Tape & Valve Emulation Via Plugins

We hear a lot about valve emulators, tape saturation plugins, and vintage warming effects for use in the digital audio world these days. But what are they and how should you u se them? And will they give you that "punchy", yet "warm" sound that everyone talks about?

A quick overview. Valve and tape machines are, of course, analogue equipment. They change the sound when you run a signal through them, even if you're not trying to treat it; in a similar way that a vinyl record player might. This is something that's not an issue in a DAW - there are no converters, and everything can be clinically clean and precise.

But this isn't always a good thing. As with vinyl, many consider this analogue sound to be desirable, and so we have plenty of plugins on the market that emulate that subtle shift in timbre. You'll see how they claim to add 'warmth', or 'punch' or even 'grit'.

Ultimately, the analogue sound is caused by distortion. Typically, the main characteristics of that distortion are a 'warmer' EQ sound - in other words you lose some of the top end, and perhaps gain a boost down in the low mids or bass, a 'saturation' of the transient (or a reduction - rather like limiting), and, if driven at all hard, you'll find harmonics introduced that were not in the original sound, like overdrive.

So when should you be using these plugs? And how? Well, there are basically

two ways to look at it. Firstly, as a creative effect, and second as a mix tool. As an effect, you can use them somewhat like a straight-up distortion unit - send your bassline or kick through a tapehead plug, ramp up the gain and see what happens. Anything is possible here - try running a sub-bass quite hard through a vintage warmer (or three), and you'll soon hear a vicious snarl of a bassline that suddenly dominates the track. Or you could push a lead synth through one and gain some buzz at the higher end.

The more common option for use though, is at the mixdown stage, and here analogue warmers can have a range of uses. Put a valve emulator on your bass sound, and it will introduce higher frequencies to the sound, that will help the subs come through more clearly on smaller speakers. Try one on your strings or pads, and it will help to thicken up the sound and give it a touch more weight or presence. Alternatively, you can run a tape saturator over your drum buss to bring in a bit more power or crunch, whilst reducing the dynamic range - subtle compression, EQ and distortion all in one. It's results like this that make

people talk about 'grit' or 'punch' and they can be very welcome.

There is an important caveat though - use sparingly! It's easy to lash a valve plugin across your drum

s, crank it up under the impression that more warmth is better, and unwittingly squash all the life out of your track.

Likewise, it's important to remember that while these plugs add, they also take away. So remember to check that you haven't just removed the sparkle from your hihats, or if you've warmed up your sub with

some low-mids, make sure you haven't inadvertantly cut some of the low end that was there in the first place! For this reason, it's often worth using parallel processing - (see our previous blog on this subject) - so that you can bring in the effected signal without compromising the original; especially for sounds with important dynamics, like drums or percussive lead lines. Subtlety is key. These tools are not magic fixers and won't make a dull sound into a great one. But they can add an extra few percent to a good sound.

Some of the popular options are:

PSP Vintage Warmer - one of the originals. Now up to version 2.5, this is probably the most popular analogue emulators on the market, and for good reason.

112dB Redline Preamp - only released this year, but rapidly becoming very popular for its low CPU use, configurability, and quality of sound.

Massey Tapehead - one of the best-kept secrets out there. Sounds great and is widely used. The only difference between the free demo and the full version is the lack of a bypass option. Highly recommended.

So, with some of these tips, we hope you'll be able to get things sparkling with just your DAW. Are you ready to bring that classic vintage sound to your mixes?

Mixing with Parallel Compression

Let's take a look at a bit of a sneaky tip in the mixing world - that of parallel compression. Why should you care, what can it do, and what is it anyway?

Well, the clue is in the word 'parallel': basically you're taking a processed signal, along with the unprocessed original, and mixing them together. In this way, hopefully, you can combine the best of both worlds. It's generally applied to compression, because for most other types of processing it's not really needed; there's no point mixing a clean signal with something that has a large EQ boost - you might as well just have a small EQ boost in the first place. With compression, however, your signal is generally so radically altered, that there's not (always) a simple way to rein it in. Parallel compression is also sometimes known as New York compression.

