Analog Recording

Hey Nation, I'm very interested in different types of methods to record live music on tape. I have discovered that by using an old mono VCR that I get a wonderful warm type of recording that really captures my tone Vs doing it digitally. Granted the digital media is much easier to upload & send, but I feel the difference in the quality of the audio is worth the additional effort to share. I am also being given an older reel to reel to play with & look forward to experimenting with that media. Any comments, feedback & tips appreciated as I look forward to this new adventure in sonic truth.

You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!

Join Cigar Box Nation

Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • OOH OOH Mega Thought!! For me at least, you may think otherwise but can only ask.
    If you look through the Studio Discussions you will notice one titled 'Can Only Ask (semi-collaboration)' and this discussion about essentially old v's new made me think how good what I'm looking for (in that post) would sound that being drifting from old recording in to new.
    Have a read of that post and feel free to tell me to bugger off if you're not interested :-)

    • Hey Carl, your idea is very cool! I'm not sure I'm the guy that could give you something professional sounding, but I do know some professional musicians that maybe able to help. That being said, my style is very raw & tape just seems to bring it to life. This whole adventure started when I stumbled across an old VHS in my closet & thought, this is a po' man's analog studio. Anyway, I expect to have the R2R in about a week & hope that it is functioning properly. I'll keep you posted & if you any other ideas or tips please let me know. 

  • Thanks Carl, I look forward to the comparison between analog & digital & will follow up. 

    • Cool!! You've piqued my interest now, I can easily make an instrument sound like it's been recorded with tape, but I'm more interested in how the real reel sounds though. Moving mechanical parts always throw up something :-)

  • The biggest problem with analogue based equipment for live recording, is it's cumbersome and hard to find anyone capable of getting the best out of it especially on the scale we need.
    We've only done one live album and that was a nightmare even though it was all digitally recorded but yes you're right analogue is warmer and depending on the reel to reel tape you can get some really effective unintentional wow and flutter, something the purist's would frown upon but it brings back the period when nothing was point and click, more push and pray ;-)
    Good luck with it, I'll be waiting for that first un-sanitised R2R recording vs digital battle you will definitely have to post.

This reply was deleted.