WAVES Reel ADT Artificial Double Tracking Plugin User Guide
- June 10, 2024
- WAVES
Table of Contents
ABBEY ROAD Reel ADT
USER GUIDE
Reel ADT Artificial Double Tracking Plugin
Abbey Road Studios and their associated logos are trademarks of EMI (IP) Limited.
Chapter 1 – Introduction
1.1 Welcome
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1.2 Product Overview
Waves: Abbey Road Reel ADT is the first plugin to successfully emulate Abbey
Road Studios’ pioneering process of Artificial Double Tracking. The effect
that became an integral part of Abbey Road’s signature sound was initially
created at the famed studios in the 1960s to meet the needs of some very
special clients: The Beatles.
Reel ADT puts the magic of that era in your hands within seconds. Using its
intuitive controls, you can advance or push back the doubled signal to achieve
genuine, lush-sounding delay and pitch variations. You can also drive each of
the signals separately to add beautiful tape saturations.
With its authentic modeled valve tape machine sound and faithful emulation of
wow and flutter, this extraordinary plugin can enhance any track with the
impression of two separate takes, giving you results as close as possible to
real double tracking. Other classic Abbey Road tape effects such as flanging
and phasing can also be achieved with ease.
All the character, depth and panoramic sound of this inimitable classic effect
can now be created digitally, simply and for real: Reel ADT.
1.3 About ADT
ADT was invented at Abbey Road Studios in the mid-1960s to produce a double
tracking effect without the need to record two separate tracks.
The Original Setup
The original setup consisted of two tape machines:
Source Tape Machine: This was a valve tape machine with a unique feature. Most
professional tape machines had three heads (ERASE, RECORD/SYNC and PLAY) and
one output amplifier to switch between the RECORD/SYNC head and the PLAY head,
depending on whether the machine was being used for recording/overdubbing (the
RECORD/SYNC head) or for mixing (the PLAY head). Abbey Road tape machines, by
contrast, had two output amps: one for the RECORD/SYNC head, another for the
PLAY head. Using an Abbey Road model, it was therefore possible to output two
instances of the same original signal simultaneously. Due to the physical gap
between the two heads, there would be a slight delay between the two
instances.
This delay, along with the ability to play both outputs simultaneously, were
the vital features that made ADT possible. These unique features of Abbey
Road’s tape machines may also explain why other studios were not able to
recreate the Abbey Road ADT effect very convincingly.
ADT Tape Machine: This was a second valve tape machine with Varispeed control
(a VCO, or voltage-controlled oscillator, coupled with a powerful amp). The
signal from the RECORD/S YNC head of the SOURCE tape machine would feed into
this second tape machine. The ADT tape machine would be in INPUT/RECORD mode,
so the signal fed into it would come straight back off the tape. This would
create yet another delay, due to the gap between the RECORD/SYNC head and the
PLAY head of the second tape machine.
The delays caused by the head gaps in the two machines realigned the two
signals, so that they were nearly simultaneous. The Varispeed could be used to
fine-tune the length of delay and even to advance the effected sound before
the source sound.
The two resulting signals would then be fed into a mixing console. Different
results could be achieved, depending on how the two signals were panned in the
stereo field. When both signals were panned to or near the center, the result
would be a distinctive, if not entirely naturalsounding effect (this unnatural
sound was, however, part of what made the technique so appealing). However,
when the signals were panned left and right in the stereo field, the double
tracking effect could sound very convincing indeed. This version of ADT was
often used to create lush-sounding stereo imaging when using a four-track tape
as the source for a stereo mixdown.
It was common practice to constantly move around the Varispeed of the second
tape machine. This was done by hand, using the VCO remote control. Depending
on the direction in which the knob was turned and the speed at which this was
done, subtle (or, if so desired, very unsubtle) movements could be created
between the two sources. This is what made the effect sound so organic, as
even certain words or phrases within a single vocal take could be treated
differently. The fact that each of the two tape machines had its own
variations of wow and flutter, not to mention a different motor running at a
slightly different speed, only enhanced this lush organic effect.
The resulting sound is the most legendary of all Abbey Road tape effects.
How ADT Was Invented
When working on ‘Tomorrow never Knows’, John Lennon complained about the
tedious task of recording a doubled vocal take—a technique that was widely
used in those days to boost and enrich vocal parts. He needed to match the
second take as closely as possible to the lead take, which took considerable
time and effort on his part. In response, Abbey Road technical engineer Ken
Townsend came up with ADT. Townsend understood that to achieve a natural-
sounding effect, simply applying a different EQ or compression would not do;
worse, it would create phasing problems. What he needed was a process that
would alter the timbre, time and pitch of the vocal take. He realized that
changing the tape speed back and forth would create all those effects
simultaneously.
