What is analogue warmth? Find out, and discover how to get that ‘vintage’ sound

You’ll hear a lot said about ‘analogue warmth’ - it’s one of the most-used buzz phrases in music production - but what actually is it?

In the video above, Felix from Thomann Synthesizers takes a deep dive into the subject, explaining what ‘warmth’ actually is, why producers seek it out, and how you can go about getting that elusive ‘vintage’ sound.

After learning the basic processing principles, you’ll find out how to warm up a drum loop, apply vinyl-style effects and create vintage pad and lead sounds. There’s also some discussion on the differences between reel-to-reel and cassette tapes, and advice on how you can resurrect your old hi-fi cassette deck for processing.

Put simply, if you’re willing to set aside 50 minutes of your time you’ll learn an awful lot, so turn up the heating, get cosy and start watching.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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