Tape Does Something Pedals Can't

Spoiler alert: Entropy
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Stamps:
0:00 - History
4:07 - Basic Demos
9:38 - Entropy
10:48 - Experiments
14:14 - I went too far
15:15 - Nice Keystep Trick
16:57 - Stochatic Sequencer Loops
19:08 - Takeaways

[@OpalRiderLR]

"I've created a swamp" just resonated with a childlike innosence that I can only hope to capture on my music journey.

[@hakonsoreide]

If you mess around with modular, particularly, you will find synergies of modules and parameters that sound nothing like what you might have been planning to create, which is one of the things I love about it, and, yes, suddenly it might be a swamp, or a bird, a cricket, or what sounds like a talking voice, or something else entirely. That is also why I usually don't try to make a particular sound when I use my modular gear. I just see where it takes me, and it is a bit like being a child at play.

[@robertsyrett1992]

The most important thing about tape echos is that you get to watch the tape move on the top. edit: 16:30 is my favorite musical interlude.

[@snoopywalker1881]

Sounds like a 1980s video game

[@Scoots1994]

I saw Fripp and Eno running tape in open air from one side of a stage to the other with record and play heads on stands they would move around the stage on the tape to play with looping and echo and, of course, chaos. It's really fun watching people get giddy while literally dragging stuff around a stage.

[@robertsyrett1992]

oh the irony of using a 20k modular to sound like a console sound chip. still i liked the modulated melody quite a bit!@@snoopywalker1881

[@robertsyrett1992]

sounds like the dance of the tapeloopmancers @@Scoots1994

[@chickenduckhappy]

Don't say this out loud or some boring Japanese middle management dude is going to replace it with a spinning magnetic disk that is hidden inside.

[@benjyp]

Benn just noodles on a guitar for a few seconds and casually produces the most beautiful sounds I'm going to hear all week

[@michaeldubery3593]

RE: Entropy, there is a really interesting interview with Steven Wolfram which was uploaded a couple months ago where he talks in more detail about what entropy really is and means. The handwavy 'everything decays' description isn't really complete, because the would-be 'decay' is largely only identifiable as such from our (arbitrary) specific anthropocentric point of view.

[@msld_sound]

unhinged behavior to get pedantic in the comments section of notorious anti-pedantry music technologist Benn Jordan

[@michaeldubery3593]

​@@msld_sound ? The interview is really interesting, if you're intrested in entropy, tho...

[@nordishkiel5985]

the tape coiling in the echofix is mesmerizing.

[@AJPape]

Like an audio taffy pulling machine

[@SousaphoneMusic]

it kind of makes me anxious too that it will go wrong at any time with the loose tape

[@poofygoof]

@@SousaphoneMusic the loop stacking itself is a form of entropy...

[@unduloid]

@@poofygoof It literally is the total opposite.

[@user-ec3tb9xe6p]

Where else can you find ear- and eye-candy of this quality? Thank you for transcending all genres through hard and joyous work!

[@pauldavisthefirst]

"basically what is happening is the tape echo is sending a signal to the cosmos and the cosmos is sending some of that ..." peak benn, even if by accident.

[@glueball9511]

how can we bring up history of echo and its continued importance without speaking on DUB ? these innovators explored playing the units as instruments from the get-go, and i think its difficult to overestimate the origin of influence through to very modern music

[@jesse.bradleyy2002]

THIS!

[@danielreed5199]

An era of music where Musicians became Engineers and Professors :)

[@audible67]

It's really not a problem because no matter what you say there's always some douche out there on the internet that thinks he knows better and will bring it up for you.

[@audible67]

​@@glueball9511I think you've got a bit of a glorified opinion of your own ability to elevate this conversation. What kind of people do that? Oh yeah...

