What is an Analag Tape Machine?
Some music producers and mix engineers may have heard a lot about analog tape machine hardware but doesn’t know exactly what it does. Before I get into the “Best Free Analog Tape VSTs Worth Trying”, let me briefly explain what an analog tape machine is. Because there are different types of tape machines this short description does not cover the extensive technical aspects of each one.
An analog tape machine is a device used for recording and playing back audio signals on magnetic tape. It was the primary recording medium used in the music industry from the 1950s to the 1990s, and it remains a popular choice for many recording enthusiasts today.
Analog tape machines come in various formats, including reel-to-reel, cassette, and cartridge. The most common type used in professional recording studios is the reel-to-reel machine. These machines use a reel of magnetic tape that is wound between two spools. The tape passes over a series of heads that record and play back the audio signals.
Other technical features are the tape recorder’s bias oscillator, record amplifier, record equaliser, bias filter, replay amplifier, replay equaliser, and output amplifier/metering. Also, there are four types of tape equalisation circuits often used: AES (tape speeds of 30ips); NAB (specified for 15ips and 7.5ips); and two IEC curves (also for 15ips and 7.5ips).
One of the defining characteristics of analog tape machines is their warm, rich sound. This is because the recording process involves the physical imprinting of the audio signal onto the magnetic tape, which results in a unique harmonic distortion and compression. This quality is often described as “tape saturation” or “tape warmth.” Additionally, tape machines have a dynamic range that allows them to capture a wide range of sounds, from the quietest whispers to the loudest drums.
Despite the advent of digital recording technology, many musicians and producers still prefer to use analog tape machines for their unique sound and character. However, it’s just not an option for most home producers and engineers. So the alternative are tape machine plug-ins that can give you that “tape sound”. However, for those seeking analog tape, nothing can quite match a tape machine hardware unit. Nevertheless, tape machine plug-ins are advance enough to give you that “tape machine feel”.
Below is a list of the best free tape plug-ins that can be useful in your music production.
Best Free Analog Tape VSTs Worth Trying
1. Chowdury DSP Chow Tape Model
Chow Tape Model is a free tape emulation plugin originally created by Jatin Chowdhury as class project at Stanford University. It was developed as a class project at Stanford University. Chow Tape was originally designed to emulate the unique characteristics of the vintage Sony TC-260 analog tape machine, but later changed to include more analog tape functioning features.
Chow Tape algorithms does a good job of mimicking realistic tape saturation. It accurately emulates the saturation characteristics of various tape types, including both reel-to-reel and cassette tapes, allowing users to dial in the desired amount of warmth and saturation to their audio. The analog tape vst also provides controls for adjusting the tape speed, allowing users to achieve the distinctive sound of different tape speeds, such as 7.5 ips, 15 ips, or 30 ips, which can greatly affect the tonal character of the audio.
Chow Tape also includes a variety of other powerful features for shaping the sound of audio recordings. It provides controls for adjusting the drive and saturation, as well as a tone control for shaping the frequency response. The plugin also includes a built-in adjustable wow and flutter effect, which can add subtle pitch variations to the audio, mimicking the imperfections of analog tape playback. Additionally, Chow Tape offers a unique “Bias” control, which allows users to adjust the saturation characteristics of the tape, providing even more versatility and flexibility in shaping the audio.
Chow Tape’s user-friendly interface makes it intuitive and easy to use, allowing users to quickly dial in the desired tape saturation effect on their audio tracks. It is compatible with most major DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) and is available in various formats, including VST, AU, and AAX, making it accessible to a wide range of audio producers, musicians, and engineers. Whether it’s adding warmth and character to digital recordings or achieving that vintage tape sound, Chow Tape by Chowdhury DSP is a free analog tape vst worth trying.
Key Features:
- Input/Ouput Gain, Dry/Wet Mix, Hi cut/ Low cut filters with makeup gain.
- Tape Bias, Saturation, and Drive knobs with precise dial increments.
- Shape tonality with treble and bass knobs. Frequency range 100.00Hz – 4.00kHz
- Loss, Degrade, Chew tabs to dial in generational loss. Speed(ips), gap(microns), thickness(microns) etc.
