amzn.to/3zhvslO
Multi FX pedal (new version) - amzn.to/3PV6Sgi
Midi keyboard - amzn.to/3xbJHHi
Ableton Live - amzn.to/3m8Eg5J
Camera - amzn.to/3GLlvOZ
Lav microphone - amzn.to/3mbMhXC
Follow me!
Facebook - / dominiksyman. .
Instagram - / dominiksymann
Please subscribe for more audio and music production related content! / dominiksymann 
Видеоклипы
![NoCap - Maliboo [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FUV7E0QyniU/mqdefault.jpg)
jeez the tape is way more high quality then i thought
Definitely thought A was tape
WHOA!! Listening to the A and B, I said to myself "Oh this is easy...B is *definitely* tape." When you said it was A, I was genuinely surprised. Amazing. Tape sounds fucking phenomenal. Thanks for this!!
i said the same thing i thought B was the tape too
I think that was him mincing words on accident- B has got to be the tape, has way less of the abrasive high end and sounds way more 3 dimensional
tape doesn't sound bad, we figured out how to almost perfectly record things 70 years ago, people today still think that the machines that recorded the beatles are some of the best ever made, not to mention though that these consumer machines are printing tape about 1/5th as hard as professional machines, that's the magic that people talk about with tape, it genuinely has *more* information than digital, and if the levels are proper, like those pro machines, it'll just blow your head off
@@nbl95 A is definitely tape, not B.
@@searchiemusic I have a 1988 Otari MX-50N 2-track mastering machine I use for stuff like this. I have it setup in a 24u rack with some other goodies for final compression and limiting during mix down in my masters. Sounds phenomenal. As much access as I have to all my digital gear and computer crap, I always go back to my analog gear. There's nothing like it. I built this machine from 3 of the same machine and keep it going year after year scalping parts as needed from the other machines. There are way better out there but it is simple and sounds amazing!
Really like what tape does to your sound! As a side note; the machine you have, Akai 4000DS, has a long history among music composers. As an example, I got one in the early 70's and created countless songs using the sound on sound feature. I could bounce and end up with around 11 tracks before the tape hiss was too bad. Considering this was the early 70's I used to surprise my friends with cassettes of mixdowns and we played them everywhere, which was especially fun in the car.
I just bought an old Sony and got it serviced. Apparently it’s in great shape. Been messing with it all afternoon.
I love that tape sound and those great rock records. Everything from the Ramones to Nazareth. It’s a sound that lives forever. I hear it now in the modern Americana albums. Great stuff and lots of punch
Very solid, informative demo, clearly pointing out routing, etc., and solid use of an old warhorse to get that tape vib.
This is brilliant. I do the same thing- and it’s magic every time. I love your explanation of the spectrometer! Brilliant.
I guessed correctly! The tape track definitely sounds a little compressed in a really good way. Great video!
such a nice guitar tone!!
amazing video!great job man !
I thought the tape's high end was more brilliant. Great demo.
Thanks for the quality content, it is much appreciated
Great video I am using a VCR for analog sound it to my DAW so far I’m getting a great analog sound that I want it thanks for the upload
Thanks so much for doing that work!
Fair play man, this is great
Great video man thanks
For anyone using this for summing a stereo track with an Apollo Twin: set external out of your mixed track to outputs 3/4 and on the tape bounce track, set the inputs to 1/2!
Kinda dumb of me, but it took me days to figure out why my stereo tracks kept getting bounced to mono... it was because I had the Ext Input of my tape bounce track to INPUTS 3/4 🤦🏻♂️
Great video!
I'm planning to get a reel to reel soon and as soon as the repairs are finished i'm going to do some experimenting with an echo unit
Loved the video, very cool. Suscribed!
Thanks, Lars!
Yes, I use a Tascam TSR-8 with Pro-Tool, UAD apollo 8. Can't beat real tape!
Very nice.
You’re amazing
The comparison at 3:37 fooled me! I thought the more dull sounding B was tape at first, but the real tape, A, has way more crunchy highs and sounds way better to my ears. Are you sending the entire track to two tracks (Left and Right) on the tape machine and then bouncing the two-channel mix back to the DAW?
Great video!