[@glueball9511]

@@audible67 its history not politics old buddy! i am not the only person who knows, nor am i trying to give myself points for knowing basic shit about my interests lol! i care because i love what people have done with these units (topic of the video). i love the history and i love ESPECIALLY what was done with these units in the 70's and 80s- highly constructive! as opposed to whatever you are doing here old bud. how is your inflammation doing? also : you are almost 60 years old and your sorry ass is on KZbin getting mad that people care about their interests lol, bro OCCUPY YOURSELF MEANINGFULLY. it cant be fun to hear yourself talk and think in this manner. think about the people around you (are there people around you who care?) maybe you are missing that brother, i hope you figure it out i WILL PRAY FOR YOU BROTHER

[@stefangieck2914]

Really enjoy seeing you in full flight ambient mode. Give us the 7h version.

[@michaeldubery3593]

seconded

[@Jin-Hu]

Thirded hirded hirded hirded hirded hirded hirded hirded irded irded irded irded rded rded rded rded ded ded ded ded ed ed ed ed d d d d d d

[@Robbyrool]

This is my favorite effect. I am a sucker for reverb and echo, that spacey sound. Seem to like any song that uses it.

[@el-bov8034]

'Shadows And Light' is a fantastic album. Not ony Joni, but Jaco, Pat and Lyle. A veritable supergroup!

[@jasonvytlacil1256]

love tape echo, love this episode, and you're looking great for 87. keep up the great work!

[@macsarcule]

I’m a delay hound (7 delays in my stereo signal chain most of the time), and after lurking on them for what seemed like years on Reverb, in June i nabbed an EchoFix refurbished EF-X2 at a great price for a factory refurb with full warranty (none of the cool stereo outputs which would be SOOO fun to have), and I’m so excited to use it late this year! Only so excited to use later? Well, I plugged it in and played some to be sure it worked and immediately reboxed it to give myself for Xmas, cuz that’s the kind of thing you do when you’re widowed with no kids and pretend someone got you things for Xmas, so this video has me even more excited and I can’t wait for Christmas when I’ll also rewatch this video and then get even more excited to make music with it! Great video, Benn! ✌️🙂🎸

[@jamesstonehouse3448]

Wata from Boris performs live sometimes with a space echo unit. They're just such an amazing sound, unlike anything digital

[@smoli]

SuiseiNoboAZ also uses a gigantic space echo unit live

[@Alkatross]

Haven't heard about Boris in a while.

[@pivA00]

Nils Frahm performs quite often with 1-2 tape echos from Echo Fix, at least the few times I've been to his concerts they were present on the stage :)

[@brandobin]

Similar but a little more obscure- Comets on Fire make heavy use of tape-as-instrument as well (though they use an echoplex)

[@MiltonGrimshawMoote]

Having listened to Drapes Before Storm on Bandcamp I now understand how tape echo fits into mixes even using modern kit such as modular, thanks Benn you do the community proud with all this quality content. OnlyBenns should help a lot, there are a lot of shills on here and you are one of only 3 channels I trust to be independent,

[@HANGINGOUTWITHAUDIOPHILES]

Marvelous tones. Takes me back to our loop jams the other week. Thanks for the shout out :) brought to you my entropy of Nashville

[@BennJordan]

They definitely inspired me! I'd like to do a tape feature and will probably just come to you for it. 😂

[@HANGINGOUTWITHAUDIOPHILES]

@@BennJordan let’s do that

[@daved1025]

I was listening to pale blue dot pretty much on repeat while reading the men who stare at goats so when I heard the snippet of it in this video I immediately thought of Jim Channon's idea of using ambient music to subdue people in a combat scenario .....also Benn's homemade sonic weapon

[@tiagobelo4965]

Defeat the enemy army by having them listen to some chill AF atmospheric music

[@naughtyramen7773]

I LOVE the sound from around 15:00 to 15:14.. this low.. something. Sounds so nice.

[@bentrolley4316]

Even as someone who's not especially into the reverb rabbit-hole, I still loved watching you just absolutely having a blast and enjoying something you're super nerdy about. It's a wonderful thing to see, and you also made some lush sounds that were lovely to hear

[@msld_sound]

This was informative AND musically inspiring, a great addition to my existing knowledge of tape delay. Thank you for another gem!

[@M.W.777]

Benn...you're a beautiful soul!! Peace be with you!

[@BounceChord]

I just had a Space Echo in my studio for about a month. I’ve owned a handful of fancy digital tape delays but the real deal is a whole new thing. It blew my mind.

