GB1515283A - Multitrack magnetic tape recording - Google Patents

Abstract

1515283 Recording multi-track tapes BANDMASTER Ltd 6 May 1975 [3 May 1974] 19604/74 Heading G5R Each of the multiple longitudinal tracks on a magnetic tape carries a respective non-interrupted sound pattern, each pattern being formed by a sequence of groups and having the same number of said groups as all the other patterns all the groups of all the patterns having the same length as one another, and the start of each group of each pattern being located in its respective track in the same predetermined positional relationship with respect to the start of a corresponding group in the or each adjacent track. The groups of the various sound patterns may be the bars of music or rhythm patterns. The recording may be effected by recording a count-in audio signal followed by a calibration timing signal on a first track, then recording a music or rhythm pattern with the count-in signal on a second track while the calibration signal is being replayed so that the start of the pattern on the second track is at the same point lengthwise of the tape as the start of the timing signal with the bars of said pattern in sync. with the pulses of the timing signal. The third, fourth &c. tracks are then similarly recorded and then the first track is erased, and by using the count-in signal on one of the other tracks, a music or rhythm pattern is recorded on the first track so that the start of corresponding bars on all the tracks are on lines perpendicular to the tape edges. Alternatively all tracks can be recorded simultaneously, and a musician may record on the first track while listening to the tuning signal which is never recorded. The master tape so formed is edited by removing the count-in signals and cutting so that each track has an integral number of bars, the tape then being formed into an endless loop and copied on to commercial tape which is cut into lengths for endless tape cartridges. If tapes are required in which the starts of corresponding bars of the various tracks are staggered along the tape length, such staggering may be introduced at the copying stage or delays may be introduced into the master tape recording system. The various tracks may be recorded with different rhythms or in different keys, for example, to provide backing rhythms.