Although you need to match the loudness better in the first test.
coming back to this when i get a better interface with more outputs
I always wondered how people finance all those tape rolls..
well turns out they just let the audio pass through :D
thank you!
I wonder if there's any difference in quality as a result.
Not familiar with that terminology, does that mean you record on your other recording?
im not sure what you mean by let the audio pass through, but he records it to tape and then back into ableton, its still on a tape reel
You can record over your recordings as many times as you want just so you know friend!
Great!
Thank you for this. I would have forgot to add high end lost later.
I may have to try that with my Teac 144 4t track since that's what I"m working with.
i like this machine
real tape always bring life to product
The tape was more open, in both cases. Low ceiling on the other.
Tape sounds brighter/more alive.
Echt gut, dachte nicht, dass es so einen Unterschied macht ... Grüße, Tom #berlinbayband
that was the easiest blind test ever. tape gives so much life to a song. B sounded so flat that it was obviously digital.
lol on the second blind test it was still obvious. tape just sounds better its wild.
cool routing, thanks, would never figure it out myself. your plugin seems to have washed or rolled off more highs than the real tape. I guessed wrong because I thought the machine would muddy the sound more than digital emulation.
Thank you so much for making this! I’m wanting to buy a tape machine for this exact application. I wonder though, being as it’s only 1/4” tape, would it be better to get an Emperical Labs Fatso and a couple of Neve 542’s? I have quite a bit of analog processors already, and I’m wondering if there would be much benefit to me using actual tape, 1/4” tape anyway. I’m looking at an Otari 5050 BQ2, 4 track. It costs about the same as a Fatso, + tape and maintenance and all. I’m researching everywhere on line, and at this point I think that it’s best to ask people like you your opinions to help me make this decision.
Also, that is that 12-string electric guitar you're playing? That thing looks super cool.
This is the best video I could find for this sort of thing, I’m going to do exactly this as I want to achieve the same thing. How do panned drums work through your machine, does it print the exact panning set?
Thanks! Sometimes when the tapeheads get dirty the volume and frequency can become uneven. I always try to center the stereo image of the returns by using that stereoscope plugin. If you can´t get it even, especially frequency-wise, you should also check the azimuth of the heads. Still, my tape machine will always do some unpredictable funky things, but that´s what I like it for.
Dominik Symann do you use logic too?
I'm no Logic user, but that's just because I got stuck with Ableton which I really like a lot. I am sure you can do all that stuff with Logic, too.
If you want to make hi fi music in your bedroom it's probably better to stay digital and spend money on nice preamps and outboard compressors. However, I think lo fi sounds so much better done through a tape machine than with plug ins. You can really fuck with analog and get a nice result. With digital less is more when it comes to processing, unless you are going for that asthetic, and i usually find the more digital processing and effects, the less visceral and punchy the tracks sound.
I have a teac reel to reel i still use i use it as my masters you never know if your computer will crash
Thanks for the information! Can you please tell me which cables you used?
in this situation the tape is moving ,recording ,and we take the signal from the last tape head is that right ?someone told me he doesnt always use the ''record'' function he just puts the signal through the tape player and turns up the input level to get gain from the amplifier to 'dirty up' the signal-so the actual tape is not having an effect . i use a a technics tape player as my headphone amp,i press record and pause to get the output signal , i suppose i could do either of these things, although the sound wouldnt be the same as the big tapes of the reel to reel.
Try that same experiment with an external DBX encoder / decoder and / or BBE unit...
If I have 2 inputs and 2 output, I can just send the outs and record to cassette and not listen on speakers at the same time right?
Is the background track from the beginning also through the tape machine?
Can you please tell me where you’re plugging your instrument into? Are you plugging into the actual tape machine? I have a scarlet 2i 4 and it only has 2 inputs. So I’m guessing your plugging your guitar into the tape deck. Is that right? And what kind of cables do I need? 2 aux cables and 2 quarter inch to aux? My tape machine only had aux sized holes on the back. On the front it has quarter inch “mic” inputs. Any help would be so appreciated. Thank you.
Sorry for the way to delayed response, seems I should check my vids more often.... all the stems were re-routed, so mics and instruments were recorded straight to the firepod and fed to the tape via its outputs later on. I bought two stereo chinch cables and 4 chinch to quarter mono jack adapters.
