Tape: tape saturation
Module 07 of 14 · Tape saturation
- One Move knobTape
- Latency0 ms
- CPU, iPad Air M31.2 %
- Default position7 of 14, after Punch
Tape adds the glue of analogue tape after the compressors. It rounds off harsh peaks, adds odd harmonics and a little warmth, and keeps the level the same. One knob sets how hard the voice hits the tape.
Hear it
Tape: hot tape
Tape on its own (Hot Tape preset, knob at 90): rounder peaks and a warmer, thicker voice. Before and after are set to the same loudness, so you hear the change, not a level jump.
"Lost_Pella" by queeniemusic (ccmixter.org/files/queeniemusic/65508), licensed CC BY 3.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0). Excerpt, processed by OneMove Vocal Console.
The One Move: Tape
The knob sets the drive from 0 to 10, and the sag (how much loud passages compress the saturation) grows with it. The output is level-matched, so turning it up changes the colour, not the loudness.
Expert
Tape and Tube share one saturation engine with three characters. Tape starts on the Tape character with its transformer on.
| control | what it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | 0–10: how hard the voice is pushed |
| Character | Tube (even harmonics, thick), Tape (odd harmonics, glue, soft top) or Grit (driven, sags after loud parts) |
| Tone | tilts the saturated sound darker or brighter, ±6 dB |
| Sag | how much the saturation compresses after loud passages |
| Transformer | adds low-frequency weight and harmonics |
| Mix | blends the dry voice back in |
| Trim | output level, ±12 dB |
Specs
| Latency | 0 ms |
| CPU, iPad Air M3, only Tape on | 1.2 % of one core |
| Level | matched to the input |
FAQ
Tape or Tube?
Tape adds odd harmonics and softens the top: it glues and smooths. Tube adds even harmonics: it thickens and warms. You can run both; they sit in different places in the chain.
Why after the compressors?
Saturation reacts to level. After Level and Punch the voice is even, so the saturation colours every word the same way instead of only the loud ones.