How To Create Analog Tape Delay ADT and Phasing

[@reubenbotha3331]

Definitely the clearest video on the subject I've found. I've recreated this digitally with a mix of delay, frequency shift and tape emulation that includes wow and flutter.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Awesome, thank you!

[@AlexWallaceAudio]

Which tape emulator did you use for this?

[@reubenbotha3331]

@@AlexWallaceAudio CHOW Tape Model

[@beatle_jake]

Excellent demo! I absolutely love using the tape recorder for ADT among other effects in conjunction with Logic. Waves ADT is indeed very neat and has some nice flexibility, but my trusty Sony TC-630 does the job incredibly well! Having been serviced sometime in the 80s or 90s (I think), and since I cleaned it all up, oiled the motor, and replaced the run cap, it runs just about as well as ever.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Brilliant! Yes tape sounds best I think

[@aftertheendtimes]

😃Always enjoy to see your beautiful soul, and interesting inspireing things and tweaks dear Steve😍🧡

[@piggycity]

When I watch/listen to your videos, I cant help but imagine that Matt Berry is doing a new music special.

[@YoMyNamesJakeG]

He really is the most devious producer in Neeeew York Citaaaaay

[@AllenPalmer-eh4ht]

Ah the Melos, my first tape echo. How I wish I still had it! Tricky getting cassettes though!

[@bencopperhead]

Beautiful explanation. Thank you! I've just been experimenting with guitar effect pedals to get an ADT sound. I tried using a reverb pedal that has a pre delay without too much reverb and high pass. Then run that to an analogue delay pedal that has modulation. The trick is to tweak it just right. Used the same method but with a tape machine (for delay) instead of the analogue delay pedal for vocals and it works like a charm.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

That sounds fantastic! Yes it’s quite possible to get the effect with all manner of equipment if you just ponder for a bit!

[@analog_music_lover]

Yes , the subtle wow and flutter of the capstan generated a special phase shifting.

[@dirgemcelvoy2583]

Great info and video, thank you. I'm also from that era, 69 odd.

[@josiahmiller8482]

very very nice, thanks a lot

[@VintageKeysStudio]

You are most welcome

[@djbuzzword]

I have the gx version of the 4000D. No plugins have come close for me. .. it takes me to a special place :) Love your content and great playing! From a fellow analogue lover

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thank you very much djbuzzword!

[@kevintaylor8055]

Excellent.old gear is best

[@jacobsteel]

nice effect!

[@smacloopy4029]

Thanks for these inspiring techniques! I have a 3head cassette deck in the basement that I will try as a delay. Only problem is pitch variation🤔

[@vicesquadpunk]

Wonderful ❤ thanks

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Welcome 😊

[@TweezerBleezer123]

More videos please

[@northstar1950]

Back in 1966 had a domestic Ferguson 3214 ( I think) tape recorder which I still have. I decided one day to record a record and then rewind the tape back and change tracks and record it again. It was all a bit hit and miss remember this was a domestic machine. Then I would play back both tracks together. It was more luck than judgement as to whether they were in sync and even if they started in synch it as soon lost it and I had a sort of fast reverb/ echo or sometimes that phasing 'whush' would develop. Was this a sort of cross talk between the tracks being played back together?

[@VintageKeysStudio]

It was phasing pretty much, with two versions of the same recording going in and out of sync with each other. You get a more intense effect if one of the signals is phase reversed

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Yes that’s it

[@jandirkadams1559]

I really like your videos! The harpsichord one is beautiful. I also think you are a little bit like a British Norm Macdonald!:)

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Why thank you!

[@Clyde_Lewis]

thanks for this! It inspires me to get out my analog gear again. Those Akai's sound so nice! In the early 80s, I was using my Akai GX4000-D at my first (or second) attempt at overdubbing, and I also had a stereo component dual 10 band graphic eq looping through the back, and so, with the tape echo, could achieve some nice, smooth 'infinite' echoes, which sounded nice on drums, etc. Was something like the Small Faces Itchycoo Park phased with 2 tape machines, or was it a single machine that did the effect, and then the other machine that recorded the whole process?

