DUB DISCUSSION BOARD

Hi! I just found this thing here:

http://www.interruptor.ch/dub_fx.shtml and it says this:

"Create your own tape echo by combining a digital delay unit with a two headed tape deck or an old reel tape. Check the detailed instructions here." but the link is down...

Does anybody know how to do it?

Cheers!!

Hi Lordvibrato

Glad you found this tiny but cherished spot in the depths of the world wide web

The link pointed to a forum post I wrote 18 (whut??) years ago. In the meantime the forum was ported to new platforms a number of times, hence the dead link.. The complete forum topic can still be found though. See here:

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=162&p=679#p679

For your convenience below follows the mentioned run-down on how to create your own tape delay:

cheers
Daniel / Interruptor

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
instead of using a simulator you could also build your own tape delay. This may be cheaper and you'll have a REAL tape delay.



You'll need these ingredients:

• a tape deck or reel to reel machine with read-after-write feature (r-a-w or repro), this means there are two separate heads for recording and playback - this way you can listen to what's on the tape already while recording

• any digital delay unit

• one channel strip of your mixing desk

connect as follows:

• auxiliary send 1 (example) of your mixer goes to the recording input of the tape deck

• set send level to Zero

• put a tape in the deck, start recording and switch to read-after-write mode.

• connect the monitor out of the tape deck to the input of the delay unit

• set feedback amount to Zero

• the output of the delay is connected to channel input 4 on your mixer (example)

now that everything is connected you can:

• use the fader of channel 4 on your mixer to set the overall delay level

• adjust the delay time on the digital delay unit

• open auxiliary send pot 1 on any instrument's track to add tape delay to that channel

• tweak aux send pot 1 on channel 4 to control the feedback amount

• use the EQs on mixer channel 4 to shape the sound of your delays

• if you are using a reel to reel tape stop the left reel with your hand and let it go to create some extra crazy delay wobbles..

The advantage of such a setting is that you have more control over the delay sound via the mixer's EQs than on a SpaceEcho or similar unit. For a start you can also do this without the digital delay unit but then you will not be able to set the delay time freely - you will just have the ones resulting from the tape speed settings available on your tape machine.

peace & happy dubbing
the interruptor

Hi Interruptor!

Thanks a lot! I found it and was really wondering about it, thanks again!

Lord Vibrato.