When I record my electric guitar using a high quality domestic cassette tape recorder there is a warbling or flutter, particularly on the high notes played - I cannot hear it by monitoring with headphones whilst recording, only on playback. Seems to happen with other cassette decks also but a little less using my other guitar. Does not happen when recording direct into my computer sound card and recording digitally. Playback of a pre-recorded Shadows tape is ok on the tape recorder. Even happens with the guitar connected directly to the tape recorder. Perhaps a normal feature of the cassette system? Please help before I go and buy a mini disc recorder. I do not need a multi-track recorder but presumably a cassette-based one would have similar problems. I only want to record my guitar along with a CD backing track and have a mixer before it is fed to the tape deck. Can you help as I am a complete beginner at this.
Warble (flutter) when recording guitar
- Thread starter Shads fan
- Start date
I do not think the capstan motor is faulty as the tape recorder has not had much use and other machines have the same result. Could it be that the design of the cassette system having a slow tape speed is the problem and inherent in the format. Why are pre-recorded cassette tapes of guitar music not affected? Anyone have any ideas? Are there any elecronic engineers out there who can offer some insight?
crosstudio
New member
when you are monitoring with headphones are the headphones monitoring the input or monitoring what actually went to tape.
have you tried recording vocals and listenting for the warble sound? then you'll know for sure its something going wrong when your recorder head is engaged, but not the playback motor.
have you tried recording vocals and listenting for the warble sound? then you'll know for sure its something going wrong when your recorder head is engaged, but not the playback motor.
The headphones are plugged into the monitor headphone socket of the tape deck and I do not know at which point in the signal path it is monitoring.
Tried the microphone with vocals and sounds fine but my voice is deep and the problem only really occurs on higher notes. I tried playing the guitar unplugged like an acoustic with the microphone near the strings and the problem is still there.
Tried an old recording I made of myself playing the guitar and was a little better but I could still hear the warble so the tape used does have a bearing.
I wondered why many of you with cassette-based muti-tracks do not seem to have this problem but I think it may be because the tape speed is faster on those and therefore improved quality.
I played a pre-recorded tape of guitar music and sounded fine but aren't these types recorded at a high speed?
The only only solution seems the purchase of a digital recorder but I will be gutted if the problem remains after buying one and so am doing all I can to check what the problem is first.
Tried the microphone with vocals and sounds fine but my voice is deep and the problem only really occurs on higher notes. I tried playing the guitar unplugged like an acoustic with the microphone near the strings and the problem is still there.
Tried an old recording I made of myself playing the guitar and was a little better but I could still hear the warble so the tape used does have a bearing.
I wondered why many of you with cassette-based muti-tracks do not seem to have this problem but I think it may be because the tape speed is faster on those and therefore improved quality.
I played a pre-recorded tape of guitar music and sounded fine but aren't these types recorded at a high speed?
The only only solution seems the purchase of a digital recorder but I will be gutted if the problem remains after buying one and so am doing all I can to check what the problem is first.