You will need a mixer, too, and one that is appropriately configured I/O wise for tape. A used Soundcraft would probably serve nicely and has good EQ, can be found on the cheap. Remember you need inputs going to tape and coming back, and not all boards, even older boards, will have tape returns.
It's a neat sound and a rewarding way to work. You will learn a lot about recording. It doesn't resemble working with a mouse and a screen at all.
The tape itself is only one component of that sound, though. Mic choices, placement, workflow, committing to sounds on the way in, etc. all play a big part. That being said, I am not going to discourage anyone from going down that path. It is a labor of love if you're the right kind of nerd for it.
On the cheap, I would probably go Tascam for the recorder. Parts should be available if need be more so than Fostex or Akai and they are generally sturdy machines. Really, beyond those three, you're talking professional gear and professional prices, the sort of things that if you see on the cheap, they are broken and need a serious tech to repair. Check out the forums at homerecording.com, electricalaudio.com, tapeop.com to start. There are more, but it's late and I am tired. But I suspect the Tascam decks of being your best option.
You can do it on the computer. Big parts of it, like I said, though, are all the other choices you make. You can make the computer sound like tape and a big old board if you have a reasonably manly machine and run a good tape and console emulator on everything. You can fake it pretty good. Tape forces you into a certain workflow and methodology, though, and makes you work in a very hands-on way that you will learn from and be able to apply to digital recording. I suppose it depends on your learning style, but there's a lot to be said, I think, for the actual physical patching and routing that goes on with real hardware. The gain staging of things, too.
_________________ Member Of The Radium Water Gentleman's League Of Luxury.
Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:22 am
torgeot
Winston Wolf
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:10 am Posts: 7283 Location: in the valley of the shadow of death
Re: 4 track reel to reel tape recorder
for teh cheaps, get a cassette 4 track. You can apply speed fuckery and flip tape etc..... for reverse fuckery. Always fun is reverse the tape apply an effect , bounce it down then flip tape back over again....
Matter of fact I still have one of those cheap 4 tracks in our classifieds I think. I know I have one kicking about the house.
_________________ Member of the Radium Water Gentlemen's League Of Luxury
Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:03 am
I want a VHT CLX
Morrissey
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 5:06 pm Posts: 516
Re: 4 track reel to reel tape recorder
Snaxocaster wrote:
Shit Outta Luck, No Such Animal.
You'll have a much easier time finding an eight-track deck or a two-track deck. And the tape is not cheap.
You will need a mixer, too, and one that is appropriately configured I/O wise for tape. A used Soundcraft would probably serve nicely and has good EQ, can be found on the cheap. Remember you need inputs going to tape and coming back, and not all boards, even older boards, will have tape returns.
It's a neat sound and a rewarding way to work. You will learn a lot about recording. It doesn't resemble working with a mouse and a screen at all.
The tape itself is only one component of that sound, though. Mic choices, placement, workflow, committing to sounds on the way in, etc. all play a big part. That being said, I am not going to discourage anyone from going down that path. It is a labor of love if you're the right kind of nerd for it.
On the cheap, I would probably go Tascam for the recorder. Parts should be available if need be more so than Fostex or Akai and they are generally sturdy machines. Really, beyond those three, you're talking professional gear and professional prices, the sort of things that if you see on the cheap, they are broken and need a serious tech to repair. Check out the forums at homerecording.com, electricalaudio.com, tapeop.com to start. There are more, but it's late and I am tired. But I suspect the Tascam decks of being your best option.
You can do it on the computer. Big parts of it, like I said, though, are all the other choices you make. You can make the computer sound like tape and a big old board if you have a reasonably manly machine and run a good tape and console emulator on everything. You can fake it pretty good. Tape forces you into a certain workflow and methodology, though, and makes you work in a very hands-on way that you will learn from and be able to apply to digital recording. I suppose it depends on your learning style, but there's a lot to be said, I think, for the actual physical patching and routing that goes on with real hardware. The gain staging of things, too.
Shit sounds intense, but worth it. What exactly is different about tape, as far as sound etc.? I will check out all of that, if I get the money I'd have to learn how to do all of this. Any recommendations for a free vst tape simulator? I've been using TB Ferox but I don't really know what I'm doing. On a related note, in this video, there is a guy with what looks like a reel to reel at about 1:15. What exactly is he doing, and what is it? Very cool. There is also reverse guitar at around 2:40, how the fuck did they do that live? Does it have something to do with whatever that guy is holding? that performance is fucking sick.
yeah he is definitely using a tape that was reversed and playing it. I don't think I've seen someone in a band actually playing tape recorder.
yeah is that what's going on at 2:06? Live reel-to-reel player?
_________________ Dinosaurier live vor langer Zeit Sie waren schrecklichen Echsen weißt du nicht, Einige aßen Pflanzen und einigen Fleisch gegessen Einige aßen Fisch und einige aßen Tiere
Fri Sep 30, 2011 11:40 am
chris_d
Winston Wolf
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:32 pm Posts: 11362 Location: ruining everything.
Yes/No: No
Less/More: More
Re: 4 track reel to reel tape recorder
The reel-to-reel appears to just be set up to play some prepared ambient/noise sort of sound or loop(sounds like cats meowing actually). He seems to just be controlling the speed and direction of the noise, it is down in the mix, but you can hear it when he makes abrupt changes.
There are delay pedals that will do pseudo/live reverse though. The TC Electronics Flashback is a recent one that seems to do it nicely.
_________________ STOP FIXING ROCK RECORDS.
START YOUR OWN RELIGION TODAY.
Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:01 pm
I want a VHT CLX
Morrissey
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 5:06 pm Posts: 516
Re: 4 track reel to reel tape recorder
chris_d wrote:
The reel-to-reel appears to just be set up to play some prepared ambient/noise sort of sound or loop(sounds like cats meowing actually). He seems to just be controlling the speed and direction of the noise, it is down in the mix, but you can hear it when he makes abrupt changes.
There are delay pedals that will do pseudo/live reverse though. The TC Electronics Flashback is a recent one that seems to do it nicely.
Yeah I've heard of those, I was thinking of a Strymon Timeline to do that shit and other stuff when I got the money. Is there a delay though? Like I want it to playback my guitar just in reverse with no delay or repeats or dry signal, can I do that?
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum