
The most famous vintage reverb is the EMT 140 Plate, which is now available in plugin for with the Arturia Rev PLATE-140.Ĭheck out LANDR Studio to see how you can get PLATE-140 and other essential mixing tools for the best price ever. While the sound wasn’t as realistic as modern convolution reverb, it had its own charm that engineers still love today. That meant it had to be produced using a physical device like a spring or plate. Some even introduce the same kind of desirable noise you might bring in with atmospheric samples or vinyl crackle controls.īefore DAWs and computers, all reverb was analog. Many of these effect types have a naturally grittier, more lo-fi sound. I’m talking about old-school reverbs like spring, plate and hardware or analog delays like tape or BBD. When it comes to lo-fi mixes, you might consider using vintage types of ambience effects to enhance the feel. There are plenty of different flavors of delay or reverb plugins to use in a mix. To get the most from any lo-fi plugin, it helps to know where the parameter types work best for different instrument types.įor example, wow and flutter is much more noticeable on sustained sounds like pads or leads. Bit rate or bit reduction-emulates the lo-fi effect of early digital gear by reducing the file quality.Drive or saturation- waveform clipping that adds harmonics and changes your tone.Dust, crackle or noise-artifacts added to your signal to mimic system noise from turntables or cassette decks.Wow and flutter-subtle, unpredictable pitch modulation that simulates changes in tape speed.With that in mind, here’s a quick guide to the most common controls you’ll find on lo-fi plugins:

After all, producers of the era were striving for the most accurate reproduction of the sound.īut over time the lived-in sound of deteriorating physical media took on a nostalgic feel-especially for those who grew up listening to music on vinyl or cassette.Įven if you never bought music on these formats, it’s easy to feel the magic of old-school media. In the past, most of the effects these parameters introduce were considered undesirable. That means you’ll see controls like tape age, wow and flutter, noise, saturation and bit depth. Unlimited mastering & distribution, 1200 royalty-free samples, 30+ plugins and more! Get everything LANDR has to offer with LANDR Studio.
