Arturia releases Tape MELLO-FI, a vintage tape emulator VST plugin based on Mellotron V’s tape algorithm. The plugin is FREE until December 31st, 2021.
Tape MELLO-FI emulates the imperfections of vintage tape recorders, including pitch instability, noise, flutter, and mechanical wear. It also simulates some of the tape’s more desirable artifacts like gentle saturation and warmth.
But that’s not all. Tape MELLO-FI packs a few more sonic tricks up its sleeve, such as the tempo-synchronized “tape stop” and “tape catch-up” effects, stereo width enhancement, and a 12dB multi-mode filter.
Tape MELLO-FI Overview
Arturia’s latest audio effect is more than a lo-fi tool. Tape MELLO-FI is a versatile sound design toolbox with pitch modulation, noise, saturation, stereo enhancement, and lo-fi features.
Here’s how Arturia describes the plugin:
“Tape MELLO-FI is an easy-to-use plugin that brings instant atmosphere and vintage tape-aged warmth in a few clicks. The plug allows users to add sublime lo-fi vibes over drum loops, vocals, mix bus, and anything in between. Tape MELLO-FI’s sound and behavior are inspired by Mellotron V, our software recreation of the legendary Mellotron instrument.”
I always loved Arturia’s plugin design, and Tape MELLO-FI is no exception. It sports a beautiful GUI that resembles the Mellotron V virtual instrument, both in terms of color scheme and knob design. The controls are pretty straightforward, and the plugin is an absolute joy to use.
By the way, that animated spinning reel is more than just a visual gimmick. You can click it to generate glitchy tape effects in real-time. Or, press the Play/Pause button for the tempo-synchronized tape stop effect.
Another thing Tape MELLO-FI borrowed from the Mellotron V is the tape algorithm. It delivers the same tape warmth and saturation you’ve heard in Arturia’s virtual Mellotron.
And if you don’t like building sounds from scratch, Arturia ships the Tape MELLO-Fi with 25 presets based on popular retro and lo-fi effects.
I heard the plugin briefly and it sounds wonderfully lo-fi. Coming from a fan of tape emulation plugins, this little gem from Arturia is one of the best I’ve tried so far. It exaggerates the wow and flutter effects but does so in a way that still sounds authentic (as opposed to some older lo-fi plugins which always sounded artificial to me).
You can hear the plugin in action in the demo video below.
Tape MELLO-Fi is available in VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin formats for digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS. Only 64-bit plugin hosts are supported.
Tape MELLO-FI Download
Be sure to claim your free copy of the plugin before December 31st, 2021. You’ll need to register on Arturia’s website and download the Arturia Software Center for activation purposes.
I don’t have the official pricing for Tape MELLO-FI, but Arturia’s effects usually cost €99 (this is the case with Chorus JUN-6 and Filter MINI, both of which were free for a limited time at launch).
Want more saturation tools? Check out our free BPB Saturator plugin.
Download: Tape MELLO-FI / Arturia (FREE until December 31st, 2021)
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55 Comments
Arshan
onWalked over to another link to get this plugin as well and couldn’t access it. Gonna wait till the download link is setup properly by Arturia
Tomislav Zlatic
onThe link is working now. Download away! :)
Klank
onThe link is working, but, unfortunately, the license deposit to Arturia Software Center is not working.
Been waiting for some time now, but license is not showing up in ASC, like it’s supposed to. Guess their servers are busy.
Arshan
onYep, the same thing happened on second try @Klank
Been hours now. I always prefer direct download links and not additional software glitch centers.
Arshan
onUpdate: Finally appeared inn the Arturia Software Center. Yet to test it.
Robin van Es
onDownloadlink on that specific page doesn’t work.
Tomislav Zlatic
onThe link is now online!
Adam
onStill doesn’t work…
Adam
onStill doesn’t work…
Tomislav Zlatic
onThe link works now, visit the page again and refresh if needed.
Lars
onit says “site not found” when you click the button for downloading Tape MELLO-FI (on their site)
Tomislav Zlatic
onIt works now!
Aaron
onHmm, the page you’re looking for can’t be found. , eso es lo que me dice :(
Tomislav Zlatic
onTry again, it’s working now. :)
Sam
onThank you for posting here but Arturia is garbage.
