Tag: audio

How to Use The Tape Machine Plugins?

Hi! This is Jooyoung Kim, mixing engineer and music producer.

A few days ago, I met my teacher, who taught me guitar and MIDI. We talked about various topics, including tape machine plugins. That conversation inspired me to write a blog post about using tape machine plugins.

If you purchase a plugin through a link in this article, I may receive a small commission.

Let’s dive in!

Basics of Mixing – 9.4 Tape Saturation

First, I wrote an article about tape saturation. If you wonder how it works, please read the post above.

UAD (Universal Audio Digital)

Purchase UAD Analog Tape Bundle at Plugin Boutique

Recently, Plugin Boutique was having a bundle sale on tapes.

Among this bundle, I will talk about three: Oxide Tape Recorder, Studer A800 Tape Recorder, and Ampex ATR-102 Master Tape.

Oxide Tape Recorder

https://www.pluginboutique.com/products/10182/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c

Oxide Tape Recorder is one of the best tape machine plugin made by UAD. The user interface of the Oxide Tape Recorder is simple and intuitive.

IPS means “Inches Per Second”. For example, when IPS is 15, the tape moves 15 inches per one second.

When EQ parameter is on NAB, left side is the frequency response of IPS 15, the other side is IPS 7.5
More gain at IPS 7.5
When EQ parameter is on NAB, left side is the harmonic distortion of IPS 15, the other side is IPS 7.5

You can see how IPS affects the frequency response and harmonic distortion.

When EQ parameter is on CCIR, left side is the frequency response of IPS 15, the other side is IPS 7.5
If the input gain is too high, compression acts like a soft clipper.

The EQ parameter has two different values: NAB(National Association of Broadcasters) & CCIR(Comité Consultatif International des Radiocommunications, Now ITU-R)

People used to emphasize high frequency by recording process with tape recorder. This is due to high-frequency loss caused by the tape head and the machine. And then, de-emphasize the high frequency when the costumer play the tape.

At those situations, the EQ called NAB & CCIR was used.

NAB was the standard of the electricity with 60Hz alternating current like USA, and CCIR was the standard of 50Hz alternating current like EU(European Union).

The NAB standard sounds smoother and warmer than CCIR, whereas CCIR sounds clearer and sharper than NAB. It means CCIR more emphasize the high frequency field. You can see how the two differ by the upper frequency response graph.

The NR parameter means just “Noise Reduction”. If it turns off, the noise occurs.

That’s all you need to know about the Oxide Tape Recorder plugin. Simple!

Ampex ATR-102 Master Tape

https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/2-Effects/96-Tape-Emulation/12716-Ampex-ATR-102-Mastering-Tape-Recorder/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c

The parameters of the Ampex ATR-102 Master Tape are not as simple as those of the Oxide Tape Recorder. However, if you understand NAB, CCIR, and IPS, it’s easy to use.

Let’s see the parameters.

The record(input) and reproduce(output) knobs are located at the top of the plugin.

Down side of the plugin, there are buttons that enable detailed adjustments(open and close), and to choose NAB or CCIR.

The right side, you could change type of the tape, calibrate the volume, and choose the tape head width.

Based on 250 tape and NAB(when you choose IPS 30, couldn’t choice Emphasis EQ),

Left – IPS 3.75, Right – IPS 7.5
Left – IPS 15, Right – IPS 30

there are significant differences in frequency response.

When the tape speed is at IPS 15, this graph shows how the frequency response change by selecting NAB to the other(CCIR).

Input gain and output gain value also make some difference, but it’s not that important..

Compression characteristic is unusual – increase high-volume signals even more – however, it’s not a noticeable difference, so I’ll skip the explanation.

Studer A800 Tape Recorder

https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/2-Effects/96-Tape-Emulation/10185-Studer-A800-Tape-Recorder/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c

The parameter – tape type, calibration, IPS…

Left – IPS 7.5, Right – IPS 15
IPS 30

now it’s really simple. Isn’t it?

Now, without further ado, you can think of it as a friend that emphasizes the low range, and the frequency response changes like this depending on the IPS!

IK Multimedia

Purchase IK Multimedia Total Studio 4 MAX at Plugin Boutique

IK Multimedia makes various plugins like virtual instruments, mixing and mastering effects – their tape machine plugins are really great.

The total bundle sale started on Black Friday, but it’s still on sale. T-racks 5 MAX included in the total bundle includes a total of four tape machine plug-ins: Tape Machine 24, 80, 99, and 440. Let’s look around.

Parameters seems similar.. Tape types, IPS..

