Arturia has introduced a free audio effect for Mac & Windows, Tape MELLO-FI, that makes anything sound like it was played on a Mellotron.
Tape MELLO-FI is inspired by the sound of the classic Mellotron tape sample playback keyboard, and they say it ‘captures the uniquely imperfect behavior of tape in perfect detail’.
Features:
- Tape emulator & lo-fi effect based on Mellotron V’s vintage sound & behavior
- Includes classic tape controls like Noise, Flutter, Wow, Wear, and Mechanics
- Introduces useful features like Distortion and Boost
- Interactive tape wheel with tempo-synchronized Tape Stop feature and optional Instant Tape Catch-up
- 12dB low-pass and high-pass filter section
- Enhanced Stereo Width feature introduces offsets to Wow & Flutter from left to right for an extra-wide sound
- Curated 25-preset library for instant-access to retro & lo-fi effects
- Apple M1 compatible
Pricing and Availability
Tape MELLO-FI is available through Dec 31st, 2021 as a free download.
Nice and somewhat usable effect. Also very nice that it was released for free.
But I didn’t hear anything in the demo that sounded like a Mellotron…
mellotron is one of the ram destroyers in v collection. i will give this a whirl and hopefully it doesn’t cause static, pops and dropped audio.
Run the Santsizer through it.
Has anyone managed to install it? I don’t see “activate” button in ASC after downloading and installing the plugin. Instead I see “buy” button, and when I click it, it sends me on 404 page on Arturia site.
Have you followed the process of getting a license for the gift: https://www.arturia.com/tape-mello-fi-free-gift
Nope, somehow didn’t see this page. Thank you!
Somehow I didn’t see that page. Thank you!
I think it took > 12 hours for the licence to show up in my inbox. Never look a gift horse in the mouth, I guess. Maybe it needs a human to approve each licence request.
Just be patient. My copy took an hour or two to appear amongst the list of downloads in the Arturia Software Center (once you asked for the free copy on the Arturia website (https://www.arturia.com/products/software-effects/tape-mello-fi/overview)
could be fun but i dont feel like having to go thru a 10 minute lasting obstacle maze of handing out personal credentials and subscribing for spam to come get the little goody, ungrateful i guess sorry not sorry.
i’ll, have some tape warble from one of many other plugins
Yea. If I was already a big user of Arturia plugs, it would be less of a hassle. The appeal of using install managers is understandable- especially as it streamlines the update process. But it doesn’t streamline the installation process. Quite the contrary. Looks like a nice plugin, and I usually jump on freebies– especially one like this that would get some use. But I’ll pass. I have that one called “Vinyl” which is pretty nice.
Unfortunately requires their mumbojumbo licence parasite… 🙁
the Instal Manager: Territorial corporate disrespectful bandwidth hogs for our carefully tuned performance precious audio computers. They all nest themselves permanently in system ram, where they need to ‚call home‘ without interruption. Isn’t this the definition of a virus ( except for the spreading) ?
Such a nice gift!
If anything sounds like a Mellotron besides a Mellotron, there’s a problem somewhere in your signal chain. I love the thing, but as famous as it is for its basic sound, its equally famous for its graininess, wobbles and glurps. I’ll never quite understand people who like to pile on the distortion until it sounds like a robot got knocked into a wood chipper. I keep it more at the threw-an-iPad-overhand level.