Analog-ising

zongo · Post by **zongo** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:04 pm

hydrogen wrote:Since we are talking about artificially creating this warmth and sound... what collecting and about mixing slight amount of noise in each channel? or mix into a buss with the noise channel, then compressing.

I do that almost all the time

If like me you can't afford a true reel to reel gear then you have alternative solutions :

The most expensive : http://www.anamodaudio.com/

The acclaimed Nebula 3 plugin : http://www.acusticaudio.net/ (sadly it doesn't work on my Vista laptop, at least the demo version)

Free plugins : FerricTDS from Bootsy : http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/ and Ferox from JB_plugins : http://www.jeroenbreebaart.com/

Android · Post by **Android** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:29 am

hardware thru the desk
recorded,
then arranged in logic,
played back thru the desk
for final mix
down to tape

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:41 am

one thing that is important, imo, is to accept the limitations of the tools you are using, (or maybe source new tools that better fit your style).

digital can do some cool things that aren't only in the shadow of analogue.

bit crushing. cool weird distortions like ohmforce or psp vintage warmer, which is some weird tape compressing distortion.

i'm not picking on any point in particular, but this topic doesn't necessarily need to only be about how to make digital sound more like analogue. maybe how to use some features of analogue gear to inspire different elements of more digital based production. cos obviously that analogue dirt adds an element that is missing from most digital set ups, and digital synths can require a bit more work to do something nice than a simple deep analogue synth.

anyways I don't have any answers really.

idlemode · Post by **idlemode** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 1:17 pm

what sorta noise would i mix i with my channels? like random street noise? or actual saturation distortion of that channel compressed with itself?

damagedgoods · Post by **damagedgoods** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 2:02 pm

idlemode wrote:what sorta noise would i mix i with my channels? like random street noise? or actual saturation distortion of that channel compressed with itself?

Stuff like tape hiss, vinyl crackle, 50 hz hum (not sure how great that'd sound over a club PA), mic preamp hiss, etc. Sounds best when compressed or saturated with something else - preferably something rhythmic - otherwise it sounds too static, like someone just mixed in a load of noise over their track. The compression will pump the level of the noise in time with whatever you compress it with.

Random street noise could be fun, but probably not quite the effect I'm talking about...

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:25 pm

its funny really, most analogue producers spend their time trying to reduce the level of any noise/hiss to zero.

i think theres a lot more to something sounding analogue than adding a bit of noise. i really dont know why anyone would want to do that.

if you want a dirty raw analogue sound, get something analogue to do it.
why fake it ? i realise thats not what you want to hear, but its just the way it is. (sorry, thats just an oppinion there, how can i say that ? )

edit
the tone and timbre of any instrument is so important, surely its better to use the right gear for the sound you want.
i'm just thinking about how physical musicians go out of their way and become obsessed with using the best possible instrument for the job, with exactly the right tone etc. when i played guitar i was obsessed with having the right make of tube in my amp, and i had to break them in at practice before i would ever use them live, because they sounded better when they were a few weeks old.

and i wasnt alone

just my 2 cents.

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 10:06 pm

steevio wrote:its funny really, most analogue producers spend their time trying to reduce the level of any noise/hiss to zero.

i think theres a lot more to something sounding analogue than adding a bit of noise. i really dont know why anyone would want to do that.

if you want a dirty raw analogue sound, get something analogue to do it.
why fake it ? i realise thats not what you want to hear, but its just the way it is.
the tone and timbre of any instrument is so important, use the right gear for the sound you want.

just my 2 cents.

This, in reality, is the best advice in this thread, and is the very reason I just got to saving money and buying gear.

tone-def · Post by **tone-def** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:02 pm

Android wrote:hardware thru the desk
recorded,
then arranged in logic,
played back thru the desk
for final mix
down to tape

thats not how i would do it. i don't see much gain from just recording the final mix to tape.
but if i was going to use tape it would only be for recording harsh percussive sounds like cowbells, woodblocks and maybe tambourine. then i'd record that into the computer before all the rust comes off. thats the only use it would get from me, softening harsh sounds.

i was listening to one of my dads old records from the early 80's and i was really impressed with the sound. so i had a look at the credits to see who engineered it and it said it was a digital recording.