The Best Cassette Tape Loop Tutorial!

Learn how to splice your own tape loop using an old cassette. Find me on TikTok:
bit.ly/SkyniaTikTok

[@middlesbroughmike1027]

The pressure pad is not the play head and those inserts you threw away are to assist with the smooth running of the mechanism

[@congt9288]

Goodness me - no idea. Play head ? That chap is too young to know. Older age has to have some advantages 😁

[@SkyniaSound]

didnt write a script.

[@whiterottenrabbit]

the best cassette tape loop tutorial **slow clap**

[@sohndervenus]

Seeing other people's process of making tapeloops there is always something to learn. Using a post-it note to fix the tape for exsampe is a great idea! Btw I always keep the smooth plastic sheets inside the cassette as it reduces the noise by preventing the spinning reels from rubbing against the case - it really makes a huge difference!

[@sczarnecki5887]

The purpose of that film you discarded is to "llubricate" the inside where the tape moves against the housing. Its the same principal as putting graphite in a guitar nut.

[@KristopherNoronha]

My dad used to hand splice tapes, without any splicing guide or post-its. He was a perfectionist - it as always a diagonal cut and not the slightest bit of adheisive tape was allowed to show after the splice. We were usually splicing tapes that had gotten chewed up in a cheap player or something, so it had to last forever and not be a quck and dirty loop. I still have (and play) those spliced tapes!

[@John-mf1sz]

Yep, I’m super anal about it being an exact 45 degree angle cut. Easiest and most efficient way to do it if you ask me and it seems you dad did the same.

[@martingoldmannmusic]

The Post It trick is dope! Thank you so much. Just fixed two new tape loops yesterday after watching your tutorial. And it was so much easier than before. Thanks!

[@Rettro404]

Vibrations, tape head in the cassette shell, oh my.

[@franzymuzik]

Great video! The squeeze point and post-it tricks are genius!

[@carnmarth334]

This is brilliant. Such a good demonstration.

[@eMroFgnikooLpotS]

Its like I'm back in 2008 watching Chef John on Food Wishes but, its an alternate universe. I dig it.

[@minimal.camera]

Excellent and clear, thank you!

[@arbitrarychemistry]

Great tutorial. Thanks for the explanation!

[@NicolasMelis]

thanks for the video! very helpful 🙏

[@Mattygolf]

Such a good tutorial! The post it note is so smart.

[@SidRockett]

The post it note is a life saver!

[@jjcale2288]

Remember, never touch the tape with your fingers. Yeah, sure!

[@Dork2099]

I have watched a LOT of tutorials on this process and this is one of the very best. Thank you!

[@juanandresmonardes3390]

Just Fantastic!

[@droney_david]

Now, this was really really good! Thanks! I would loved to have seen this earlier ;)

[@patawah]

Amazing, thanks for this video man

[@Pamberjack_]

Awesome idea with the post-it. Cheers!

[@monomakes]

"Go gracious" - what a lovely expression!

[@shipofthesun]

Ex owner of a cassette duplication house here. The "protective film" is called a slip-sheet, which provides a slick surface to decrease the friction of the reels while moving. 1:56 Pressure plate and pressure pad. The pad holds the tape against the actual tape head. 2:41 My head hurts. Any vibration in a shell is BAD. All the felt pad does is ensure the tape runs over the playback head correctly and smoothly. All the audio is magnetic, and there is no vibration component. 2:31 All of them have that piece that slides out. 4:26 Reel to reel goes all the way up to 2". 5:06 The capstan pulls the tape. That's the little rubber wheel that spins against the tape when "play" is pressed. It's connected to a big flywheel for stability. The reels do have back tension on them, so they're not just "guides". 6:40 I give up. That's not how you make a cassette tape loop.

[@imakethings2274]

bro chill

[@toomdog]

Howard, I don’t think I know anything about it. At 6:40 are you referring to choosing posts or not to accommodate loop length, or to the method he’s using to determine length?

[@shipofthesun]

@@toomdog The take up reel on the right should have the loop winding around the hub with the end of the loop coming out of the center of the hub, going over the top of the other hub, then back to the edit point. Unless you want to make a 3 second straight loop around the hubs, but if it isn't tight you're going to start having timing artifacts from where it bunches up within the shell. I would just go with a looper myself, cassettes are a pain in the ass.

[@SkyniaSound]

thanks for explaining. i didnt write a script.

[@kristoferkoessel4354]

Great tutorial man I can make a quality tape delay now

[@momentos-juntos]

Great video, I also have this Yamaha cassette recorder and it doesn't play cassette loops easily. I'll try this technique!

