A free lo-fi plugin. Make it sound found in a drawer.

The five controls

There is nothing else to learn: BITS, RATE, NOISE, FILTER and MIX.

• BITS runs from 16 down to 4.
• RATE drops the sample rate from 48 kHz down to 2 kHz.
• NOISE adds hiss.
• FILTER rolls off the top.
• MIX blends the effect with the clean signal underneath.

Together they go from a dull old tape to a broken toy.

What bit depth and sample rate do to a sound

Lowering the bit depth makes the quiet details step between fewer levels, which turns into grainy noise and a gritty, crunchy edge. Lowering the sample rate removes the high frequencies and folds some of what is left back down as harsh, metallic ringing. Hiss and a filter finish the job: they make it sound like something played from an old machine.

Where to use it

Dead Tape is built for intros, transitions and Reels: the moment where a sound should feel old, then snap clean. MIX keeps the clean signal underneath, so you can add just a hint of age to a whole bus or to a single sound.

Try it on a vocal that should sound like a phone, a drum bus that needs grit, or a pad that should sit far back. Turn MIX up until the effect is obvious, then back off until it is tasteful.

Is it a toy?

It is a plugin, not a toy, but it is nice to look at: the cassette on the front spins with the level of the audio. It does one job and does it quickly.

Get Dead Tape, free

Questions

Is Dead Tape really free?

Yes. Dead Tape is a free download for Mac and Windows. You enter your email once on its page and the download buttons appear. There is no license key, no trial and no subscription.

Which DAWs does it work in?

On Mac it comes as AU and VST3, so it loads in Logic Pro, GarageBand, Ableton Live, Reaper, FL Studio, Studio One and others. On Windows it is VST3, for FL Studio, Reaper, Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One and Bitwig. Pro Tools (AAX) is not supported yet.

How low can the bit depth and sample rate go?

Bits run from 16 down to 4, and the sample rate from 48 kHz down to 2 kHz.

Can I keep the clean sound underneath?

Yes. MIX blends the effect with the clean signal, so you can add a hint of age or go all the way.

What does it run on?

Mac: macOS 12 or newer, Apple Silicon and Intel. Windows: 10 and 11, 64-bit. The Mac installers are signed and notarized by Apple.

More free plugins for heavy music are on the free plugins page, and the Mix Notes show these tools at work.