tape saturation pluginz?? Or VCR ??

filtersweeperVC

filtersweeper
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Location
Canada
OH kay, I don't know if I'm allowed to ask this but does anybody have any links to good tape saturation pluginz for cubase? I've been looking here and there, but haven't found anything. I have considered buying a vcr to replicate this pleasing analog effect. Then playing the tape to record into cubase for drums. VCR tape is wider, and can hold more good stuff.
I knew someone who used to record his audio to vcr tapes back in the 80's before cds, because of this reason and cuz you could get longer recordings for live events.
 
recording to vcr tape is the smartest, that tape is huge and there is nothing to clip the signal. i been thinking about this for ages. normail tape is good too.

good vsts for this is predatohm (best dist plug imo)
PSP mix warmer or whats it called is great
 
recording to vcr tape is the smartest, that tape is huge and there is nothing to clip the signal. i been thinking about this for ages. normail tape is good too.

good vsts for this is predatohm (best dist plug imo)
PSP mix warmer or whats it called is great
THe only thing is, it becomes a tedious job of cutting and trimming up drums. And will the VCR play back at the same BPM... I'm wondering if there's a good way of doing this that makes it efficient.
 
tedious is a big word, its just a matter of sampling it and cutting it, dont you have to do that anyway?
I guess you're right. It wouldn't be the hugest hassle in the world. Take the time to properly trim up like 4 different bars: 1 regular beat, 2 buildup, 3 etc etc... and then just cut/paste to rest of track. I think I'm onto sumting.
I will keep you postedd..... on a similar note. I had an old sony reel to reel player/recorder that I tossed out a little while ago. The sound reproduction on it was brutal though. More like a kids toy. but that would worked too.
 
tape saturators and delays???

what do they actually do?

logikz is right in saying tape saturation is distortion.... but dont be fooled.... its not the distortion your probably thinking of...... its very subtle, recreating the sounds of the old days when everything was recorded on tape
 
tbh, im not too sure about the whole VCR thing, im sure that if you tried you'd get some usable sounds, but i somehow doubt it'll give the proper tape feel.
Im lucky enough to have a Tascam 24 track 2" tape machine at uni, and i'll usually record each stem on to tape after the mixdown, through the mixer again, and recorded back on tape for double the warm goodness! This just follows the principle that is best to use subtle distortion on more instances, than a single heavy one, something which is applicable in software as well.

speaking of software, Ferox by Jeroen Breebaart is excellent, and free.!
http://www.jeroenbreebaart.com/audio_vst.htm
whilst it gives a good tape sound, it is a bit odd, as no matter how hard you push it it wont smash the sound, its like they captured only the range of tape distortion which is usable.
but like i said, its a great plug, perfect for those sounds that are exactly as you want them, but missing that extra sweetness!


if you feel like splashing some cash, i would get PSP's Vintage warmer, and Mix saturator.
and if you're rich, go for Vtape by Vir syn. awesome tape emulator, the next best thing would be real tape.!
 
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dude normal casette deck makes the sound awesome, there is no doubt in my mind vcr would be even better because there doesnt seem to be anything between the tape and the signal so you can run it red hot without something clipping the signal other than the tape depth itself.
or so i imagnie, i make alot of this stuff up as i go. scary part is that im right more often than not.
wether its anything like a reel to reel machine is another question though
 
logikz is right in saying tape saturation is distortion.... but dont be fooled.... its not the distortion your probably thinking of...... its very subtle, recreating the sounds of the old days when everything was recorded on tape
How would you be able to run your track through 1 of those things?

would you just load it in and then it'd re record it with saturation or what?

sorry to be a dumbass.
 
you audio out (soundcard to desk usually) to the vcr via aux, really loud, and record, and then back into the computer. the saturation is what happens to the sound when its recorded onto tape back and forth, make the sound spicyer
 
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...leading me to beleive theyre probably not doing a whole lot with it at all. but thats just me thinking out loud though, i love sampling processing running it through different shit back and forth
 
I often wondered why my Reason tunes sound so sharp edged and crisp. Something that i don't always want. So exporting to tape and back into computer will get a warm tape saturation effect. Pure analog. Its amazing the lengths people will go to get the right sound. Good stuff - thanks for the insight !
 
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