Artificial intelligence
Tape emulation plugins usually use a component modelling approach and although quite painstaking, this can achieve excellent models of specific machines and tape formulations. In contrast, Taip uses artificial intelligence, but what does this actually mean? Once again, a process is used to ascertain the sonic qualities that are imparted by a tape machine. But this is done by feeding both dry and tape-recorded signals (training data) to a neural network to create an audio processing algorithm that can be incorporated in a plugin.
>Tape emulation plugins offer a quick and convenient way to access the great sound of analogue tape, and there are already a number of excellent emulations that capture classic tape machines and tape formulation. Taip (VST, VST3, AU, AAX) from Baby Audio is a new plugin that uses artificial intelligence (see boxout) to deliver its tape emulation. This novel approach is coupled with a fresh, slick interface with three colour schemes, and distinctive reel-to-reel style graphics that are animated during playback. Nevertheless, you won’t find typical tape machine options such as speed, tape type and bias. What you have instead are more creative settings (Glue, Wear and Noise), coupled with Single and Dual machine modes and three types of EQ (Hi, Lo and Presence). Factor in more than 100 pretty varied presets and it’s quite clear Taip is designed as a creative tool as much as it is a tape machine emulation.