This may seem "off topic" but bear with me. I will get there.

I have definitely been the "worst of all sinners" when it comes to having used way too many effects on occasion. For me it has not been a tape vs. digital problem--it has been a going-way-too-crazy with-digital-effects problem.

But, I still feel (and this is just me) that the most beautiful sound in the world is a great old steel string (or nylon) guitar with no effects properly mic'ed mixed right in your face. I am sure other players feel the same way about their chosen instruments of choice. Point is--keep it simple then build, whether tape or digital, no matter what you are playing.

I can't lie: I love recording on tape, but it is not that feasible these days.

In the digital world there are plenty of VSTs that can give you a warm tape emulation/saturation effect that works pretty well, as long as there aren't a million other effects going. The Cakewalk Bandlab DAW has some great tools in the ProChannel that can help you warm stuff up.

So, I am preaching at myself, really. I tell myself every day, you CAN get a good simple sound, and it will be kinda like tape, but dude, you have to play some wood and back off of those effects.

smile

Just trying to stay clean. One day at time y'all.

David Snyder
Songwriter/Renaissance Man
Studio + Fingers

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