When Worlds Collide: How To Integrate Tape-Based And DAW Recordings

Printing mixes to tape is a process that's still in regular use in studios, for the unique character it can impart to a mix. Here, Joe Albano shows you why it can be a good way to work.  

All recordings used to be made on analog tape, but digital recording has become much more commonplace in the past two decades. Nevertheless, tape never went away and indeed has had something of a renaissance in recent years as producers recognise the warmth, humanity and sonic character that printing to tape can impart to their sound. In this video from the course Audio Concepts 107: Analog Tape Recording, Joe Albano explores how you can bring the two worlds together, seamlessly integrating tape and digital technology in your studio.

Audio Concepts 107: Analog Tape Recording

Joe reveals that in many pro studios it's still normal practice to mix down both to digital and to analog tape, to see if the tape version imparts a more pleasing character to the end product - which it sometimes does. Since maintaining a two-track tape machine is a lot easier than keeping a 24-track model running, more studios have kept this practice alive. Matching levels is something else you will have to account for when moving between media, since they operate using different level standards. Joe reveals how to deal with this issue. Be sure to check out the rest of the course using the links below for an invaluable guide to all things analog, and how tape can give a warm and unique sound to your productions.

Watch the course Audio Concepts 107: Analog Tape Recording in the Ask.Audio Academy | macProVideo | Ask.Video

Hollin Jones was classically trained as a piano player but found the lure of blues and jazz too much to resist. Graduating from bands to composition then production, he relishes the chance to play anything with keys. A sometime lecturer in videographics, music production and photography post production, Hollin has been a freelance w... Read More

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