Loops.

[Peterson]

Rather than fumbling with hand-spliced tape loops, I generally make short-length cassettes the way one would take apart a cassette for a loop, but reattach the ends to the wheels again, rather than each other. I make them in 3, 5, and 7 second increments, then copy the "sample" to an answering machine loop tape, like this:



I have them in 15, 30, and 60 second measurements, and use them depending on the length of the sample being repeated, the length I intend to have the loop running for, and the length of the actual track itself.

I'm aware it's effectively "cheating," but it tends to produce good, reliable loops much faster, leading to less frustration overall. I seriously recommend this to anyone discouraged from the world of physical magnetic tape loops, because once victory is achieved, the process itself becomes nothing but pure joy.

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

NOW WE'RE TALKING.

If I get you well, you make a C-00.3-5-7 yourself, then dub that onto an endless answering machine tape and use that as a loop tape?

[Repentance Products]

All my answering machine tapes have an audible long drop out when the loop repeats, I take it you open them up and cut that part out? The nature of sounds I used on mine I'm able to get away with the dropout by adding generous amounts of echo.

[Peterson]

If I get you well, you make a C-00.3-5-7 yourself, then dub that onto an endless answering machine tape and use that as a loop tape?

Yes, that's exactly it. It's so easy, fun, and enjoyable, as well as sort of meditative, that it changed my entire outlook on how I wanted to make noise/music.

All my answering machine tapes have an audible long drop out when the loop repeats, I take it you open them up and cut that part out? The nature of sounds I used on mine I'm able to get away with the dropout by adding generous amounts of echo.

Some of them have this issue, and some do not, wherein there's only like a 0.5 second kind of "clunk" sound or silence, which generally seems to fit pretty well with most of my loops, as not to require removal. Of course, that's mostly up to my personal preference and coincidences, but occasionally, I do edit out the unwanted sounds and dropouts via software after ripping to a file.

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

Ace! On my quest for answering machine tapes now then, haha.

[online prowler]

TAPE LINE UK have avail regular cassettes in loop format now.

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

I know. Tapeline have lots of great things but they're expensive (especially once you add shipping costs to everything.)

[tinnitustimulus]

The drop is from either the piece of foil they put make a signal to the answering machine, or the space between the eraser and capstan when you stop recording. While I find endless tapes useful, I prefer the rhythmic quality of handmade loops.

I also use a delay pedal with a long time to delay (gigadelay goes 24 secs, headrush does too). I can change things quite rapidly that way, add or remove with one feedback knob than holding down an overdub button. I already tried to explain what I do in another gear thread, but I might as well put on here as it is relevant:

I prefer TASCAM 424 mk I and mk II for better tape speed options, but mine are broken. I use loops but I also switch over to live channels. for feedback loops i usually just put the effect sends to the line in channels, but i've seen the headphone jack used too, I just burn things out too fast to want to try that.

For multitrack tape loops, the only advice I'd have is to make each channel distinct, each a different frequency range, a different texture, but make it complementary to each other, like adding colors to a palette to make a painting. It is better not to have every channel full sounding because they are just going to cancel eachother out, though I like having one channel that does this to cut everything else out suddenly.  

Sometimes i record loops on the fly during the performance, but it's never usually good. Even when I saw a performance where one was using live instruments and one trying to do tape loops of the other, it just came out with not very engaging loops. It's not a immediate effect like the loop station, it needs more engagement and prep.

That I also "cheat" and use a  digital delay on the fx loop to loop the loops to more loops, and use a pre amp so the signal will go over everything else since effects loops try to be tame to prevent feedback. Keeps the process more organic and interesting, and sometimes I'm practically making a song using the pitch control with it, albeit a very crude one which keeps me in the harsh noise realm hopefully (though I did steal that technique from someone who is released on Not Not Fun multiple times).

[Zugzwang Productions]

Sometimes i record loops on the fly during the performance, but it's never usually good. Even when I saw a performance where one was using live instruments and one trying to do tape loops of the other, it just came out with not very engaging loops. It's not a immediate effect like the loop station, it needs more engagement and prep.

That is definitely true. I use open cassette shells with the tape going around a bottle and back in to the shell, for extra length. No need to say that is technique adds a lot more wobble and inconsistency in the tape speed. I am not going for accurate reproduction of the source, but instead I fully embrace the sounds and accidents this technique produce. Also when I recorded a drone live, I let the loop do maybe 3-5 complete runs before stopping the recording. The erase head is disconnected on my machine, so this way the signal get overdubbed several times, to create a fuller sound.

[XXX]

Those who use iOS can get this new program that I've been enjoying for looping as of late.

Everest : Audio Looper by glowgraph inc.
https://appsto.re/us/0RhV3.i

[l.b.]

i've been cutting and splicing blank tape into loops, then recording sounds onto it with my 424. is there any way to make blank loops and multitrack record on them without an audible gap? as far as i've been able to figure, i'd have to detach the erase head to completely remove the gap (which i'd rather not do on this machine). workable alternative: record each track at different tape speed, and then the gaps are mismatched. but this isn't quite good enough.

[Jnz]

I put a piece of celophane on the eraser head :)

[l.b.]

I put a piece of celophane on the eraser head :)

i feel a bit silly for not thinking of that..

[Cementimental]

as far as i've been able to figure, i'd have to detach the erase head to completely remove the gap (which i'd rather not do on this machine).

You wouldn't have to detach it, a switch to disable it would work. But yeah still requires taking apart + modifying a nice machine

workable alternative: record each track at different tape speed, and then the gaps are mismatched.

?? How would this work? starting the recording at a different part of the loop i can understand since the gap on each track would be offset but the speed will make no difference.

ANyway, you might want to look at the "PUNCH-IN or INSERT Recording" chapter of the manual, page 26: http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/ELECTRONICS/AV/Porta424mkIII_manual.pdf
You might still get hear something of an audible cut with continuous material but I believe this shouldn't introduce a gap like simply pressing record would (i haven't tried it for ages myself tho so I may be wrong)

[l.b.]

starting the recording at a different part of the loop

oh duh..yes i think this is what was actually being done. if you can't already tell i'm pretty new to the 4track game