Specifications

Chapter 58: Reel Tape Flanger 283
Chapter 58: Reel Tape Flanger
Reel Tape Flanger is part of the Reel Tape suite
of tape-simulation effects plug-ins and is avail-
able in TDM, RTAS, and AudioSuite formats.
Reel Tape Flanger simulates a tape machine
flanging effect, modeling the frequency sweep
and “crossover” comb-filtering effects that can
result when the flanger variable delay is ad-
justed. It also reproduces the frequency re-
sponse, noise, wow and flutter, and distortion
characteristics of analog tape recording.
How Reel Tape Flanger Works
For years, engineers have relied on analog tape
to add a smooth, warm sound to their record-
ings. When driven hard, tape responds with gen-
tle distortion rather than abrupt clipping as in
the digital domain. Magnetic tape also has a fre-
quency-dependent saturation characteristic that
can lend punch to the low end, and sweetness to
the highs.
Reel Tape Flanger models a classic tape flanging
setup with two analog tape machines and a
mixer, where one tape machine has a fixed delay
and the other has a continuously variable delay.
The two machines are fed an input signal in par-
allel, and the output of the machines is then
mixed. When the variable delay on the second
machine is changed at a constant rate (using an
LFO), the resulting frequency cancellations
cause a periodic phasing of the original signal.
The use of a fixed delay on the first machine
makes it possible to adjust the variable delay on
the second machine to pass the “zero” point (to
a delay value less than the fixed delay), resulting
in phase cancellation (or the “crossover” flang-
ing effect).
Reel Tape Flanger automatically applies tape
saturation effects that correspond to the follow-
ing control settings in Reel Tape Saturation:
•Speed: 15ips
•Bias: 0.0dB
•Cal Adjust: +9dB
You can use the BPM Sync feature to synchro-
nize the Reel Tape Flanger effect to the current
tempo of the Pro Tools session.
Reel Tape Flanger can be placed on mono, ste-
reo, or multichannel tracks.
Reel Tape Flanger