How to integrate analog tape with your DAW Part 1

Tape, Digitize, Align! TaDA: it's analog magic for your DAW. This video shows how you can integrate your analog tape deck with your digital audio workstation and benefit from the sonic bliss of tape, latency free in the digital realm. Enjoy the best features of tape (its sound) and the best features of computer recording (digital editing, precise punch-ins, non-linear approach, unlimited multiple takes) at the same time. You can even record to multiple tape decks and the DAW simultaneously without having to manual align tracks for synchronization. This video was created in a couple of hours at Little Red Wagon Studios by Brad McGowan and Ken Mahru to demonstrate the power of the system. Please try it out for yourself and give us some feedback. We hope to make a better video in the near feature with improved sound and camera work.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• analog
• tape
• DAW
• Voxengo
• latency
• delay
• TaDA

[salgvegas]

Can't wait to try this out. The one thing I wasn't clear on is how you measured the difference between the two bleeps. How does one go about coming up with that latency correction number for voxengo? Thanks

[redwagonstudio]

@salgvegas

You need to use the range selection tool in your DAW.  Set your ruler to show samples as the unit of measure. If you select a range from the transient zero-crossing of one bleep to the other then look on the ruler for the length of that selection range. Take that number and divide by the sample rate (44100, 48000, etc.). You can also just note the cursor position (in samples) of both zero crossings and subtract one from the other with a calculator. Then divide by sample rate.

[Madmenacrossthewater]

Thanks for posting this!!! So helpful? I have two Akai 4 track reel to reels I've been wanting to incorporate into my MAC based logic setup. I was wondering if someone could answer a question, in regards to figuring the tapes delay for voxengo, Could I just record two tracks simultaneously, one digital, one tape, then measure their distance to input this into Voxengo? In my mind this seems easiest, I'll be trying soon, I hope it works.

[redwagonstudio]

@Madmenacrossthewater

You could use an analog source to figure out the delay if you want. The key is to have the same number of conversions happening in both signal paths. In my video I'm using a pre-recorded "click" sound. So the signal goes DA to AD and DA to tape to AD. If you start with a microphone and someone hitting drum sticks together you are just skipping the DA part of the calculation. But you should get the same result.

[RobinD2204]

I want to sync cubase SX to a Tascam atr 60 8-Track reel to reel. Cubase sends out a smpte code how do you get the tape machine to act as a slave? Do you know?

[redwagonstudio]

@RobinD2204

I don't have a clue about SMPTE. You may want to post your question on Gearslutz.

[vincedog3]

great video, I love the analog of tape. Since I was 5 I wanted a reel to reel for its sound and goodness. I have 2 Teac and 1 Tascam 52 master deck. I want another Otari, love the sound. I haven't decided if I want a multi track machine, but I love the 2 track analog sound best. Nice to see some keeping the analog faith alive. By the way, I am almost 50 so my analog faith is hardened indeed.

[renelemieux]

blips sound so much better when dumped to tape

[Domers81]

Are you now using the Anamod ATS-1?

[MrJonathanjonathan]

I think I figured it, the sell repro is the sync head. right? you guys are using the repro which is the best way, nice work!

[MrJonathanjonathan]

@crashdog5866

 what? are these guys using sel-repro or not? please elaborate. very interested... thanks man

[cprostudio]

thanks very much for posting this vid, could you possibly recommend a couple of tape machines?

[earhythmic]

Very cool! Can't wait to try this!

on a side note: I think it's ironic that all these high end studio/tip/gear review videos always have really bad audio. 

[salgvegas]

@redwagonstudio  Brilliant! Thank You!