[@joeruggiero59]

i have a similar issue w my mt-100ii, you need to rubberband the two posts on the recorder so the left one spins, at least on mine, it wont work if the left post isnt spinning

[@ManojKumar-sx6vg]

You should have posted the Post it Note trick in 1978/79 - the time when I struggled to align broken tapes for splicing! 14:47 The tape should have passed around (between the pin and the shell) the two pins next to the pulleys! At 14:03, right side was correct.

[@whitelion7976]

I was the cassette doctor in school and I never knew about the post it trick I was using a splicing block from radio shack. Thanks for sharing. From the kingdom of Eswatini.

[@tommyheron464]

The spindles do pull the tape through. As you look at the tape in the machine the right hand spindle rotates anti-clockwise as it plays. If the player has reverse mode it's the left hand spindle that rotates while playing side B but clockwise. The ruber rollers also rotate to keep the tension across the length of the tape as even as possible.

[@SkyniaSound]

yes but in this case, the tape is no longer connected to the wheels.

[@adam_aronson]

A few bits of incorrect information almost ruined this for me but the Post-it note trick balanced them out.

[@SkyniaSound]

thanks for a more polite response. i had no script. in the moment, you forget tech details

[@DECIMA1]

Thanks for this ✌

[@angelo5152]

Those things you call playing heads are also called pressure pads and their installed on all audio tapes

excellent, thanks!!

[@gsau3000]

2:05 Seriously, you should not comment on matters you have no clue about. You're so wrong it's funny and the only reason I continued to watch.

[@lazydays-me6ck]

Very sick thank you

[@MrDeathpilot]

2:10 You think the "vibration" of the felt is picked up by the "back plate"? You obviously have no clue how magnetic tape stores audio. 😂

[@tybowesformerlygoat-x7760]

Thank you.

[@scartabellomusic]

Good idea w the tacky side of the post it note!

[@matrixmodulator]

2:20 what vibration are you refering to? I thought the tape deck use magnetic fields to read the tape

[@whiterottenrabbit]

First I thought it was a joke, but probably he simply doesn't know wtf he's talking about.

[@cRAZYpterodactyl]

What's a cassette tape? I'm joking although I'm sure some have no idea. It sucked when it got jammed in the machine. I remember getting it out, opening, cutting, and taping the ends together to make it work again. Lost the best parts of songs sometimes. Only if I knew then what I know now. So many tricks and great video by the way!

[@user-cz3fv4yr6e]

ya i found the wizard of oz and the recuers down under at the thrift store... the good master spec cassettes are hard to find but the everyday kind are everywhere..... they are pretty perfect for lo-fi use. most of the everyday cassettes dont capture the whole frequency response spectrum... Currently making a tape delay echo thing... idk... well see... Thanks for the vid!

[@giuseppelavecchia775]

La modifica funziona,bravo

[@keeponpainting]

You got a perfect loop. I think God guided your hand ;)

[@scandalousbeans2591]

God guided my hand to the dislike button lol

[@confuseatronica]

he learned how cassettes work from god, too.

[@vinyltheif]

The 'spindles' are called spools, & the spools [are] driven by motors, in conjunction with the pinch rollers.

[@thesheaves27]

Can you record onto the loop once it's fully finished or will it mess up the loop

[@philfrydman2576]

Interesting & thanks. I still don't understand why you removed the 2 black films (you call it a protective cover). They actually help for a smooth tape gliding. I would leave them.

[@themetropolitains]

@Skynia what machine you use at the end ?

[@mikebrun.mp3]

and they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing

[@Xyz-77]

I'd like to know what delay unit was used in the demonstration at the end. Could someone tell me? Were there any other effects applied to it or only the delay?

[@rogier5591]

It's called the Bastl THYME :)

[@Xyz-77]

@@rogier5591 Thank you! :)

[@steffenwohler6463]

Would it be possible to double the time if you flip ONE end of the tape before splicing it together and manage it to position the flip between the empty reel and the tape guide? So you play side A and side B alternatly and should have double time. Or more complicated: unwind the supply reel from the inside, so you could make like 10 minute loops or so?

[@tommyheron464]

Side A and B are both recorded on the same side of the magnetic tape. Each Side uses half the width so each chanel uses 1/4 of the width. It's amazing how much information is stored in such a small space. So flipping the tape would not work. Sadly.

[@stinydothi8427]

How about sticking the tape on the post-it overlapping and then cut with a razorblade under 45 degrees? and than tape.

[@SkyniaSound]

oh wow..i have not considered this! it is paper so i can cut right through it..this is brilliant!! thank you

[@gsau3000]

4:40 Did it never occur to you to apply sticky tape to the side of the wheel to keep the audio tape in place?

[@user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb]

What did he just say?!? 2:06

[@morrisjvan]

yeah , that's not how magnetic tapes work!

[@LeeCrampton]

Great stuff. We're you playing a variable speed cassette recorder/player or a recorded sample of the tape? Cheers. Lee

[@FlyingSurprise]

It would be nice with an endless tape for the C64 turbo, but that is probably too short. I need 10-15 seconds, I think.

