36 Tape Speed & Mixing Tips
MT8XII—Owner’s Manual
7 Tape Speed & Mixing Tips

Using the Tape Speed Function

The Tape Speed function allows you to speed up or slow down the speed of the tape. This has
the effect of raising or lowering the pitch of the recorded sounds.
1. To adjust the tape speed, first stop playback.
It’s best to stop the MT8XII before switching between the VARI and FIX speed modes.
2. Press the [VARI] switch.
The red VARI indicator lights up.
3. Press the [PLAY] button to start playback.
4. Use the speed control to slow down or speed up the tape.
5. When you’ve finished using the Tape Speed function, press the [FIX] button
to select FIX speed mode.
Even though the rotary tape speed control has a center detent position that equates roughly to
normal speed, it is not as precise as using the FIX speed mode.
The following is a discussion of creative applications for the Tape Speed function.
Adjusting the pitch is a common multitrack technique. It’s useful when recording instruments
that are slightly out of tune. For example, you’ve recorded the drum and bass parts and now it’s
time to record the acoustic piano part. However, the piano is a little flat. The easy way around
this problem is to record the piano part at a lower pitch with the pianist playing a little slower.
When you play back the recording at normal pitch, the piano part is in tune with everything else.
The Pitch function can also be used when recording a vocal phrase with high notes that a vocalist
cannot quite reach. For example, drums, bass, guitar, and lead vocals have already been recorded.
Now it’s time to record the vocal harmonies. The vocalist, however, cannot quite reach some of
the high notes. The easy way around this is to record the harmony part at a reduced pitch with
the vocalist singing a little slower. When you play back the recording at normal pitch, you have
the high notes of the harmony and they’re in tune with everything else.
A more advanced pitch technique that can be used to capture a super-fast guitar solo, which is
difficult to play repeatedly, is to detune your guitar so that it matches the reduced pitch of the
MT8XII. Then record the solo at the slower speed and pitch. When you play back the recording
at normal pitch, you have a super-fast guitar solo that’s in tune with everything else.