Tape heads

TransGirlHappyHardcore · 2022-07-24T13:06:04.243Z

I think the biggest issues with Portastudios are the size and the fact that they are vintage i.e. maintenance.

I bought a 424 mk2 a few weeks ago cause I found a good deal. My intention is to sell it (sometimes I flip gear to make a little money), but I would gladly keep it if space was not an issue (I move a lot and so I have to keep my gear at a minimum).

If you’re after analog warmth, the Portastudio it’s still a pretty cheap option (compared to BOUM and AH). For tape saturation, you can use plugins or a Strymon Deco - you can find a V1 Deco for around 200 €.

Red Panda Tensor is also a nice pedal for tape emulation (modulating speed and pitch). It also has a lot of other cool features.

So, if space is not an issue and maintenance doesn’t scare you, I’d say go for the Portastudio.

Matmcr · 2022-07-24T13:28:00.778Z

Cool, 424 mk2 - how you finding it?

Thanks for the link/info, I have a Boum, so I’m covered in that aspect, just wondered if these older tape recorders added anything else to the party. I saw the ‘How to make a Legowelt track’ vid where he records onto the Tascam 414 at high speed to impart some of that magic, and he seems to know his shit.

I’ve heard good things about the Red Panda also.

HisMostDarxxxellent · 2022-07-24T13:33:29.756Z

Love this video!

I used a tape machine heavily - a Marantz PMD740 to be precise. It’s really great but it takes up a lot of room and the Morphagene and Magneto cover my tape lust by the bucket load. I can’t even begin to tell how incredible these two modules are. Maybe a small 3U with some choice modules would be the way to go for you?

craig · 2022-07-24T14:12:13.015Z

Jogging House (@boboter) does some very lovely 1/4” tape vibes. I could watch those reels go round all day. An example picked at random:

ghostbuddy · 2022-07-24T14:14:34.531Z

Honestly AH can’t do what a tape 4 track can. Totally different tonality.

boboter · 2022-07-24T14:30:56.747Z

You and me both Just looking at the tape inspires me and when the reels start turning, I know it’s recording time. Love that whole workflow.

Matmcr · 2022-07-24T15:31:52.594Z

Yeah, I really like the Jogging House stuff. Definitely on that level… like butter melting into a crumpet shit

TransGirlHappyHardcore · 2022-07-24T16:47:48.594Z

I didn’t say that the AH can do what a 4-track tape recorder does. Of course it can’t.

I was just commenting on the video I posted, which compared three different pieces of gear used to add “analog warmth”. That’s it.

lowph · 2022-07-24T17:07:51.114Z

Back in the day I had a Fostex 4-track tape recorder and I wished I had kept it. I keep seeing recorders made by Yamaha, Fostex, Tascam, Vestax at really high prices these days, and they’re usually old and might eventually need maintenance, so I tried something else:

I found this Moth Hunter Mod guy who modifies cheap cassette players for recording and playback with variable speed and CV controls: Cassette Deck with Speed Mod - CV, Dual CV and/or Line Input Options Available. — Moth Hunter Mods – they’re not “dirt cheap”, but I think the price is merited because the guy is making them by hand and to order.

It’s also definitely not high fidelity, but if you’re looking for lo-fi it works well! I’ve run some drum loops and other signals through one and got some interesting sounds. Short 4/7 second tape loops can be fun and the CV control makes it pretty interesting.

natehorn · 2022-07-24T17:16:27.158Z

I saw the title but didn’t see anyone mention that you almost defintiely want a recorder with 3 heads.

A standard tape deck, hifi or otherwise, will be slow and difficult to work with and probably not what you want, as they can’t play back the recording in real time - 3 heads are needed for that.

I had a 3-head tape deck that I used as an effect send. I had a handful of tapes, including loops, that I used depending on the specific flavour I wanted, was as easy as using a reverb pedal.

Someone suggested a plugin, I gotta be honest I’ve never heard a tape plugin that’s got close to what actual tape sounds like - I do use DAWCasette for some stuff though.

Matmcr · 2022-07-24T17:57:34.870Z

@natehorn That’s a good point, thanks. I did some messing about this afternoon ruining some loops from the Akai 3000XL into the Nakamichi cr-1e tape deck, just to see the result (as Hostbody mentioned the process saturating the master with a standard tape deck), then recording back into Ableton, and it actually sounded really solid. Totally get for anything real-time or effect based then the 3 heads would be the way to go.

lowph · 2022-07-24T18:44:23.867Z

So with 3 heads, would that be one for playback, recording, and erasing? Or are there tape recorders with “multipurpose” heads? I don’t really know that much about cassette stuff, other than the basics.

What kind of recorder would allow overdubbing? Would that be something with recording+playback head and then an option to disable the erasing head? That mod link I sent above doesn’t overdub, and I wish it did, especially when using tape loops.

TransGirlHappyHardcore · 2022-07-24T19:20:15.752Z

The Neve 542 rack module is an expensive way to get tape emulation. Around 850 € and it’s mono. I don’t know much about tape, but it sounds good to me.

LyingDalai · 2022-07-24T19:53:36.278Z

natehorn:

play back the recording in real time

Oh, didn’t know. So I must have a 3-head one!
So it should be feasible to create some tape delay out of this unit!!!

I just thought there was a recorder head then the playback head, as I can hear the impact of raising input level on tape saturation…

natehorn · 2022-07-24T20:23:38.303Z

Yea here’s an idea of how a 3-head works:

image800×600 146 KB

And as you indicate the distance of those heads creates a delay of sorts!

A ‘2 head’ deck has a single head used for recording and playback (plus the erase) so it’s either doing one or the other - you can often monitor the recording but you’re just hearing the input in that case.

LyingDalai · 2022-07-24T22:45:10.976Z

So to get a variable delay you would need to have the reading head to move, or act on the path of the tape between the two last heads…
Seems I need to check some diy schemes ^^
Someone has good pointers?

bwo · 2022-07-24T22:56:15.388Z

I think on some tape delay machines they had something like 4 read heads in a row… would be cool it moved though.

Matmcr · 2022-07-25T13:17:23.201Z

“Maybe a small 3U with some choice modules would be the way to go for you?”

Just looking into this and checking out those 2 modules - I’ve always been scared to death of going down the modular path , just due to the amount of options available mixed with my obsessive nature. I having said that, a smaller ‘effects’ rack could be a solid route. That or even a 500 series set-up (but again could end up silly money).

darenager · 2022-07-26T16:47:36.285Z

LyingDalai:

So to get a variable delay you would need to have the reading head to move, or act on the path of the tape between the two last heads…

To get variable delay you need to have speed control over tape, some units have it others don’t, FYC I saw this recently from adafruit

knobgoblin · 2022-07-26T17:54:40.905Z

Do you have one? I’ve been going back and forth on getting a pair for a few years now. I generally like the demo’s I’ve heard of it, but sometimes the low end bump seems a bit too extreme.