IPS 15 in GP9 tape

True stereo parameter makes the difference response between left and right, and transport modeling makes the variation value of the volume by time.

IPS 30 in GP9 tape

The other plugins’ parameters are same as Tape Machine 24 plugin. Just the machines are different, and they make difference in frequency response.

Simple!

Softube Tape

https://www.pluginboutique.com/products/3416/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c

Softube’s Tape plugin is very clean tape machine plugin. The harmonic distortion quantity could changeable by Amount parameter, and tape type could be selected by the Type parameter. (Type A is clean side, B has quit a lot of low frequencies, C has the characteristic between A and B)

Left – Default type A, Right – Default type B
Default type C

Tape speed could be changed by IPS too.

Type A tape Left – IPS 7/8, Right – IPS 3 3/4
Type A tape Left – IPS 7 1/2, Right – IPS 15
Type A tape IPS 30

Waves also has a famous tape machine plugin called Kramer and J37, but as I was writing this, the patterns became too similar, so I will omit them.

However, there is a parameter called Bias that exists only in Waves.

Basics of Mixing – 9.4 Tape Saturation

If you wonder about the bias, please read upper article.

If you look at it so far, you will feel something. IPS, EQ and the tape type are everything about a tape machine.

I think that just remembering this will make it easier to use the tape plugins.

Thanks for reading! See you in the next post.

Basics of Mixing – 14.1 Pre-Mastering Audio

Hi! This is Jooyoung Kim, mixing engineer & music producer.

Before, we talked about hardware. Today, I’ll begin by introducing mastering. This article is based on my book, Basics of Mixing, published in South Korea.

Let’s dive in!

What is Mastering?

Why do we master audio?

  1. The loudness of mixed music is too low
  2. So gain more volume for the mixed music, maintaining the instruments’ balance

Of course, mastering involves many aspects. You can easily understand mastering with the two sentences above.

Simply put, mastering is the final step in music production. It can also be described as packaging the mixed music. The package does not change after mastering.

What a simple and beautiful setup! – https://gearspace.com/board/mastering-forum/1252793-mastering-studio-photo-thread.html

Room acoustics are the most important factor in building a mastering studio. Also, great quality ADC(Analog-Digital Converter)/DAC(Digital-Analog Converter), speakers and hardware are necessary too.

Building a mixing studio is also expensive. However, in mixing studio, audio hardwares take quite large volumes-they make room acoustics worse.

A desk with hardware may look good and fancy, but it takes up a lot of space. This can lead to comb-filtering effects. Removing the desk is a great solution, but as you know, it’s easier said than done..

One more thing, a mixing engineer listens to a song too many times, making it hard for them to recognize problems. Therefore, when you need to master a song or an album, I recommend hiring a mastering engineer.

Nevertheless a mixing engineer should provide a louder monitor file to clients than the mixed file. Due to budget constraints, mixing engineers sometimes have to master their own files.

In this chapter, for those situations, I’ll talk about the process and concepts about mastering.

The full details start next post! 🙂

My New Book, “The Basics of Mixing,” is Now Published in Korea!

Hello! I’m Jooyoung Kim, an audio engineer and music producer.

I’m excited to announce that the book I’ve been working on for quite some time about mixing has finally been published in Korea!

Find About The Basics of Mixing

Since I first started diving into audio engineering head-on, I’ve gone through countless books and resources. One of the biggest frustrations I encountered was the lack of educational materials available in Korean. As I continued my studies, I made a promise to myself that I’d one day write a book on mixing.

After finishing the manuscript, I sent it to several publishers, but many found the content to be too complex. While navigating those hurdles, I discovered the POD (Print on Demand) service offered by Kyobo Bookstore in Korea, which allowed me to publish the book online. Although it’s a bit limiting, the book can now be purchased through Kyobo’s website.

I’m deeply grateful to my mentor, Director Yongsoo Choi, and Professor Minho Jang from my university, for reviewing my manuscript. I’m also honored that the renowned engineer, Director Jongpil Koo from Klang Studio, read the book and wrote a recommendation for it. There are so many people to thank for their support and encouragement throughout this process.

To be clear, I’m not claiming to be an expert or someone with an extraordinary career. But I’ve worked hard to organize and share everything I know in the most comprehensive way possible. While the content isn’t exactly easy, I believe it’s worth the effort.

Since this blog is mostly in English, I know most of you won’t be able to read the book. However, if you have any questions about its content, feel free to reach out to me at joe1346@naver.com, and I’ll be happy to respond.

That’s all for today’s post. Thanks for reading!