I will NEVER download or buy anything from this company.
I bought one of their plugins once and couldn’t download it. Even now it sits in Arturia’s shitty downloader.
Happy holidays guys
Tomislav Zlatic
onI wouldn’t agree, Arturia really is a great company, at least from my personal experience (as a customer). I bought DrumBrute Impact, the BeatStep Pro, and their entire FX range. All products worked flawlessly.
Anyway, the download link works now, you can give it another try if you want.
Happy holidays to you, too! :)
Aris
onThanks,
Great freebie! (Saw a clip of it a few days ago)
Here’s a couple more.
Free plugin by Hornet Plugins
Hornet Valvola
Acustica Audio
Eminence free channel strip.
Numanoid
onThanks for that info!
Tomislav Zlatic
onThanks, Aris!
dont ramp
onHmm, the page you’re looking for can’t be found.
Has anyone been able to “find” or download Tape MELLO-FI…
Tomislav Zlatic
onIt works now!
Pisces
onThanks Tom, not your fault. Yet another non existent download, i’d swear these dev’s do this on purpose, this and ending an offer early would appear to be another trick.
Tomislav Zlatic
onThis was my bad actually, I posted without checking the download link. Everything is working now, give it another try. :)
Bob
onThe link is live now. Promo was scheduled to start at 5PM CET.
Михаил
onвот зачем людям морочить голову? ссылки не рабочие! типа, как радостно посмотреть на людей, которые радуются в предвкушении подарка, и получают пустую коробку?
Michal Ochedowski
on17:00 GMT+1. Downloaded and received serial number in 4 minutes. Thank you Arturia and BPB.
Tomislav Zlatic
onAwesome! :)
Lars
onit works now
Tomislav Zlatic
onCool!
Aiv
onAbletunes has announced the release of a free sound pack with 2GB of instruments for Ableton Live dedicated to piano and keys. The Foundation: Keys pack features 25 multi-sampled instrument racks designed for contemporary music, from clean upright and grand pianos to heavily processed dance and lo-if keys. All racks have macro controls for effects and rack-specific parameters
https://abletunes.com/free-ableton-packs-instruments-foundation
Tomislav Zlatic
onThis will be included in our Christmas freebies roundup later today. Thanks for the tip!
Rox Roll
onThis is awesome,Thx for sharing.
Tomislav Zlatic
onThanks for reading BPB! :)
nah
onLooks cool, but apparently you have to install the installer first and I have zero patience for that kind of thing.
Christian H
onThe Mello-Fi plugin is registered to your account without requiring any installation. Just login, click get Mello-Fi, done.
Konstantin Kobaltov
onXmas gift from Man Makes Noise :
“The Lobby Piano is a small grand piano in a lobby.
Contents:
One Kontakt 6 patch, one Kontakt 5 patch, one Decent Sampler patch, 10 .SFZ patches and 1189 uncompressed .WAV samples and takes up 3,3 gb of hard disk space.
There are also 29 snapshots by Man Makes Noise and Torley for the Kontakt 6 version.”
(Use the code FREEXMAS)
Tomislav Zlatic
onThanks for the tip, I’ll check it out.
Konstantin Kobaltov
onStill no luck with MELLO-Fi.
So it says “Almost there! Your licence is being added to your account.
It may take a moment due to a high demand. In the meantime, follow these last few steps to start using your software:”
But no new licences in account from browser, and “Unknown product” appeared in Arturia Software Center. At first attempt it disappeared after sync, at second one (hours later!) nothing happened at all, third – it appeared again, but still “unknown”.
No e-mails, no serials.
Maybe this “It may take a moment due to a high demand” in play, who knows. Hate this shi … :)
Tomislav Zlatic
onIt’s probably trouble with the server. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon.
Konstantin Kobaltov
onYes, finally it has arrived :)
Ike
onThere still seem to be some issues right now, The link works, but it still won’t register the product to my account. Also, the Arturia Software Center doesn’t show the license. Maybe server overload issues?
Tomislav Zlatic
onYeah, I’m guessing it’s server overload.
Ike
onIt took some hours, but finally the license arrived in the account.
Thanks to Arturia for this great holiday gift. Native Instruments messed up this season with their buggy old Izotope Trash 2 offering, which can cause serious damage to speakers and ears due to serious anomalities in the old code.
