YEK Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 so idea: hardware---->reel to reel----->computer would music sound better with the second step or should i just record to computer i had a reel to reel once, and though it was a pain in the ass a bit it was enjoyable playing with tape OR hardware ---> tape cassette ---> computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnar Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 i don't see the benefits of doing it in that order. wouldn't recording from the computer to tape produce the same results? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YEK Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 well hardware has a nicer sound quality than computers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnar Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 yeah i was taking the hardware into account there. hardware ---> computer --> tape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YEK Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 yeah i was taking the hardware into account there. hardware ---> computer --> tape but then to archive onto computer i'd have to , hardware--->computer---->tape---->computer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpyLoo Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 The cliche about computers sounding bad and (large-format) tape sounding good is (imho) largely correct. BUT Not for the commonly-cited reasons. Most people leave alot of vibe and mixing decisions up to their DAW/hardware/tape/sampler/etc. (e.g. music made in DAW's tends to have way too much high-end) If you have the chance to hit R2R before your computer, do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YEK Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 yeah.. what about cassette tape ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpyLoo Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 yeah.. what about cassette tape ?? Cassette has hella vibe. However, it loves to sound like shit, so you have to convince it not to. It helps if you're just DI-ing shit. If you're mic'ing shit then it'd be nice to have good mics, good mic technique, good preamps, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YEK Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 word, all have a play with my cassette recorder. thanks all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awepittance Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 as far as using tape to color the sound of hardware instruments, imo the whole point would be to get anywhere from slight to extreme distortion straight to tape. If you go into the computer first you'd almost be defeating the purpose of coloring the sound in this way. Also multi-track recording onto reel to reel tape is going to sound 'warmer' than recording digitally into the computer using multitrack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeB Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Just remember that your workflow can be every bit as important as the sound itself. Personally, I'd feel too constrained if I had a finite amount of tracks to play with, and tape synchronisation (with or without a DAW in the equation too) would be too much hassle for me, but it's a personal preference. Do what feels right, but don't sacrifice your style for a tradeoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RadarJammer Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 seems a bit superficial and masturbatory or fetishistic, not that those are bad qualities but i would put recording to tape for "phat warm color" like getting some small wrinkles from around your eyes removed, nobody is really gonna notice or care but you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscillik Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 , nobody is really gonna notice or care but you. but when making music the only thing that should matter is that you care about what it's sounding like, and not giving a fuck what it would sound like to anyone else... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RadarJammer Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 , nobody is really gonna notice or care but you. but when making music the only thing that should matter is that you care about what it's sounding like, and not giving a fuck what it would sound like to anyone else... if reel to reel was free gear i wouldn't have said anything but it is a real investment so it could be nice to have a critical second thought about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friendly Foil Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 It'll make your music 31% more lush and 68& more analogue sounding. Which is very important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chunky Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 atr magnetics do want Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscillik Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 , nobody is really gonna notice or care but you. but when making music the only thing that should matter is that you care about what it's sounding like, and not giving a fuck what it would sound like to anyone else... if reel to reel was free gear i wouldn't have said anything but it is a real investment so it could be nice to have a critical second thought about it I don't understand your point. A synthesizer is a real investment as opposed to using softsynths. There is still merit to using a synthesizer you can touch and interact with physically, over using a softsynth (and thats if both the softsynth and the actual synth both sound exactly the same and have exactly the same features). The difference in sound between a tape recording and a digital recording is not subjective. it is objective. if you can't tell the difference, then that's your issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RadarJammer Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 , nobody is really gonna notice or care but you. but when making music the only thing that should matter is that you care about what it's sounding like, and not giving a fuck what it would sound like to anyone else... if reel to reel was free gear i wouldn't have said anything but it is a real investment so it could be nice to have a critical second thought about it I don't understand your point. A synthesizer is a real investment as opposed to using softsynths. There is still merit to using a synthesizer you can touch and interact with physically, over using a softsynth (and thats if both the softsynth and the actual synth both sound exactly the same and have exactly the same features). The difference in sound between a tape recording and a digital recording is not subjective. it is objective. if you can't tell the difference, then that's your issue. a synth is a thing you can gig with or noodle with and be an integral part of the workflow in different ways so i wouldn't compare to something that is only really for adding a bit of fairy dust at the end of the line i could probably tell the difference but i don't think it would ever give me a boner i think notions of "phat" and "warm" are kind of bogus so the point was that i think reel to reel freshening is like snake oil for the confused musician trying to find some ritual to get obsessed with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscillik Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 , nobody is really gonna notice or care but you. but when making music the only thing that should matter is that you care about what it's sounding