Would anyone like to donate some tape hiss?

[vanderlae]

It may come as no surprise to those of you still working in the analogue domain that when working with digital, that mysterious x-factor is gone. I have no idea, I've never worked with tape and can only go by the bazillion comments on the topic.

I've read often enough to make me notice that the answer to this for some is to have several minutes of tape hiss that they can simply pull into a session and bring up slightly in the mix. This is what, for instance, David Ferguson did on Johnny Cash's "American VI: Ain't No Grave" record. Yeah...nice.

Nonsense or not, it seems like an interesting experiment to try; to me, it makes sense. I normally work ITB because it's a must for production music but I really wanna try this for kicks on my own project.

So...I'm wondering whether anyone here with a decent tape machine would be willing to donate 5 minutes-worth of just tape hiss?! Ferguson says the best way is to use biased tape, playing it at 30ips and recording it into the DAW (though good converters, presumably). I'm about to do a project at 96k and am throwing everything at this one..may as well include tape hiss into that equation! I use a HEDD192 which is brilliant at adding lovely thickness and depth to tracks/stems/mix but I'd like to hear how tape will underpin a mix.

Anyone else had success (or simply, fun) with this?

I'd be grateful. Are there any tape men who could lend a hand to a brother?

Muchas gracias, amigos.

[Manning]

Not exactly what you wanted, but I thought I'd pass it along.

http://www.mountcyanide.com/hissloop.aif

1/2" GP9 on Studer A820, 15 ips

[Drumstruck]

Hiss is only the tip of the iceberg - you'll need rumble, wow, flutter, dropouts and a bit of analog distortion too

[tunetown]

The new UAD tape emulators have a hiss on and off switch. Can also wow and flutter with different tapes and ips. Maybe try to borrow a card and see if that's what you need. Especially if your always ITB.

[tunetown]

Here's some links;

http://www.uaudio.com/store/special-pro ... order.html
http://www.uaudio.com/store/special-pro ... r-102.html

[Chinagraf]

just plug an amp in and turn it up. Or for a real stereo-o-o blast record it on 2 passes and pan hard left and right.
Then just bring it up enough so you don't notice it, but you notice something gone when you mute it.

[vanderlae]

All worthy suggestions, but I'd still like to try the tape.

....Anyone? Anyone?

anyone.jpg

[mylesgm]

Well I'm doing a live to tape recording today, I'll probably end up with some hiss but it might be covered up with shouts, booze etc...

[Chris H]

When I get the Otari back from Myles, I could record the tape playing with no recorded material, but I must admit I haven't ever gained the signal up enough to actually hear the hiss above other noise floor levels.... I suppose its there and audible, but I have never set about to hear it.

[Thirteen]

I think that the X factor comes more from the crosstalk in analog recorders and consoles that is completely lacking in DAW recordings.

[Chris H]

Now that's a good point! Has anyone developed a crosstalk plugin? Strap it across all channels in your DAW mixer and there you have it! The analogue magic mojo plugin......crosstalk, tape saturation and transformer saturation all in one plugin....

[Chris H]

oh shit, I forgot the germanium transistor distortion....

.......and while we / they are at it, available for "THE ENDLESS OPTIONS BUNDLE" should be "the shit analogue plugin", emulating badly designed chip implementation giving that metalic, hard, mid 80's desk sound.... I really miss that!

[tunetown]

turdpolisher.jpg

[jkhuri44]

Now that's a good point! Has anyone developed a crosstalk plugin? Strap it across all channels in your DAW mixer and there you have it! The analogue magic mojo plugin......crosstalk, tape saturation and transformer saturation all in one plugin....

Yes, there actually is...Steve Slate has designed mixing console emulations for SSL, Neve , and another big desk. "The Virtual Console Collection"

http://www.slatedigital.com/vcc.php

Havent heard, looks sick...some people rave about it. The gain on your digital faders also influences harmonic distortion, and all that warm fuzzy stuff.

[Wiz]

I have the slate VCC as well....it sure does something I like. Its a little black magic....its one of a few plug ins that I really really like....the glue, and MPX lexicon, and Wavearts MR noise, and gate..being the others...