Theoretically it sounds really easy; you can make a tape loop by taping the ends of a short piece of magnetic ribbon together and sticking it back inside the cassette tape. However, if you ever actually tried to do this, you will soon realize that it is a tad bit trickier than one would think. I spent an afternoon working out and refining this science. After many tries and many, throw-my-hands-in-the-air-and-promise-to-give-up sorts of moments, I think I have it down reasonably enough to write instructions for someone else to do it. Now you too can tape the ends of magnetic ribbon together, ?, and profit!
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Go get stuff
You will need:
A cassette
A rubber washer
A razor or craft knife
Double-sided tape
Clear packing tape
A screwdriver
Scissors
Mat board
A ruler
A cassette player
A cassette
A rubber washer
A razor or craft knife
Double-sided tape
Clear packing tape
A screwdriver
Scissors
Mat board
A ruler
A cassette player
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
First off, the washer and matboard seem to be pretty unnecessary, in fact I've had success just wrapping the tape around the little wheels at the bottom to make it much shorter, or around the little clear plastic pegs throughout the cassette (the one I used had 6). I also made one with the tape wrapped around both the reels and with that one I was able to fast forward or rewind for superfast playback.
The Mobeius tape loop worked out alright, but it was not super practical. Half of it plays back regularly and half plays whatever is on the other side of the tape, but in reverse and more quietly. Also, I was only able to record over the 'regular' side, and had to flip it over and time it just right to record over the other half.
You can still use both sides of the tape.
It seems like cutting the tape at an angle and taping it carefully will give a really clean loop, but whenever I try to record a drone over the whole thing, I get a bit of silence, presumable from the distance between the bit of the tape machine that erases and the bit that records when I press stop. This can be overcome by either using a pre-recorded tape or by recording a loop and then shortening it (though so far I've been too lazy to try the second option).
It is possible to make a microcasette loop, but it is a total pain to do and isn't much quicker than a cassette loop (since the tape speed is slower). Basically the tape has to be really snug and the tape is more delicate so you can't handle it too much (I wore a blue plastic glove and used tweezers).
1. use a rubber band that's been cut and crazy-glued to the moving wheel instead of a washer. those are hard to find
2. u have to use a four-track recorder for this. if u do, then you can do live looping, until the tape wears out
OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT! There is something to be said about making something--even if it exists already, or you can buy it at the store--with your own hands.
Some people (myself included) just like making stuff rather than buying it. Or the knowledge that they can make things that other people have to buy.
However, In some instances I will agree with purchasing rather than making:
- If the construction uses very specialized components, that most normal people do not have on hand. (chemicals are what usually fall in this category for myself.)
- If the construction uses specialized tools, that most people do not have access to. (Buying a tool to use once is a bad purchase. Buying an expensive tool that costs more than what I am making is an extremely bad purchase.)
- It would cost more than twice the price to make a single item. (The only exception is if I can make more easily a second time, such as making a silicone mold and the cost of the mold material is expensive.)
- If the construction uses very dangerous components, or if there is a very high risk of failure with very dire consequences.
I am not talking about burning yourself on a hot iron, or cutting yourself with scissors. I am talking about making gunpowder from scratch, or making a pressure-vessel for hundreds of PSI, or anything where extremely precise measuring is required--this goes back to the tools earlier.you'd be better off getting an actual 8-track player, and tape, and just using that.
Modifying the tape mechanism of a cassette into a long loop....
Well, I suppose it COULD be done, but not easily, and you couldn't use it in a standard tape player. Standard cassette decks would put too much tension on the tape, and it would bind up.
You'd be better off getting a cassette tape mp3 player and setting it to loop your playlist.
just use some caution, as the cassette player read heads MAY desensitize a bit over prolonged usage. So don't go and use this in your super-high end audiophile multi-thousand dollar cassette deck.