A composition technique I have been experimenting with over the last 3 years has been using microcassette recorders. Microcassette recorders are small tape machine that use a microcassette (1/4 the size of a standard cassette tape). They have a particular lofi quality due to how small and thin the tape is, and also due to the microphone attached to most microcassette recorders. Microcassette recorders were mainly popular during the 1990s as a way to record conversations, meetings, and to make notes. Famously the character Dale Cooper used one in the David Lynch show Twin Peaks, which is were my interest in them started.
Due to microcassette recorders not being made anymore, you have to use websites such as Ebay, flea markets and classifieds to get your hands on one, and sometimes they can work, and sometimes cannot. They are incredibly portable easily fitting into a pocket or bag, making them great for lofi field recordings and recording on the go. I have found them great for getting a lofi, crunchy, warm tone for compositions.
I have been using a microcassette in my live performances since Feburary, partnered up with my bandmate Alex playing keys drenched in reverb, delay, frequency shifters, and other effects. It has become one of my go to sound sources for performances and recording.
As seen above, I use a speed modified microcassette player, this was purchased from a company called Battery Operated, who modify obsolete equipment such as tape machines and put them up for sale. I primarily record on a normal untouched microcassette recorder, as the modified one only has an Ear out and a built in microphone with no line in. Meanwhile my unmodified tape machine has a mic in where I can record other sound sources such as a synthesiser. I use the modified tape machine to play the recording like an instrument. Experimenting with different pitches and way of using the speed knob to create different sounds and textures. For example, this is a microcassette recording that came on a tape which arrived with a microcassette machine. The recording had some news journalist speaking, I put it the tape in my machine and started experimenting with different pitches and ways of playing the tape. Here is the tape signal dry, and here is the tape signal with a reverb, backmask (a effect that reverses the sound), and a slight frequency echo. There are many possibilities with this device.
The use of microcassette would work great in the ‘Lost in Fog’ sound library I am recording. As the overall sound of the sound library will have a fuzzy, lofi, tape sound. This can be achieved digitally, and in some cases will, to achive a certain sound that can’t be replicated with analog gear. But I plan on using tape such as the microcassette recorder to learn more about techniques, methods, and to gain practice in using it. I also plan on using the modded machine on the ‘A Series of Drones’ Sound Library. The speed mod can turn almost anything into a drone, with plenty of experimentation with different sounds I have sourced, theyre could be numerous different drone sounds with varying timbre, textures, and sounds.