I would like to make some recordings that sound like vintage 70’s tube / tape gear. Can anyone recommend what plugins / techniques to use? Thank you!
keep in mind that the source material is as important, if not more, than the recording technique. i’ve had some success with tube and/or tape plugins, but you’re going to be much farther ahead to make the instruments sound vintage first… get your hands on a well-maintained early 70s super reverb for your guitars, for example. opt for overdrive rather than distortion. tune the drums so the snare drum is deep and tight, and give the toms a very clean distinct tone. make the kick tight as well, you may need to mute both it and the snare somehow (like with duct tape on the heads). in many 70s recordings, the kick lacks low end and the snare has an overabundance of it.
and nothing beats bouncing to a real tape machine… don’t be afraid to let the tape saturate. as much as you can stand. if all you can do is simulate tape, try taking just a little high end and a little low end out of the whole mix. stay away from long reverb tails (that’s more of an 80s thing), and instead opt for a quick, subtle echo on your vocals and guitars.
that’s jut my opinion though, i tend to stay away from plugin usage unless absolutely necessary (and sometimes it is).