Analogue Tape Effects

[mthrfnk]

Kind of a weird topic, but could anyone recommend any effects plugins that mimic analogue tape recording effects like fuzz & saturation etc?

I've seen a few through Google searching but couldn't find any decent reviews to judge the plugins from. So any recommendations or help would be great.

Cheers.

[wormcode]

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/

Not weird at all.

[mthrfnk]

Oh wow, thanks a lot, I'll give those a browse.

[3za]

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/

Not weird at all.

Can I ask what you like about these plug-ins? and how your using them?

I download lots of there plug-ins a few months ago, but have never really liked them/found any use for them. I kinda want to like they just for the GUI


@ OP
Wow & Flutter (some of the others are tape delay emulations)
http://www.interruptor.ch/vst_overview.shtml

Payware (but cheap)
http://www.delamancha.co.uk/unstable.htm

Edit: this might also have some relevance http://www.dubstepforum.com/warmer-soun ... 62300.html

[wormcode]

Sure, particularly NastyDLA and Ferric, but all of them are GREAT.
Also, Jeroen Breebart made some very nice plugins. He is famous for his work being used in audio standards like MPEG, so the plugins are top quality. Check out Ferox and Timemachine http://www.toneboosters.com
Ferox is no longer free but can be used free with saving disabled I think. Anyway, his plugin bundle sells for only €25 and is worth WAY more than that.

[RandoRando]

Sure, particularly NastyDLA and Ferric, but all of them are GREAT.
Also, Jeroen Breebart made some very nice plugins. He is famous for his work being used in audio standards like MPEG, so the plugins are top quality. Check out Ferox and Timemachine http://www.toneboosters.com
Ferox is no longer free but can be used free with saving disabled I think. Anyway, his plugin bundle sells for only €25 and is worth WAY more than that.

I have time machine. Never even used it though. Is it a saturable?

[wormcode]

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/

Not weird at all.

Can I ask what you like about these plug-ins? and how your using them?

I use real tape like 1/4" reel to reel and metal cassette, but it's a bit of a hassle sometimes to do so I use Ferric sometimes instead. Just pushing the saturation on various sounds like drums or synths. I find VST synths to be a bit too 'bright' a lot of the times, and the saturation helps that to my ears. I just prefer the way it sounds over plain digital audio. I also recommend SPL Twintube as the best native valve saturation plugin I've found outside of UAD: http://spl.info/software/twintube/
Used in the same way, and to add slight harmonics. It can be pushed really hard on sounds to create a really hot signal that is pleasing to the ear.

NastyDLA is a great tape echo plugin with optional noise, and it mimics some old school tape echo features, which is also a hassle to work with in hardware sometimes... and expensive as tape doesn't last forever.

Epicverb is just a nice reverb with an EQ, nice to experiment with.

BootEQ is something I like to experiment with, and I find the ampsim to be very nice. I like to use it to boost frequencies a bit rather than to cut. Not a lot, just a little something extra.

I use PreFIX for experimenting with field recordings mostly, the gate is nice and it's also interesting to experiment with some instrument stems at the mastering stage as it can add subtle effects to the stereo field.

I don't use the others much though.

The key to using saturation plugins/effects is to use them subtly in several places rather than just throw a plugin on the master bus, drive it and call it a day. You'll get much better results that way.

[wormcode]

Sure, particularly NastyDLA and Ferric, but all of them are GREAT.
Also, Jeroen Breebart made some very nice plugins. He is famous for his work being used in audio standards like MPEG, so the plugins are top quality. Check out Ferox and Timemachine http://www.toneboosters.com
Ferox is no longer free but can be used free with saving disabled I think. Anyway, his plugin bundle sells for only €25 and is worth WAY more than that.

I have time machine. Never even used it though. Is it a saturable?

Not really as saturation is analogue (or a digital emulation of an analogue effect), but it sort of emulates classic digital samplers by recreating their limitations and old digital converters like 12 bit Akais. It sounds interesting on drums, and can give them an old school sound. You can compare it to something like a bitcrusher which I guess is what it is, a specific bitcrusher.

[Sharmaji]

really dig Nomad Factory's Magnetic and massey's tapeHEad, though i don't think he's offering that one any more.

and of course, vintagewarmer.

[hudson]

It use the PSP Vintage Warmer on fucking everything. Best plug in ever.

[3za]

Going to give FerricTDS another go, as I only played with it for few minutes, and am always looking for more (free/cheap) saturation type plug-ins. For saturation I love Camel Crusher more than anything I have ever tried, even the more expensive plug-ins I have demoed. I still always think there must be more saturation plug-ins out there I will like the sound of...

[lazermouse]

Airwindows ToTape2 AudioUnit
http://www.airwindows.com/totape2.html
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-prod ... 012-a.html

[nowaysj]

Hate, really do, to say it, but UA's studer tape sim is head and sholders way above everything else I've heard. In native land I thought URS's saturation plug sounded good. It can just fuse things a bit, used in moderation on everything. But it doens't really sound like tape. Freaking UA really sounded like tape to me. That plug alone makes me pine for a ua card, really wish there was a native equivalent.

[dublerium]

I'm using PSP vintage warmer, Ferric TDS and tessla SE. All have thier different uses. I love the PSP vintage warmer especially, have one on my master usually.

I'd reccomend all of the above, but thats because I like using them, depends on the kind of sounds your going for. Grab the free ones and get a few demos and see what you like.

[lowpass]

There's a decent UAD one about based on the studer A800.

http://www.uaudio.com/store/special-pro ... order.html

It's an investment if you don't already have the card but a hella lot cheaper (and easier) than owning the real deal!

[DrSpliff]

The Bootsy plugins are amazing for free software

[joegrizzly]

I made a track yesterday and I wanted the fuzz on it, kind of Burial-ish... I just got a long running sample of rain and through that in the mix, it pretty much emulated the tapedeck effect and has lots of movement

[staticcast]

Hate, really do, to say it, but UA's studer tape sim is head and sholders way above everything else I've heard. In native land I thought URS's saturation plug sounded good. It can just fuse things a bit, used in moderation on everything. But it doens't really sound like tape. Freaking UA really sounded like tape to me. That plug alone makes me pine for a ua card, really wish there was a native equivalent.

spot on

btw, you asked a while back about the tape emulation i made for NI... it's now in kontakt 5, along with the vintage sampler modes (sp1200 and mpc60). i use like 20 instances of the tape VST on every track. the UAD wins hand down though.

[nowaysj]

Static, can I ask you, is there any difference between the vintage sampler modes in battery vs. maschine? I'd swear on my mother's grave that the "degradation" is far more pronounced in maschine.

And damn... you've got me wanting to finally upgrade my komplete 5... damn.

[staticcast]

Static, can I ask you, is there any difference between the vintage sampler modes in battery vs. maschine? I'd swear on my mother's grave that the "degradation" is far more pronounced in maschine.

And damn... you've got me wanting to finally upgrade my komplete 5... damn.

it should be the same code. have you compared them with the same sample or is this just a general observation?

btw, the bitcrushing is more pronounced with quiet samples (= less bit resolution) but it's pretty subtle to begin with; most of the effect comes from the repitching.