Some information about your Tape Loops
Be sure to insert your Tape the correct way into your Player/Recorder -Sticker/Screws side is up
And remember, the nature of these tapes means they are perishable over time so treat them with care when loading them into your machine.
BPM values and calculation
I have found these Bpms work with these Tape lengths. Bear in mind though, each Tape Loop is unique and you’re looking at +/-2-4 bpm depending which division you’re working with. Experiment with your sequencer to get the Loop tight.
Tape length (approx) | Ms || main bpm | Div / 1 | ||
4.6 secs | 4,600ms – 105.4bpm | 52.7 | ||
7.7 secs | 7,700ms – 124.7bpm | 62.35 |
Identifying your Tapeloop length

Check out this awesome Tape calculator from ParanoydAndroyd
Great interview with David Chandler including some info on complex Tape Loops
Further reading
An Essay regarding the speed of Audio Tape | https://hypertextbook.com/facts/2000/TienHueyHeh.shtml |
Advanced Bpm Calculator tool | https://toolstud.io/music/bpm.php |
Video guides to Tape looping
Here are some videos I found useful about cleaning your Tape Machine, Sound on Sound recording etc..