The Basics

So, practically speaking, what is the point of parallel compression? Why would you want to bother yourself with such a thing? When we consider a compressor, and what it does to a signal, there are basically two parts; the attack and the release. For a drum hit, let's call these the transient and the body. If you have a fast attack, then you lose transient, but the body will be relatively more loud. If you have a slow attack, then you can keep the transient and reduce the volume of the body. But what if you want both? Turn up the body, the weight of your sound, and retain the snap of the transient? Ah. That's where we need to get creative. You can probably see where this is going, then; the idea behind parallel compression is that you can take your original, clean signal, and blend it with a compressed one. The compressed signal will therefore want to have a fairly fast attack - you don't need to worry about saving transients, as they'll be there from your original signal, and likewise you can dial in a fairly hefty ratio too - use the clean sound for fidelity, and back it up with the weight from your squashed alternative.

Techniques

So, that's the thinking behind it - let's have a look at how to set something up. For the sake of simplicity, I'll suggest that you take a full drum loop sample; maybe some live-sounding drums so that you'll be able to hear the effect most clearly (you could, of course, use your drum buss). Take a 'send' from this channel, send it to a buss, and put a compressor on it. Then go for some fairly vigorous processing; set your attack to 0ms, release something like 500ms, give it a ratio of 10:1 or more, and a low threshold. In other words, crush the life out of it - make sure to solo it, and you'll find it sounds horrible. Now, pull this fader all the way down (so you're hearing only the original), and then slowly bring it back up. What you should hear is that the drums sound beefier, with more weight, but without losing too much in the way of transient punch. At some point the compressed signal will start to overwhelm the clean - this is where you should back it off. Remember, if you can hear what's been done, then it's probably too much.

A magic bullet, then? Well, not quite. It can still be a heavy-handed technique and is suitable for certain types of music more than others. If you fancy yourself as the next Steve Angello then go right ahead - slam that compressed signal into the mix. And then compress it again just to be sure. But for other sounds, where a degree of subtlety is required, you'll need to be careful that you don't lose what was good in the first place. Parallel compression is sometimes even referred to as 'upwards compression' - because instead of turning down the loud bits, the end result is that you turn up the quiet bits. Either way, you reduce the dynamic range, so bear it in mind.

Pitfalls

I've assumed, here, that you'll be mixing in the box. This removes certain potential pitfalls; if you're rocking the hardware look then you'll know that by sending a signal out to a compressor, a delay is introduced, so mixing this back in may induce phase issues. Fortunately, for computer-based heads, any recent DAW - Logic 7 onwards, for instance - will have delay compensation built in; so just going through the basic parallel compression

process won't introduce phasing, in itself. There are still plenty of ways to do so though, so be careful. If you EQ your compressed signal, then an EQ can alter the phase of a signal, relative to itself. You can use a linear phase EQ, which should sort the issue - but really, it's best to get all that stuff out of the way before you get a compressor in there.

Keep it simple!

It's also easy to overdo any technique in the quest for more punch and louder mixdowns - so remember to check yourself as you go along.

This was a pretty technical article, but try it a couple of times and you'll find it all makes sense pretty quickly - you'll be giving your precious mixes more weight and clarity in no time. So - are you ready to bring the New York approach to your mixes?

How to make the most of your arrangement

This week it's time to take a step back through the writing process, and look at putting together song structures and arrangements. Do you struggle to take your exciting eight-bar loops and make them into a fully-featured song? Or do you wonder about how to keep your arrangements interesting? Then read on...

The first issue, and it's an important but not really an obvious one, is that you have to change your thinking about the tune - change your perspective. It's the cue to start thinking much more analytically about your track. Rather than just considering "Do I like it?", you want to be thinking more along the lines of - "What does it actually need to do? What functions does it have to fulfil?"

