Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machine

[K-Slash]

There's an interesting video here.

WNAMM12: Steven Slate Digital Stuff, A console, high end monitors and tape emulation (Video) -Sonicstate.com

But it seems that it's planned for the first half of the year. Yeah, let's see WIDE !

[ecstacy2012]

looks to be a tape simulation year.

[bugscoe]

It doesn't appear that there was any formal debut of this at NAMM even though Steven talked about it in the vid and that ad.

[StoneTape]

[Silver Sonya]

I think the Slate m.o. is to announce things super early.

It must benefit somehow in sales, although it always seems ill-advised to me.

I actually think this practice is the only thing that errodes the value of the brand. The work itself is strong.

That's my take on the matter.

- c

[dasoundjunkie]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

I think the Slate m.o. is to announce things super early.

It must benefit somehow in sales, although it always seems ill-advised to me.

I actually think this practice is the only thing that errodes the value of the brand. The work itself is strong.

That's my take on the matter.

- c

Well said

[work2do]

Wasn't there a big slate tape weeks ago in this section that was moved? Seems like slate is not ready to talk this up on GS yet. This one will be moved too.

[kaboomer]

Guess it's not really fair to call this vaporware...yet, but man it's irritating when something gets teased and there's no followup with an actual release date (or window).

Although it looks like they released several things last weekend, so maybe they're just running a little behind. I give them until...Thursday .

[Benmrx]

Unless I missed something, Slate himself hasn't once mentioned this plugin here at GS. Give him a chance. I'm sure he'll make an announcement or start a new thread when there's something worth announcing. Until then he should be free to advertise on upcoming products elsewhere and in print without getting heat here. IMHO.

[Sonic_Beast]

It is comming sLATELY Digitally

[kingocounty]

Originally Posted by Benmrx

Unless I missed something, Slate himself hasn't once mentioned this plugin here at GS. Give him a chance. I'm sure he'll make an announcement or start a new thread when there's something worth announcing. Until then he should be free to advertise on upcoming products elsewhere and in print without getting heat here. IMHO.

This kind of reasonable discourse has no place here on Gearslutz! Mods, please edit this post to contain at least 90% conjecture and hyperbole. The last 10% should be slightly-misspelled curse words.

[ecstacy2012]

I second that Kingocounty! Action must be taken!

[Pd-Baraka]

Given the history of his products, if think Slate will announce it when its ready to purchase. that would seem like a smart move to me.

[Mister Fox]

I can't shake the feeling that I've seen the knobs and the GUI design somewhere already. Even the very same shadows. Granted, the plugin is shown in the video linked above, and these knobs are from VCC, but the switches look like SynthEdit standard switches...

And the GUI is definitely similar to Waves' MPX (only a slightly different angle and distance/tape) and CDs VTM-M2. Maybe this is an in-joke between Waves and Slate? "You copy mine, I copy yours"? Or they both like sitting at height of the spinning tapes to watch them. If it'll even spin in the end.


EDIT:
I just saw that grouping settings might be eventually possible (left sinde of the GUI). Interesting, that's the third tape machine (to my knowledge: UAD, Sknote, now Slate) then that will be able to do this. Maybe the advanced/settings panel is hidden behind the logo again as well.

Keeping my eyes open.


And you have to give Slate some credit - he has tons of ideas, and he pushes innovation. This video clearly shows.

[bishop666]

Originally Posted by Mister Fox

I can't shake the feeling that I've seen the knobs and the GUI design somewhere already. Even the very same shadows. Granted, the plugin is shown in the video linked above, and these knobs are from VCC, but the switches look like SynthEdit standard switches...

And the GUI is definitely similar to Waves' MPX (only a slightly different angle and distance/tape) and CDs VTM-M2. Maybe this is an in-joke between Waves and Slate? "You copy mine, I copy yours"? Or they both like sitting at height of the spinning tapes to watch them. If it'll even spin in the end.


EDIT:
I just saw that grouping settings might be eventually possible (left sinde of the GUI). Interesting, that's the third tape machine (to my knowledge: UAD, Sknote, now Slate) then that will be able to do this. Maybe the advanced/settings panel is hidden behind the logo again as well.