Chris S
onграждани музыканты! узззбогойтесь! у Артурии каждый код так, слишком много заявок на авторизацию. надо или подождать, или написать в тех. поддержку. софт у них прекрасный, один из топовых на планете. и ради халявного кусочка халвы – можно и вежливо подождать. МИР
citizen musicians! Have fun! Arturia has every code like that, there are too many requests for authorization. you either have to wait, or write to tech support. their software is excellent, one of the top on the planet. and for the sake of a free piece of halva – you can wait politely. PLUR
Tomislav Zlatic
onI agree! Arturia software is generally very good.
Konstantin Kobaltov
onХа-ха, лайк! УзЗзбагоились ужо, но и подождали тоже, да. Не знаю ничего, какой там у них софт, я пока только клавиатурку приобрел :)
antti maatteri
onmake sure you check the “explore products” list in the arturia software center. its hidden there, not in your own library of “my products”,. then hit install
antti maatteri
onwell, its the demo version. but nonetheless, you can wait til your license isa registered by their servers and then hit refresh when opening the demo-plugin. meanwhile just demo it, if you can not wait. great little plug so far. works amazingly well with arturias electropiano stuff ;D
thx to arturia
Numanoid
onFAW release free x-mas preset pack for Sublab owners:
futureaudioworkshop.com/cart/?add-to-cart=1928032&quantity=1
Jimmy
onOwn it lol.. Got it (free pre pack).. It ain’t but 12 damn presets ahahah!! It’s not like it’s 50, 100 free presets.. None the less, I’ll take it bkz i paid for their software, so anything that comes with that additionally i deserve, own by license right lol ijs tho..
I thought it was going to be at least 25, 30 presets (not that i need them bkz have literally hundreds of 808 sample wav files that can be used to make 808 presets additionally) when i saw the Email aha smh..
But there is also a software UPDATE with issue, bug fixes which i have experienced using the product myself which is what I’m more excited about than the 12 free presets lol. I haven’t been able to use the plugin like i want bkz the bugs kept making it freeze, lock up, destroying my beat production mid creation so i elected to not use it unconsciously..
It’s GREAT product tho over all.. The feature’s are second to none as for a 808 bass Synth Vst.. It’s simply the best 808 product to date imho facts.. So the fact that FW/sound lab have addressed these issue’s (hopefully lol) i can get back to using my 808 Bass Synth VST vs just loading up 808 samples in my samplers. The product is flawless scheme wise for the most part, but nothing is perfect in life, & or technology in specificity, so with the bug fixes the product should work more effectively.. For the record i don’t have a hella powerful computer..
But i do have an UNLOCKED 3.4 Intel I5 multi/Quadcore CPU, 2 Terabyte external HD, 500 Gig on board running on HD, 8 Gig memory RAM (wish i could install more, >my Pc’s Mother b’z limitation for Ram, if i could get at least 16 I’d be super solid) , it’s an old-er “Dell Inspiron” mini tower which is 64 bit OS Win 8.1.. It’s far from the best, most fast, powerful set up PC/producer wise etc, but it gets the Job done fairly well until i can afford to upgrade my PC.
If i had more memory (16 or more) RAM i don’t think my plugins would eek out on me sometimes such as the Sublab.. It WORKS don’t get me wrong.. But when adding more plugins the CPU is depleted and then that’s when the issue’s occur.. So hopefully with the fix/update it will take to/react better to my lil humble, home studio set up aha.
At least they are further improving, developing their product unlike some companies we all know of lol..
Numanoid
onBurgh Records offer free MPC drum breaks for x-mas
edinburghrecords.com/product/mpc-drum-breaks/
Rox Roll
onYou can get MELLO-FI from plugin boutique now
Jimmy
onExactly bro lol smh.. That was my 1st reaction when i saw the option to DL from Plugin Boutique.. Who makes it almost seamless opposed to going thru Arturia, i.e the software creator’s home website to verify, validate, & lastly go to your Atrturia desk top product DL App to install ahaha smh again!!
The only benefit to DL’ing it from Arturia’s Product portal hub is that it installs the software in all correlating paths that you have set for your personal CP set up with no manual install..