This might sound a little bit calculating, but it's necessary. There are certain fundamental things your tune will need to do, and understanding that will help things take shape. For example, if you're writing for a rapper, you'll need a verse / chorus structure, and most rappers like to work with sections of 8 or 16 bars. Likewise, if you're writing a track for the DJs and the dancefloor, then you'll need to give them an intro and outro to mix with, or a trance tune may need an epic breakdown. Beyond this, of course, your tune will need to develop or change to hold the listeners interest, it could use a sense of tension and resolution - for instance a build up followed by a full-on section, or a discordant key change that then resolves back to the original key.

So, those are the basic ideas. But we could be getting ahead of ourselves. First, a good thing to do is get a reference track. Find a track you like, in your style, sit down with a pen and do some counting. How long is the intro? Is there a breakdown? How long are the sections in between the breaks? Don't worry, this isn't cheating - it's more like referencing your mixdown against a well produced track to make sure the hihats sound OK.

Once you've got an idea of the shape of the track, start sketching yours out in roughly the same way. Again, don't worry about copying it - no-one ever dislikes a good track on the grounds that it has a 64-bar main section, just like that other track.

That's the easy part, then. From here it's a case of making sure that the track stays interesting enough as it progresses, and once again it may be worth looking to your reference track, to see how things develop. You'll likely be working in sections of 4, 8, or 16 bars, and these are useful signposts to where new ideas could come in, or existing ones could drop out. But don't just get into the rut of bringing in a new idea every eight bars - predictability in the arrangement can be as boring as no changes at all!

So what kind of things can you do to keep your track rolling? Well, here are some suggestions:

Percussion


Add something, or remove something - building up your percussion lines can add a sense of energy. If you're writing a progressive genre like tech-house or minimal, then something as simple as adding a hihat can really give the track a lift. If you're in a more energetic genre, then consider adding a bongo loop, tambourines, ride cymbals and shakers. Remember that dropping percussion out requires a much bigger change to have impact - try taking everything down to just the kick, for example. Or, you could get more creative - try changing the pitch of some of your loops for a few bars, send them to FX channels occasionally for that dubby vibe, or drop in some fills.

Beef up your riffs


This is a simple idea, but often works well - simply duplicate the melody of your main lead lines or bass lines, but with a different synth; and maybe an octave or two up or down. It will give the track extra hype, the sound some more 'oomph', and won't clutter your arrangement.

Melody and harmony


Now, this is a subject which could get very complex, but there are a few simple ideas that you could try which shouldn't be too taxing. For instance, a key change can give a real shift. The most common movements are around 1, 4 and 5 in your scale; so if you're in C, try going up to F, or down to G. Or you could add a high string line - or try the classic electro house trick of doubling your lead riff with something a third (four semitones) higher. On the melody side, you can use some old composition tricks to keep your riff interesting, like 'inversion' - where you swap the notes around vertically, so a rising line would become a falling line, or 'retrograde' - where a melody line is played in reverse.

Another option with plenty of potential is to have contrasting sections - say, two full loops, each with a different bassline and leadline - that you can switch between. Then you don't just have to develop one idea, and the alternation brings interest of its own.

Ultimately, it's a case of combining both sides of the equation - have a coherent structure (intro, breakdowns, etc) and then make each section keep the listener's interest by using techniques like those above.

So, there's a few suggestions for keeping your tracks rolling without getting boring. There are plenty more of course, but hopefully this will have planted a few seeds on how you can set out your tunes. So, are you ready to take your fledgling 8-bar loop out into the world of the 5 minute track?

5 MIDI controllers you probably didn't know existed

Okay, so if you're familiar with MIDI controllers, you'll know that MIDI keyboards are used by producers the world over, MIDI mixers allow for easier level alteration and you might have even come across the odd MIDI guitar... but have you come across these before?

1. MIDI Saxophone

Think brass instruments have been underrepresented in newer musical genres? Take a blast from the past and tie it in with a blast from the future on the Akai EWI 4000 MIDI Saxophone!

This device is seriously expressive, with touch sensitive keys, breath sensor for dynamics and wireless MIDI connectivity.