Excite Audio Lifeline Modules Plugin Sale (until 9/30) and Review Part 2: Lifeline Expanse

Hello, this is Jooyoung Kim, a music producer and audio engineer.

Following the previous review on Lifeline Console, today I’ll introduce you to the plugins included in Lifeline Expanse.

Purchase Lifeline Expanse at Plugin Boutique

(If you purchase through the links above and below, I receive a small commission, which helps support the blog. Thank you! ^^)

As I mentioned in my previous post, these plugins are not resource-heavy on your computer. They’re affordable, high-quality, and come with a clean, intuitive UI, making them a solid option if you’re considering basic third-party plugins.

Lifeline Expanse is also being reviewed with NFR (Not for Resale) codes provided by Plugin Boutique.

Let’s dive into Lifeline Expanse!

Lifeline Expanse includes five modules: Format, Dirt, Reamp, Width, and Space.

The Lo and Hi options in Expanse are simple cut-off filters, so I’ll skip explaining them.

The waveform on the left shows a de-esser-like effect where high frequencies are attenuated based on the incoming signal, while the shield in the middle acts as a limiter.

Unlike Console, Expanse doesn’t add various types of saturation, but even with the filter range maxed out, it still introduces tonal changes. Now, let’s take a closer look at the individual modules.

Format

click image to buy Lifeline Format

The concept of Format is “digital distortion.”

This plugin adds a characteristic digital distortion to your source.

In the Advanced window, you can split the frequency range into three bands, adjust their volume, and even add noise. The Smooth option can make the changes less harsh.

Other key controls include Crush, which adds the distortion, and Tone, a tilt EQ centered around 650Hz.

There are four modes:

  • Degrade: Reduces the bit depth of the incoming audio, creating digital distortion.
  • Resample: Lowers the sample rate of the audio, adding digital artifacts.
  • Washed: Simulates the sound of a degraded, low-quality MP3, creating an underwater-like effect.
  • Flatten: Combines gating and bitcrushing, reducing the resolution of the audio.

Let’s take a closer look.

This is Degrade mode, where reducing the bit depth makes the waveform appear choppy in the oscilloscope.

In Resample, harmonics reflect back at the Nyquist frequency, and those oscillations can be seen on the scope. It’s constantly in motion due to added frequencies.

Washed mode just smears everything.

Flatten shows harmonic reflections, indicating a resampling effect, combined with reduced bit depth, resulting in multiple distortions.

Dirt

click image to buy Lifeline Dirt

The Dirt module focuses on “analog distortion.”

You can choose from four types: Tube, Tape, Rectify, and Fuzz. The controls are the same as in Format, so I won’t repeat the explanation.

All four modes emphasize low and mid frequencies while cutting highs. As the name “Dirt” suggests, pushing the Drive knob can make it act almost like a compressor or limiter at higher levels.

Re-Amp

click image to buy Lifeline Re-Amp

As the name suggests, Re-Amp is designed to simulate re-amping.

You can re-amp through small electronics, guitar cabinets, monitor speakers, or cassette recorders, with two speaker options in each category to choose from.

True to the re-amping concept, it allows you to adjust the distance of room and close microphones, and blend their sounds together.

Increasing the Age value causes the highs and lows to gradually roll off, eventually introducing wow and flutter effects.

The Drive knob adds harmonic distortion, while Bass Through prevents distortion from affecting the selected low-frequency range.

Width

click image to buy Lifeline Width

The Width module adjusts stereo imaging.

You can select from Haas, Mid/Side, Detune, and Mono modes.

The Haas effect, as shown in the image, uses time delays to create a stereo image. Mid/Side enhances the side channels, Detune creates a wider image through pitch modulation, and Mono narrows the stereo field, gradually converting the sound into mono.

The Stereo knob enhances these effects, and Bass Mono ensures that frequencies below a set threshold are converted to mono.

I’ll skip further explanation, as the rest of the parameters are the same as in Format.

Space

click image to buy Lifeline Space

Space is a reverb module.

You can choose from Hall, Plate, Spring, and Slap reverb types, all offering solid digital reverb sounds.

Slap, in particular, has a delay with a significant amount of feedback, making it quite versatile.

A unique parameter here is Duck, which reduces the reverb based on the incoming input signal. Other parameters are typical for reverb plugins.

Each of these modules is priced at just $11, making them very affordable. Plus, if you purchase any plugin from Plugin Boutique, you’ll receive either the Pyros distortion plugin or the Bloom Vocal Aether Lite plugin for free.

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next post! 🙂