15 Track Tape Machine

Also known as Captain Pike

During the summer of 2017, I acquired a 16 track tape machine. Sadly, the 16th track does not function properly. 15 tracks however is plenty to get the job done.

Throughout the summer of 2017, I used Capitan Pike to record my compositions for 32 Partials. Having 15 tracks, I challenged myself to record and mix entirely in analog. The result was me being able to 'get to know' Captain Pike and all the intricacies to both record and mix with tape. I can now say that I am proficient in analog recording which has also translated to better recording and mixing practice in the digital domain.

Lastly, I built a stand for the tape machine. As this machine is quite heavy, I needed a means to move it around. I built a sturdy angled stand from wood with a tung oil finish to give it a smooth feel. The finishing touch was the addition of a paisley vinyl upon which the tape machine rests. All that was left to do was to christen the machine with a name: Capitan Pike.

Overall, this is a great machine and it has taught me a tremendous amount. I look forward to future musical endeavours with Capitan Pike.

16 Track Console

While in high school, I shared my interest in analog recording to my music teacher. Wanting to keep the art of analog recording alive, my music teacher graciously gave me his 16 track console which I have used for all of my recordings. Upon receiving the console, there were two main components I needed to fix: cleaning the potentiometers and soldering the many cables.

Over the years, the potentiometers in the console gathered dust and became 'scratchy'. A easy, but time consuming, solution was to clean the pots one by one. This is done by spraying a cleaning solution into the potentiometer and turning the knob to well lubricate the mechanism. This drastically helped the console and saved a few unusable channels.

Secondly, my music teacher threw in the connecting cables that would connect the tape machine to the console. While inspecting the cables I noticed the ground connection was not soldered on many of the wires. As I am connecting a 15 track tape machine to the console, I needed to solder about 56 XLR and 1/4 inch jacks. Although this was time consuming, it needed to be done to fully integrate the console and the tape machine.

I am extremely fortunate and gracious that my music teacher has given me this console. I would not be able to make the recordings I make if it was not for this wonderful console.

8 Track Tape Machine

While in high school, I came across an 8-track tape machine at a local pawn shop. After purchase, I quickly found out the motors and transports were not working, which explains the fantastic price for which I got the machine. There were a couple problems that needed fixing:

• Capstan belt replacement
• Cracked motor pulleys
• Deep cleaning
• Demagnetizing of the tape heads

The biggest job was fixing the cracked pulleys, two for each motor, as well as the main capstan pulley. The plastic which is meant to fit snug with the motor shaft had cracked, not allowing the pulley to grasp onto the spinning motor. I used epoxy and other bonding agents to solve this issue.

The machine now works like a dream and was used on all my recording prior to the purchase of my 15 track tape machine. I used this machine to record my bands debut album, SPF, as well as the 32 Partials (Self titled) and 457.