...And most importantly, how could you possibly look cooler than donning a jazzy hat, wearing your favourite blacked out shades and playing some smooth jazz on this baby? Or perhaps some hardcore gabber. As always with MIDI, there's no limitation to what you can play!

2. Otamatone

Think that conventional instruments are too boring? How about this fantastic device that pretty much exemplifies the phrase "only in Japan".

With a ribbon controller for pitch and squeezing the little guy's face for velocity, this really is one of the more unusual devices out there.

3. GypsyMIDI

The name is horrendously deceptive - I don't think any old gypsy could easily afford one of Sonalog's MIDI controllers at £480 a piece, but with the device actually attatching to your body to trigger the music in an exoskeletal musical combination, this is certainly one of the more impressive looking devices.

However, if you want to complete your raving terminator look, then how about...

4. MIDIGun

With a distance sensor coming out of the barrel, a crossfader, several knobs, a scratch wheel, accellerometer for motion-based alteration of parameters and far too many other cool things to think about, this device is pretty much the ultimate MIDI toy. Particularly if you're making gangsta rap - I can think of no more appropriate live instrument.

5. Misa Digital Guitar

No ordinary MIDI guitar, this one combines a multi touch, pressure sensitive pad with 24 frets of note choice on the 6 rows available, giving you the conventional guitar playing experience minus the... uh... strings. This does give you the ability to vastly change the sound in ways you never could on a guitar, however - it doesn't appear to be for sale just yet. So I guess you could either make your own, or ask the owner nicely to hurry up and market it already!

Psytrance - What is it?

There are some electronic music genres that jump out at you and smack you right in the face. Ones that are so unignorable that they simply force you to pay attention. Psytrance is not one of them.

What is it then? Why has this genre survived for so long with attention spans getting shorter and other, more obvious genres standing out so much more clearly? Let's ask some questions...

What's it about?

Psytrance takes the "trance" part of its name very seriously. Whereas regular old trance tends to over-exaggeratedly build you up and break you down, adding the "Psy" to the front of it changes the sound considerably.

Your average Psytrance song will pound a repetitive arpeggiated bassline over a 4-on-the-floor beat for a goot 7-10 minutes, with repetitive lead synths steadily building and dropping throughout. It's the reduced focus on structure and increased focus on repetition that makes it so entrancing.

As with pretty much any music, there are other aspects to the culture that accompany the audible side of things. In this case, it tends to be something to do with illicit substance abuse and hippie-esque kaleidoscopic imagery. Tie-Dye and Psytrance go together like peas in a drug-filled pod.

When did it start?

In the mid '80s in Goa, India, the DJs that had thoroughly rinsed their Pink Floyd Vinyls decided to move towards electronic experimentation, remixing artists like Frontline Assembly and Front 242 into looped, danceable forms.

Clubs and Festivals adapted from the old psychadelic rock style to the new electronic style, fusing the European culture with the already established hippie culture to bring about the birth of the new wave of music.

How did it start to get popular?

For many years it was purely kept to the clubs, being difficult to get hold of albums of psytrance. However, in the early '90s, the first Psytrance album was released, though at the time it was known as "Goa Trance".

The term "Psytrance" didn't come into general useage until the mid '90s, when the music had evolved into a more refined concept. By this time, many mainstream DJs had picked up on the style, playing it to its commercial death a few years later, as it faded back into relative obscurity.

Why is Psytrance still so popular?

It does what it's supposed to do really well - hypnotise. Listening to the stuff induces a sense of intense relaxation so effectively that people have continued making it for decades. That combination of resonance-happy filter modulation, repetitive beats and unusual lead synths has, with no small amount of assistance from illegal substances, proven a solid means of tapping into that darker side of music, without losing the intensity of danceable electronica.

Where can I get samples for it?

Primeloops samples such as "Club Bizarre" or other similar progressive house packs provide a good starting point - just remember to be a bit more repetitive with the synths! Couple that with some ambient samples such as "Ambient Illusions" and you're well on your way to becoming a Psytrance master!