The Analog Experience

Yes, we at The Analog Snob understand the irony of maintaining an Analog Bias in an unavoidably digital society. How is recorded music experienced nowadays if not post-digital rendering? Aside from only a few remaining mediums, the vast majority of music is heard in samples. Even modern music heard on vinyl was originally digitally processed before the Analog record was pressed resulting in the re-creation of the “flattening effect” of digital sampling.

This digital flattening effect is subtle and usually unnoticeable to the casual listener. A live Analog recording of a solo pianist may sound identical to the average ear whether played on CD or cassette, but a seasoned Tone Master can hear the difference (assuming it was recorded on tape to begin with). To bring some credit to the digital process, this flattening effect can be artistically desirable and has clearly sprouted multiple digital-only genres. A Tone Master combines both Analog and digital sounds to effectively achieve his/her tonal goals.

The purest Analog experience comes from live acoustic/analog performances. You know the feeling? The texture and dynamics of each note is just as perceivable as the melody itself. When these sounds are recorded and digitalized the continuous waves of vibration are broken down into thousands (44,100/second) of digital bits or “samples” and then reassembled in an attempt to simulate the original sound wave. You might think that 44,100 samples per second is enough that you couldn’t tell the difference, BUT the other way to see it is now there’s 44,100 GAPS per second in my tone! The reconnecting of these samples literally creates thousands of flat areas around the curve of the sound wave, and as the sample rate increases the shorter these gaps become but also the more of them there are.

However, we can’t deny the convenience of a digital processor. That live acoustic experience would be EPIC if it took place in a magical underground crystal cave, but who has the resources to set up a recording studio down there despite the environmental hazards?🤑🤑 Running a pure Analog signal through a quality digital algorithm can succeed at making the impossible sound possible while certainly stimulating the imagination. BUT, suppose you did find yourself recording (on tape) in such an acoustically unique locale, it’s hard to imagine any digital attempts equaling the natural quality and nuanced fullness made possible by the smooth, unsampled experience that is Analog sound.

And now you’re realizing Pure Analog Tones aren’t that easy to maintain in a world where all vibrations are chopped up into “samples” or data points. BUT, vintage techniques can still be employed by The Tone Snob to reduce, to a degree or completely, any unnecessary bit processing in the audio production process and maintain the smooth, continuous nature of actual audible vibrations:

• EASY - ONLY ANALOG SOURCES: Acoustic Instruments, Electric Instruments (Guitar, Bass, Analog Synth, etc.), Analog Tube Amps, Analog Effects, Analog Microphones, Analog Mixers.

• HARD - ANALOG TAPE RECORDING: While providing the ever-coveted natural compression offered by this recording medium alongside the to-be-expected Analog warmth, pushing levels into tape recordings can create a type of harmonic distortion that many find musically pleasing. This “sonic saturation” is unique to analog tape and is difficult to replicate with digital means. BUT, despite the cost of these devices and their endless consumption of tape, the real difficulty comes in the editing and mastering process. Editing on tape is cumbersome and time-consuming to say the least. It often involves physically cutting and splicing the tape, which can be a delicate procedure without much room for error.

• IMPOSSIBLE - ANALOG REMASTERING: So you’ve finally got hundreds of feet of tape mixed into one master reel anywhere from 110-150 feet long. Got it pressed on some vinyl, copied to cassette tapes and distributed to provide a true Analog listening experience for your audiences. The only other option to share your Analog purity is over the AM/FM radio from an Analog transmitter. What if another musician wants to remix or collaborate🤞🤞 on a song from your new Analog album? You’ll basically have to start from Analog scratch to avoid digitizing your music. The Analog remastering process is much too technical and time consuming to be practical in most cases these days. This is why up until the 90s musical collaborations only tended to happen with all the artists recording in the same room at the same time, but with the modern onset of streaming digital music, creative collaboration is almost second nature for any published artist.

Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) have not only made the remastering process more convenient but more interactive and collaborative via the internet. BUT, convenience often sacrifices quality and in this case the fact remains that all digital tones are just binary copies of something more complete. Every time you “copy and paste” another gap is created in the tonal curve, but this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. 🤫🤫 Digital processing and algorithms are just sophisticated modern tools that allow a Tone Sculptor almost infinite creative options. When used correctly to carve from Analog roots, well placed, quality digital processors can highlight the skills of the instrumentalist and inspire the imagination of the listener.

In summary, the vintage Analog recording process is so difficult it requires experienced professionals to get it right. The resources that are required just to learn the Analog process aren’t readily available to the modern Tone Apprentice without expending substantial costs. BUT, it’s important to be aware of the unseen price that is paid for modern digital conveniences and a purely digital tone will always sound “flatter” than one with an Analog foundation. Also, the only step in the Tone Master’s path that requires digital processing is recording, so keep those live moments as Analog as possible while using digital influences skillfully to enhance the audience’s experience without sacrificing too much of your Analog tone curve.