Keeping my eyes open.

And Slate's VCC has been inspired by the AlexB Consoles

[danander11]

Slate's doing a tape emu to get back at Waves for doing a console emu...

[neon]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

I think the Slate m.o. is to announce things super early.

It must benefit somehow in sales, although it always seems ill-advised to me.

I actually think this practice is the only thing that errodes the value of the brand. The work itself is strong.

That's my take on the matter.

- c

I wonder why Slate is so obsessed to release so many products, maybe he want a big company to buy him out??

[dasoundjunkie]

Originally Posted by neon

I wonder why Slate is so obsessed to release so many products, maybe he want a big company to buy him out??

Honestly I really think he's just putting out what he'd have for himself and to many of us it's very much the right kind of stuff. ALL his products, both digital and analog are very versatile and can be used in any style of music that I can personally think of, I really doubt that he's building all of this just to sell it to someone else. About the only negative I can find with his company is the fact that they announce stuff WAY before it's ready, although it seems to be working for him

[bryan k]

All these plugins and hardware Slate has come up with are "things that we are missing in the pro audio industry". He sees a need for a certain thing....and he fills that hole.

I tried out the Tape plugin at NAMM, and it BY FAR WILL BE THE BEST tape plugin on the market. Ive tried alot of tape plugins....and they all simply dont sound like tape. They sound like some sort of compressor that glues and kills transients and warms up the sound in a dull way.

Enter Slate Tape Machine.

This thing sounds 'exciting'. When he toggled back and forth from Bypass to ON with the tape plugin, it has this exciting vibe it does to the drums. It doesnt kill the transients.....but instead it enhances them and makes them sound more exciting, more alive.....more in your face. Guitars sounded killer.......vocals sounded lush......everything simply just sounded more "exciting".

This was just one plugin on the master buss.

It certainly glued the overall audio somewhat....but it really made the song COME ALIVE. Im almost positive this plugin will win some sort of award for 2012. Its the only tape plugin ive heard that made me say "Now THATS they way its supposed to sound!"

[bishop666]

Originally Posted by bryan k

All these plugins and hardware Slate has come up with are "things that we are missing in the pro audio industry". He sees a need for a certain thing....and he fills that hole.

I tried out the Tape plugin at NAMM, and it BY FAR WILL BE THE BEST tape plugin on the market. Ive tried alot of tape plugins....and they all simply dont sound like tape. They sound like some sort of compressor that glues and kills transients and warms up the sound in a dull way.

Enter Slate Tape Machine.

This thing sounds 'exciting'. When he toggled back and forth from Bypass to ON with the tape plugin, it has this exciting vibe it does to the drums. It doesnt kill the transients.....but instead it enhances them and makes them sound more exciting, more alive.....more in your face. Guitars sounded killer.......vocals sounded lush......everything simply just sounded more "exciting".

This was just one plugin on the master buss.

It certainly glued the overall audio somewhat....but it really made the song COME ALIVE. Im almost positive this plugin will win some sort of award for 2012. Its the only tape plugin ive heard that made me say "Now THATS they way its supposed to sound!"

angels sung his name while he descended from heaven and brought us the light into the digital darkness

[bryan k]

Originally Posted by bishop666

angels sung his name while he descended from heaven and brought us the light into the digital darkness

this certainly happened when he brought us VCC. I dont see why his tape machine couldnt do the same.

All im saying is....when a demo comes out, TRY IT. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

[bishop666]

Originally Posted by bryan k

this certainly happened when he brought us VCC. I dont see why his tape machine couldnt do the same.

All im saying is....when a demo comes out, TRY IT. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

I'm looking forward to it. (no sarcasm)

[K-Slash]

Originally Posted by bryan k

All these plugins and hardware Slate has come up with are "things that we are missing in the pro audio industry". He sees a need for a certain thing....and he fills that hole.

I tried out the Tape plugin at NAMM, and it BY FAR WILL BE THE BEST tape plugin on the market. Ive tried alot of tape plugins....and they all simply dont sound like tape. They sound like some sort of compressor that glues and kills transients and warms up the sound in a dull way.