>>But if you are well versed (have mastery) such as myself and many others on how to (navigate) the plugin dl locations structure then it’s really not a big deal if you know (where) the proper folders, and install pathways are simply said..
But Arturia’s product portal is NOT that bad, tho a bit timely/slow impo.. I fact, it’s one of the more [better] software product portals opposed to say WAVES<<<>To make the purchasing customer Download EVER product the make just.to get the one you wanted smh.. It’s fine if the company has a handful of plugins at offer.. But when you have 30,40,50,60,70,80 plugins etc, don’t NOBODY wanna download all that (additional) chyt/software that we >>AREN’T EVEN USING ahaha lol!!
I have MORE plugins on my hard drive at this point that AREN’T validated, i have no license, or access to on my CP.. That pisses me off you know smh?
>>So short story made long lol.. That’s why whenever i can get a product thru Plugin Boutique i ALWAYS elect to DL’d it from PB Vs the developers home site 85% of the time..
PB gives you your license IMMEDIATELY! And your download is ready as well (in REAL TIME) right after you make your order, just as any other (paid) product purchase.
To me, that’s absolutely KRAZY how Plugin Boutique has a WAY more BETTER Download process structure >>that their [partners] when it’s not even their companies but the their partners.. If it can be that SIMPLE for PB then WHY on God’s Earth can’t the “parent” companies not do the same thing?? It seems like they TRY to make it as HARD as fing possible to just make a basic, common software DL’d
And typically, if offered on PB’s website for (free).. As i iterated, i will acquire the license from them.. Then i will download the software EASILY & expeditiously.. And if i want to verify, validate my license with the developer/parent product creator website for (precautionary measure’s, and insurances) then i’ll go do that part later, whenever i get to it, but i’ve already got my product up and running feel me.
I advise EVERY person who takes up the trade of music production to sign up for a Plugin Boutique for obvious reason.. As well, out of all the MANY (high end) plugins i own from free, to cheap, to modestly expensive etc MOST i have gotten FREE by some way from Plugin Boutique’s website which is krazy to me. I’ve gotten so many TOP quality plugins for FREE from PB that i don’t even mind paying for whatever they sell bkz i KNOW that they not only have their software devs/partner companies best interest at heart (profits, market visibility), but they also CARE about their paying customers satisfaction..
There is NO other company as more loyal, honest, transparent, and most of all GENEROUS that PB bkz their >>>Dev partners ALLOWS Plugin Boutique to offer DEALS that i’ve yet to see them allow any other partners.. And if they do it’s AFTER Plugin Boutique has already released it on their site on sale facts!!
There is no better, more efficient, successful software seller, supplier site than the guys at Plugin Boutique which i believed is owned by “Loop master’s”, if not solely at least partially in some way bkz they have a direct LINK to the Loop Masters website on a (side bar) feature on their App!!
Trust<<< you will never find a more better place, and space to spend you invest dollars for whatever software needs you have as a producer period, bottom line.. The SAVINGS (benefits, rewards system etc) on PB alone are sometime criminal to me ahah!! That's HOW you end up paying absolutely NOTHING for a product you never thought you could afford.. But if, when TIMED right, on sale seasonally at the right time, and if you have enuff (reward, cash credits by way of purchases, coins) you could end up not paying much, very little to nothing tho they do require some actual fee for transaction to be paid per processing.. But they DON'T have no gimmicks, limits in general on how you can USE your rewards, bonus which most sites have slick lil "Cut off" points as far as their supposed deal is concerned.. You'll NEVER get fk'd over or played with PLugin Boutique facts!!
PureFire
onThanks so much Tomislav, this is fun to use 😊
Neil Paddock
onHi Tomislav
Another great plugin by Arturia. I recently bought the V Collection (which is fantastic, btw) so to pick MELLO-FI up for free via Plugin Boutique was a nice bonus. Thanks for continuing to search out and flag all these freebies and bargains.
Arturia did have some server issues recently which meant plugins you had already activated were showing up as demos. No matter. Arturia Technical Support were able to point me in the right direction and the plugins are now all updated and working as expected now that Arturia Software Center is up and running again.
I was also delighted to snag Kontakt back in June 2020 at a cool upgrade price by downloading Arcane by Embertone first, which is also thanks to you and your contributors at BPB.
Keep up the great work, and have an excellent 2022!
All the best
Neil