Re: tape looping Q's

[David Talento <legion@voicenet.com>]

> I share your love of analog home-brewed solutions, but I don't know how 
>to
> make a reliable cassette loop. I always use 1/4" tape when I use tape, 
>but

>  i'm new to the list, and even though i've perused the backcatalogue of
>  the list, i could not really find any mentions of tape looping. forgive
>  me if this stuff has been asked before, but what is the accepted method
>  of constructing a cassette tape loop? i've been experimenting with
 
I'm coming in late here so forgive me if this has already been brought up 
but an *excellent* and compact form of tape loops is the old 8track tape. 
It uses 1/4" tape and every salvation army or thrift store probably has a 
couple lying around. They will undoubtably need repair but it's easy 
enough to do and I have been constructing tape loops by recording over 
the original tape on a recordable player that also came from a thrift 
store. 

The smallest loop you can do is just one revolution (about 8" or so) and 
you get about 4 secs on it. the good part it you get stereo loops *and* 
you get 4 different loops (Just hit the track button on your player). 
This is a new discovery for me (I've been using reel to reels and a 
digital echoplex fed cassettes live) but it's a very inexpensive one and 
works like a charm.

The essential ingredient in this is knowing a bit about 8track tapes and 
their construction and there is an excellent web page called 8Track Mind 
(sorry I don't know the URL offhand but it's in the better search 
engines). I know this may sound ridiculous to some but it is *way* easier 
than a normal cassette loop and if you luck out and find a recordable 
8track player you might just have a very unique tool.

I spent a night disecting old Moody Blues and Eddie Money 8tracks I got 
for $.25 at a flea market and found some good source stuff right in the 
original tape :) At very least you'll have fun once you get the hang of it.

--------
Help Wanted Productions - Bringing you the best in organic electronic and 
sweaty rock music since we started.  Http://www.voicenet.com/~legion

Available next month: "The Feedback Machine" a new studio album 
from the Music for Isolation Tanks live lineup. Only $6.00 postpaid!