Through zero (tape) flanging.

Member
Posts: 280
Joined: Jan 30, 2021
Heard on records such as Itchycoo Park and many others, I love this sound.
Tape flanging technically known as "through zero" flanging has never been possible from a VST because (I believe) part of the signal must be ahead of rest like seeing into the future.
So, I made an experiment by copying the entire track, then set it to play 20ms ahead with a sweeping 0-40ms delay. I'm quite sure I'm only the millionth person to think of this but I've never read about doing this, just about what through zero means. It's fun finding out things yourself even if you then realise everyone else already knows. lol
I posted a track recently using this effect if you'd like to hear. I hard panned the original and sweeping copy but you don't have to. It's on an instrument with a very narrow frequency range. If you try it on something with broader range it's pretty crazy!
https://www.wikiloops.com/backingtrack-jam-264824.php
Tape flanging technically known as "through zero" flanging has never been possible from a VST because (I believe) part of the signal must be ahead of rest like seeing into the future.
So, I made an experiment by copying the entire track, then set it to play 20ms ahead with a sweeping 0-40ms delay. I'm quite sure I'm only the millionth person to think of this but I've never read about doing this, just about what through zero means. It's fun finding out things yourself even if you then realise everyone else already knows. lol
I posted a track recently using this effect if you'd like to hear. I hard panned the original and sweeping copy but you don't have to. It's on an instrument with a very narrow frequency range. If you try it on something with broader range it's pretty crazy!
https://www.wikiloops.com/backingtrack-jam-264824.php
+3

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Posts: 88
Joined: Aug 23, 2021
Thanks for sharing. Interesting idea.
+1

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Posts: 55
Joined: Aug 15, 2015
Yep, Itchycoo Park uses flanging to great effect (no pun intended). Stone Roses "Made of stone" another example that comes to mind. I've used some of the VST flaging & phasing native plugins in Cubase and they seem to work pretty well but I think these sort of effects work best used sparingly particularly on drums but because there aren't many templates with single drum tracks in the right mood (that I've discovered so far), flanging doesn't have the impact that I'd like to achieve. To me, putting a flanger on a mixed (or partially mixed) track usually sounds a bit weird & mushy.
+1

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Posts: 642
Joined: Sep 19, 2018
I like the quality of the phase on your track. Well done.
WAVES has a plug in called Kaleidoscope which is all about stereo flangers, choruses and modulations. In the preset selection theres about 20 or so Flange presets . I have this but have never used it.I think I had one track where I wanted to phase the entire track to give the impression of everything phasing out then coming back in normal.The "Itchykoo Park Effect" you guys were discussing.
I dont think it happened.
I agree with cmdr_chill that like reverb, it should be used very sparingly unless its a cover of Robin Trower Bridge of Sighs.
At 9:03 he does an interesting thing on vocals using phase which sounds badass. I would use this on a song chorus to add some "yabba dabba doo" to the song and add a little pizazz.
3:22 He uses it on guitars.
WAVES has a plug in called Kaleidoscope which is all about stereo flangers, choruses and modulations. In the preset selection theres about 20 or so Flange presets . I have this but have never used it.I think I had one track where I wanted to phase the entire track to give the impression of everything phasing out then coming back in normal.The "Itchykoo Park Effect" you guys were discussing.
I dont think it happened.
I agree with cmdr_chill that like reverb, it should be used very sparingly unless its a cover of Robin Trower Bridge of Sighs.
At 9:03 he does an interesting thing on vocals using phase which sounds badass. I would use this on a song chorus to add some "yabba dabba doo" to the song and add a little pizazz.
3:22 He uses it on guitars.
+1

Member
Posts: 280
Joined: Jan 30, 2021
If there's one thing I like about Warren, it's his continuous encouragement to go well over the top... just to see what happens.
Subtle or extreme it's all good although it depends completely on the music. Same goes for reverb.
Subtle or extreme it's all good although it depends completely on the music. Same goes for reverb.
+1
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