The Tape Lab Method
How does Tape Lab release so much music so quickly?
We upload lots of songs on private mode, listen to them for months, and go back to revisit. Usually, when we go back to the track, we will remove large layers of the original and add new stuff.
When creating something from scratch we will turn on all of the synths and samplers and sequencers and microphones and drum machines then record me jamming. we'll make or use generic beat loops from my Yamaha RM1X, add FX, make live adjustments and changes - trying to make sure we record at least a few bars clean.
We have separate tracks (mostly) for things:
AUDIO
1 - Moog Subsequent 37;
2 - Microphone/Instrument;
3/4 - DRUM BUS
Yamaha DX7 (reface) > TR-8S > SP-404;
5/6 - SYNTH BUS (Alesis 8 Mixer)
+ Cassette Deck in/out (recording to and from tape)
1/2 - LIVE DRUMS (Old 90’s Mixer with 3 mics + SPD-X)
3/4 - Roland SounCanvas (played via MIDI)
5/6 - Roland R3 + Vocoder
7/8 - KAOS BUS (Korg Kaoss DJ Pad)
1/2 - Yamaha RM1X
2/3 - Omnichord > Korg Kaossilator 3
MIDI
For MIDI, we run Clock OUT from the TR-8S to all other devices via MIDI expanders. We manually sync Ableton to the beat and record to the grid.
We use the Novation KeyLab37 with MIDI OUT to play the Yamaha RM1X
Once recorded, it’s usually a matter of removing and adding stuff till it's finished.