#1

Hey! I’m new here! I was wondering how other people are integrating cassettes with eurorack gear? I have a live performance coming up and I am planning on running tape loops through my modular rig- just curious how others are doing it?

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#2

I’m running cassettes through guitar pedals if that helps? Not taken the modular plunge yet. Two tape decks into a mixer and then the pedals are on the effects loop. Sometimes put effects on the individual line from the deck -> mixer as well.

#3

I’ve seen a couple of folk using CV to control cassette speed, but not much running tapes through a modular. There must be people doing it though! I guess you just need a line in/pre-amp module.

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#4

sounds very cool. i’m starting to piece together some pedals for my live rig as well. I’ll try running my tapes through them.

#5

When I get time (and my electronics station set up again), I’m hoping to hack my decks to allow that, I have a few CV outs on my synths and some of the guitar pedals too

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#6

I’d love to do it at some point as well. Bit unsure what kind of walkman would be easy to open up and hook a jack to the motor though!

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#7

maybe write up a post about it when you do? I’d love to see your process and learn how to do it myself!

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#8

the bigger the better I think :slight_smile: I’ve got one that takes a DC in, so the jack could sit in the battery compartment… I’ll probably do it with my 4tracks though, loads of space in there, and everything is through board components so no tiny fiddley surface mount stuff to work with

#9

nice. it’s not something i’ve done before so my skills are almost zero!

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#10

I have some videos up of me playing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbKlYVKKKD4 (the “pro” one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE4CF69kwxk (A/V drifts out of sync in this one, thanks GoPro)

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#11

I just yesterday uploaded a video in the “latest music” thread in which I route the four outs of my cassette multitracker through my modular.

There is a different chord on every track that drones along. Those four drones go through a pre-amp module to get them to eurorack level and then into the four inputs of planar. So I can blend between the chords with the joystick (plus there goes modulation into the joystick cvs for a constant bit of movement). The the mix out goes through a filter and optomix which is controlled by maths and triggered by meadowphysics.

My multitack isn’t modufied, so there is no cv control. But in this scenario it probably would only mess up the sound.

Edit: Here’s a direct link.

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#12

nice! i follow your instagram- love your work

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#13

very cool stuff- love your visuals as well!

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#14

This is amazing as always! I’ve sold a lot of things in the past two years but selling my Portastudio 414 is my biggest regret. Might have to look into that X28h. I would assume you recommend it?

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#15

thank you. I find visuals are a big part of what I do. I have a bookcase of 8mm and 16mm projectors and I’m trying to get into film loops as well. I like loops of things

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#16

@scttcmpbll does really cool things with cassettes.

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#17

Thanks @sonicstructure & @photofractal ! Glad you like it.

@photofractal
I was initally looking for a 414 but they are incredibly pricey here in Germany. So I settled for the Fostex, which goes for less than half. It is quite nice, has lots of inputs and looks pretty sleek. Also it has a very small footprint for its features. On the downside, it only has a master eq, just one send and at least on my unit that half-speed isn’t exactly half speed. So this function is kinda useless for tonal material as the pitch knob only works in normal speed mode. I can’t compare the sound quality to other multitrackers but I’d say it’s good enough. Tascams are supposted to sound a little better but who knows…

#18

Assuming your Fostex is similar in design to mine (I have an XR-5) and you’re vaguely competent with a soldering iron and maths, the speed control is fairly easy to adjust by changing some resistors.

I wrote this when I had to make my XR-5 actually play at normal speed, it only played at double speed.

I’m amazed at the price 4tracks are fetching these days, I got my Tascam 424 about 5 years ago on eBay for about €40

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#19

Cool, thank you. This is still too advanced for me, but I will show your description to a friend of mine.

#20

love his work, great instagram profile

1 Like