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> The only reason to use them is some form of conspicuous consumption, signaling how cool and wacky u are Disagree. 1. Sometimes the sonic characteristics of

> The only reason to use them is some form of conspicuous consumption, signaling how cool and wacky u are Disagree. 1. Sometimes the sonic characteristics of tapes DO complement the music. Typically for genres other than popular music or symphonic/classical/orchestral music (where absolute fidelity is king). 2. Physical media as opposed to digital media is, for some/many, inherently gratifying. It is a more multifaceted Thing, an object with a mass and volume and cover -- far more features than a typical audio file might possess. This point might not resonate with some on this forum (especially those interested in minimalism/efficient living), but ask around and you will find that for some people, this makes a dramatic difference. 3. Cassette tapes, as opposed to vinyl records, were extremely easy to produce in small quantities or at home (VHS tapes also have this property). This means that you can find many interesting/unusual cassette tapes (or make them yourself with relative ease). There are many recordings only available on cassette, and others very challenging to find on media other than cassette. Especially in our world of information hyper-availability, there is a satisfaction in enjoying or creating a tape that only a couple people (or maybe even only one) have ever heard. Some might point to this as a core tenet of "hipsterism," but I argue this isn't about conspicuous consumption, it's about appreciation of novelty (which is a core aspect of... intelligence/pattern recognition capability) and history/unique narratives. EDIT: looks like the article actually makes the same points that I did, but expressed differently and with a bit more contemporary context/narrative content.

mrob 10y ago
If the sonic characteristics complement the music then write it to tape during production before transferring it to a medium with accurate sound reproduction. You don't need every listener to have their own tape hardware (which might not suit the music as well as your own).
- Nav_Panel 10y ago
  A lot of our feelings about music are bound up in our expectations of the medium. When I listen to a digital recording, I expect it to be pristine. There can be a feeling of inauthenticity when the sonic characteristics don't match the actual playback medium. This feeling can persist even for separate analog media, such as listen to compilations of old 78s distributed on an LP. If you feel you can overcome this, by all means do so -- people often rip their cassette tapes and share. But putting the album on a cassette tape or on bandcamp or on vinyl sets an expectation in terms of fidelity, and violating that expectation can disappoint some listeners. It's a similar reason for why "fake vinyl crackle" is seen as incredibly cheesy. Regardless of my (personal, hipster) feelings, the technique you mention is relatively commonplace. Also, for some artists, the unpredictability and randomness can be seen as part of the experience, but it takes a very particular/unusually postmodern sort of artist to get away with that.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
stinos 10y ago
inherently gratifying. It is a more multifaceted Thing, an object with a mass and volume and cover Also not to forget: the buttons on tape players are real machanical things requiring some force to push them. I don't know why (I also like handtools and powertools, seems related) but something in pushing a nice hardware button satisfies me. Just like taking a tape and feeding it into the player. Something in my brain likes that. Just like limbing trees or scything grass. Sometimes I even do those for no practical reason, just the act alone is satisfying. And that has nothing to do with trying to make sure others know about any possible coolness or wackyness I might posess.
pjc50 10y ago
> Sometimes the sonic characteristics of tapes DO complement the music Indeed - this is especially true of synthwave/vaporwave and other genres that are themselves nostalgic for the days of synth-heavy music sold on cassette. A bit of compression and hiss is just right. Just as some games put fake film grain on screen, some synthwave videos add a "badly tracked VHS" effect.
- ZenoArrow 10y ago
  >"Indeed - this is especially true of synthwave/vaporwave and other genres that are themselves nostalgic for the days of synth-heavy music sold on cassette." Yeah, I wouldn't mind a TRONICBOX cassette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV1N95xZ4es https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV1N95xZ4es >"Just as some games put fake film grain on screen, some synthwave videos add a "badly tracked VHS" effect." Kung Fury is probably a good example of that style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5P_LAqiVg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5P_LAqiVg
- croon 10y ago
  I lived through the 80s then, and am sometimes nostalgic for old stuff. I listen to a lot of synthwave now, and do appreciate the variable speed distortion on some tracks. But I also exclusively listen to digital music, where I get a (basically) 1:1 representation of what the artist produced. Getting further distortions from the medium isn't something I want or need.
- Nav_Panel 10y ago
  Honestly, some of the stuff actually from the 80s is more vapor than anything contemporary I've seen. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thUODyrEhK4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thUODyrEhK4

mrob 10y ago

If the sonic characteristics complement the music then write it to tape during production before transferring it to a medium with accurate sound reproduction. You don't need every listener to have their own tape hardware (which might not suit the music as well as your own).

Nav_Panel 10y ago
A lot of our feelings about music are bound up in our expectations of the medium. When I listen to a digital recording, I expect it to be pristine. There can be a feeling of inauthenticity when the sonic characteristics don't match the actual playback medium. This feeling can persist even for separate analog media, such as listen to compilations of old 78s distributed on an LP. If you feel you can overcome this, by all means do so -- people often rip their cassette tapes and share. But putting the album on a cassette tape or on bandcamp or on vinyl sets an expectation in terms of fidelity, and violating that expectation can disappoint some listeners. It's a similar reason for why "fake vinyl crackle" is seen as incredibly cheesy. Regardless of my (personal, hipster) feelings, the technique you mention is relatively commonplace. Also, for some artists, the unpredictability and randomness can be seen as part of the experience, but it takes a very particular/unusually postmodern sort of artist to get away with that.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

stinos 10y ago

inherently gratifying. It is a more multifaceted Thing, an object with a mass and volume and cover Also not to forget: the buttons on tape players are real machanical things requiring some force to push them. I don't know why (I also like handtools and powertools, seems related) but something in pushing a nice hardware button satisfies me. Just like taking a tape and feeding it into the player. Something in my brain likes that. Just like limbing trees or scything grass. Sometimes I even do those for no practical reason, just the act alone is satisfying. And that has nothing to do with trying to make sure others know about any possible coolness or wackyness I might posess.

pjc50 10y ago

> Sometimes the sonic characteristics of tapes DO complement the music Indeed - this is especially true of synthwave/vaporwave and other genres that are themselves nostalgic for the days of synth-heavy music sold on cassette. A bit of compression and hiss is just right. Just as some games put fake film grain on screen, some synthwave videos add a "badly tracked VHS" effect.

ZenoArrow 10y ago
>"Indeed - this is especially true of synthwave/vaporwave and other genres that are themselves nostalgic for the days of synth-heavy music sold on cassette." Yeah, I wouldn't mind a TRONICBOX cassette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV1N95xZ4es https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV1N95xZ4es >"Just as some games put fake film grain on screen, some synthwave videos add a "badly tracked VHS" effect." Kung Fury is probably a good example of that style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5P_LAqiVg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5P_LAqiVg
croon 10y ago
I lived through the 80s then, and am sometimes nostalgic for old stuff. I listen to a lot of synthwave now, and do appreciate the variable speed distortion on some tracks. But I also exclusively listen to digital music, where I get a (basically) 1:1 representation of what the artist produced. Getting further distortions from the medium isn't something I want or need.
Nav_Panel 10y ago
Honestly, some of the stuff actually from the 80s is more vapor than anything contemporary I've seen. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thUODyrEhK4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thUODyrEhK4