Interviews
Amanda Shires & Lawrence Rothman: "One More For Fun"
by Geoff Stanfield
The pairing of Amanda Shires and producer Lawrence Rothman is an unlikely one. On paper, Amanda's Americana-leaning solo records (including her work with The Highwomen), and Lawrence's art rock...
Women in Audio
Hill Kourkoutis: Thriving & Growing
by Lisa Machac
A songwriter, producer, mixer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, director, and actress, Hill Kourkoutis is based in Barrie, a small town outside of Toronto, Canada. In addition to her recording and...
Interviews
Tony Hoffer: Stirring it Up
by Larry Crane
For years I had seen the name Tony Hoffer on album credits. In addition to producing Belle & Sebastian albums, he’s also mixed hits for M83, co-produced Beck's Midnite Vultures, mixed...
Interviews
Tunde Adebimpe: Sketching the Panorama
by Ian Brennan
Tunde Adebimpe is the co-lead singer and co-founder of the critically acclaimed TV On The Radio, a group who helped reshape rock music as well as the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York...
Interviews
Morton Subotnick: We Are Who We Invent
by Elliott Sharp
A pioneer of modern electronic music, Morton Subotnick initiated technical innovations and created new sonic paradigms with his groundbreaking 1967 album Silver Apples of the Moon. Now in his 90th...
Interviews
Kenny Siegal: A Sense of Balance
by Larry Crane
In his well-equipped and comfortable Old Soul Studios in Catskill, New York, where artists such as Ratatat, Beirut, and The New Pornographers [Tape Op #27] have made records, Kenny Siegal has worked...
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Not So Oblique Strategies
by Larry Crane, Garrett Haines
In 1975, Brian Eno (Tape Op #85) and multimedia artist Peter Schmidt published their first set of Oblique Strategies: Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas. These cards work as creativity resets,...
Next Big Thing In Music Production?
by Larry Crane
We recently received a query from a curious reader, Tzuriel Kastel. Tzuriel wanted to know, "What do you see as the next big thing in music production?" I passed this on to various Tape Op...
Robert Schneider: A Live Interview
by Larry Crane
On April 14, 2018, at Jackpot! Recording Studio, I interviewed Robert Schneider in front of a live audience. Afterwards, he did a short solo set, and then The Minders played – a band both of...
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End Rant
Not So Oblique Strategies
by Larry Crane, Garrett Haines
In 1975, Brian Eno [Tape Op #85] and multimedia artist Peter Schmidt published their first set of Oblique Strategies: Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas. These cards work as creativity resets,...
Gear Geeking
Gear Geeking w/ Andy...
by Andy Hong
During my attendance of the NAMM Show in April 2023, I saw many new and unique products. Audiomovers showed me Inject, a plug-in for recording iPad virtual instruments directly into a DAW using only a...
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This Is What It Sounds Like (book)
by Susan Rogers & Ogi Ogas | reviewed by Ben Bernstein
This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You is a must read for any music producer, recording artist, audio engineer, or consumer of art in any form. Susan Rogers [Tape Op #117]...
The Inner Ear of Don Zientara (book)
by Antonia Tricarico | reviewed by Larry Crane
Subtitled, "A Half Century of Recording in One of America’s Most Innovative Studios, Through the Voices of Musicians," Antonia Tricarico's photo-filled (250!) book on Don Zientara [Tape Op #8]...
Gemini Dock & RAID Enclosure
by OWC | reviewed by Larry Crane
I've been using OWC RAID drives at my studio for around 15 years, and the Gemini is the latest version we purchased. Ostensibly simply used as an external hard drive to store data, this unit is...
Active Mic Cable
by Umbrella Company | reviewed by Larry Crane
Late last year, I received an awesome email from Takeo Yamamoto, who had stumbled across Tape Op #4 when he was living in NYC ages ago. He now owns the pro audio sales/distributor and development...
Wellspring Stereo Spring Reverb
by Teaching Machines | reviewed by Geoff Stanfield
Oh, I remember… outboard gear can be fun! I am fortunate to have 31 flavors of compressors, EQs, tone-makers, and boneshakers. I even own a few studio spring reverbs, but nothing quite like the...
