TAPE
Tape softens bright attacks and gives a voice, piano, guitar or whole song the color of a tape machine. Keep it steady for gentle warmth, or add wear for a wavering, rougher sound.
Controls
DRIVE
- Range
- 0dB to +18dB
- Default
- +7dB
Pushes the recording harder into saturation, rounding peaks and softening loud highs first. Lower SPEED positions make the highs saturate sooner, so ease DRIVE back if a voice or guitar loses too much detail.
SPEED
- Steps
- CASSETTE · 7.5 · 15 · 30
- Default
- 15
CASSETTE has a thinner bottom, a duller top and the most hiss; 7.5 gives the fullest deep bass and a soft top. 15 has a smaller bass lift and more open highs; 30 is the most even and open, with the least hiss.
AGE
- Range
- 0% to 100%
- Default
- 0%
At the bottom, pitch stays steady; raising AGE adds slow pitch drift, faster flutter and more hiss. Above halfway, occasional brief dips in volume and brightness join in, so keep it lower when tuning and sustained notes matter.
OUTPUT
- Range
- -12dB to +12dB
- Default
- 0.0dB
Turns the tape sound up or down. Balance it against the bypassed recording so you can judge the color without being swayed by a louder result.
Start here
For piano, try DRIVE at +6dB, SPEED at 15, AGE at 0% and OUTPUT at 0.0dB. Listen to held chords and strong attacks; if the top gets too soft, try SPEED at 30 before adding more drive.
Questions
How do I add tape warmth without making the recording wobble?
Keep AGE at 0% and shape the sound with DRIVE and SPEED. A voice or acoustic guitar can still get softer attacks and a changed tone without pitch drift.
Can I use Tape on a whole song?
Yes, start with SPEED at 30 and AGE at 0% to keep the balance fairly open and the pitch steady. Add DRIVE carefully, listening for drum attacks and words that become too soft.
Does CASSETTE change how fast my song plays?
SPEED selects a sound character, not a new song tempo. AGE adds pitch movement, while CASSETTE changes the tone, saturation and hiss even with AGE at 0%.