[@RaquelFoster]

Be careful. One time I was trynna make dub techno with surplus Bible cassettes and I accidentally summoned Scott Stapp and the angry corpse of Billy Graham. They bombed five Planned Parenthoods before I managed to find my Ouija board and send them back.

[@solisquistis]

That’s hilarious😂

[@accidentallyfasting5768]

I have been messing around making loops to record, but even w/ what looks like a perfect splice I get silence around where I've taped. Could that be the quality of the recorder/player I'm using? That's what I'm suspecting.

[@nachtschade4288]

I got the same issue but I suspect the eraser head of the recorder has something to do with it!

[@z_h_f]

@@nachtschade4288 oh this might confirm my suspicions, the audio is cutting around where i've taped, but i noticed it's not happening when i bypass the eraser head

[@stuffandjunkanduhh5049]

Yeah its the gap between erase and rec head that causes that silence. Covering or removing the erase head should give you a continous loop. I cut the tape at an angle too to get rid of the pop when the seam passes over the head. I think there is an instructable for making a diy splicing block if youre makin loops often. You can make one with a 3/16 straight router bit a scrap of wood(or aluminum if you go slow)and cut a groove for the blade its pretty easy. Ok im starting to ramble 😅 ✌

[@John-mf1sz]

It’s 100% the erase head creating that little gap. That’s why you put a small piece of aluminum foil or very gentle masking tape overtop the record head whenever you’re actually recording your loop. Otherwise you’ll get that gap in your recording. Which is super annoying.

[@dietervoser4425]

Die Beste Nutzung für das Neue Testament :-) !

[@jonniefast]

i need 2 minutes no 2 seconds 🥺

[@user-ob9zo9cr4c]

100th follower here )

[@maikmario71]

Hi there, Can I start a recording after I have tinkered the loop cassette, or does the recording / sound have to be recorded on the tape beforehand? I had tried to first build the loop cassette and then make a recording, but I always heard a crack when the recording stopped! Can you tell me how to do it right thanks in advance Regards

[@brokenthong]

dunno, same result with or without post it..

[@dlower23]

Can you record over the looped material with audio of your own? I suppose so, as the head would be in the same position as during playback but not entirely sure

[@BokBarber]

Yeah, there's nothing stopping you. Tape loops have been around forever. They're how you used to record the outgoing message on your answering machine.

[@skepticfucker280]

Now how do I modd my tape deck to record and play at the same time to make a tape delay?

[@jocknarn3225]

Terrific! But from a baby boomer’ s perspective .. sacrilege 2 do that 2 poor cassette tape .. fun but! Wonder if anyone’s worked out how-ta wind on swap out sticky-shed vintage tape 4 new stuff

[@SalahKarrich-vl4cy]

❤❤❤👍🏻😊☺️☺️👍🏻

[@confuseatronica]

thats not how tape cassettes work

[@drzshe]

Hi, why is my loop not playing continuously, there is a small stop?

[@ruthlesscutthroat4030]

do you record on it?

[@user-ev8ln4ql4r]

Why?

[@meanderer06513]

Wow...such ignorance! There's no 'play head' on a cassette. And the felt (if there is any) doesn't pick up vibrations...the cassette tape is inert. All the mechanism for 'play' is in the machine that plays/records the magnetic tape - the cassette is merely the medium (it has the information you listen to), and not the mechanism that translates the medium into analog information (something you can hear). The so-called 'play head' is simply a pad that allows the tape to make contact with whatever head (play or record) you are using on the machine the cassette is in.

[@SkyniaSound]

yes correct. i was referring to the playhead mechanism in my yamaha mt4x. i did not say this mechanism is in the cassette shell lol. also i was pointing out that in this case, with a loop i constructed, the wheels of the cassette dont actually pull the loop around in this case. i was indicated that the tape loop is pulled through by the wheels in the yamaha mt4x multi-track cassette player. the medium, which is the cassette, is made of iron filaments that are electrically charged, pretty cool huh:)

[@sugar-free-media]

@@SkyniaSound incorrect again. The cassette tape is magnetically charged, not electrically charged. Also, the tape should have been cut at 45 degree, with both ends cut at the same time. Eyeballing a 90-degree cut will produce a really bad transition.

[@sailingshadowfax7518]

Nice tutorial but that's not the playhead.

[@SkyniaSound]

I realized that in hindsight haha

[@LenserX]

You kids have Google to teach you the proper names of the parts of a cassette. Maybe learn them?

[@SkyniaSound]

im 45 and didnt write a script. have manners please, thanks.

[@saschapurner9579]

Sorry, but this comes 20 Years to late for me.

