how to slow a tape playback

[erasmus666]

I've a reel-to-reel tape which I've had for over 30 years. It was recorded on a Philips machine given to me in the late 60s and which has since been disposed of as the electrics had failed. I obtained a Tascam 22-2 tape deck hoping that I could read the tape to see what's on it. Unfortunately, even on the Tascam's slow speed it's still far too fast to work out what's playing. It sounds like music but that's as much as I can work out. I really don't want to spend lots of money buying another deck just for one 5 inch reel. Is there any way please can I can slow down the playback? One thing which has just occurred to me as I'm typing this is that the source tape is on a 5 inch reel but the take-up reel is a 7 inch. Is this likely to be a factor? If using the Tascam is a non-starter any low-cost suggestions as to how the tape could be read would be most welcome. Thank you for taking the time to read this posting.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hi,
That's unfortunate. The cheaper home decks were more likely to record at slow speeds, whereas more professional units recorded at higher speeds.
The 22-2, if I recall correctly, does 7 1/2 or 15 ips, so I guess your tape was recorded at 3 3/4.
It's also important to know if the tape was recorded on a two track or four track machine.
I don't suppose you know the model of the philips machine? There's a good chance it was 4 track 2 channel.

It might be easier and cheaper to just find someone with a deck of the correct speed and format and have them digitise the tape for you.
Where in the world are you? I think I still have an old Akai GX4000d in the attic. It'll do 3 3/4 - 4 track, I think.

If memory serves, the speed was adjustable by fitting a collar to the capstan, increasing the diameter.



The size of the reel doesn't contribute, unfortunately.

 

[Guitars In Sync]

Yes, I have a Tascam 22-2 and it is 7.5 ips and 15 ips.

If you have another dual speed medium to record to, and you just want to find out what is on the tape instead of doing a quality dub (provided it's 2 track...) you could play it back on the 22-2 at 7 1/2 and record it on another machine at at its higher speed and play it back at its lower speed. That would lower it down one more notch. Do it again for another notch.

Some machines back in the 1950's had 1 7/8 ips. I had a Bell RT-65B then that had 7 1/2 - 3 3/4 and 1 7/8 depending on what rubber wheel you used for a capstan or a roller. It ran at 1 7/8 when you used the capstan motor shaft as the capstan. 1 7/8 was used mostly for monitoring back then - very low quality.

If you have a DAW, you can record it on a track(s) and probably slow it down to half speed. Key #6 in Digital Performer does it, and I would assume that other softwares would have the same capability.

Good Luck,

George
George Bowley & Laurie Dupuis
Music in the Les Paul and Mary Ford Tradition