The technique he finally came up with worked as follows. When mixing a song,
the track to be artificially doubled—usually a vocal track, though any other
track could be treated similarly—would be routed from the recording head of
the multitrack tape, which was ahead of the playback head, and fed to the
recording head of the second tape machine. An oscillator would then be used to
vary the speed of the second machine, providing more or less delay depending
on how quickly or how slowly the second machine was being run in relation to
the first. This signal would then be routed from the playback head of the
second machine to a separate fader on the mixer. The tape operator had to
‘ride’ the Varispeed (VCO) control in order to create the desired effect; any
mistake along the way would require another take.
The introduction of ADT was a milestone in the history of sound recording, and
the technique was used heavily on many historic recording sessions at Abbey
Road Studios. Over the years, many recording engineers have tried to replicate
the effect, but with only partial success, largely because a definitive
description of the exact process used at Abbey Road has until now been a
closely guarded secret.
Other Related Effects
ADT led Abbey Road’s engineers to experiment with a number of secondary
effects. Two of these—flanging and phasing—are possible with the current
plugin.
Flanging:
As noted in the Quick Start section of the present manual, the classic ADT
sound is achieved with about 15 milliseconds of advance or delay between the
two signals. When the two signals are placed closer together, however—between
0 and 5 ms (with the Varispeed controller used to continuously vary the speed
within that range)—the frequencies of the two signals combine to create a
series of peaks and dips in the audio spectrum. This effect, known as
flanging, was another firm Beatles favorite at Abbey Road.
It is worth noting that flanging almost certainly originated somewhere else,
albeit using different methods and with slightly different results. Most Abbey
Road engineers were not aware of previous experimentation with flanging,
however, and were under the impression that the effect and its name were
invented at Abbey Road.
Phasing:
Phasing used the same set-up as flanging, but with the signal from the second
tape machine phase-reversed by 180 degrees, giving a deeper effect. When the
two signals reached the point of zero delay, their waveforms were at equal
strength but at opposite polarity, resulting in almost total cancelation. In
contrast to flanging, then, which was an addition of signal frequencies,
phasing was a subtraction of signal frequencies, creating more of a ‘ducking’
effect.
1.4 Concepts and Terminology
Understanding the following terms will help you achieve the best results using
your ADT plugin:
- SRC (or Source) refers to the unmodulated signal.
- AD T refers to the effect side of the plugin, i.e. the modulated signal.
- Display Area refers to the top section of the plugin, where the user can see the overall modulation of the ADT channel. This includes Varispeed modulation, LFO modulation, and smoothing, the latter a modeling of the physical engine acceleration.
- Varispeed refers to the control used to vary the speed of the modulated ADT signal manually.
- LFO is an automatic way of modulating the ADT signal. It uses a low-frequency oscillator to ride the signal automatically.
1.5 Components
WaveShell technology enables us to split Waves processors into smaller
plugins, which we call components. Having a choice of components for a
particular processor gives you the flexibility to choose the configuration
best suited to your material. AD T includes the following components:
- ADT Mono
- ADT Mono-to-Stereo
- ADT Stereo
- ADT 2V Mono-to-Stereo
- ADT 2V Stereo
- ADT Live Mono
- ADT Live Mono-to-Stereo
- ADT Live Stereo
- ADT Live 2V Mono-to-Stereo
- ADT Live 2V Stereo
AD T 2V adds a second ADT modulation of the signal, allowing you to control
each of the two modulated signals independently in order to generate a richer
doubling effect.
Please note that both ADT Stereo and ADT 2V Stereo give users the option of
either selecting just one of the input stereo tracks, Left or Right, or
summing both stereo tracks to mono (dividing the result by two to maintain
perceived loudness).
AD T Live components have been added to meet the requirements of live
performances by providing especially low latency for live shows. ADT’s regular
(non-live) components rely on latency to advance the ADT signal relative to
the source signal. To minimize latency in a live setting, the ADT Live
components do not offer the option of advancing the ADT signal ahead of the
source. In ADT Live, the ADT signal can only be delayed relative to the
source. To allow
preset sharing between the ADT and ADT Live components, the Live components
automatically translate negative ADT values to positive values.
Apart from the differences noted above, the ADT Live components are exactly
the same as the Reel ADT’s regular components.
Chapter 2 – Quick Start (featuring the Mono-to-Stereo Component)
- Open the ADT plugin on a vocal track.
- Grab the ADT control in the display area above the ruler and play around with it until you get a good-sounding static double effect. Recommended ranges are -10 to -15 ms (with the ADT signal playing in advance of the source) and 10 to 15 ms (with the ADT signal playing after the source).
- Experiment with the LFO, preferably on a random shape, and play with the range (recommended range is 3-8 ms) until you get a good doubling effect that does not sound synthetic or unnatural.
- Try using the Varispeed control with wide range settings to emphasize word endings or to adjust the effect to your liking.
- Add some drive to taste.
- To maximize the doubling effect, adjust the overall level of each channel so that the ADT and SRC channels both have the same apparent loudness.
