When I start running out of the stock of 2" and 1/2" tape which I happened to have here in my vault on "the day the music died," I know I will have to come up with a new recording plan.
Now I do use Protools; in fact I have recorded digitally for over 20 years (first with the 3M digital [ugh!], then the Mitsubishi X-series 32 tracks, which were good machines, I thought [esp. using the aftermarket Apogee A>D conversion], then some with the Sony's [not my favourite of the machines either], and for the past 12 years with various incarnations of Protools), so I think I know how to get a good sound onto digital. But some of those sessions were initially tracked on 2" tape, then dumped into the box for further overdubs, comps, etc. And I've ALWAYS mixed onto analogue tape.
I really like the sound of a good analogue tape recording, made on a well maintained machine. (Once while mastering a ZZ Top record at Masterdisk, in the old Bob Ludwig days there on W61st, the Steely Dan guys, who were also there, made a bit of "fun" of me for "still" recording onto "compressors" [meaning analogue tape!])
BUT...what to do in future?
I have decided to keep as many reels of tape as possible, as long as they can possibly be used, and to maintain my Studers & Otari's as long as I can. I will mix THROUGH a 1/2" analogue machine, into a high quality converter, and back into a digital medium for final capture. I'll just use the reel of mix tape over and over. I have never chosen a digital mix over an analogue mix, when I have mixed to both; at least not upon hearing the mixes the next day (often the dig ones seem at the moment of mixing to be more exactly what I was hearing out of the console, yet later the analogue ones always sound more pleasing to me).
In the multitrack world, I will run the tracks that I deem need the "treatment" into, and back out of, an analogue machine, recorded back into Protools through the HQ converter. Then they will have to be time-shifted back into sync. This is basically just relegating tape to the world of outboard gear, I guess.
These methods, I believe, will at least give me a good bit of the analogue quality that I want.
So, what does everyone think? Any better plans out there? Any late word about new tape? Will tape just fade away?
Best to all,
Terry