- Flutter effect with sync abilities. Sync to tape speed, eight, note, quarter not, half, note whole note. Control depth and rate. Wow effect sync to one bar, two bars, four bars, eight bars. Control rate, depth, variance, and drift.
Get Chow Tape Model at https://chowdsp.com/products.html
2. Caelum Audio Tape Cassette 2
Caelum Audio’s Tape Cassette 2 plugin is a cutting-edge audio processing tool that brings the warmth, character, and nostalgic charm of analog tape recordings to modern digital audio production. Building on the success of its predecessor, Tape Cassette 2 offers an enhanced feature set and a sleek, intuitive interface for a seamless user experience.
The plugin’s interface is designed with a sleek, modern look that resembles a virtual tape deck, complete with animated VU meters and intuitive controls. It offers a wide range of adjustable parameters, including input and output gain, tape speed, saturation, wow and flutter, and noise level, allowing users to fine-tune the tape effect to their liking. The plugin also features a comprehensive tape degradation control, which allows users to emulate the natural aging process of tape, adding authentic imperfections and character to the audio.
One of the standout features of Tape Cassette 2 is its advanced saturation algorithm, which accurately emulates the harmonic distortion and saturation characteristics of analog tape. The saturation control can add rich, harmonically complex overtones to audio, enhancing warmth and presence. The plugin also includes a wow and flutter control, allowing users to introduce subtle pitch modulation and tape speed variations, replicating the unique tape playback fluctuations of vintage recordings. Additionally, the noise control allows users to dial in the amount of tape hiss, providing precise control over the level of vintage authenticity.
Tape Cassette 2 is a versatile tape plug-in that can be used on a wide range of audio sources, from individual tracks to buses and the master bus. It is ideal for adding vintage warmth and character to music production, sound design, and post-production projects. With its advanced features and user-friendly interface, Tape Cassette 2 by Caelum Audio is a powerful tool for musicians, producers, and audio engineers seeking to add the unmistakable sound of analog tape to their digital audio productions. Tape Cassette 2 is definitely worth trying.
Get Tape Cassette 2 at https://www.caelumaudio.com/CaelumAudio/?Page=TapeCassette2
3. ToneBoosters TB ReelBus Tape
TB ReelBus v3 is a free plug-in that offers a meticulously modeled emulation of classic analog tape machines. Developed by ToneBoosters, a respected software company known for their high-quality audio plugins, TB ReelBus brings the warmth, saturation, and character of vintage tape recording to the digital world. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, TB ReelBus v3 is a must have to add an authentic analog tape vibe to audio recordings.
One of the standout features of TB ReelBus is its faithful emulation of various tape machine models, which includes reel to reel tape machines and cassette. This allows users to choose the specific tape machine model that best suits their creative needs and desired sound. TB ReelBus also offers comprehensive control over key tape parameters such as tape speed, bias, saturation, tape hiss and asperity. Each parameter have control knobs allowing users to fine-tune the tape sound to their liking.
In addition to its accurate tape emulation, TB ReelBus also offers a wide range of other tools and features for audio processing. There’s a device adjustments section that allow you to control wow, flutter, overbias, and circuit clip with the turn of a knob. These controls add authentic tape modulation effects, while the tape wear and age parameters introduce realistic tape degradation characteristics.
Overall, TB ReelBus v3 is a powerful and versatile free audio plugin that brings the warmth, character, and nostalgia of classic analog tape machines to modern digital audio productions. With its accurate tape emulation, comprehensive control over tape parameters, and additional tape processing tools, TB ReelBus v3 is an essential tool for musicians, producers, and engineers looking to add a touch of analog magic to their audio recordings. TB Reelbus v3 is definitely worth trying out.
Get TB Reelbus v3 (legacy) at https://www.toneboosters.com/changelog.html (scroll to bottom of page)
4. Engelen Audio Kaput Tape
Kaput Tape by Engelen Audio is free cassette tape plug-in that degrade audio signals. Whether used subtly to add saturation or pushed to the extreme for harsh sound transformation, Kaput Tape offers a few creative possibilities for audio manipulation.
