Author: Harrison Brothers

Labeling A Console? Don’t Forget The Scissors

scissors for cutting console tape-Thetapeworks.comOne of the best things about Shurtape 724 label tape is that it is hand tearable-no tools required.

Unfortunately, what it does not do is tear straight. Not needing a tool is great, but using scissors to cut your console tape does more than just give you a nice straight line.

By cutting it and giving it a crisp edge, you minimize the chance of moisture or contamination creeping under the tape, which will eventually cause it to curl and peel off.

Since most sound people have a tool box within easy reach all the time anyway, the addition of a small pair of scissors is worth the extra weight.

Labeling A Patch Bay? Half Inch P724 Is What You Need

shurtape p724 from thetapeworks.comPatch bay labeling presents some special challenges and Shurtape 724 is ready to step up.

When labeling a patch bay, you need to be able to write on it with a Sharpie and have confidence that it will remove cleanly and not damage painted surfaces, but traditional console labeling tape in 3/4 inch and one inch widths is too wide to fit between the narrow rows of connectors on most patch bays.

724 is also offered in a half inch width as a standard size, just right to fit snugly on your patch bay.

For best results, label the tape before you apply it rather than trying to write on such a narrow surface when it is already in place.

New To Sound Mixing? Wikihow Is A Good Place To Start

small mixer-consoletape.comThere are lots of guides and “how to’s” for people new to sound system operation, but they tend to be too technical for someone just getting started.

We found this guide on Wikihow and can recommend it to anyone who wants to understand how sound systems are put together.

There’s just one bit of their advice that we take exception to.  They recommend labeling them mixer with painters masking tape.

Paper console labeling tape is a much better choice.

Why Is “PH Neutral” Important For Console Labeling Tape

beakerThinking back to junior high school science, you probably remember something about the PH scale, the way to determine whether something is “acid” or “alkaline”.  You probably even dipped litmus paper into various fluids to test their PH.

Shurtape 724 (white) is PH neutral, meaning that its adhesive backing is neither acidic or alkaline.

Since the equipment you label with this tape might have many different sorts of finishes- painted, screened, etched, etc. , choosing a PH neutral tape means that it won’t interact with and damage the finish.

There’s Not Much Real Estate For Labeling, Is There?

midas mixer from consoletape.comThe amount of space available for labeling on most sound mixers is really limited, so sound people have developed a pretty standard set of abbreviations for marking which input is what.

 

 

Here are some of the most common:

Vox-Vocal
Kik-Bass Drum
SN-Snare Drum
Tom-Tom Tom
Sn-Snare Drum
Hat-Hi Hat
OH-Drum Overhead
Bs-Bass
Key-Keyboard
Gt-Guitar
Fid-Fiddle

Using these abbreviations means that almost any knowledgeable sound person can step up to the mixer and know what is going on.

Flatback Paper-What Does That Mean To Someone Labeling A Console?

paper label tape from thetapeworks.comTape specs and descriptions tend to be a little mysterious (e.g. “adhesion to steel”), and the description of Shurtape 724 includes one of those terms.

The term is “flatback”.

What this refers to is the smooth “flat” finish for the non-adhesive side of the tape. The most popular paper tape is masking tape, and it has a “creped” textured finish as opposed to being smooth.

Being “flatback” means that 724 paper tape has a smooth surface for writing or printing. This is one of the features that makes it so compatible with the Sharpie Marker every sound or lighting tech has in his pocket.

Edge Tear Resistance-What Does It Mean For Console Labeling?

tape with sharpie markerOne of the often overlooked features of Shurtape P724 is something called “edge tear resistance”.  This little understood tape quality is one of the things that makes this such a great product for labeling your sound or lighting control console.

Tape placed on a console is constantly under pressure along its edges from the operator’s fingers as they move faders or adjust other controls.  This pressure from the side makes many tapes, like masking tape, prone to tearing and bubbling as it stretches.

Edge tear resistance means that the tape has strong edges that will continue to adhere to your console surface until you are ready to remove them.

Just another reason why Shurtape 724 is the best console labeling tape you can buy.

Shurtape 724-Perfect For Temporary Computer Wiring Labels

labeled computer cables-consoletape.comTrying to figure out where the other end of a cable in a bundle of computer wires can be a real headache.  They run behind the desk, around the corner and to the back of a dark computer.   They all look the same and when you’re not watching they seem to multiply on their own.

Before you cable a new computer, create labels for both ends of the cable so that they are easy to trace.

Take two  short pieces of Shurtape 724 paper tape and wrap them  around each end of the cable so that they adhere sticky side to sticky side.  Cut the ends so that they are clean.

Using a Sharpie Marker,  label each end of the cable with the same information so that you will know what each wire is supposed to do.

Sharpie Markers-Certified “Safe” By ACMI

sharpie marker-thetapeworks.comThe Sharpie Marker is the instrument of choice for marking sound mixing consoles that are labeled with paper label tape.

The Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) certifies these markers to be safe and to contain no toxic materials in levels that could be injurious to humans.

This certification says that that the markers should be considered non-toxic for “normal use”. One of those uses is labeling on paper products.