Subject:recording from audio tapes

Posted by: seedey

Date:5/9/2002 2:04:40 PM

Hello,

I am trying to record off some audio tapes but the quality of the recording is full of static and very high pitch. Is there anyway to correct this? The audio on the tape is of good quality.

Your suggestions are aprpeciated.

Subject:RE: recording from audio tapes

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:5/9/2002 3:01:29 PM

How are you connecting the tape player and your computer? Ideally, you should be going from a line output (not speaker or headphone) of the tape deck to the line input (not mic) on the sound card.

Subject:RE: recording from audio tapes

Reply by: VU-1

Date:5/10/2002 10:39:07 AM

When's the last time you cleaned & de-maged the tape heads?

JL
OTR

Subject:RE: recording from audio tapes

Reply by: GLC

Date:5/11/2002 1:56:18 AM

Rewind tapes twice, clean heads and demag them, If the tapes have mould on them you will have to clean them more often. Good luck, Geoff.

Subject:RE: recording from audio tapes

Reply by: jgalt

Date:5/11/2002 5:02:03 AM

I agree with the responses I've seen to your post but could you be a little more descriptive in what you mean when you say "very high pitch."? Do you mean the playback sounds like the tape was running too fast? Was there a squeal or very high frequency noise in the finished product?

Subject:RE: recording from audio tapes

Reply by: GLC

Date:5/12/2002 10:38:40 AM

If this is a high pitch squeel it is friction between the tape and tape heads and can sometimes be cleared by warming the tapes on a radiator (NOT TOO HOT JUST WARM) or the airing cupboard this will dry out the tape, best of luck.

Subject:RE: recording from audio tapes

Reply by: jbl

Date:5/12/2002 3:31:04 PM

hello,

if you are using ampex 456/457 (and many others) the problem is the binder resin which was used to bind the magnetic oxide particles together that has taken-up water and oozed out to the surface. This sticky goop causes the tape to jitter over the head, rather like a violin bow with the rosin that it needs to make a sound.

To get rid of this you will need to mechanically remove it (even if you have dried the tapes). Pinching paper kitchen-towel over the tape at the left-hand side helps, as well as letting the tape play and every minute or two (depending on how bad the tape is) clean the heads and tape guides with 90% IPA (iso-propyl-alcohol).

I guess you are using 1/4" tape not 2".
The same problem exists with them too and then you need a shovel!

Hope this helps

jbl

Subject:YOUR PROBLEM IS MOST PROBABLY....

Reply by: Edin

Date:5/27/2002 9:08:18 AM

in the type of the tape.
First, your tape was maybe recorded using Dolby Noise Reduction, and this is usually indicated on the tape itself. This can be Dolby NR B, C, or S.
This noise reduction works by raising the high frequencies before recording (and some other algorithms as well, no time and space here to explain it all), thus you get the sound "full of static and very high pitch".
The way to correct this is to use a tape deck which supports the Dolby Noise Reduction. Also, to get the best sound possible, make sure you adjust the head with a screwdriver, so that you get the cleanest sound possible. You will know that it is adjusted best when you have the most of the high frequencies, as well as noise, present. Word of caution here: you have to ground yourself, or hold a metallic part of the tape deck while touching the head with a screwdriver, otherwise the static electricity from your body will be recorded as a slight "pop" on the tape, even when you are not recording. The procedure is to first grab and hold a metallic part of the deck (which should be electrically connected to the electrical "ground" of the tape deck), and then put the screwdriver on the screw of the tape head. After you have established a contact with head, you don't have to hold the "grounded" metallic part anymore. You only need to hold it while you are placing the screwdriver to the headscrew. This is needed when your screwdriver has metallic or electrically conductive parts going from the top of it to the handle. Otherwise, I think you don't need to do this.

Second reason for a lot of static and high frequencies content could be that the tape is a metal one (CrO2 and such). In this case, you need a tape deck for the "metal" tapes, although I am not sure about this as much as about the first one!