Once an essential tool in music production, analogue tape has effectively become obsolete in the 21st century, superseded by the convenience and accessibility of digital recording.
Despite this, the sound of tape has remained a sought-after commodity, its organic warmth and nostalgic warble becoming a desirable antidote to the sterile and transparent sonics of the modern studio.
Scores of products have been developed in response to this demand, and there's no shortage of plugins and pedals on the market that promise to deliver tape's distinctive character without the attendant hassle and expense.
If you're curious to explore tape's creative potential but aren't yet willing to fork out the cash for a paid-for product, German software developer e-instruments is hoping to give you a taste of its "evocative warmth and warped textures" free of charge.
E-instruments has just released Slower Fragment, a virtual instrument that's designed to capture the unique sound of analogue tape when it's been slowed down to half speed. By recording sounds to tape and reducing the playback speed, we can shift the pitch down an octave and introduce a colourful and expressive lo-fi tone.
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In developing Slower Fragment, E-instruments has recorded a number of sound sources through four different tape machines, ranging from the Studer A812 – a top-end master recorder that you'd find in a professional studio – to a Tascam Portastudio 424 and even a Sony M650v handheld dictaphone.
Slower Fragment features a selection of six presets covering pianos, synths, strings and flutes, and three macro controls can be used to tweak delay, reverb, modulation and more, depending on the preset selected.
Slower Fragment is a cut-down version of a paid-for plugin, Slower, that features 230 presets built from 65 sound sources, along with expanded modulation and effects capabilities. Slower is priced at €149.
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