MDWDRC2-Native Plug-In
by Massenburg DesignWorks | reviewed by Adam Kagan
The MDWDRC2-Native represents a paradigm shift in dynamic processing for plug-ins. Rather than a traditional compressor or limiter, this is a comprehensive dynamic conditioning tool. Massenburg...
Claro EQ Plug-In
by Sonnox | reviewed by Geoff Stanfield
The Sonnox Claro equalizer (from their Toolbox range of plug-ins) is a fantastic sounding, intuitive EQ for professionals and beginners alike. Multiple interface options provide visual feedback in...
Hitsville Reverb Chambers Plug-In
by Universal Audio | reviewed by Garrett Haines
In 1959, Motown Records' president, Berry Gordy, needed a first-class reverb for the label's studio. The EMT 140 plate reverb had just come out, but most studios built their own chambers in those...
Twin 3 Virtual Analog Synth
by FabFilter | reviewed by Dave Hidek
FabFilter’s Twin 3 is a sweeping update to their well-received virtual Twin 2 synth, originally released back in 2009. Fourteen years later, Twin 3 represents a massive overhaul to almost every...
Mulligan Plug-In Control App
by reFuse Software | reviewed by Larry Crane
Touted as a "hands-on plug-in control for Pro Tools," this standalone application could be a frustration-killer for anyone who finds themselves tweaking the multitude of parameters within plug-ins via...
SSL 12 Interface
by Solid State Logic | reviewed by Daniel Ryan Morse
Ever since I acquired a rack-mounted DAW interface, I didn’t think I had much need for a smaller, portable interface. However, when I recently had the opportunity to record a grand piano outside...
Halo Vision Immersive Metering Plug-In
by NUGEN Audio | reviewed by Don Gunn
NUGEN Audio is back with a brand new metering plug-in, Halo Vision, that takes their stereo-based Visualizer and expands it into the surround and Dolby Atmos/immersive audio world. Halo Vision...
RS660 Tube Compressor
by Chandler Limited | reviewed by Geoff Stanfield
What I didn’t need was another piece of gear to help drain my bank account, but what I always need is a compressor that helps me do my job while making me look good. On both fronts, the new...
Sphere LX Modeling Mic
by Universal Audio | reviewed by Don Gunn
In 2019, I reviewed the Townsend Labs L22 Sphere mic [Tape Op #133] and raved about its versatility and innovation. Universal Audio acquired Townsend Labs in 2021 and has rebadged the L22 as the...
Cards for Creativity
by Infinite Directions | reviewed by John Baccigaluppi
This fun deck of creativity-sparking cards – with inspiration from Brian Eno [Tape Op #85] and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies – was created by Isaac Karns of The Marble Garden...
EC5B Limiter
by Electric & Company | reviewed by Scott Evans
I’ve been looking for a one channel, high-end tube compressor for a few years – mostly for vocals. When Austin, Texas', Electric & Company announced the EC5B, their take on Universal...
Kaleidoscope Creativity Cards
by Laura Veirs | reviewed by Larry Crane
Songwriter Laura Veirs has made a number of engaging albums over the years, including last year's Found Light, tracked at my Jackpot! Recording Studio where Veirs co-produced the album (with...
LA-320 V2 Tube Condenser Mic
by Lauten Audio | reviewed by Ben Bernstein, Jacob Paul Nielsen
Lauten Audio recently released a revision to their LA-320 [Tape Op #117] tube microphone. I’m a big Lauten fan and own several of their mics, including the original LA-320 and the Clarion...
3122V Preamp
by API Audio | reviewed by Kirt Shearer
The API 3122V 2-channel mic preamp is certainly not a new and revolutionary design, but rather a new version of a tried and true classic, originating in consoles from the late-'60s. This preamp...
Subotnick: Portrait of an Electronic Music Pioneer (film)
by Waveshaper Media | reviewed by Larry Crane
As a perfect companion to our interview this issue, director Robert Fantinatto and producer Jason Amm's 87-minute film on Morton Subotnick brings to the screen a portrait of where he is now and what...