Dominik....im just starting to use my old tape machine with my daw tracks in my studio. Question: is it ok to re-record over what's been treated before? in other words....i used the machine last nite to treat separate tracks. (Bass guitar track sounds awesome now!!!) But should i use fresh tape everytime? (can get expensive) or can i just record over what i already recorded? ty
And great videos man!
Hey I'm a producer from Jamaica; I'm working to get my tape machine soon but until then any chance of you wanting to record to tape for me? Just to test and see the results?
Sorry for the late response, you probably already figured it out, but anyways - if you go for a lofi sound I think it's fine to rerecord a couple of times. High end wears off but slowly imo. I get a new roll of tape whenever I bounce stems for an more official job like a record for a band.
@@DominikSymann Where do you buy new tapes? is there still someone who makes them?
I think that this can be done (for me) using an old version of adobe audition 1.5.
Hi great video, I just got one of these tape machines, what cables are you using to connect. Cheers
sorry for the late response. I had to use some chinch cables and jack adapters... not the most elegant solution though.
Hey Dominik,
I got the same tape machine a while ago and was wondering whether it needs to be blank tape?
Cheers
Dan
When you're recording the erase head automaticly erases the tape, but sometimes the erase head will add noise so it's better to use an actual tape eraser
Do any of the movies
I was thinking about to record some instrument or vocals directly on my CASSATTE Deck Tape recorder and, then, open it on Pro Tool just to get some “tape color”. Would it work? Or it’s just a waste of time? try to do the same thing but with cassette tapes
@J WAV thanks for the tip bro! I’ll check this out! 🤘🏼
Yea it works
Hello man , what type of cable do you use? are they RCA to 1/4 mono cable ? trying to route my Revox B77 ! cheers
yes you can look online and if not proaudio LA can make them.
Do you know if it's possible to do this with a Revox A77 MK IV? Obviously I need an output or monitor to get sound out of the tape recorder to the computer, right?
that particular deck wont impart very much colour...prob only a lil boost at 80hz and some rolloff of 16khz
Every deck will have its own sound from its own preamps etc. Its really a crapshoot these days, if you want to experiment accept the risk you might end up with a hunk of junk, even if it is 'serviced'. 7 1/2 ips tends to provide a bit more of a lo fi colour if thats what you are looking for.
Hello,
Did you recorded on tape or just go thru the machine ?
Hi, I recorded the signal from the playback head into Ableton, so the returning signal passed the tape in the gap between the record and playback head of course. Since the machine has a "tape monitor" switch I see no need to rewind the tape and then record into Ableton.
@@DominikSymann That is smart idea !
Thank you !
Hello, would be possible to make a video showing that please? Thanks 😉
how do you record the information im a lil confused
Hey! When you send out signal to go back in the box. Do you need to press record and play on the reel to reel or Can you just put the reel to reel in play mode send the signal through and go back?
You have to press record and play and set the machine (depending on yours) in some kind of monitoring mode to be able to record the signal that has passed the tape.
Its on my playlist that says movies
Do you have to run the tape or just send it through with rec on?
run the tape for the actual tape saturation, when the tape is stopped you're just going through the preamps. I've stuck full mixes through two of the pres on my teac a3440, they seem to sweeten things really nicely without the tape running. then for more gnarly tones, run tape. boom
I don't get how the audio from the tape machine is being sent back. I know it's hooked up to an interface I just don't understand how you could send that back and forth.
what reel to reel tape machines would you recommend of similar quality if I can't find an Akai?
I guess I would choose Tascam, however I have never owned one. I have had another Akai, a Tandberg and a Otari since this video... the Otari (MX-50) is really cool.
1:10 would i be able to use a 2i2 interface, 2 input and 2 output if I use the headphone jack to monitor the tape deck?
yes this should work to monitor the tape via headphones instead of studio monitors.
I have a DAW that only has 2 outputs and 2 inputs (as well as a headphone output). Can I still get the same results? Thanks!
Dro Cardoso it’s not your DAW that has only 2 ins and 2 outs but your soundcard/audio interface.