[@PrimitiveInTheExtreme]

✨📼👍📼✨

[@universalhead]

What is the point of this?

[@realkhranyewest4627]

after i cut the tape it automatically curls up and looks like gift ribbon. i cant make it work..

[@wasiuuu1]

they do this ... this this thissssss woooossshhhoooooo should do this think think ... yet again again again ....... :-)))))))))))

[@ronniedrozario8883]

Philips discovered casettes in 1963, but got practiced by masses since 1979, before that record discs by masses, big tape discs by some, whereas casettes by 'a paucity'. Kol.-India, share.😅😅

[@niyagentleman8143]

think that God guided us here? LOL

[@suasponte6230]

WTF! You forgot/threw out the film inserts on either side of disks. This keeps reels and tape away from the cassette case via ridges. Do you actually know what your doing?

[@OldFumbler]

Holy shit. I just followed these instructions and made a highly -respectable loop in about 10 minutes. Holy shit.

[@technodruid]

Red scotch tape works best

[@lockheed_martin]

terrible performance, through this gap the glue from the adhesive tape will dirty the head besides, what is so interesting or unusual about what you show? on the one hand, the tape is placed in front of the slider, on the other side, behind the slider - the world championship, but really a pile of garbage

[@kathrynwhitby9799]

i had to leave. the commentary was hurting ears

[@bc454irocz89]

What is the point of this? They make tape loop tapes for answering machines

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

Why didn't you demonstrate this using something OTHER than the good book?!?! There are PLENTY of awful songs (and I really mean *awful)* that you could've performed this surgery on. And you did say that that particular tape, was hard to find... I'm really baffled by your decision making here??

[@CatPhil]

Maybe he got raped when he was young by a pastor? Maybe the good book isn’t that good in his opinion? Maybe he doesn’t like people killing others ‘in the name of god’. I can name a million other reasons. Love u, bye.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

@@CatPhil so what if he got raped by a pastor when he was young??? What's that got to do with GOD's message in any way whatsoever? That NEVER made objective sense at any time anyone ever mentioned it, and I don't believe it does now. In fact, I see it as a sign of somebody not really having experienced GOD in the first place. A complete copout. As for killing, that was all in the old testament and was NECESSARY as there wasn't a Messiah to not restrict GOD (the father) from being a hypocrite or having double standards. The infrastructure of the world made working on the Sabbath VERY difficult, so it wasn't completely without monumental safeguards already put in place that EVERYONE was commanded to obey at least until the Messiah presented himself later on. Different versions of the Bible can reinterpret words so that whilst they theologically are acceptable, the sense of burden and depression with which they cause the person reading them, can put them off. Romans 13:1 in particular is a major roundabout way reinterpretation of the same message, but seems awful in every Bible EXCEPT maybe the KJV. Remember, there is ALWAYS a direct opposition to GOD and what he represents. It's unspeakably easy for even the most dedicated Christians to be put off. GOD bless. And merry Christmas.

[@CatPhil]

@@letsdiscussitoversometea8479 thank you for showing once again how toxic religions are. We’ll make sure to burn every “good book” and record over these tapes. Christmas is a pegan tradition. Happy pegan day to you two!

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

@@CatPhil suit yourself.

[@MobiusMinded]

Watching all these KZbin “cassette” mythology shows is such a laugh. Non of these people know what they’re talking about and create so many assumptions it’s comical.

[@scotthamilton007]

With all due respect, I don’t believe you understand how magnetic tape records sound or how recorded tape is played back. The ferric oxide (optimal for recording low-frequency sound) and chromium dioxide molecules (optimal for recording higher-frequency sound) which are impregnated on the tape can be electromagnetically excited by the recording head of a cassette recorder, altering their axis and alignment on the tape and creating a pattern unique for each frequency of the varying sounds being recorded. The thin metal band with the felt pad you are showing merely applies non-abrasive pressure of the tape as it moves across the record (or separate play) head in a cassette player, creating good physical contact with no air gap during recording (or playback). The reproduction of sound from the tape is not a function of picking up “vibrations,” as you said, but rather reading the axis and alignment of the individual ferric oxide and chromium dioxide molecules on the recorded tape and converting it electromagnetically back into the varying frequencies of the original recorded sounds. And those dark, thin plastic case liners on both interior sides of the cassette case-which you so cavalierly said can be discarded-are vital to the proper functioning of the cassette itself: they provide an ultra-low-friction surface against which the spools of tape can glide so as not to place “drag” on the tape which might otherwise slow the speed of tape transport across the heads and artificially raise the pitch of sound as it is recorded or lower the pitch of sound as it is played back. I oversimplified here, but I hope this helps.

[@1978pnjackson]

What a waste of time explaining something that doesn't matter.

[@valentinsibiceanu1584]

CASSETA AUDIO RETRO.EHE!👍☺️🙂😏