[@Ed-davies]

Jeez! The sense of calm epic reverb and delay brings always knocks me over, this was just off the charts in this video

[@mdreid]

Love this! I’ve been fascinated by delays ever since I borrowed a friend’s Boss delay for my guitar 30 years ago and tried doing my best impression of the Cure. I became fascinated with the sound of tape delays and tape in general after listening to lots of dub in the 90s and, importantly, William Basinski’s “Disintegration Loops” in the early 2000s. If you ever need a jumping off point to further discuss tape entropy in music you’d be hard pressed to find a better one IMO - it’s absolutely beautiful. I was lucky enough to score a fully functional Space Echo really cheap about 6 years ago and it is easily my favourite piece of studio gear. I love its character and unpredictability and pretty much use it on everything. I’ve tried dozens of Space Echo emulations (the Strymon El Capistan rates highly for me) but keep coming back to the real thing despite all of its inconveniences. You’ve got me inspired now. Time to switch on the tape delay and bask in some echoes!

[@culturite]

I think this might be my favourite video you’ve ever done. So good Benn. Thanks for this inspiring sonic journey into Entropic Echolandia

[@carbonvibes]

This thing sounds addictingly amazing 🤩. Thanks for sharing @Benn Jordan 🙏🏻

[@FredF78]

All the gear, cables and experiments! The essence of hardware.

[@silentshadowdnb]

Doing this with tape machines and cavernous granular reverbs is therapy for me hey. It helps me slow down and just relaaaax. Beautiful sounds at the end man! Also, I think the tape echo in Guitar Rig is underrated AF. It's evolving atmos in a box ❤

[@lefunghi6151]

So many sounds on records I really loved but never quite understood how they were made were eerily similar to what came out of this Unit. Wow.

[@bodenschatz10]

Very excited/curious about your Nightsky thoughts. After some initial frustration, I've come to love it. Hopefully, you can push it to an hour long!

[@RickGomez]

I know it's not the same, but this gives me some great inspiration for my new Meris LVX modular delay. Definitely some great routing and modulation options that I'd not thought about. Always stellar content Benn. Killer stuff.

[@kevinm.n.5158]

Stoked for this. There was a song my ex played by the neighborhood i think that I always called "The Tape Echo song"

[@thomaskinsey3424]

‘Fractal of decay’ is my new favorite term, thank you Benn for the always amazing videos!

[@trespelos]

I loved this one Benn. The sound of entropy!!!! thanks

[@gacleite]

What a great video! Beautiful sounds! Awesome content!! Very instructive and interesting 👌🏻

[@kayurbach5182]

These transitions are pure gold. ❤ love'em

[@matthewmcclure3181]

Thank you for such an interesting take on mechanical tape echo and providing the first explanatory word resonating with my love for this type of delay - ENTROPY. Modern pedal emulations are getting close to capturing a majority of the decay elements that make these units special but I'm not sure they will ever 100% get there. I love my delay pedals but I view mechanical echo as a stand-alone effect category (i.e. Tape Echo pedals are also a stand-alone category). Earlier in the year, I rolled the dice and purchased a Multivox MX-201 sight unseen - fortunately it's proven reliable. There's a unique learning curve... very unique. My biggest discovery is a mind shift towards accepting what the machine gives me instead of fighting the unit for something more precise. As the tape degrades over time, there's also a sense of loss when the life-cycle of a unique quirk fades away, never to be replicated again. Beyond providing the "entropy" explanation, there are two other aspects of your video that got my creative juices flowing: (1) Motivation towards putting more effort into incorporating digital delays in the Tape Echo chain (my initial attempts were discouraging - too much entropy perhaps?). (2) Digging out my old Yamaha mixer that's currently hiding in the garage somewhere and experimenting with routing options. Really great video, thanks!

[@rainbowkrampus]

Stoooop. I already know how good Space Echo is. You don't need to torment me like this.

[@user-rr4rs3nt7y]

Can we have a ten hour video of the tap loop going round and round... It is mesmerizing 😊 PS. When your tape echo gets too warn-out to fix...Just send it to Hainbach!

