Circuitbenders Forum

Circuitbenders Forum => Circuitbending discussion => Effects Units => Topic started by: Pehr on April 11, 2007, 02:47:12 PM

Title: Tape delay!
Post by: Pehr on April 11, 2007, 02:47:12 PM

I recently got two identical nearly functional reel-to-reel tape recorders (Luxor M29) from my father in law who works in a school.  8) 
 
The reels doesn't turn because some mechanical fault, but tape loops still work! :D
 
I've put a tape loop through both of the machines. The left one records, the second plays the delayed sound to the mixer and returns a signal to the recording one, thus making a delay effect. 
 
These are prob the worst reel-to-reel recorders in history so the sound is really lo-fi (and mono only :shock: ) but I still enjoy them sooo much :D

Loxodrom - Dimman lättar.mp3 (http://roland_4.tripod.com/ttar.MP3)

There's a really good article about analog tape recorder here (http://arts.ucsc.edu/ems/music/equipment/analog_recorders/Analog_Recorders.html)

(http://electro-music.com/forum/phpbb-files/pict2485_196.jpg)

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: Circuitbenders on April 11, 2007, 05:15:33 PM

I'm liking the gear shift control lever on the left there ;)

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: Pehr on April 11, 2007, 07:20:10 PM

Quote from: Circuitbenders on April 11, 2007, 05:15:33 PM

I'm liking the gear shift control lever on the left there ;)

yes I know :D It's for setting the delay time to long, longer or the longest.  ::)

The mp3 link should work know btw...

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: nochtanseenspecht on April 12, 2007, 12:21:49 AM

tape delay = fun ! ;D some nice acid sounds in your mp3
it should work with one machine also btw.  i had a real good time when i found an old g36 in the garbage,
and some english language course tapes. best thing was to play them reversed, record echo over it, and then
turn them around again and play normal. you get something like a post-echo, something like :
w-w-w-wh-wh-wh-whe-whe-whe-where is the restaurant etc.  just couldn't get enough of it  :D
here's some more info on reel tapedecks :
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul04/articles/qa0704-3.htm

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: Pehr on April 12, 2007, 05:37:18 AM

Quote from: nochtanseenspecht on April 12, 2007, 12:21:49 AM

tape delay = fun ! ;D some nice acid sounds in your mp3
it should work with one machine also btw. 

thanks! :)
yes I know, but these 15 kg classroom recorders can't record and playback at the same time though...

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: Pehr on April 12, 2007, 05:41:16 AM

Quote from: Circuitbenders on April 11, 2007, 05:15:33 PM

I'm liking the gear shift control lever on the left there ;)

It's actually very interesting mechanical connection from that lever to a rotary switch inside. The designer/engineer could have had a rotary on the panel, but somehow he/she choose that really cool looking lever! 8)

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: Pehr on April 12, 2007, 08:16:23 AM

Perhaps I'm going to try a longer loop since the tape might not get stuck as much as it does with my pretty short one.

I got the idea from looking at pictures of the old Roland RE-201 (http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/re201.shtml) and a newer Hiwatt Custom Tape Echo (http://www.jamshop.se/images/items/hiwattcustomtapeechosm.jpg) uses a really long tape loop.

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: rusty sheriff on July 23, 2007, 08:23:10 PM

Interesting thread!

Especially as I have just bought this today from Brighton...
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h21/rustysheriff/100_0308.jpg)

I also fancied the idea of tape loops, I plan to try it with my old reel-to-reel, Cedric (The r2r, not the cat! The cat is Fanny!)
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h21/rustysheriff/100_0319.jpg)

Then last sunday I found these...
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h21/rustysheriff/100_0311.jpg)

The most interesting being this one, which is an audio letter from parents to son...
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h21/rustysheriff/100_0314.jpg)

Damn I love tape!  :D

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: Circuitbenders on July 24, 2007, 12:56:18 AM

heh heh, can't lose with anything called a 'magnetophon' in my experience  ;)

That there audio letter has surely got to have some cool stuff on it.

Anyone know if its illegal to use sections of police interview tapes?

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: rusty sheriff on July 24, 2007, 11:06:59 AM

Quote from: Circuitbenders on July 24, 2007, 12:56:18 AM

Anyone know if its illegal to use sections of police interview tapes?

I don't think so. There's no copywrite ownership is there?
I wish I still had mine! hahaha!  :-X

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: Circuitbenders on July 24, 2007, 12:32:15 PM

I think i read somewhere that it still counts as unauthorised editing of official police documents or something ridiculous like that. More a matter of tampering with evidence than copyright control ;)

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: andy_wheels on October 02, 2007, 08:17:43 AM

I've been using my reel to reel quite a bit recently. recording separate left and then right stereo channels on to mono tape, then rerecording it back into the digital domain and finally mixing it with the original. sounds great with instruments, synths or drums.

I keep meaning to try making a large tape loop by putting one of the spools on a spindle somewhere across my studio but i've never got around to it. mostly due to not knowing what to mount the secondary spindle to. hmmmm.

Title: Re: Tape delay!
Post by: nochtanseenspecht on October 02, 2007, 07:32:03 PM

small tapemachines are nice scratchers too ! i  mean, if the engine is not to strong...it takes some double hand action thoug, but it nice to scratch your own sounds