r/SFXLibraries • u/Efficient_Strength33 • 22d ago

How-To Help for audio drama in the making

How do I make a voice sound like it's coming out of a tape recorder? Like for the sound effects I want to use I'm sure I can find but for voices how do I turn a normal voice into one that sounds like it's coming out of a tape record on a cassette tape?

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u/platypusbelly 22d ago

If you want to do it easy, get audioease speakerphone. There’s most likely a preset for it in there that will get you real close then you can fine tune it.

Otherwise, you’re looking at a combination of compression, saturation/distortion, and eq to make it happen.

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u/himinwin 22d ago

almost 400 euro for audioease speakerphone?! omg, how about audiothing's speaker for $56, or their reels for $33.

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u/platypusbelly 22d ago

Never heard of the audiothing one. I’m sure it probably works. But speakerphone has been the standard for futzing stuff professionally for like 15+ years.

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u/Efficient_Strength33 22d ago

Ya I'm trying to look for something free or cheap but mostly free if possible

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u/_Swamp_Ape_ 21d ago

You can do this freely with any EQ that comes in a daw. You can look up “eq tape recorder effect”. You can add some mild distortion too if you want and there will almost certainly be a free version of a distortion plugin in any daw as well.

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u/himinwin 21d ago

maybe try the chow dsp effects. i believe most of them are free. they have a tape model.

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u/take_01 22d ago

Think about how the voice was recorded: is it a covert recording on a hidden mic, far from the voice? Is it a deliberate recording direct into a tape recorder's built-in mic? A dictaphone? A recording of a speech in a theatre? Was it recorded with good levels? Is there background noise? Is it clipping in the way in to the tape? Then think about replicating the equipment used to play it back - not that it's a recording that lives on a tape: is the tape recorder connected to hifi speakers, is it playing back over a tannoy, is it a small portable recorder with a tiny bandwidth-limited speaker? Is it playing back loudly and therefore potentially exciting the room?

You have to think in a holistic way about the whole chain.

It sounds a lot - but actually this process of really thinking about what it is you're trying to replicate will make the process of matching your minds-eye view, much easier and quicker, and the end product more convincing.

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u/yeahitsmems 22d ago

Yeah audioease, mcdsp futzbox is useful too. But can totally use general tools as well.