[@Magnymbus]

The loose tape is anxiety inducing, mesmerizing, and confusing, all at the same time.

[@shawnlilly5934]

I looked up the ventures when you mentioned them and they are still going with the later members of the band. They made an album this year with tons of tape delay since it’s a Space Surf Rock album! Cool stuff. Thanks for introducing the band to those of us that haven’t heard of them

[@nickwallette6201]

Those guys just take the crown for most timeless band ever.

[@MIssSarahKB]

Thanks, I found this very useful for understanding the whole general concept of delay. 😊 It reminds me of playing through a pedal delay that then goes to a Soma Cosmos with feedback, blur, and drift all set to create an ongoing slowly changing and deteriorating entropy-like sound whilst new recording is still happening. I appreciate, though, that doing that is not quite like the tape-ness of the tape delay showcased here. Cool. 😊 EDIT: I wrote this before I saw your section that included a Cosmos. 😅

[@THA-M]

The reverb takes me places, awesome job Benn

[@3str]

Seriously, you've got it just right. So well done!

[@Clarity-808]

This is a beautiful video in every way. Thanks for making it.

[@bentollidaymusic]

@BennJordan Thanks for the comprehensive video. So great to hear the EFX-2 in action! One minor historical point, though - according to Scotty Moore's autobiography, "Scotty & Elvis: Aboard The Mystery Train", the origin of tape echo came from Les Paul's reel-to-reel tape echo machine, followed by Ray Butts' EchoSonic amplifier - which housed a built-in tape echo (as used most famously by Chet Atkins & Scotty Moore in the mid-1950s). The WEM Copicat came a few years later, in 1958.

[@thehowlingterror]

The 1981 re-201 is still going strong and I put it down to regular use. As for maintenance I clean the heads and give it a new tape when the repeats get too mushy. Replaced a worn out head and a couple of caps. Guess I'm saying is don't be thinking these simple mechanical devices easily fail. They thrive on regular use with minimal maintenance. Have to add I do like what Echo Fix are doing with their take on the Space Echo and having individual outputs would prove useful from time to time. Nice relaxing music there Benn.👍

[@fanusbogey]

I really apprecite your videos man, thank you

[@poofygoof]

The only thing comparable to tape echo for me is bucket-brigade delays. Both can saturate and self-oscillate, and sometimes I need the timing reliability of the BBD, and other times the random speed variation of tape works better. I can't believe how expensive both have gotten, [edit: either one is worth more than Benn's track on bandcamp,] but I guess that means I'm getting old.

[@TikiLoungeZombie]

I used to run a Multivox BBD into a Roland SRE555 for wonderful echo madness.

[@JTPiano2011]

nice job, always enjoyable and informative

[@halfpastsevenakaiosh]

I love the way you explore Benn

[@sweeterthananything]

my unexpected takeaway: wore headphones and yeah idk man, this is 99% playing a p$$$ychlogical game on yourself and thats cool to get inspired with, but every modern digital tape sim is basically fine for 99.999999% of jobs theyre enlisted in. even zoom’s. digital devices can also be built with proper I/O and even a vanilla digital delay with feedback routed via that mackie with its mic inputs etc. is subject to entropy. all of this shit is going to break. arguably no one holds more entropy than behringer but what does that do for me?

[@snoopywalker1881]

Great in depth demo as usual! Real tape delay seems to sound lovely to the youtuber, but to us the audience, the quality does not come thru my speakers . A Universla Audio delay pedal does a great job replicating maybe 80%. but who really knows? . only a pro touring musician can afford to gig w a real tape delay

[@judecapone7651]

I enjoy your informative channel very much. I began soundscaping in the later 80s when I purchased a fostech four track cassette and a alesis quadraverb. My initial inspiration came from an acquisition of an echoplex ep3 circa 1969.. similar to Jimmy Page which I still own today all original. The quadraverb was mind-blowing and a lot of your tones later in this video were extremely similar to the ones I was creating. I always admired the Space echo. A singer of mine in the mid 80s used one and it really made his voice shine.. Cheers!

