A Journey in Audio Editing History: Part 5

Superior sonic quality of tape and ease of editing of (digital audio on) DAWs make a nice pair. A rather common strategy is to take advantage of both media during music production: record on tape and transfer later to DAW of editing and/or edit on DAW and later mixdown to tape.

A more flexible solution consists in inserting a tape machine in the signal path by recording on tape and immediately playing the signal back to the DAW, in realtime. The tape deck may be fed by live inputs or send/returns on the DAW/mixer.

A major problem of this procedure is that the output from the tape machine is delayed (see part4 about tape delays) due to the distance between the rec head and the playback head.

The following video in two parts (by Brad McGowan and Ken Mahru of Little Red Wagon Studios) shows how to time-align the delayed signal by using a latency delay plugin and DAW’s latency compensation.

Part 1/2

Part 2/2

A Journey in Audio Editing History: Part 4

Tape loops as featured in part 2 and part 3 involve a “record once – playback forever” process, for use as rhythm generators or polyphonic instruments. Those would be signal sources.

What about using tape as part of a signal processor instead, by feeding a live signal to the tape loop while it’s playing?

Placing a recording head and one (or more) playback head displaced along the tape path implies a delay due to tape travelling from one head to the other. The delay duration changes when changing tape speed.

That’s how a tape echo device works, here is an example showing a Roland RE-201.

The tape echo effect isn’t limited to dedicated devices. It can be obtained on most reel to reel decks too (depending on the head pack). While tape echo devices always use loops, a reel to reel can be used as a delay by loading a loop or a normal tape reel (it makes no difference). Here is a demonstration of usage of a deck as an effect.

We are apparently still off-track regarding the original post topic (audio editing) however we’re here for a good reason: head displacement, while being an advantage for the purpose of obtaining delay effects, is a problem when coupling a tape deck with DAW for advanced multitrack editing. In this case the delay is called latency, and is undesired.

Next post will address this problem and solutions.

A Journey in Audio Editing History: Part 3

What I like most when journeying for fun is to temporarily abandon the main route to explore something that catches my attention along the track. While tape audio editing is the main topic of this multi-part post, there’s something I’d like to discuss for a moment.

We talked about stutter-editing (in part 1) and looping (in part 2), two techniques that remind the use of digital samplers. Now the question is: is there any point of contact between such different technologies as analog tape machines and digital samplers?

The answer is, yes, analog samplers. Here is a video about a drum machine based on tape loops. The device is monophonic, having a single magnetic head that the operator can manually move from one loop to another.

A more advanced device, used in albums by Beatles and Pink Floyd, is the Mellotron. This is a polyphonic device, having a magnetic head for each individual tape loop. Here is a vintage demo video presenting the Mellotron.

This video captures a maintenance procedure allowing to see the internal tape pack. Tapes are visible side by side, mounted on a frame. Each individual tape corresponds to a key on the keyboard, and to its dedicated magnetic head.

A Journey in Audio Editing History: Part 2

As seen in part 1 (posted here), inertia inherent to mechanical parts of a tape machine prevents seamless playback of audio fragments scattered along the tape. A solution to this problem involves physically cutting tape and joining splices to create a new sequence as required.

A similar problem, and solution, occur when trying to seamlessly repeat an audio segment multiple times, a technique called “playing a loop”. Usually a loop requires accurate alignment of its boundaries, in order to create a correct rhythmic pattern or anyway a continuous texture.

With a reel-to-reel machine, this is again a matter of razor blades and sticky tape.

Here is how to make a tape loop with analog tape, recreating in this tutorial the intro of the song “Money” from the album “The Dark Side of the Moon” (Pink Floyd, 1973).

Now back to the Sixties. Here lovely Delia Derbyshire, at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, shows how to layer multiple loops by tapping transport buttons on the beat. Amazing.

A Journey in Audio Editing History, Part 1

A brief journey in audio editing history, from razor blades to DAW integration, in multiple parts. Instead of typing long boring text, I decided to compile  a selection of video material available courtesy of YouTube.

 

Let’s start from a fact..

Tape being a linear medium is unable to seamless playback parts of a recording in random order due to inertia of mechanical components in the playback device.

Overcoming this problem involves cutting tape in segments, rearranging their order as intended, then attaching the parts together.  Here is a video demonstrating this classic technique.

The degree of accuracy made possible by hand-cutting is impressive, compared to alternatives such as using an extra deck, set in record mode, to copy splices sequences using punch in/out.

Here is a terrific example from the 80′s.  At the time, stu-stu-stuttering effects were becoming common in some commercial music genres , also due to the introduction of early digital samplers (Paul Hardcastle’s hit “19″ comes to mind).

