Console, Tape, Signal Chain

[Melodeath]

Theoretical question here, as I've never worked with tape machines or analog consoles. Suppose you have the Slate VCC plug-in and the UAD Studer and UAD ATR. Suppose you want to get the most "authentic" analog workflow.

Do all your tracks get recorded through the console, potentially EQ or compression on channels, go to a tape machine for recording, then back through the console for mixing, then the master tape? Obviously it's best to go with what simply sounds best in the digital domain, but this is a theoretical question, as I'm wondering how tracking and mixing was done before my time. The first recordings I ever made (besides straight to cheap cassette) were through the line-in of a cheap soundcard, so I'm an analog n00b.

I suppose if you wanted a less-analog path, and were emulating some sort of ADAT recorder setup, you might skip the first "round" of VCC (maybe you're using outboard pres and then go straight to the digital tape) then ATR?

How exactly was stuff mastered to master tape machines? You run the tape from an ATR through outboard gear, back to the ATR, or did you go from the outboard to your console/monitors? You weren't constantly recording to the master tape and monitoring that tape sound, were you? Did you just monitor through the tape machine electronics, and only record to the tape when you had the master done? Or maybe when you received songs to master, they came on 24-track tape, not 2-track? In which case you'd use Studer, to processing, to ATR?

Hopefully I don't sound too ignorant here. Just curious about a signal path I've never gotten to work with.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

I will speak for real life situation, so translate in your DAW world yourself

Recording signal chain:

Preamp>console tape send>tape machine (2 inch)

For monitoring:
tape machine>console tape return>monitoring path

For mixing:

Tape machine>console line imput>anything>console 2bus out>1/4 inch 2tracks tape machine (or 1inch/ 1/8 inch).

Remember you only listen to tape sound while playback the tape

Hope that help

 

[Melodeath]

But when you mix to 2-track tape, are you constantly recording onto the tape and monitoring from it, or do you just mix into your monitor path, and then print to the 2-track tape after?

How does the Console Tape Send and Return relate to the Line in of the console? Is the Tape out the same as the Line Outs? Is Tape return a different input than Line In? This would affect whether you would (theoretically) put VCC -> Studer -> VCC -> VCC Mix Buss -> ATR, or just use VCC once. Again, it's best to use your ears, but this is just a theoretical situation for "authentic" emulation.

 

[greyskull]

Remember you only listen to tape sound while playback the tape

Unless you monitor off the repro head, and send the artist a cue pre tape machine!

 

[Mikaël-ange]

Unless you monitor off the repro head, and send the artist a cue pre tape machine!

Yes, but now OP will me more lost than before

 

[Melodeath]

Yes, but now OP will me more lost than before

No, I think I get that part

 

[iraobryan]

When mixing, I am not constantly recording to tape. The outputs of the tape recorder go to line inputs or tape returns and I am just playing back off of tape through compressors and eq. Once everything sounds the way I want it I run the main or group outputs to the 2 track.

So, basically in my case it is: mic>console>tape>console>outboard (on channel or group insert)>console mix buss>2track tape.

I did mixdown to tape through the main outputs of the console to 2 track and monitored the mix with headphones (for "automation") while printing to tape.