Sound f/x Make a Voice Recording Sound Like Tape?

[thenameisnat]

I'm sound designing for a production of The Nerd, and there are many sequences in the show that involve answering machine messages. Since the show is set in the 1970's, the messages are recorded on tape, and thus have to sound like they're on tape when they are played back. What's the best way to make it sound like that? Is there a good EQ setting to use? Good plugins? I'm recording the voice using a Rode NT1-A condenser into Reaper. Ideally any solution would be free, as I know there are plugins from Waves and others that exist, but are expensive. Thanks!

 

[jkowtko]

Just keep pulling down all low frequencies ... as you work your way up you will hear the sound you are looking for -- nice and thin. You can optionally chop off the high end as well.

 

[FMEng]

The passband of a telephone is about 300 Hz to 3 kHz. Use high pass and low pass filters to narrow it down to that. I would remove the pop filter from the mic to allow plosives, because most phones do that a bit. Compress the audio, too.

 

[Lextech]

When I did it we recorded normally and the played it back through an answering machine. Gilderfluke AMP 50 directly wired into the speaker, worked great.

 

[jkowtko]

Well, if you're going to go that far, then you might as well speak your message directly onto the answering machine (most of them have a memo function), and then record the answering machine playback.

 

[dbaxter]

I've used the Voxal Voice Changer, a program from NCH Software, to simulate all kinds of different voices. I can do all the voice-overs and sound like 7 different people if needed. If I recall, it's under $50.