- Experiment with the panning between the two signals. You will get a different sound if the signals are on top or close to one another, as opposed to panned mid to hard left and right.
Chapter 3 – Interface and Controls
3.1 Interface (featuring the Stereo Component) **3.2 Controls
General Controls
ADT Position
Bounds the Varispeed playing range and determines whether the ADT signal plays
before, around, or after the source. To move the ADT position, click on the
ADT tape head in the display area.
Please Note: In ADT Live, the ADT signal can play only after the source.
Input Source
Determines which of the stereo channels is sent for ADT processing. Click Left
to select the left channel, Right to select the right channel, and L+R to sum
both channels to mono, dividing the result by two to maintain perceived
loudness.
Monitor
Lets you monitor the plugin’s output in mono, helping you track the amount of
phasing introduced by the process.
Varispeed Section
Varispeed
Controls the time movement of the ADT. Varispeed has the same function as the
voltagecontrolled oscillator used in the original ADT setup to shift the speed
(and hence time) of the doubled track. The Varispeed range is variable to give
the best resolution and control over the desired movement.
Range: Variable between -/+20 ms and -/+1 ms, in 1 ms increments.
Please note: For ease of use, the Varispeed control can be assigned to MIDI.
Check your DAW to find how to assign MIDI controls.
Varispeed Mode
Determines Varispeed’s working mode:
Latch: When you rotate the Varispeed control and then release it, the control
stays on the released value.
Touch: When you rotate the Varispeed control and then release it, the control
jumps back to 0.
LFO Section
LFO On/Off
Turns the LFO on or off. The LFO will automatically modulate the delay time of
the Varispeed.
LFO Range
Sets upper and lower limits for the LFO cycle. E.g., select 3 to limit the LFO
cycle to -/+3 ms.
Range: Variable between -/+20 ms and -/+1 ms, in 1 ms increments.
LFO Shape
Determines the shape of the LFO cycle: sine, triangular, reverse sine, reverse
triangular, or random.
LFO Rate (Hz)
Sets the rate at which the LFO completes the range selected in the LFO Range
control.
LFO Rate (Bars) (only when LFO Sync mode is on)
Sets the rate at which the LFO completes the range selected in the LFO Range
control, only in terms of bars rather than Hz. For example, when the selected
range is -/+3, LFO Sync is on; if the user selects 6 bars, the LFO will take 6
bars to complete a full cycle of -/+3 ms.
Range: ¼, ½, 1, 1½, 2, 2½, 3, 3½, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16
LFO Sync
When Sync is on, the LFO rate is set automatically by calculating the
session’s tempo, measure, and resolution and the selected Rate (Bars) setting.
For example, the user can set the LFO Rate to 4 bars, and the plugin will
calculate the actual rate needed to make this happen.
SRC (Source) Control Section
SRC Pan
Controls the position of the source signal in the stereo image.
Range: 100L–100R
SRC Drive
Controls the amount of tape saturation.
Range: 0–30
SRC Mute
Mutes the source signal in the output.
SRC Phase
Inverts the phase of the source signal (see ADT phase below).
SRC Level
Controls the level of the source signal.
Range: +12 to -Inf dB (continuous control, 0.1 dB resolution)
Please note: The ADT output is normalized in order to maintain constant gain
when the ADT and SRC channels are panned hard left and hard right.
ADT Control Section
AD T Pan
Controls the position of the ADT signal in the stereo image.
Range: 100L–100R
ADT Drive
Controls the amount of tape saturation.
Range: 0–30
ADT Mute
Mutes the ADT signal in the output.
ADT Phase
Inverts the phase of the ADT signal. Use this to create a Phasing effect when
the two signals are very close to one another (between 0 and 5 ms).
ADT Level
Controls the level of the ADT signal.
Range: +12 to -Inf dB (continuous control, 0.1 dB resolution)
Please note: The ADT output is normalized in order to maintain constant
gain when the ADT and SRC channels are panned hard left and hard right.
ADT 2 Control Section (Only in Reel ADT 2V)
ADT 2 Pan
Controls the position of the ADT signal in the stereo image.
Range: 100L–100R
ADT 2 Drive
Controls the amount of tape saturation.
Range: 0–30
ADT 2 Mute
Mutes the ADT signal in the output.
ADT2 Phase
Inverts the phase of the ADT 2 signal.
ADT 2 Level
Controls the level of the ADT signal.
Range: +12 to -Inf dB (continuous control, 0.1 dB resolution)
Please note: The ADT output is normalized in order to maintain constant
gain when the ADT and SRC channels are panned hard left and hard right.
3.3 WaveSystem Toolbar**
Use the bar at the top of the plugin to save and load presets, compare
settings, undo and redo steps, and resize the plugin. To learn more, click the
icon at the upper-right corner of the window and open the WaveSystem Guide.
Waves / Abbey Road ADT
User Guide
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