2' analog tape recording session demonstration

A demonstration of a 2" analog tape recording session showing all the steps involved.

Otari MTR90-mkii 16-track 2" tape machine
Trident 80b console
1968 Ludwig kick
Allegra snare
Zildjian cymbals

Overhead microphones - Coles 4038
Kick microphone - AKG D12
Room microphones - Neumann KM184

[tomperkins]

Great to revisit something I've done thousands and thousands of times. It was a very satisfying process, very tactile as well as aural. Of course first thing was alignment of the multitrack machine - that could take a half hour by itself. If you had Dolby or DBX units figure another half hour.

[FromBeyondBand]

This was so incredibly helpful. I am so grateful to folks like you for making it possible for folks like me to learn how to do this and keep this tradition alive.

[raulhenriquez]

So happy I lived this era at the age of 20 operating these machines what a sound.

[MatthewMcClellan]

Thanks for this. As a 58-year-old musician, I smiled at the ProTools shutdown. ✌

[robertkellough]

as an old tape op - this video brought me a lot of peace.

[Rondoooo]

It was much less convenient but so more real. Love it.

[bravinneff]

Turning the computer off was a nice touch.

[carltechmobile]

One of the big things I was taught in Recording Technics school back in the 80's was always store tape tails out.

[daledot]

Very cool! I run a Stephens 821b 24 track and a modded Soundcraft 2400. I shut down my digital rig once I couldn’t buy new PATA hard drives for it, it was oddly satisfying as well.

[bradchatterton]

Nice sound for 4 mics. And I've been using like 10 all along...fml. HAHAHA. Actually, I just got 2 MTR90II machines that used to belong to producer Mike Chapman - using one and the other is for parts. Tracking and overdubbing to tape then mixing ITB. It's a nice hybrid scheme that's been working great so far.

[johnsirca]

Used to own two of them, 16 and 24 track great machines

[dubdoodle]

There's a reason why the best music ever created was on tape. Real instruments, Realtime Talent, Real Vocals !
NO NLE / DAW virtual crap and quantization correction. And NO autotune !!!

[bbbro]

I love analog. Digital is good for cheap, DIY, mastering, since it all goes digital in the end these days...but, I love analog. Still record on tape, never left it.

[marcdanielnelson]

Excellent video. I always loved those UA 2-1176s..

[Vortigan]

Probably my biggest life regret is not moving Heaven and Earth to find a way to serve an engineering apprenticeship! I was 15/16 years old, living out in the Midlands sticks, I'd called round a few local, very minor studios and basically I was told that I'd have to get to London and go "knock on doors". And that was it, I had no means and neither did my family so I just let the dream die! I got to do some pretty basic 8 track recording/mixing with a band I was in a few years later which was great but only made that "what if" question all the bigger! Damn shame, gave up far too easily!

[JAROCHELOcesarcastro]

thank you! This was a nice trip to the past

[Ekam-Sat]

Thank you for taking care of these works of art.

[paullawson]

Thanks man took me back i miss recording to tape

[brianfarris]

Wow! You sure hit those buttons hard! Yikes! Never would I ever do that to the 24 track machine I have!

[m-ducemusicgroup]

Awesome Video.. This was so satisfying lol