Tape Manipulation

[j.w.]

Hi. I'm curious about the use of tapes as a source used in producing noise. I became aware of this practice after reading about Throbbing Gristle (my gateway to noise) and Chris Carter's use of tape manipulation their music. However, I'm not sure exactly how this works. I can't find a lot of information on this subject, so could anyone give me an explanation of this process?

[Johann]

Tape music, music concrete, is a precursor of sorts to electronic/synthesized music. Tape manipulation can include but is not limited to, the use of tape loops, reversing, overdubbing, re-splicing, degrading/destroying the tape etc. Or using as source material (field recordings/pre-recorded stuff)

It's kinda trial by error process, i don't think there are any rules. if you wanna try it out start fucking with cassettes, jam the gears/unspool the tape and play it, whatever.

Other things that might help you are watching visual examples (youtube should have a ton of shit), check out Joseph Hammer, Aaron Dilloway, Cluster & Eno and read up on musique concrete. But more than anything, i suggest just unspooling a tape and fucking with it. Hands on/Trial and error is the best way (IMHO)

[Potier]

Experiment, experiment, experiment...

Start with simple stuff like micro-cassette player with speed control...
Familiarize yourself with the way magnetic tape works and try to think of ways to alter it...
So much more fun if you find your own way of doing it!

1 Example:
http://www.f7sound.com/tapebreak.htm

[burdizzo]

Exactly. I used to have great fun putting things together w/ tape recorders. Set a few up at one time, loop, cut, fast, slow, broken etc. I thought everyone started out that way? My trouble was I never took it much further!
A lot of the old tape music still sounds really good - anyone remember Operating Thearte's 'Rapid Eye Movements'? The track 'Finestra' is a great example of tape noise from the '70s - like a giant hoover ascending and descending - while the title track is more a musique concrete tape composition. Worth checking out if you don't know it.

[j.w.]

theotherjohn, I'm glad you posted that, because I just now found a pdf of that book posted on someone's blogspot page here: http://includemeout2.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/composing-with-tape-recorders-terence.html