scotch-tape back of tape. glue strip of rubberband around takeup reel (source) to ensure the tape is being taken up and in no danger of getting stuck around the pinch roller. If you use rubber and a single roller transport, it would probably be difficult to flip the tape (e.g. play 4 track in reverse). sample of one: found this out the hard way the other day.
Everyone has their tricks but the reality is you need to find the right method that works for the particular machine you are using. Some need little or no tension on the tape to playback depending on how well the machine holds the tape against the playhead. The rubber band trick is a waste of time if your machine has a halfway decent pinch roller. I think I linked to it above but David Chandler spent a long time researching tape lengths and published them in a zine in the 1990’s … someone reposted it here for reference: http://www.cementimental.com/tapeloop.html Long story short: Experiment with what you have. There is no universal method.
I agree, there’s no reason it shouldn’t. Please try it and let us know. I’m syncing a midi sequencer so I use FSK and send analog clock from the sequencer.
How difficult is it to replace the belts on some of the Marantz units? I’m thinking about buying a PMD 360 for $40, and the belts need replaced.
Yeah get a splice block most definitely
Last week Hainbach posted a cool video about how to use a Marantz PMD222 deck as a tape echo.
Here’s a simple hack to the 222 that enables the PITCH knob to function while recording. This will give precise control of delay time through the entire range. Without this, one only has two delay time options, low or high.
It’s a two step process. One needs to cut a single trace and add a single wire. I’ve attempted to describe it in three pictures.
Any idea if there is similar info for modifying a pmd430?
Hello tape lovers. I picked this Yamaha MT1X up from Goodwill today. It powers up but the play head is jammed in the up position. I would probably pay to have this serviced but there is no one in Flagstaff that services this kind of thing. Does Anyone have any recommendations on any great techs that I could send it to perhaps?
Oh man, I used to have one of those… with the MIDI sync attachment! If memory serves, I bought it off @taylor12k in the mid 90s - probably via the AH or Looper’s Delight mailing list…
Sweet! I take it you sold it then? Looks like originally they came with some fun extras for field recording and the midi sync you mentioned.
I got the playhead unjammed. It plays now but FF and RW are not functioning. Baby steps.
So the power supply I got with my 414 is not the correct one, anybody here with one can tell me what it needs? It seems to be 12v 1A, center negative…
Hi, 12V, tip negative, 650 mA on the one that came with it. Hope that helps!
anybody used these before?
https://tapeline.info/v2/endless-loop-tapes.html
very impressed with loop times. will personally take all measures to get my fiddly fingers away from DIY activities so they look like a pretty attractive solution to me
I haven’t used those specific ones but I have a lot that are that same type. Just be sure they don’t have the silver tape splice (that tells the cartrage player when to stop) because it will result in a gap in your loop.
Any experiences or opinions on the Tascam Portastudio 488 and the Tascam 133? Both just showed up listed.
Yes, I have some of this tape loops and they work as expected.
There’s an audio gap when you stop the recording, but if you cover the erase head of your deck with a little bit of tape it will disappear and you’ll have a seamless loop
nice, nice.
can anyone think of any good 2-track cassette decks with two speeds? any of the marantz machines seem to do it but they’re a little bulky for just cassette machines. looking for mid-crap quality. three heads would be nice but not for my wallet.
OH MAN THAT’S WHAT THAT IS. galaxy brain i’ll have to try the tape on erase head trick for sure!
I’ve always wanted to put out an endless loop tape (of my own music or of others), but it would end up being…like a 100 dollars for a run of 10 and I don’t want to charge $10 for a tape.
