Columns

Sporadic and regular articles from our contributors.

Sep/Oct 2018

Gear Geeking  |  No. 127

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

I recently received a product for review that included a USB cable in the box. The cable worked for charging, but it would not pass data. That got me thinking. Before there were standards for...

Jul/Aug 2018

Gear Geeking  |  No. 126

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

While attending the Summer NAMM Show, I ran into several friends who thought I had left Tape Op completely. I apologize if my “Gear Geeking” column in the previous issue wasn’t clear...

Jul/Aug 2018

End Rant  |  No. 126

An Endangered Species?

by John Baccigaluppi

If you're one of the folks doing all your music making in-the-box, with your DAW and plug-ins, then you can skip the rest of this rant. Consider yourself lucky, as this older analog gear is getting...

May/Jun 2018

End Rant  |  No. 125

Mistakes

by Larry Crane

It was 1992. The band I'd been in, Vomit Launch, had called it quits less than six months prior. I'd decided to take a road trip to the Northwest, with the faint concept of finding a new place to live...

May/Jun 2018

Gear Geeking  |  No. 125

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

16 years after first taking on my role here at Tape Op, I'm stepping aside, and starting with this issue, Scott McChane is the new Gear Reviews Editor. Scott has penned close to 50 reviews for the...

Mar/Apr 2018

Gear Geeking  |  No. 124

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

In 2012, I wrote about the P-touch PT-1290 label maker in “Gear Geeking” [Tape Op #90]. I've printed countless self-stick labels with the P-touch, using its mini QWERTY keyboard and...

Mar/Apr 2018

End Rant  |  No. 124

Who’s Dropping By?

by Larry Crane

After 32 years of attending, visiting, and helming many studio recordings, I've come to recognize the impact that guests dropping by can have on a session. In Tape Op #73 I described my take on...

Jan/Feb 2018

Gear Geeking  |  No. 123

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

Joel Edinberg is a staff engineer at Q Division qdivisionstudios.com, one of the nicest studios in the Boston Area. He's also a gigging saxophonist, a music instructor, and the leader of gypsy-punk...

Nov/Dec 2017

Gear Geeking  |  No. 122

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

It's timely that you'll find a review of the Yamaha TF1 digital mixer in this issue. The TF1 is a 32-channel console featuring 16+1 motorized faders, with 16 fader and “OMNI Out” channels...

Nov/Dec 2017

End Rant  |  No. 122

Set and Forget?

by Larry Crane

The art of recording music obviously involves the intersection of technical skills and creativity. It's certainly this juncture that fascinates many of us, and has lured us into a life of placing...

Sep/Oct 2017

Gear Geeking  |  No. 121

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

If you've been making music for as long as I have, I bet that some of the headphones relegated to your "box of broken cans" are in there not because they stopped working, but because their earpads are...

Sponsored