Enter Slate Tape Machine.

This thing sounds 'exciting'. When he toggled back and forth from Bypass to ON with the tape plugin, it has this exciting vibe it does to the drums. It doesnt kill the transients.....but instead it enhances them and makes them sound more exciting, more alive.....more in your face. Guitars sounded killer.......vocals sounded lush......everything simply just sounded more "exciting".

This was just one plugin on the master buss.

It certainly glued the overall audio somewhat....but it really made the song COME ALIVE. Im almost positive this plugin will win some sort of award for 2012. Its the only tape plugin ive heard that made me say "Now THATS they way its supposed to sound!"

Sounds like something !

Can't wait for both Waves (NLS) and them to release their thing.

Wow VCC+VTM, NLS+KMT, it's gonna be another cool start of the year !

[DSK]

I mixed a really crowded song 30+ channels of synths/sounds with VCC a few days ago.

It was really impressive to see it creating separation in all that mess. With VCC a little goes a long way.

I have my eyes on this one!

[Melodeath]

Originally Posted by bryan k

All these plugins and hardware Slate has come up with are "things that we are missing in the pro audio industry". He sees a need for a certain thing....and he fills that hole.

I tried out the Tape plugin at NAMM, and it BY FAR WILL BE THE BEST tape plugin on the market. Ive tried alot of tape plugins....and they all simply dont sound like tape. They sound like some sort of compressor that glues and kills transients and warms up the sound in a dull way.

Enter Slate Tape Machine.

This thing sounds 'exciting'. When he toggled back and forth from Bypass to ON with the tape plugin, it has this exciting vibe it does to the drums. It doesnt kill the transients.....but instead it enhances them and makes them sound more exciting, more alive.....more in your face. Guitars sounded killer.......vocals sounded lush......everything simply just sounded more "exciting".

This was just one plugin on the master buss.

It certainly glued the overall audio somewhat....but it really made the song COME ALIVE. Im almost positive this plugin will win some sort of award for 2012. Its the only tape plugin ive heard that made me say "Now THATS they way its supposed to sound!"

I've never used tape, so I'm no judge, but I've read many people say that tape "rounds off transients" in a good way. It sounds like you're saying this plug-in does the opposite.

Did you get a look in the Settings panel? Curious if there is Wow & Flutter control or not

[Steven Slate]

There is wow and flutter in the settings, but its kept more behind the scenes which is why Bryan didn't see it at the NAMM show. To my ears, transients become more BALLSY and WEIGHTY with the real and emulated tape. Its gorgeous sounding to my ears.

We'll be beta testing this plugin soon. I think you guys will like it. A lot.

Cheers,
Steven

[DSK]

Wow and flutter sounds great !


No pun intended I actually want sometimes a lot of wow and flutter. Yes that one where it's seriously pitch crazy!

If it can go to that extreme lo-fi amounts I'm sold!

[Beatworld]

Originally Posted by Steven Slate

We'll be beta testing this plugin soon.

Dare I ask how soon "soon" is Steven?
Days, weeks or months ?

Cheers

[bryan k]

Sorry fellas, I didn't mean to give out false info. I had no idea there was back end preference controls.

I was too busy wiping the drool off my face just by watching steve messing with the controls on the face of the main GUI.

If this thing has half the backend preference controls of their famed VCC......this plugin will be a "tweakers delight"!

[Melodeath]

Originally Posted by Steven Slate

There is wow and flutter in the settings, but its kept more behind the scenes which is why Bryan didn't see it at the NAMM show. To my ears, transients become more BALLSY and WEIGHTY with the real and emulated tape. Its gorgeous sounding to my ears.

We'll be beta testing this plugin soon. I think you guys will like it. A lot.

Cheers,
Steven

Thanks for the info! Been looking forward to this one since before I even knew about it :p

Originally Posted by DSK

Wow and flutter sounds great !


No pun intended I actually want sometimes a lot of wow and flutter. Yes that one where it's seriously pitch crazy!

If it can go to that extreme lo-fi amounts I'm sold!

Yes! And I hope it's automatable. Lo-fi cassette tape sounds are great for effect, even if used quite infrequently