Summer Thursdays: Create Vintage Lo-Fi with the New Tape Wobble

Online music studio Soundtrap is rolling out new music-making features over the coming weeks so you can create the ultimate song of summer.

To better enable music makers around the world to create professional-sounding songs easily, Soundtrap is adding 5 new mixing effects to the studio for all users, including new distortion effects, delay, and an intuitive, visual EQ. We’ve come to the end of Summer Thursdays and to top it all off, we’re releasing the Tape Wobble, a tape-emulating effect to add some vintage flavor to your songs.

Understanding tape emulation

Before we had Digital Audio Workstations (DAW‌s) on computers, audio engineers would record music on analog tape. This recording method obviously had many drawbacks: For example, it was harder to redo takes, the equipment was quite expensive, and it was very tedious to make edits and mix the recording. 

Analog tape machines had one big advantage, however. It would add a smooth, saturated warmth to the audio. Digital recordings tend to sound… well, digital. That’s why analog recordings tend to sound more well-rounded and less ‌piercing compared to digital audio.

Another benefit (or drawback, depending on how you look at it) of the tape machine was that it added subtle crackles to the audio, similar to the sound of old vinyl when you drop the needle on the record. This side effect of analog tapes has become a desired sound in certain genres of music production.

To achieve the effect in digital recordings, you would use tape emulation plugins in your mix. This replicates the sound of analog tape while adding some warmth, punch, and roundness to your sound. In most Lo-Fi beats you hear today, for example, there is usually some analog tape emulation involved in the mix to add a touch of nostalgia and grunge to the music. 

Read more: How To Make Pro Beats: Step-by-Step Guide

Introducing: The Tape Wobble

Soundtrap's Tape Wobble is the perfect mixing tool to elevate your tracks to new heights. With its tape-emulating effect, the Tape Wobble adds a touch of nostalgic warmth and character to any instrument or vocal, effectively replicating the imperfections of vintage tape recordings.

Read more: How To Produce Music - 9 Steps to Get Started

The Tape Wobble boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface, helping both professionals and aspiring musicians to create more interesting and authentic mixes. The effect comes with four adjustable ‌parameters: Flutter Rate/Depth and Wow Rate/Depth. These settings make it easy for artists and producers to customize their sound and achieve the desired lo-fi aesthetics while adding more dynamics and movement to the track.

Try the Tape Wobble on your synths to achieve a more Old School sound. Or add the Tape Wobble to your hi-hats to make them less repetitive. This effect can be used on anything really, especially in Lo-Fi music. So get in the Soundtrap studio today and start experimenting with this brand-new effect plugin. 

Happy Creating!

Summer Thursday Rollout

Jun 22, 2023: Juicy Distortion & Crusher

Jun 29, 2023: Mod Delay

Jul 6, 2023: Visual EQ

Jul 13, 2023: Tape Wobble

Soundtrap — the online music studio

Making music is more than just a hobby — it’s a form of self-expression, a way to unleash your creativity, and a means for you to bring your unique voice to the world.

Soundtrap is the ultimate audio production software for music makers and producers to easily collaborate and create music online, with thousands of audio loops, instruments, and samples only a click away.