Jul/Aug 2014

Welcome to issue #102 of Tape Op.

 

Why is it these days that people (especially mainstream media) constantly refer to musicians being able to record at home as if it's a recent development? Home recording has been happening nearly as long as any kind of sound recording existed. In the 1940's Les Paul cut hit records in his garage. Emitt Rhodes delivered pop masterpieces from his home studio in the early '70s. I know computers are powerful and can do all sorts of magical things, like recording more tracks than any home setup from the past, or emulating analog hardware and real instruments. But this doesn't mean people were not resourceful back in the day, or that they didn't find ways to record under any budget. And it certainly doesn't mean that music was any less valid, despite the recording methods used. Viva home recording — it's been around a long time and it will always exist!

— Larry Crane, editor

In This Issue See more →

Tom Werman

by Tom Beaujour

Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Molly Hatchet, Twisted Sister. When pitching this article to Tape Op, it was not lost on me that many of the artists that Tom Werman signed...

Al Schnier: moe. & more

by Larry Crane

The band moe. has been going strong since forming in Buffalo, NY, over 20 years ago. Guitarist/vocalist Al Schnier joined up in 1991; the band has been busy on the road, as well as releasing albums,...

Sponsored

Columns See more →

End Rant

Give Me a Hammer

by John Baccigaluppi

It was at a recent trade show, after a major DAW manufacturer cancelled our meeting, that I realized I was relieved to be off the hook. I always enjoy meeting with this person, and I use and like...

Gear Geeking

Gear Geeking #102

by Andy Hong

I was amazed when I first witnessed radio-controlled airplane models flying through the air. But the complexity and maintenance requirements of fuel-based engines and analog radio systems scared me...

Sponsored

Gear Reviews See more →

N22 ribbon mic

by AEA  |  reviewed by Adam Kagan

When I think of AEA, I think of vintage-styled, classic ribbon mics. The AEA R-series harks back to RCA ribbon mics in both looks and tonal qualities, while AEA's modern manufacturing approach...

Two-V dual mic preamp (500-series)

by Rascal Audio  |  reviewed by Chris Koltay

The Two-V is a double-wide, two-channel preamp module for the 500-series format. It comes painted battleship grey with minimal markings denoting the usual features: polarity, high-pass filter, phantom...

Red12, Green12, Black212

by 12 Gauge Microphones  |  reviewed by Joel Hamilton

A shotgun shell — an actual shotgun shell, from a 12 gauge shotgun — turned into a microphone. I liked the idea immediately. "Let's use these shells for creating, rather than destroying,...

M80, M82

by Telefunken  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

We all know that the Shure SM57 and AKG D 112 are pretty ubiquitous on snare and kick on countless recordings, right? Why? Because they are affordable and sound pretty damn good! Many an engineer,...

MSL stereo VCA bus compressor

by Vintage Audio  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

Located in Caldwell, Idaho, Revive Audio offers hardware, custom builds, modifications, and repairs. I first encountered Revive Audio a few years ago. They were selling rackmount gear reclaimed from...

PM40 PianoMic System

by Earthworks  |  reviewed by Kirt Shearer

I like gear that makes a statement. The long, narrow aluminum briefcase of the PM40 PianoMic System certainly makes one. That of, "I've got an upscale rifle here" — an impression that can come...

DA-3000 Master Recorder

by TASCAM  |  reviewed by Allen Farmelo

The DA-3000 is a high-quality, stereo, digital master recorder capable of both PCM (up to 24-bit, 192 kHz) and DSD (2.8 and 5.6 MHz) operation, and it can also function as a standalone A/D and D/A...

PWM-501 compressor (500-series)

by Great River  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

Writing about audio gear is an interesting exercise in trying to capture the emotional impact of an inanimate object. I think that it is less important how something works than how something makes you...

EQs

Chop Shop 500-series EQ

by Louder Than Liftoff  |  reviewed by Dave Hidek

I couldn't possibly count the number of times I've used an outboard preamp and thought, "I wish this had a two-band EQ." Perhaps the floor tom or the bass is a tad too muddy, or the bottom of the...

Music Reviews See more →

Music Reviews

Various Seven-Inch Singles

by Voodoo Doughnut Recordings | reviewed by Larry Crane

Over the last few years, my town of Portland has become a traveler's destination for food (as well as beer, coffee, comedy, books, and music). Many come to sample the delights of world-renowned...

Music Reviews

I, II, III 2014 remasters

by Led Zeppelin | reviewed by Jeff Slate

"It's been over 20 years since the original CDs were issued. Since then the technology has improved, and there are all these new digital formats out there, so it made sense to revisit the studio...

Sponsored

 

Tape Op is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to the art of record making.

Or Learn More

Sponsored