Using Different Sizes of Tape for Tracking

[soupking]

Okay, I have a impressionist rock project that's covering a span of about 15 years.

Long story short, the option to use varying amounts of tape width to affect the whole compression/vintage feel has come upon me. Lucey mentioned that it wouldn't affect mastering a major degree as long as my signals are strong.

I'm curious how the noise floor might behave in this kind of hypothesis. I haven't experimented yet, but this project is taking a lengthy amount of pre-production before I get started.

Any info regarding this situation could lend itself to further direction.

Thanks for any ideas.
-soupking

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by soupking

Okay, I have a impressionist rock project that's covering a span of about 15 years.

Long story short, the option to use varying amounts of tape width to affect the whole compression/vintage feel has come upon me. Lucey mentioned that it wouldn't affect mastering a major degree as long as my signals are strong.

I'm curious how the noise floor might behave in this kind of hypothesis. I haven't experimented yet, but this project is taking a lengthy amount of pre-production before I get started.

Any info regarding this situation could lend itself to further direction.

Thanks for any ideas.
-soupking

You are looking to convey a particular change of "feeling" as the album progresses? I doubt that in the end either you or your client or especially the listening public will recognize that subtlety. Why not play it safe, mix or master to 1/2" tape, and if you really want MORE hiss to convey some notion of "earliness" you can add it with a sample of tape hiss on another track! I think that might be better than trying to predict how the different levels of noise/compression/distortion might come out when you are working on individual songs in an isolated manner. In the objective mastering suite you can put something side by side and even know if there is going to be problem.

The issue of hiss aside, the question of intentionally pushing a given piece of tape during the mix to get varying amounts of compression effect... Well, go for it, but when in doubt, back off and make a second pass, you may be happier about that later.

Then there's the "go for it" school of thought. I guess I like the "cautious" school of thought better :-)

[soupking]

Then there's the "go for it" school of thought. I guess I like the "cautious" school of thought better :-)

Me too. It's an expensive process.

Why not play it safe, mix or master to 1/2" tape, and if you really want MORE hiss to convey some notion of "earliness" you can add it with a sample of tape hiss on another track!

Brilliant. Additive saturation as opposed to induced saturation. Playing it safe. Rock on.

Thanks Bob!

[lucey]

Originally Posted by soupking

Playing it safe.

And playing it effortless ...

More than one tape = more than one repro set up during mastering. Not imposssible, but why bother?