The Flanging Effect
Flanging became popular in the 1960s when recording engineers discovered that they could mix the output of two tape machines, one running slightly slower than the other, and get a cool new effect. The Small Faces iconic pop hit, "Itchycoo Park," is a classic example of the early use of flanging.
The Flanging effect is created by mixing the original signal with a slightly time-varied version of itself. This creates many amplitude nulls and peaks in the sound, and a spectrum that looks like the teeth of a comb. By slightly varying the speed of one of the tape recorders, the delay time changes and the so-called comb filter sweeps across the spectrum with the familiar ‘jet plane’ effect. How was the tape speed and delay controlled? Digitally—with the engineer’s thumb! Some developed quite the skill of ‘playing’ the effect by artfully pressing on the flange of the spinning tape reel and applying varying degrees of pressure to adjust the tape speed.
Is Flanging Phasing & Phasing Flanging?
In days of yore, engineers used the terms flanging and phasing interchangeably. Our first product, the Instant Phaser, used analog filters to create phase shifts which resulted in a new effect, a slightly anemic simulation of true delay-based flanging. It seemed logical to call the box a Phaser without considering the confusion that we would cause. We got away with it for decades until producer and engineer Bill Wittman suggested that we should have coined a new word for our effect because back in the day phasing and flanging were the same thing. Sorry Bill. From day one, Eventide distinguished analog phasing from delay-based flanging. We covered phasing in Flashback #1. Here’s a brief history of flanging, starting with the ‘flange’ itself.
Exactly What is a “Flange”?
The magnetic tape is held in place by a pair of flat metal plates called flanges which prevent the tape from disastrously unspooling.
Please read more about tape flanging and the differences with phasing by reading the blog here:
https://www.eventideaudio.com/blog/aagn ... nt-flanger
