A place where tape IS important!
ART supply stores (and some paint supply stores) sell "Artist's Tape", which looks like standard masking tape, except for 3 important differences:
1. It's pure white.
2. It's smooth.
3. It won't leave a sticky residue.
We use it across the bottom of the board to write in track information for a band. We also use it on exposed pickup magnets when the strings are causing clicks. We also use it to hold down cords that are rattling, or in the way of the guitar body.
We've even used it to hold a bad cord in the one position that works, long enough to finish the track.
Since it doesn't leave any sticky goo behind, a guitar player will even let you use it on his pristine new guitar finish.
There are a whole lot more uses for this stuff - no studio should be without it.
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Ok, Gaffer/duct tape DOES have its purpose in recording studios, but it's limited to just a few areas, and usually only when it's a rush problem. Here are the only legitimate times to use duct tape in the studio:
1. The mic clip is loose (usually on the snare mic and you HAFTA keep using it till you at least finish the track).
2. The rod that holds the toms keeps sliding down 1/2 way through the song, even when you put a vise grip on the nut.
3. The knurled ring on the mic stand has finally given out, and all your other stands are in use.
4. The shaved-head drummer for the metal band that you're recording can't keep the headphones from slipping off of his head, and you're out of staples for your stapler.
5. You need to kill some of the drum "ring".
I got this Scotch/3M "Safe Release(TM) Masking Tape" at Home Depot after seeing it mentioned in a similar thread on RAP. It works great, it's only a little more sticky than Post-it Notes, though of course to write on it a felt-tip pen works better than a ball point, especially when it's along the bottom edge of a mixer with ridges such as a Mackie.
But I still have to move the strip of tape separately every time I move the mixer window in N-Track. :)
I have been using colored electrical tape for years. You can write on it with a grease pencil and it comes off with no residue. If you leave it on for many months, it will leave a residue but a simple wipe with denatured alchol will clean it off. I have some equipment that has had tape on it for years and it comes off fine and cleans right up.
I use the 3M stuff too. It comes in 1" and 1/4" widths on a roll dispenser just like their regular tape. This stuff is white, has a post-it type adhesive and is great to write on. I use the 1/4" on audio and midi patch bays and the 1" on the board. NO residue at all. Never thought about using it across a guitar pickup, hmmm.
For drum head damping, I use rolls of either 1/4" or 3/8" thick, 1" wide door/window insulation strips from Lowes or Home Depot. One side is an adhesive that leaves NO residue. Ya just roll off whatever length ya need, peel off the adhesive protecor strip and pull it or cut it. This adhesive will not pop off a drum head and does not leave marks.
Isn't duct tape is for taping headphones to a drummer or guitar players head? ;)
Damn, I was gonna prod you to bring this one up if ya ran out of tips. I guess you're on your own for day six!
Artist tape is cool, even if it isn't very strong--sticky-wise. I just wish I'd known about it before I had gaffer-jizz on everything already. :roll: