![]() You can also invest in a handheld demagnetizer for erasing magnetic buildup, calibration tapes, and an oscilloscope, but only the basics are necessary to start making sounds. Other essentials include machine oil for lubrication, pure alcohol for cleaning the tape path, and plenty of cotton swabs. A common modern tape like RMGI SM911 will do fine for this application. Luckily, you'll only need one reel of new tape and one empty "takeup” reel.ĭon't get too caught up in the myriad of tape formulations available. While free tapes included with a machine may be tempting, they’re often badly degraded, shedding particles of iron that’ll gunk up your machine. Some decks will require smaller reels or different types of tape, so be sure to read the manual or look it up online. Common tape sizes for consumer formats are ¼-inch and ½-inch, which usually come on metal or plastic 7-inch or 10.5-inch reels that mount onto simple metal spindles or locking plastic hubs (depending on the machine). Of course, you'll also need a few supplies to get started - most importantly, the tape itself. Often, a sluggish or non-playing machine just needs a new motor belt and a good cleaning, but try to avoid a unit that needs a lot of fixes. Make sure the play, record, stop, fast-forward, and rewind all function and that the motors don't squeak or grind. That said, a working transport system is essential. ![]() This is for an effect, after all, not for actual recording. By controlling the amount of signal sent back to tape, you can get anything from single-repeat slapback to extreme self-oscillation. A high/low speed switch will give you an even greater range of delay times.įeedback is achieved by sending the delayed signal back into the machine to be recorded again and again and again. The time between repeats is controlled by varying the tape speed, so a fine-tunable speed control is essential (often labeled pitch or varispeed). If you monitor from the record/sync head, you won't hear any delay. Lastly, a dedicated playback head can be engaged to pick up what’s on the tape with greater fidelity, usually for final mixdown.įor the delay effect to work, you must always have the playback head selected for monitoring. ![]() The record (or "sync”) head not only records the input signal but can also play back what’s already on the tape at the same time, enabling real-time overdubbing.Don’t worry about this one, though, because all of the magic happens between the next two heads. First, the erase head clears the tape before it gets to the record head (when armed).It helps to understand what’s happening when tape passes through a standard three-head machine: The delay effect relies on the physical distance between the record and playback heads and the time it takes for the signal on tape to move between them. Most tape machines have three "heads" that read and record to the tape. This primer will get you up to speed on the theory behind tape delay and walk you through a few basic setups you can use to dive into the trippy world of analog tape delay with confidence. There are countless old reel-to-reel machines out there that are past their prime, just waiting to be given new life as gritty, spacey delay effects.Įvery model will have its own unique layout and controls, but the operating principles are universal. Luckily, there’s an easy, inexpensive way to get authentic tape tone into your rig.
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