Hello! This is Jooyoung Kim an audio engineer and music producer.
Today, I’m introducing a new plugin called Tape Vibe by Three-Body Technology.
This plugin was provided as an NFR (Not For Resale) copy by Plugin Boutique. If you purchase it through the links below, I’ll receive a small commission which helps support my blog.
As you may know, Three-Body Technology is the renowned developer behind the Kirchhoff-EQ. That plugin was a total sensation when it was released, and I believe its success became the driving force behind the company’s growth.
Now, they offer quite a wide variety of plugins, such as the Future MB. Tape Vibe is another great addition to their growing lineup.
The concept of this plugin is simple.
First, I noticed only third harmonics appearing in the analyzer. I suspect it takes inspiration from the SPL Machine Head. I actually wrote a review for that a few months ago, so if you’re interested, please check the link below.
However, the way it works is fundamentally different. First, in the frequency domain, increasing the drive results in a noticeable high-frequency roll-off. Additionally, the Thick knob boosts the low frequencies, as shown in the image below.
It features an internal Auto Gain, so you don’t have to compensate for the volume much as you crank the drive.
We can use Tone knob to adjust the high frequencies.
However, it doesn’t exhibit typical tape compression characteristics. Instead, we can observe brick-wall limiting when pushed with high drive values. An interesting quirk of this plugin is that the output level seems to rise once the signal amplitude exceeds -20dBFS.
On an oscilloscope, you can see how the heavy saturation completely reshapes the waveform, resulting in a highly distorted signal.
While the saturation adds great body, higher drive settings tend to dull the top end quite a bit. The key is to dial in a moderate drive and then use the Tone control to restore clarity. This creates a really pleasing harmonic saturation that sits perfectly in the mix.
In conclusion, Tape Vibe is a straightforward and easy-to-use saturation tool. It may not be a perfect tape emulation, but it’s great for adding analog weight with minimal effort. If you need a simple way to add some vibe to your tracks, it’s worth a look.
Hi! This is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer. Black Friday is right around the corner, so, as I did last year, I’ll summarize all the plugin sales that I want to recommend for composing, mixing, and mastering music.
This post is not sponsored by any of the plugin companies listed. However, I have an affiliate partnership with Plugin Boutique, so, I’ll provide their purchase links alongside my explanations for any plugins they offer. Furthermore, purchasing through the provided link earns me a small commission that helps support this content..^^ (It’s really hard to make a living these days…haha..)
Then… Let’s start!
1) WAVES
I always recommend plugins made by waves to people around me. While their update plan policy is incredibly frustrating, it certainly doesn’t detract from the quality of their plugins. Additionally, they usually offer significant discounts during the Black Friday season.
I highly recommend the Horizon Bundle. This bundle features 93 plugins, all of which are highly versatile. The price is only $219(Tax Included), leaving no reason not to recommend it.
Specifically, the CLA series, the Renaissance Compressor, and the H-Delay are my favorites.
2) UAD (Universal Audio Digital)
Universal Audio has lots of useful plugins too. The LA-2A series, the 1176 series and the chamber reverbs are definitely my go-to plugins from UAD.
I own quite a few UAD plugins, and they were really expensive before Universal Audio launched the native versions. Additionally, the 10-plugin bundle was also very pricey, if I recall correctly. However, for this Black Friday sale, you can get 10 plugins for only $108.90 (Tax Included). I must admit, I find that a little unfair….^^. It’s a really great deal, so I highly recommend grabbing this opportunity.
If you haven’t had any experience with UAD plugins, I will select my top 10 recommended plugins for you.
Teletronix LA-2A Leveler Collection
1176 Classic Limiter Collection
API 2500 Bus Compressor
Teletronix LA-3A Classic Audio Leveler
EMT 250 Classic Electronic Reverb
Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection
Pultec Passive EQ Collection
UAD Sound City Studios
Hitsville Reverb Chambers
Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb
3) IK Multimedia
Unfortunately, IK Multimedia already concluded its “Group Buy” event last month, so it is unlikely there will be any additional sales during Black Friday. However, I have written about IK Multimedia’s virtual instruments and mixing plugins previously, so, if you have an interest in this company, please read this article.
Arturia offers a wide range of virtual instruments and mixing plugins. They boast significantly high quality, tthe only drawback is their high CPU usage. However, as CPU processing speeds have grown rapidly, I believe this is no longer a critical issue.
Brainworx was founded by Dirk Ulrich, the same individual who established Plugin Alliance. They offer superb mixing plugins with remarkably good quality. They are also remarkably affordable, so you should definitely consider purchasing their plugins if you have a limited budget.
Specifically, I recommend the digital EQ, the bx_digital V3, from Brainworx. At just $11 (including tax), it is incredibly useful for identifying the frequencies where resonances occur.
I currently use three main pitch correction plugins: Auto-Tune, Melodyne, and Revoice Pro. However, I find Melodyne to be the most intuitive plugin. I use it on almost every project.
The Studio version is now $301.40 (Tax Included).
7) Native Instruments
Native Instruments sells a lot of virtual instruments. Their Komplete bundle is their most famous, and it features a 50% upgrade discount during Black Friday.
I think you need Cableguys’ plugins if you want to create a modern-sounding track. Recently, many producers and composers are making the source audio groovy, and these grooves are created through artificial manipulation.
Cableguys’ plugins are made for these purposes.
I recommend Shaper Box 3 (at $97.90 including tax). Also if your budget is larger, the Cableguys bundle (at $163.90 including tax) is a great choice.
I love the BFD drum plugin. My main drum VST is BFD, and their sounds are exceptional. While it has a steep learning curve, once you understand its complexities, it will provide truly realistic drum sounds.
The drum sounds on this song were created using BFD drums.
iZotope offers famous plugins like the RX and Ozone series. They also have excellent reverb plugins. Currently, they are offering a 40% discount on their bundle upgrades.
Since a certain point, Plugin Alliance began including tax when they sell their products to international customers on their website. Therefore, there is no compelling reason to buy their plugins directly from their website. You can earn points and free plugins when you purchase plugins through Plugin Boutique. Thus, I highly recommend purchasing them there instead.
My favorites include the Maag EQ4, the SPL series, and the Bettermaker C502V plugins.
I believe that covers all the main recommendations. There are still a few plugins I would like to recommend, but they are either not currently on sale or have fully transitioned to subscription models (like Musio 1).
Honestly, these days, I feel that plugins are not the most crucial factor in music production. The ideas and concepts are the most important aspects. Sound design and engineering are just the finishing touches to the music.
So, if you want to make meaningful music, I would advise against spending a lot of money on plugins you might use in the future. Just buy what you need now.
Jooyoung's Music Blog 