Recording a LinnDrum to Tape

[thenapking]

I've recently resurrected an old LinnDrum and an Otari MX5050 and so I wanted to have a go at adding some tape magic to the Linn. Unfortunately, my efforts have been a little lacklustre and so I am reaching out to you guys to give me some tips. I'm looking to get an 80s disco/funk sound. I'm recording BD/SN/HH to 3 separate tracks, and then using the LinnDrum's internal mixer for all the other sounds on a 4th track. I've been using some insert reverb on the snare, and phaser on the hats, before bouncing to tape, but not much else. The BD usually sounds a bit weak, the snares are too strong and it's difficult to get the hats to sit at a lowish volume.
Should I EQ and compress before I bounce to tape? Should I also bounce a room (stereo) reverb to tape? I've been avoiding this because I'll run out of tracks...! Or should I do everything on the LinnDrum's internal mixer and bounce in stereo with the reverb? I'm not really used to the limitations of recording with only 8 tracks...

[Nick Sevilla]

Hi,

Although 80s disco was indeed all recorded onto multitrack tape, I for one am unaware of it ever being recorded onto one of those machine like the one you have.

A few things:

In that era, Dolby Noise Reduction was used pretty much everywhere by this point.
Also, processing to "get the sound onto tape" was essential. So yes you need to process each sound first.

If I had a 4 track, I would MIX DOWN the entire Linn drum kit. Like they did back then. Listen to the SYNC or playback of the tap
if possible, so as you mix down you KNOW you are getting the sound you want. If you are monitoring the mix not through the tape,
and hoping it will come back ok, you'll never get it where you want it.

As to reverb, well, is this your final mix of this, or are you going to process more? If you are then you have to decide how much reverb on the snare
will be enough, or print the snare with its reverb on a third track.

[kslight]

I would definitely shape the sound before tape...EQ and dynamics to taste. Sometimes I like to boost a little top shelf to make sure I have a certain level of brightness, and if I dim down that same shelf after tape it can help cut a little noise.

I would experiment with recording at different levels. If you don’t want lose your transient, you will probably want to reduce the drum levels to say -3 or -6 on the meter (will vary depending on how the machine is calibrated and what kind of tape).


Speaking of calibration...IMHO a well calibrated machine and new (not NOS) tape sounds the “best.” If your recordings sound lackluster then this is worth your attention. In my experience, even prosumer decks like this can sound pretty good.


I generally would try to consolidate the drums to as few tracks as possible when I use an 8 track machine, assuming your other instruments will also go to tape. Either by submixing on the Linn, or your mixer, or ping ponging tracks.

Not sure I would print Reverb/etc to tape unless I really had to.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

For kick, try rolling some of the low lows out pre tape and then dial it back in post tape. Sub frequencies eat up head room and can make kicks sound farty. If you roll off the lows before you hit tape you’re effectively pushing the saturation into the higher range of the sound (if you’re pushing the record levels) you also leave headroom for attack and presence. Listen to the repro head when you’re setting your levels and eq.