Tapes

Tapes for Stage, Studio, and more!

Performance Audio is your one stop shop for all your tape needs. In production tape is an irreplaceable tool. You never want to be caught without the right tape when you need it. Order by the roll or by the case in all the great colors you could want!

Gaff Tape

Gaff tape, also known as gaffer's tape, gaffer tape or gaffa tape (also spike tape for narrow, colored gaffer tape), is a heavy cotton cloth fabric tape with strong adhesive and tensile properties. It is easy to tear and easily removed without residue. It is widely used in theatre, photography, film, radio and television production, and industrial staging work.

While sometimes confused with duct tape, gaffer tape differs in the composition of both the backing, which is made from fabric as opposed to vinyl or other plastics, and the adhesive, which is more resistant to heat and more easily removed without damaging the surface to which it adhered.

A common application for gaff tape is securing cables to a stage floor, podium, or other surface, either for safety or concealment. It is also frequently used whenever a quick ad hoc fix is required, from temporarily attaching fixtures or props, to salvaging a broken piece of production equipment. A narrow version of gaffer tape, called spike tape, is used in theater productions for floor layout.

In the absence of console tape or artist tape, live sound engineers or light board operators may use a strip of white gaffer tape along the bottom of a mixing board to label the channels or submasters used for a particular show.

Board Tape / Artist Tape

Artist tape is a premium flatback paper tape used for marking and masking boards, color coding, and labeling. Artist (also called Console) tape has a repositionable, clean removal adhesive system that does not leave any residue. The tape removes cleanly from sound and lighting boards and will not stain or ghost after removal.

ProTapes artist tape is printable with flexo-inks, markers, pens, and pencils, and provides good tensile strength, as well as high edge tear resistance and easy unwind. This tape uses ProTapes synthetic rubber adhesive (SRA) technology, engineered to be the best performing adhesive system on the market. Pro-Artist white is also pH or acid neutral.

Spike Tape

In stagecraft, a spike is a marking, usually made with a piece of tape (although some theatres use paint pens), put on or around the stage. This marking is used to show the correct position for set pieces, furniture, actors and other items which move during the course of a performance and are required to stop or be placed in a specific location.

We offer rolls of very thin gaffer's or paper tape identified as "spike tape" specifically for placing spikes. In a pinch, gaffer, masking or electrical tape can be used. When used to indicate locations under dark conditions, phosphorescent tape (sometimes referred to as "glow tape") is used for practical and safety reasons. Performer spikes are generally only used when positioning needs to be precise, either for safety or performance reasons, such as lighting specials.

Electrical Tape

Electrical tape (or insulating tape) is a type of pressure-sensitive tape used to insulate electrical wires and other materials that conduct electricity. It can be made of many plastics, but vinyl is most popular, as it stretches well and gives an effective and long lasting insulation.

Cable Path / Tunnel Tape

A premium vinyl coated cloth tape that is coated on both edges with a premium cured rubber adhesive system. The center portion has a smooth surface for pulling cable and wire through. The high performance adhesive will hold firmly for extended periods of time on most surfaces and remove without residue.