Checkout the amazing synchronization starting around 2.55 in this video.

Studer-Revox Interest Group in Germany, Provides Servicing, Parts, Devices

A little known gem, the IRS e. V. (Studer-Revox Interest Group) is a private association of fans in Hamburg (northern Germany) devoted to preserving the heritage of Willi Studer, died 84 years old on Friday, March 1 1996.

IRS e. V. has a paid membership program including:

• repair and servicing for two devices a year, at the sole cost of parts, no labor costs
• delivery of spare parts at the club’s cost of purchase.
• a two-week preemption right on devices on sales
• discount and warranty on devices on sale

ISR - Studer-Revox Interest Group

The IRS e. V. clubhouse is open during weekdays (and weekends on appointment) for Studer-Revox fans to visit. The IRS e. V. website is here.

 

 

 

Hi-End Hifi Upgrades for the Revox B77 / PR99 Reel to Reel Decks

The Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society site hosts an interesting paper describing a step by step procedure for upgrading the B77 and PR99 Revox models for higher playback quality. The document is a work by Arian Jansen of Sonorus Audio. We talked about Sonorus Audio’s
ATR10 tube reel to reel deck here.

The modified machine becomes a playback-only device, addressing hi-end hifi listening, however it is possible to preserve recording functionality by applying only part of the modifications.

The guide contains DIY instruction to perform:

1. doubling operating speed up to 15 IPS, for lower speed models (US residents only, due to 60Hz power-supply requirement)
2. conversion from NAB to IEC EQ
3. upgrading the output capacitors to higher specs components
4. removing from signal path the components (a couple of transistors) required for auto-muting, used to suppress audio output during ff/rew operations.

Visit the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society site here and the document in pdf format here.

 

The Band “The Shins” Publishes New Album on Tape

The Shins - Port of Morrow - 7'' Tape

The band The Shins is releasing the new album Port of Morrow on a variety of media, including reel to reel tape, vinyl, cd and mp3.

The RTR release is on 1/4” tape recorded at 7.5 IPS. Package contains a 7” reel. Limited edition, numbered box.

Vinyl is 12”, 180 gram.

Studer on video at Neil Young’s homepage

Neil Young’s homepage today (January 28th 2011) showed this beautiful Studer in a mysterious video capturing a couple of jam sessions. The event is possibly related to the release of a new album. No further info available at the moment. Here is a pic of the reel to reel.

 

Studer

 

Visit Neil Young site here.

 

 

Even more reel to reel decks: J-corder !

After Revox-based Sonorus ATR10 (discussed here) and TASCAM-based UHA-HQ series (here) let’s now give a look at the J-corder brand by Jeff Jacobs.  Most readers will immediately recognize the unmistakable headblock plate in the picture below: J-corder specializes in customizing and upgrading the RS-1500/1506/1520 Technics series.

J-corder reel to reel decks

These models are ideal listening devices for analog mastering studios or hi-end home hifi. The recording section is not removed, like with UHA-HQ models (and unlike Sonorus ATR10, which is a REPRO machine).

Cosmetic rework is simply beautiful: materials used for finish range from wood to carbon fibre, to kevlar.

Rather than focusing on upgrading the electronics, as other companies do, J-corder specializes in several customization options on the headblock, in collaboration with John French from  JRF Magnetics (we talked about JRF Magnetics here).

The headblock upgrade options:

•  Three Head Option: eliminate the 2/4 head switch and have the machine converted to a fixed two-track or four-track configuration for best performance in specific applications.
• Four Head with external Playback Option: an additional playback head with its own separate wiring for direct  stereo output. Maximum minimalism on the signal path here: ideal for external tube preamps.
• Autoreverse modification for RS-1700: transform the recording/erase autoreverse heads into a unidirectional 2-track recording section, for increasing recording quality. Playback is still autoreverse.

Special machined headblock plates in Aluminum or Brass are available for the options above. Here is a nice picture of one of these new parts for the RS-15xx Isolated Loop dual roller transport. Note that the slot for the 2T/4T original switch is not present (see options above).

J-corder aluminium headblock plate

J-corder offers also a rebuilding service for your own machine:

1. Completely disassemble the machine
2. Replace brakes and springs
3. Replace bearings if needed
4. Hardwire in the heavy-duty power cord
5. Resurface and laser align all heads
6. Clean and lube all switches, pots and controls
7. Treat all connecting posts with “Deoxit” rejuvenator and protector for better electrical connections
8. Reassemble and recalibrate the machine with ATR tape

Visit J-corder web site here.