[@imnotfishing]

Great video Ben. I traveled with a 501 for many years. Tried the Fulltone and it wasn’t the same vibe.

[@yolklab]

I am in awe - what a wonderful channel

[@Lantertronics]

I'm quite intrigued by the visual patterns the tape itself makes.

[@RoryRonde]

cool to see someone play right handed guitar upside down. My brother plays that way as well so it feels familiar to see someone else play that way.

[@Luap-ls3ix]

I don't care what anyone says Benn, you look great for 87!

[@ohpotatoesandmolasses]

Saw True Widow a few weeks ago and he had two Echoplexes, one running into a Super Reverb and the other going into a Blues Deville. Sounded so ungodly good.

[@edtalktech]

Absolutely love this. Before I was even double digits, late 80s I was playing with a Wem Watkins Copicat. It was amazing, despite me not even knowing what I was supposed to do with it. In some way its what got me into sound as I am now.

[@swabbi]

I was given an Echoplex and moog as a ten year old in 80s. It was life changing. I had to return the moog but kept the echoplex. I sold it in2005. Used to play sax on it in my attic with 400 watt amp and windows open in. 90s.

[@StrangerYann]

I really love what's happening from 16:29 onwards

[@christopherwilliams375]

I’ve had a pair of EF-X2 tape delays for a couple of years. Magical.

[@compucorder64]

That D'Angelico guitar sounds really nice through the Echo Fix, good combo. While watching the video, a couple of things were in the back of my mind. Was going to mention Strymon, because I loooooove Magneto. But yeah, I agree I don't think of it as a replacement for a tape echo (which I can't afford), but I love it for it's own sound. The other thing I don't think the emulations sound right for is real spring reverb. And they're not all that expensive, at about $200 second-hand for a lovely sounding Surfy Bear. To a lesser extent, I'm not convinced by emulations of grimey old BBD delays and BBD-based analog chorus FX. Especially when used together. And at least the real deal is cheap, unlike tape. Been getting into using the send-return of my DOD Rubberneck delay, out into a BBD chorus. Then there's the magic of the cumulative goodness of all these things used together, analog chorus, BBD or tape, real spring. Really want a Soma Labs Cosmos, it's on my list; saving up to buy one next year.

[@AJPape]

Amazing video, ty so much for the joy and wonder 🙏🏻 Also that is a phenomenonal deal on moral superiority

[@JimAlfredson]

The Echo Fix is on my shortlist. It sounds so good.

[@bnz70]

Props for the Cosmos. I love that thing!

[@ItsActuallyTJ_]

Beautiful video ben

[@McCheesy22]

You playing with the delay feedback as an instrument of its own sort of dawned on me thats most likely how the ambient noise is made in Radiohead songs

[@browe]

'Shadows and Light' is a brilliant LP, concert, and snapshot of music... Jaco's work with Joni Mitchell is easily his best (not being facetious.) As for Australian makers, I can do so much with my Echo Fix, so inspiring--and that's the X2 version... No regrets, and one gets to support a diehard craftsperson. When the Echo Fix showed up at my door, I was beyond delighted by how gorgeous its machining turned out to be. What a lovely bit of kit. At 18:00... woof. Juicy.

[@bradleyduer]

I love your music Benn.

[@beatworldrecords6080]

I have not even dove that deep into it? I hadn't even dived that deep into it yet? Cool video! +1 for strymon night sky.

[@Bthelick]

FYI if you want a free vst delay that does a great job of mimicking tape delay (including full self oscillation) I recommend Nasty DLA by Variety of Sound an extremely under appreciated dev.

[@Fluxwithit]

oofff love the echoFix EF-X2 I have but man I wish I had those additional outputs. really opens it up into the dream world

[@SOVLTRON]

funny, i was just thinking of this today. I didn't have a word for it but its exactly why some things just sound better as hardware/ pedals.

[@bitegoatie]

I lived through the eighties. I was not bored even once. A lot of things stank in the eighties (not least the US government run by a gang of career criminals and would-later-be criminals and incompetent antigovernment cranks), but there was no reason to be bored. There is never a reason to be bored. But thanks for the tape-echo review session.

