moving into the analog world?

[willovercome]

i have a decent digital set up, but i would love to move over to tape sometime soon. i have the outboard gear i'd need to record to tape then dump it into protools for the mixing and editing. i was just wondering how i might go about this transition, and what tape recorder would be a good one to start with, and what other gear would i need, and what budget should i be looking at etc...

keep in mind i have no idea how to use tape yet, but i think it could make some of my songs sound better, and it would be a more fun experience.

 

[chessparov]

Another viable option is to get a nice 2 track reel to reel recorder to mix down to in order to add a bit of that analog glue.

Using 1/4" tape would save you on tape costs, along with only using tape for mixdown, instead of "wasting" more on initial tracking that could be done digitally. Also you wouldn't be
spending as much time keeping it aligned, cleaned, and
de-magnetized. A 1/4" machine at 30 ips is capable of truly
excellent sound BTW.

Decks to consider would include Tascam, Otari, and Studer.
You may want to go to www.tapeop.com also with these
kinds of questions, and the "Analog" forum here.

Chris

 

[maestro_dmc]

Chessparov, how would an old Dokoder 4 track 1/4" reel to reel stack up?
Haven't had it out in years, probably needs Maint.
But I'm intrigued with the idea of using it for mixdown.

 

[jake-owa]

Check out the TASCAM ATR60-16 track 1". I have one and it's built like a tank with fully pro noise reduction. I got mine with autolocator and remote for $1000 but you may find them a bit more expensive, look around.

Tape and real analog mixing is the missing (3D) link in most home recordings in my opinion. Mixing a digital setup out through a decent analog mixer onto 1/4" or 1/2" tape would help a hell of a lot as well I believe.

 

[chessrock]

I give him three months tops before you see all his tape stuff on ebay. Just kidding. Working with tape is fun. I was cleaning off some shelves the other day and found about 6 bottles of rubbing alcohol, cotton swabs, a head de-magnetizer (doubles as a dental instrument, by the way), and a crappy half-working eraser . . .

. . . and I really missed working with tape.

For about 5 minutes.

That's how long it took for me to find an extra razor blade I had tucked away in there, and that's when I realized why I don't really miss it that much.

 

[chessparov]

Sorry maestro, I'm pretty ignorant on the various makes, other than
knowing of some different models. The 2 tracks are so cheap now,
you may want to take advantage of their superior spec's.

My Teac 40-4 4 track 1/4" just gets turned on enough to keep it in
good condition so "someday" it can really be used for something
productive.

Chessrock, what kind(s) of reel to reel's did you use?

Chris

 

[sweetnubs]

well chessnubs your first mistake was using rubbing alcohol which can dry out rubber parts and cause them to crack such as pinch-rollers, etc. oh, cotton swabs suck too chessnubs, the fibers can come off and get stuck in between your heads causing all kinds of sonic suckage . . . so remember kids use non-alcohol based cleaners and foam tipped cleaning swabs. I love the razor blade. nothing commands fear and respect more than taking a clients 1/2" master that they spent thousands on, slicing it, then playing back the first edit without a glitch. they will come back begging for more, awed by the secret of your kung-fu. remember kids don't try this at home, only under experienced adult supervision and secret audio kung-fu training should you slice a paying customers master with a razor blade. get a 1/2" ampex. they are fairly cheap now. oh that's right you need to buy an mrl tape, a tone generator, an oscilliscope, etc. etc. etc.

 

[chessrock]

well chessnubs your first mistake was using rubbing alcohol which can dry out rubber parts and cause them to crack such as pinch-rollers, etc.

Chessnubs wants to know where sweets got his audio training. He supposes sweetnubs' audio professor must have been catching a cheap buzz off the 70% alcohol based consumer-variety he bought from the drug store. Tisk, tisk, nubswab. I also suppose you were having fun trying to use the Q-tips on rotary heads while they were spinning around like a dryer, and failed to recognize they are perfectly fine for stationary heads and guides. Using the good stuff (99% or better), of course.

 

[toby.I.]

HEy, another way of doin it. Have you got that plug in ( forgot the name) than sync audio that was played out of time and voice overs and stuff?

When your recording send the audio to pro tools, and the cheapest 8-track you can possibly find. Bring this back in to tools and layer the two. Get them on the same subgroup, so you can compress the layers together.

Another way, depending on your budget, is to use coloured outboard before tools, such as tube gear. Try a dual channel all tube pre for the Snare and lead vocal . If you wanna get really expensive theres the Epirical labs Fatso, which simulates tape compression.

 

[willovercome]

yeah, i have some good pre's and i use me UA 610 to get a really nice sound.

i was planning on recording some audio to tape then dumping it into protools. will that undo the tape sound? also, some have recomended a 1/4 inch 2-track and doing everything in protools then dumping the stereo mix to the 1/4 inch. will that help me get a nice sound or is it a waste?

 

[jake-owa]

No you can't 'undo' tape sound. But analog purists would say you were comprimising the purity of the recorded sound. I don't really think as a form of signal processing a cheap tape machine would benifit that incredibly much. If you are going to be digital you might as well just spend your cash on converters and such.

The tape deck as mixdown is the best idea for you I think. Go with a 1/2" stereo deck.