Kaput Tape vst was designed to emulate an old handheld cassette recorder according to the developer. This tape recorder plugin was designed to give your audio a vintage lo-fi sound. The few parameters does the job of giving your audio the old sound of playing on a degraded cassette tape. These parameters includes noise, crosstalk, oversample, wobble, depth, and drops. There are input and output gain levels which allow you to control the amount audio signal. This allows users to achieve a vintage and nostalgic sound, reminiscent of classic tape cassette recordings.
Kaput Tape by Engelen Audio is a useful free plugin that delivers a tape cassette degradation feel. Its simple interface and few controls makes it an quick easy to use plug-in tool for certain audio instances in your music project session. Kaput Tape VST is worth trying for music producers who want to add a cassette style degraded sound to their track for free.
Get Kaput Tape at https://www.engelen-audio.co.uk/plugins
5. Superfly Dsp Lost Tapes
- Frequency bandwith is primarily affected by tape-type buttons.
- Artifacts increases distortion and adds glitch
- Depth enhances the tape effect.
- The Flutter frequency is increased by rate
- The Crunch button produces more harmonic distortion.
- The Mix effect allows you to combine dry and wet sounds to create a Chorus effect.
- The noise slider allows you to increase the volume of the noise.
- Stereo mode adds a distinct wide stereo image.
6. GSI Varispeed Tape Delay
The GSI Varispeed plugin by Genuine Soundware is a free powerful and versatile tape delay processing tool that offers a wide range of time manipulation capabilities for audio signals. The GSI Varispeed is software version of the hardware unit WEM Copicat IC-400 Belt Drive VariSpeed model.
One of the key features of the Varispeed plugin is its ability to change the speed of an audio recording without altering its pitch, or vice versa. This allows users to speed up or slow down audio recordings without changing the tonality, making it ideal for creative effects such as time stretching, pitch shifting, or creating unique rhythmic patterns. The plugin also offers precise control over the speed and pitch parameters, allowing users to achieve subtle or drastic changes in the audio material.
Another cool feature is when you automate the on/off switch, you can get that analog tape start/stop effect. There’s also individual left and right level control that you can use to mix the input with the effects. You can change the tone using the three “Pick-up Head” knobs, each having their own distinct character. More parameters include a “Swell” knob, “Repeat” knob, “Echo Tone” knob, and “Varipeed” knob.
In addition to its time manipulation capabilities, the Varispeed plugin also provides advanced controls for shaping the sound of the processed audio. Users can apply various filters, equalization, and modulation effects to further sculpt the audio material to their liking. The plugin also includes a comprehensive set of automation options, allowing users to automate the speed and pitch parameters over time, creating dynamic and evolving audio effects.
Overall, the GSI Varispeed is a great free tape delay simulation plugin worth trying. Get GSI Varispeed at https://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=47
7. Low Waves Studios Track24 Tape
Low Waves Studio Track24 is a unique free tape style plug-in that adds analog characteristics to your audio. According to the developer, Track24 is not a simple Saturator or a Tape Emulation. It behaves similarly to analog tape but without the “drawbacks.” It is unconcerned about Flutter, Wow, or Noise, but it has the Tone and Saturation characteristics of Tape, as well as additional functionality.
Features:
- A Tape Saturation section with a variable texture control for adding more even or odd order harmonics is included.
- A Tone section with four filter “presets” inspired by two different tape machines operating at different Ips – “Neutral” being completely flat.
- 4x Oversample button to avoid aliasing (adds a tiny bit of latency).
- Pre-saturation high pass and low pass filters to shape the incoming signal,.
- A Dry/Wet knob is used to blend the clean and saturated signals.
Get Low Waves Studios Track24 at https://lowwavestudios.com/track24/
Conclusion: Analog Tape VSTs Final Thoughts
In conclusion, analog tape machines continue to hold a special place in the world of audio recording and music production. Despite the advances in digital technology, these vintage pieces of equipment still offer unique sonic characteristics and tactile experiences that cannot be replicated by digital counterparts. From the warm, rich tones to the hands-on approach of recording and mixing on tape, analog tape machines have a timeless appeal that resonates with musicians, producers, and audiophiles alike. But if you want to capture the effects of analog tape these free plug-ins are worth trying out.
