Tape Distortion - the misunderstood effect?

D

DonPetersen

Fractal Fanatic
until recently, in my thinking, the Tape Distortion block belonged in front of an amp block.
after all, it is a drive block and has 'Distortion' in it's name...
and it's been put to great use there, for exsample by Yek. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=19361&hilit=buttery

It took me a while to associate this particular drive block with the Studer IRs I use and the (in)famous Steinberg Magneto.

My point being:
The Tape Distortion works wonderfully on very clean patches (how many drive blocks can claim that). Just think of it as a reel-to-reel tape(duh!) recorder. Since its mono I put it before or after the cab, and it works as a hmmm... compressor/eq/saturator that fattens up the signal without distorting or adding undesirable artifacts (improperly set compressors)

here's what works for me:

Drive 5.98 (now 3,5)
Tone 5
Level 8.03
Mix 100%
Low Cut 50.3 Hz
High Cut 5042 Hz (more like 2k)
Clip Type Si Diode
Slew Limit 0
Bias 0

I put this in a very clean fender patch and it stayed just as clean but with added body & mojo.

Sorry if this was obvious and I was the only one to mistake this block for another OD, but I liked the results so much I had to share.

:)
 
DonPetersen said:
until recently, in my thinking, the Tape Distortion block belonged in front of an amp block.
after all, it is a drive block and has 'Distortion' in it's name...
Click to expand...
I've used it both ways. In front of the amp with "Clip Type" set to HV tube and appropriate settings of its EQ parameters, it functions as a tonally transparent added gain stage. After the amp, it simulates saturation of analog magnetic tape that colors pretty much every recording made on that mediun.
 
I could be wrong, but IIRC Cliff even wanted to put it in the amp block at some point, but that's a looooooong time ago...
 
Great post, Don.

For whatever reason I'd never thought about placing Tape after the amp sim.....
 
Wow!!! :eek:

I tried this today with the stock preset "Blackface w/ effects," preset #9 I believe (I also changed the cab to 2x12 Blue) and I was amazezzezeezzeed!!! It is the best clean tone I have ever played in my life.

Thanks a ton for this tip. :cool:
 
DonPetersen said:
until recently, in my thinking, the Tape Distortion block belonged in front of an amp block.
after all, it is a drive block and has 'Distortion' in it's name...

It took me a while to associate this particular drive block with the Studer IRs I use and the (in)famous Steinberg Magneto.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Last time I tried the Tape block, I also put it in front of the amp block, but I thought it was based more on an Echoplex preamp circuit. I know I'm wrong about the Echoplex, but what made you think of Studer?

Will definitely have to try your settings.
 
I learn something new on this forum to use with my Ultra every day!!
Great information!
Thanks
 
thanks guys! :)

here's a patch based on a 1968 Fender Twin.

Strat, neck+middle

edit:
re-upped the file since it somehow got corrupted and used a Room verb instead of spring *fixed*
 

Attachments

  • 1968 Fender Twin.syx
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Deltones said:
but what made you think of Studer?
Click to expand...

wishful thinking ;)

It will probably work great for drum tracks (mix and individual drums), vocals and mastering applications as well. I'll use it later to warm up an acoustic guitar track I recorded a few days ago. curious.
 
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