Daniel Joos thanks, I got confused there. Can I still get the same results though?
@@drocardoso3213 Yeah you should be able to send it from the outputs into the tape machine then back through the inputs. Just make sure that you mute the incoming track that is from tape otherwise you have a feedback loop.
I have three firepods currently not in use, how are you using yours?
Mine is out of use as well right now since my current workstation does not have firewire any more.
the A so 3d more. wow
hi i had tape decks from 16 years old. you got to be very carefull where you get your tapes from
and check tape for edits in the tapes and the levels of the tape some got low out put.
so if you buy used tape when you ff the tape watch out for white editing tapes you can fill it with a fingers
when to have the tape ff or rew there can be 6 BD from make to make
Hi how can you hook up a reel to reel to a interface thank you
Depends on what connections the tape machine has. If it’s rca, then you have to get rca to 1/4”, depending on your interface connections
How do you label the outputs and inputs in ableton!
Go to Preferences > Audio > below your output device there's a button for setting up how many ins and outs you wanna use. Right next to the numbers there's an empty field where you can put in your own tag.
Why is so different panning above A/B?I mean hh
What exactly is he doing at 1:50 ?
Im here cuz of mac demarco
jethro 66 same
This isn't how Mac does it tho. He records all the instruments straight to tape without a computer.
G Money I think jethro 66 is just trying to work some tape into his digital DAW to sound like Mac.
@@dylonmurphy4119 Gotchu
As the geat wise Mac said, "Get yourselves a tape machine and get your head out of that ableton shit you moron" hahaha. Look up Mac Demarco on Mixing Music on youtube
I am laughing so hard that someone else out there is also using firepods haha, let alone someone else who likes tape
also I'd get a demagnetizer, it'll fix that high frequency loss you adjusted for
You cant teach me anyting you could use fsk like i do and sync your reel to reel with midi and slave your daw to the reel to reel.
I predicted b was the tape. Guess I don't need a r2r
I listen to a lot of Knxwledge and I'm pretty sure he uses real tape to get his beats so glued together.. Just on the off-chance that anyone here also listens to Knxwledge, would you have any idea of how he achieves that warm sound without tape? As I'm still very far off being able to afford my own tape deck haha
honestly you can get close enough using a tape plugin. plenty of good ones to choose from. actual tape machines may look cool but are a complete pain in the ass to maintain and buying reels gets expensive... the trick to getting your beats to sound warmer and more analog is keep your levels lower and bus your elements together into sub groups and use mutliple instances of glue compression (analog emulated plugins), tape saturation plugins, in little amounts to get everything glued together nicely. you can even go as far as routing a copy of your entire mix to another track and parallel processing that copy to beef it up.
just to add to this... the way i have my template set up (i use fl studio) is i have every single channel on the mixer routed to a channel called mix bus... the mix bus then feeds into the master channel. i also have sub groups already setup so i have a drum group, synth group, bass group, guitar group etc... all of those groups feed into my mix bus channel.. and on each of these groups im doing multiple instances of very light compression and saturation. maybe it's overkill but all i know is my mixes sounded like ass before i started doing things this way because i would just send all of my elements straight to the master channel and just throw a limiter on trying to get it loud and that limiter was working way to hard with all of these different elements with different frequency ranges driving into it. hopefully this helps =]
Layer complementary sounds,use saturation and expansion.
Can u put my movie on tape
And send the tape to 5 Farrington place house 5
tape sound better by about everything
this was engineered to sell his plug-in because of the highly complex process he demonstrated haha...still informative and cool. but i see what you did there hahah
patreon: 404
Oh no! Looks like you got lost.
Latency???!!!!
The tape was obvious because you high shelved it’s output.
I actually high shelved the input to the tape and I would recommend that so that you feed the tape more high frequencies rather than enhancing hiss afterwards if that makes sense.
@@DominikSymann did you also apply the high shelf to the digital version?
yeah that makes this an unfair comparison imo. completely misses the point. it shouldve been an extra thing to show as an option.
It's weird that my 60's Webcor 1/4" tape machine running at its max 7.5 ips using Scotch 111 tape ADDS a considerable amount of high frequencies compared to the digital signal going in....Any idea why?