How to create a tape echo

[AllenM]

Hey folks, I have one voice track on my 16 track recorder that i'd like to add tape echo to. I have a Teac 3340 that I can use for tape echo. I dont know how to set it up though.... I'd like to adjust the amount of echo and all that jazz... hopefully It can be similar to an echo plex. Anyways thanks

 

[miroslav]

All you got is the slap-back echo that is created by the difference in time between the REC and PB heads of the 3340....and you can control/change the time/length of the slap-back by using the deck's tape speed settings and/or pitch control.

Feed the signal to the 3340 from your multi....and then monitor off the PB head of the 3340 for the slap-back.
You can use it as a real-time effect, or print it to a separate track of your multi.

 

[chuckduffy]

Miro - not sure what you mean by 'all you got' - if you feed back a small amount of the PB head into the input signal you have much more than a slap...

All you got is the slap-back echo that is created by the difference in time between the REC and PB heads of the 3340....and you can control/change the time/length of the slap-back by using the deck's tape speed settings and/or pitch control.

Feed the signal to the 3340 from your multi....and then monitor off the PB head of the 3340 for the slap-back.
You can use it as a real-time effect, or print it to a separate track of your multi.

 

[miroslav]

It's still your typical slap-back echo, which refers to the short delay effect...the mix level doesn't change that, but yeah, you can mix in varying amounts, but the type of echo is still the same.

Some tape delay boxes allow the head to be moved (like the echoplex the OP mentioned), so you can really chnage the delay time dramatically, and others have multiple heads, like the Roland Space Echo or the Multivox version (I have one of those)...
...so you are not going to get those effects with a tape deck, and I think that's what he was asking.

 

[chuckduffy]

Yes - you are right. I tend to refer to the slap as the single repeat, but a slap is a slap even if it repeats...

It's still your typical slap-back echo, which refers to the short delay effect...the mix level doesn't change that, but yeah, you can mix in varying amounts, but the type of echo is still the same.

Some tape delay boxes that alow the head to be moved (like the echoplex the OP mentioned) and others that have multiple heads...so you are not going to get those effects with a tape deck.

 

[AllenM]

how do you monitor off of the play head on the teac 3340? I sent the track that I want echo to the teac 3340 input then I hit record and the ouput of the deck goes into a spare channel I have on the mixer.

 

[Dr ZEE]

how do you monitor off of the play head on the teac 3340? .

Set the OUTPUT switch/selector of the track you are using to TAPE.

I sent the track that I want echo to the teac 3340 input then I hit record and the ouput of the deck goes into a spare channel I have on the mixer.

You need to have some "mixing facility" to mix the signal from the "track that you want to have echo effect" with the Feedback signal from the 3340 OUTPUT back to INPUT. This way you get SEND to Effect LEVEL control and FEEDBACK level control.

If your mixing board has extra available channels and subgroups you can do it all there.
I have a set-up example diagram in TECH-ARCHIVE that mey give you some idea, go here:

MZE-Electroarts Entertainment - MZEntertainment.com: Dr. ZEE WORKSHOP TECHNICAL INFORMATION ARCHIVE - Custom Musical Instruments, Tube Amplifiers, Recording Equipment, Test Equipment and Accessories, Do It Yourself ( DIY ) Projects, Vintage Instrumen
on that page: scroll down a bit you'll see thumb on the left side , or find link in "Manuals and Instractional Documents" sections titled something like "Three Head Recorder as Echo-Effect etc...".

What is you mixer?

 

[AllenM]

I have a ramsa wr-tm20

 

[Dr ZEE]

I have a ramsa wr-tm20

so if you still have your four remaining channels available then you can try the set up as per diagram.
Alternatively you can use AUX send to TAPE input, so you can select-send to "echo" what ever track you wish on the fly during mixing, then you'd connect the TAPE output to only one available channel on your mixer assigned to MAIN mix, the AUX SEND on that channel then would control the feedback (echo "amount") - start from low and then adjust up slowly to get the desired echo emount and not to overload with runaway feedback. The AUX send configuration may work well, but you don't get that "complete control" when mixing and adjusting on the fly.

Also, on 3340, don't forget to set the SIMUL-SYNC switch to NORMAL.