like, and not giving a fuck what it would sound like to anyone else... if reel to reel was free gear i wouldn't have said anything but it is a real investment so it could be nice to have a critical second thought about it I don't understand your point. A synthesizer is a real investment as opposed to using softsynths. There is still merit to using a synthesizer you can touch and interact with physically, over using a softsynth (and thats if both the softsynth and the actual synth both sound exactly the same and have exactly the same features). The difference in sound between a tape recording and a digital recording is not subjective. it is objective. if you can't tell the difference, then that's your issue. a synth is a thing you can gig with or noodle with and be an integral part of the workflow in different ways so i wouldn't compare to something that is only really for adding a bit of fairy dust at the end of the line i could probably tell the difference but i don't think it would ever give me a boner i think notions of "phat" and "warm" are kind of bogus so the point was that i think reel to reel freshening is like snake oil for the confused musician trying to find some ritual to get obsessed with then you misunderstand music, and the process that any musician gets involved in with creating their own art. it is for the musician to decide whether the instruments and equipment used are of benefit or detriment to the end result. the point I'm trying to get at is that music making isn't necessarily about the tangible sound that is garnered from using one piece of equipment other another. this is why a musician may use a certain Stratocaster guitar that was bought for them by an ex girlfriend who broke their heart, and playing with that particular guitar brings out a certain angst that comes across in his playing, where if he were to play with any off-the-shelf guitar (even the next Stratocaster off the line after his 'special' one) it wouldn't sound the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friendly Foil Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I can feel this is going to be fun. *grabs chair* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshuatxuk Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 word, all have a play with my cassette recorder. thanks all Best tape decks are 3 heads - most are 2 heads, especially dual decks which are more common in general. 3 Head designs allow separate monitoring, recording, and playback so in general each tape head is better at it's job than a two-head, with uses the same heads for multiple tasks. Also, look into demagnetizing and cleaning your deck to maximize performance. You can buy a tape demagnitizer like this for $15 or so on amazon or ebay. I have some 2 heads though - one with pitch control to boot. You could probably have fun playing around with dubbing back and forth for changes in quality. Or doing this with a cassette adapter. Tapeheads.net is a good forum to look up recommended decks for recording and you can look up vintage decks here too. Nakamichi is considered the cream of the crop BUT I would personally stick with a different brand for recording. Apparently Nakamichi recordings sound less impressive on other decks because that manufacturer has unique electronic parts. Onkyo, JVC, Denon, Sony, Akai, Teac, are some of the best, late 70s - early 90s is ideal. I don't know much about reel to reel though this is a good forum. The cassette tape type you use matters as well, depending on what you want to do. Type I, which is the most common blank tape available new or old, is not going to capture high frequency audio as well. Likewise I've heard it's great for bass and what I gather if you're trying to record noticeable tape distortion or a more "lo-fi" sound go with Type I OR you can go to even more extremes by purposely damaging tape or using old reel-to-reel tape. Most independent labels press releases on Type I anyway. Tape wobble, wow and flutter, the "washed out" sound of tape, etc is all from degrading or low-quality tape reels and cassettes. Tape distortion - make sure it's recording in the red and maxed out (+5 db or more) Type II, and Type IV are better for the quality recording, more akin to higher quality of a good reel-to-reel. You can buy Type II new as well, it's often marketed as "studio quality" or "CD quality." (Type IV is far rarer and more expensive, I'd say Type II is better overall. I've even see some tape fanatics say IV is overrated because it's ironically less "warm" and hissy. Also it's harder to erase and record over.) as far as using tape to color the sound of hardware instruments, imo the whole point would be to get anywhere from slight to extreme distortion straight to tape. If you go into the computer first you'd almost be defeating the purpose of coloring the sound in this way. Also multi-track recording onto reel to reel tape is going to sound 'warmer' than recording digitally into the computer using multitrack. ^Good point. I will say that you can record digitally and/or use digital samples then record them back onto tape and/or bounce between analog and digital in general with noticeable effects, especially over the top tape distortion. I know brainfeeder/leaving records producer Matthewdavid does that a lot. Really depends on what you're goals are. To sum up: For warmer sound overall, especially for hardware recording - hardware--->tape ---> (for digital copy back into DAW I'd go as lossless as possible 96hz/24bit) For noticeable effects/distortion/fidelity - DAW--->tape--->DAW and overall with the tapes/tape recorder of your choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awepittance Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 most of my experiments with recording on cassette or tape in general have always been with using an analog mixer to mix my stuff together first. You can switch back and forth but i always feel like I get the most desirable results from just jamming or composing straight to tape in those situations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshuatxuk Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 most of my experiments with recording on cassette or tape in general have always been with using an analog mixer to mix my stuff together first. You can switch back and forth but i always feel like I get the most desirable results from just jamming or composing straight to tape in those situations Considering that seems to be what Yek's after that's the best advice imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futureimage Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I love recording to tape, not so much for recording-based reasons but creative reasons. I find that I can get pleasing results far more quickly when I'm working with tape and DON'T have the ability to play with the recordings so much in post-production than I do when recording to a DAW. I'm releasing an album with some examples of this soon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpyLoo Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 seems a bit superficial and masturbatory or fetishistic, not that those are bad qualities but i would put recording to tape for "phat warm color" like getting some small wrinkles from around your eyes removed, nobody is really gonna notice or care but you. Can You hear a difference between Music is Rotted One Note and Just a Souvenir? Oh you can? Good, because that is the difference we're talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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