Here's the deal. I have an early TEAC A-3340S
4-track reel to reel taperecorder. It's in excellent condition. It has 2 speeds [slow, fast]. It can take reels up to 10".

I recently came across a 5" tape of myself and a friend playing guitars [acoustics] and singing at an outside afternoon patio gig
at the long-gone Nauset Inn, Orleans, Cape Cod back in the summer of 1968.

A man from New York was vacationing down there at this time and brought a taperecorder
[a Wallensack, I think] to one of the afternoon gigs and taped a whole reel's side of us. He said he would take it home and send us some copies; which he did.

So I tried to listen to this tape this morning and even on the 'SLOW' setting on the TEAC the tape ran too fast [sounded like the "chipmunks"]. I'm guessing this old tape
was recorded at even a slower speed.

Where could I go with the tape that would have a slower running taperecorder - a Library? Police Station -they have slow running call-monitoring tapes?

Or is there some kind of trick I can do with the TEAC or the tape itself?

This is really a drag. I really want to hear
what I sounded like 34 years ago; and of course, whether I improved or digressed.

SOME BODY - Please help. Thanks y'all

Yeah, you remember Wallensacks? They weren't
very great on tone, but they were rugged, dependable, and recorded well. Actually, just the kind of taperecorders probably preferred as the tool of choice for sleuths
and James Bond types.

I'd like to bounce this tape onto the PC and burn a CD of it. It's gotta be breaking down by now, or will be starting real soon.

Thanks Jon for your in-put. I know what I
gotta do now.

Make a PC copy at the "chipmunk" speed. Load it into your PC, get a time-limited free demo of Cool Edit or similar, and slow it down and pitch change it!

Or, put in on a CD and mail it to me. I have a small studio at home and would be happy to help - maybe I can do some audio restoration for you too to cut hiss etc.

By the way - this offer is open to anyone who has old cassettes or whatever. Put it on a CD (wave format or audio, I don't mind) and send it.

Email me off list if I can help.

------------------

  ~ ~
  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   
  mm   if it ain't got that twang.
       www.ntsga.com

Well.....I gave up. It's pretty much common knowledge that you have to travel, trek far and wide to hear some great steel [the kind like Jim & Smiley play] around here.

And being a man of consumption, I decided at this time I have consumed enuff. Enuff to NOT be a moving target for smalltown po-leezemen.

So here I are.

Ian, I appreciate that very nice offer. I just may take you up on it.

In my travels today, someone mentioned going to this local radio station, ROCK 102, featuring morning knuckleheads, BAX & O'BRIEN...doing stuff ala Imus, but way, way, before Imus.....at least for me. I know Imus has been around as long as the big-bang theory, but he only appeared within the last year or so, for me.

A radio station should have all kinds of equipment to meet future and past challenges.

Anyway, everyone....thanks for your input.

I'm gonna sleep on this for a while [my bed -
not the tape]

------------------

  ~ ~
  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   
  mm   if it ain't got that twang.
       www.ntsga.com

I have a full version of GOLDWAVE, and I've
been getting fairly competent with it. Ian's
idea might just work. [finding one of those older, smaller taperecorders is becoming like the needle in the haystack].

I've bounced some songs onto GOLDWAVE and have used that section about slowing things down [especially fast bluegrass stuff].

The only thing holding me back [and I have all the components] is making like a 20-25 foot patch cord with RCA jacks on both ends.
The PC is in one area and the TEAC is 20' away. I may just give this a quick shot.

Thanks, again, all, for your expertise and input.

ChipsAhoy

[This message was edited by CHIP FOSSA on 20 October 2002 at 05:02 AM.]

Regards,

The last latest post by James, Gil, Mtulbert
and Rob are very informative. I'm really learning some things, which I'm sure is basic
old analog taping knowledge, but hey - you're never too young to learn things.

The tape has sound coming out when only 2 channels are on [1,3] but sound also comes out when channels 2,4 are clicked on. But what Gil said about 2 channels sounding 'backwards', those would be 2,4.

I'm writing this now, without having gone back to check, but I think the flip side has
or sounds like it's empty, but might be 'backward' sounding. I'll have to recheck this.

In the meantime, I did send an email to our bass player, who is a PC programmer and does have a lot of older [tubes] electronic equipment, speakers, amps etc. and mentioned
that he does indeed have a Roberts 1/4 Track Stereo Recorder running at 33/4 and 71/2,
but that the recording side is not functional. But, I guess, playback works OK.

Thanks again, James, Gil, Mtulbert, and Rob
for your interesting incites. I'm gonna phone the bass player when he gets in, and check that recorder out. Right now, everything is still in a holding pattern.

ChipsAhoy

[This message was edited by CHIP FOSSA on 22 October 2002 at 05:02 PM.]

Ghhheeezzz. Why didn't I think of that?

Everyone's been most helpful and knowledgeable here, and I appreciate all your posts. Thanks fellas.

Thanks everyone. I'll keep ya'll up-to-date.

ChipsAhoy