Virtual Old Skool

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The list of virtual audio tools that are available online is growing steadily. In an earlier post I pointed out the tendency to remediate and emulate the immediate qualities and/or aesthetical retro charm of old skool instruments and formats, notably the audio cassette, in applications like Mixwit (who are now working on new stuff, like photo and video based widgets,) or Muxtape (I was happy to see that this app is now being used by some labels as a promotool. It is for sure less annoying, cooler and more attractive than MySpace. Check out this Muxtape of Asthmatic Kitty Records, home to Sufjan Stevens). A few weeks ago TapeDeck 1.0 was released, a Mac only emulator of a cassette tape recorder. It’s designed to look like a cassette tape deck, and even operates like one, complete with a tape deck-style interface: tiltly buttons, line level meters, rotating cassette spindles, large text that leaves you in no doubt regarding function, and even the clicks, whirrs and pops of a real cassette deck recorder. They even threw in that sped-up sound that plays when you fast-forward or rewind. However, old and new are bridged: mono, stereo and quality levels can be selected with mouse clicks; tapes can be labelled and relabelled with ease; and keyboard shortcuts provide an alternate means of controlling the virtual tape deck. Sounds can be quickly and easlily captured and stored as “tapes” (only in MP4-AAC format, which is a shame). Each recording is saved and organized in a searchable, virtual “tape box”. You can also write notes and email recordings (for voice memos, for example) or send to iTunes or an iPod/iPhone. Sure, TapeDeck offers nothing new in terms of functionality – the likes of GarageBand, Audacity and a slew of other recording apps do everything TapeDeck can and much more, but for those who are in a nostalgic mood, or just looking for a straightforward take on audio recording, it more than fits the bill. It’s not free (although 25 bucks is reasonable), but be sure to try out the demo, which sports two weeks of “gradually declining battery life” and lower-quality recordings.

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For those who are looking for more professional features, now there’s the Hobnox AudioTool. This free online electronic music studio is an emulator of machines used by DJs, producers, and bands from all over the world. It includes two TB-303 Bass Line generators, the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines and two banks of effects pedals including three delays, crusher, detune, flanger, reverb, a parametric equalizer and a compressor. You can drag virtual cables between any output and any input to customize the setup – like the Reason software. The available version is a demo, but the developers are working on new effects and tools, ways to record pieces easily (now you have to use external Recorders) and use Flash entirely (no requires Java). In addition, the next version should support collaboration, so that groups of friends can work on the same pieces.