[@nickwallette6201]

Has any of that changed? :-D

[@paul88khz]

I would like the full ambient album, please. The highlight of the video for me was 15:19 to 15:38. I love these textures so much

[@paul88khz]

And then the sound around the 18 minute mark too omg

[@Yora21]

That's some amazing sounds.

[@rajivmodha3693]

The UK Instrumental Band The Shadows were perhaps the first to use the tape echo..Apache was released in July 1960

[@DanteHaroun]

Funnily enough, my natphil prof defined entropy as "the tendency towards ORDER", the definition really depends on what you mean by "order" or "disorder": thermal equilibrium is in a certain sense order

[@DanteHaroun]

that's not to say that calling it a tendency towards disorder is wrong at all

[@bearspawrecords]

I was so excited to see the cosmos! I've been wanting one for a long time, have you done any videos on it?

[@bearspawrecords]

Hah just got to the end of the vid, but I would love to see a deep dive into the cosmos!

[@technopop90]

very nice review Ben.

[@solarsystemboots]

slowly fading away into chaos with time, just like all of us will

[@CarstenGoeke]

Insane sounds here: 11:42 Thanks for sharing ✌🏼

[@BigMTBrain]

Other than the noise, which can be filtered out, really so beautiful and flexible.

[@stevekirkby6570]

El Cap does a pretty good job of simulating entropy. I used to have a 201 (and can you believe Igave it away!) but now pretty happy with the El Cap... reliable degradation :)

[@JeiShian]

Wow this is really beautiful 😮😮😮

[@andivax]

As delays fan I THANK YOU!

[@evanbarnes9984]

God damn dude, you've built an Apollo Mission Control Center for modular music and it's fucking glorious!

[@Bthelick]

Stryman doing some great stuff, I found out they are ex-line 6 which makes sense as I used to love their stuff too.

[@pn078]

I've been using a moog bucket brigade pedal. it's not tape but it's analog and using it as a send on the board and feeding it back on itself and using cv to control it I can dial in the kind of nonlinear delays and saturation that I like from tape. and she's low maintenance. the entropy is still there.

[@SlowDescentToWild]

These do sound lovely - I’m done with GAS but these Echofix keep calling me! Although I love putting synths through effects like this, sometimes you can’t beat that lovely guitar tone. Makes me wish I played guitar…

[@kalmarnagyandras]

You should totally have a computer vision module watching the tape compartment, and emitting midi cc or velocity based on the amount of motion 😋

[@TheNimasan]

i have the starlab since almost a year and i love it to death. cosmos was my fav gear of the superbooth 2022. i am a soma fanboy.... i literally love everything they do or vlad does. but to me cosmos is beyond a magic box. so much so that i will get a second one because of all the tremondous firmware you can swap under 5 seconds....damn i love this box!!!!

[@AJPape]

14:42 starting here I would love to riff a voice over about Benn communicating with alien life forms that seem to either want to make enormous mile-long space donuts, destroy the earth, or help us ascend into some higher consciousness... When he said "sending into the cosmos" I was 'Benn has been chosen, they are communicating with him!!'

[@wendelynmusic]

Tape Echo makes me think of the seminal Fripp and Eno record from the 70's, No Pussyfooting. What an amazing moment in my life when I heard that album for the first time.

[@JadeEyeland]

Jaco pastorius was truly an inspiration to so many musicians across genres

[@TayTayMakesBeats]

I've wanted a tape delay for ages, thinking I'd only ever manage to get my hands on one way later in life because of how expensive they are. After years of heavy addiction eating all of my money I finally have disposable income and after getting myself a 4 track with an FX loop a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon a great deal on a reel to reel with 3 heads in amazing condition. Sure it's not as versatile or anywhere near as convenient as basically any other delay but it's so satisfying to use and sounds amazing. It's corny but more than anything it holds a lot of personal value, reminding me that the dreams I'd largely given up on are not out of reach. It also just looks really nice.

[@oxygen69able]

Or you could have 1000 fentanyl pills.

[@MaximSchoemaker]

Beautiful ✨