Make a cassette loop for about 6 seconds.

I saw this in a Punk-fan-zine, Just passing on the idea.

Step 1 Un screw..

Unscrew the five screws and open the cassette carefully so you don't
loose any parts.

Comments

[daryl shawn]

Instead of using multiple cassette players, I use loop cassettes (sometimes my own, sometimes answering machine tape) in four-track machines. I wrote a whole article about this technique, it's really interesting, and pretty damn cheap, these days.

I also have an ongoing project I call Repetitive Miniatures which is nothing but recordings of cassette loops I've built up with the four-track.

It's definitely a bitch to make your own tapes, but you can sometimes still find splicing blocks at Radio Shack which help a lot.

[Mechanthrope]

Aw man... can I design you a new website? The concept is cool, but the presentation is such an eyesore >.<

[theyoweusaliving]

Hey, I have the zine that this came from! It was originally done in "How to Zine" published out of Richmond, then republished in Making Stuff and Doing Things (the zine collection book with Christy Roads' art on the front). If you got it from one of these and haven't read the other, check it out! They're both excellent!

[PlayPatterns]

You know everyone thinks the weird one in the beatles was John, but it was Paul who started with all the crazy tape loops...

[tvvintage]

Great I wanted so long ago to make this loop but didnt think it work now I got my loop anyway i didnt tape it I used uhu

[Derin]

you dont need this for vw radios they automaticly reverse the tape

[mellotronfan]

I'm thinking about building a "mellotron" similar to this:
http://mysterycircuits.com/melloman/melloman.html

using this technique.

[Rockerx]

this is great for driving people crazy! a never ending loop of myself making a really obnoxious noise! I Like It!

[conceptualstratagem]

Whoa thanks for sharing this looping technique, this is right up my alley. I don't believe documentation is totally necessary to get this idea across.+

[Ohm]

That would be cool for an old school guitar loop/delay/echo. Now all I need is an old tape recorder to hack.

[bluey]

I'd say a multi loop pedal (with the possibility to do 4 echo with adjustable delay controlled by the pedal release). This would involve a good micro controller programming though... ;)

[bluey]

A mock device done in Inkscape... :-P

[bluey]

The direction and duration could be adjusted too, controlling the motor speed (within the possibilities of the tape sound quality, etc).

[Ohm]

For more repeats all you have to do is feed the signal back from the read head to the record head with a pot which allows you to adjust the number of repeats.

[elderek]

tried it and it didnt work. tape kept slipping.

[Aestheticxtattoos]

check the tension on the tape.

[cylver]

Perhaps something could be worked out with a small roller on a lever arm, spring loaded to provide tensioning? That way, no matter the length of the tape (limited by the length of the spring, and the laws of geometry) the tape wouldn't go slack.

[b.scott]

Don't forget to check out this instructables, too. I think we've worked out (in theory) most of the problems, I just haven't actually pulled it off (yet). You could amybe make some kind of multi looper with analog cassette tapes playing drones/crazy drum loops/walls of nosie, and the digital looper playing a chord progression/loop/more process beat.

http://www.instructables.com/id/EFKSQRX8Z0EP287017?ALLSTEPS

[cdog934]

Pretty sure the tape goes at 1 7/8 inches per second. You could make different sized loops by sending it over the other hub. Getting the tension right will keep the tape machine happier.

[Ghauldin]

Just made one with superglue and extremely cheap blank casette. looks good enough... Now I need a tape recording device to see if it works.

[civvic2k1]

whats a tape recorder???

[nobody]

I wonder if this is the trade secret that the ice cream man told me about...

[Aestheticxtattoos]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! street vendors, including the Ice cream man, are banned from my town. I live just out side the lines of chicago. So I try to wave them down every time they pass through here. I do what I can to piss off the cops. :)

[onemisterchristian]

Is there any way to measure the exact section of music you want so that it is only what plays or is it more of a guess?

[Aestheticxtattoos]

hmm...You coud try playing the cassette before you take it appart and mark the section you like? no?

[robot]

this is great thing for techno music lovers :-D

[Mr.Devious]

Looks pretty cool

[royalestel]

Pretty neat. I'd recommend adding pictures for each step and fixing the capitalization for readability.

[Aestheticxtattoos]

I will add pictures ( and maybe a video) asap. thanks for the feed back everyone!

[PetervG]

Real pictures, this looks really useful.

[Aestheticxtattoos]

This is my first. Any improvs let me know.