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Brilliant! It was one tape machine playing the track, and then recorded to two identical tape machines, one recording the mix and the other supplying the added fast echo/ADT effect. The echo machine would have the ‘flanges’ of the tape knocked or pressed on to cause the servos to try to catch up and cause the ‘bumping’, notching wooshy sounds (and I think the effect was better if the phase was inverted too)

[@Clyde_Lewis]

@@VintageKeysStudio Thanks for that explanation! The organ and cymbals in particular really capture the wooshing phasing sounds. Would the echo tape machine be recording an out of phase version of the track in order to invert?

[@schipbreukeling3]

I did not fully understand how you did this ADT trick but I do know that you can adjust the latency in logic pro x. I like the video and you have a great voice for radio broadcasting as well.

[@cliff481]

I was in audio electronics in the 60s (Alpha Sound Services) 50 Stuart Rd. Waterloo Liverpool. The shop was owned by Brian Kelly (check his history) and remember the Small Faces' record Itchycoo Park, which was the first record I heard with phasing (mid drum fill). One of my work buddies (Don Mackay) roadied for The Colderstones (later Badfinger) Who knew George Harrison, Who would give Don, American 45s (big hole) and ask if Don could make something that would sound like whatever sound he had heard on that record. I remember Don making a single valve (ECC 82)? triode pentode trebble booster for him. We used to create Phasing by running two record heads (Ferrograph machine) and moving one of the heads back and forth while the tape was running through. We would take separate outputs through two pots to adjust the mix. I'd guess phasing was discovered by accident but I could be wrong. Thanks for the video. great content. It brought back good memories to an old Liverpudlian.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thanks very much for this - really interesting about the variable record head position - it’s given me an idea for a project!

[@ZeroChannelZero]

Great vid. But I'm a little confused on how they achieved "pre-delay" in the days before DAWs. As far as I know, with tape there's no way to nudge a track earlier in time while feeding it back to the same reel as it plays ...short of executing a tricky maneuver involving a bolt of lightning and a Delorean 🤔

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Two identical tape machines - one being recorded to and the other for the ADT effect (with Vari speed) and a third tape machine that is playing the track into them

[@ZeroChannelZero]

​@@VintageKeysStudio Aha! Thanks for explaining that! It sure involved a ton of expensive hardware.

[@giannirs]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@LarthVolos]

what if one sets a series of heads which can be justed by moving them. And each of them could be set on or off.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Similar to a Watkins copycat

[@Dolores5000]

❤❤❤❤

[@theallmightyanalog]

Niiice.......

[@jefbenley4409]

ADT 4:00

[@popcycles]

I was hoping to see the demonstration of phasing and double playback without the use of a computer. 😢

[@Dani-El.]

Surely analog tape delay would be ATD?

[@VintageKeysStudio]

ADT stands for Artificial Double Tracking

[@slushedpuppy8044]

So if I understood correctly, you make a duplicate copy of the track you want to delay. You have it start slightly earlier than the clean track, but also mute it while sending it to an aux send with a tape delay on it?

[@schipbreukeling3]

The way Steve explain pre delay confuses me too. `I thought a pre delay is the first echo of a sound you hear. In analog recording with 2 mics they use delay to correct phase problems, well maybe using a delay plugin with a pre delay setting on the track . I have not figured it out yet, did you?

[@MirlitronOne]

I agree that doing these things digitally is less fun than analoguely.

[@stephenhall3515]

A BIG like -- but you show a Ferrograph then use an Akai.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thank you! Yes, the Ferrograph (a Vortexion actually) looked more eye-catching than the Akai on the cover photo. Keep an eye on our channel as we will be doing some videos on our other tape machines recently fixed up; two Ampex 351s and a Revox PR99. Also a varispeed modification that was made to this Akai after this video was made.

[@frederickbaugher8361]

Until plug-in manufacturers learn how to incorporate entropy of the hardware they are attempting to emulate, plug-ins will never be as good as hardware.

[@sejrec56]

You don’t have to yell, I like when you talk mellow or normal but then you begin to talk loudly !! A bit annoying but your video is cool besides that. Cuz your voice is a pretty comforting sound w your accent etc. Or maybe compress your speaking a bit through a compressor. Maybe that’s the only problem. Your video is quite informative thanks.