spool.

Tape

Tape mode is a 4-track recorder modelled on real tape. Whatever you play — synth, drums, a running sequence — goes onto the reel, and you build a song by layering tracks.

The tape screen

Two reels spin over four colored lanes — one per track — showing the real recorded waveform scrolling under the playhead, with a time readout above and bar numbers along the top. The TRK 1–4 tabs select which track you’re working with; the knobs give you SPEED and the selected track’s level.

Recording

  1. Get a sound you like in SYNTH (or start a sequence and HOLD it).
  2. Switch to TAPE and pick a track with TRK 1–4.
  3. Tap ● record to start rolling immediately — or press and hold it to arm (amber): the tape then starts recording the instant you play your first note.
  4. Tap ■ stop when you’re done.

Play it back and record the next track on top — bass, then drums, then melody. The DUB chip picks what recording does to existing material: overdub on top of it, or replace it. You can switch favorite sounds mid-take to bake several sounds into one track.

Varispeed

The SPEED knob is real varispeed: slow the tape and everything drops in pitch; speed it up and it rises — while playing or recording. Take it past zero and the tape plays in reverse.

Moving around

  • Drag the lanes to scrub — the playhead follows your finger and lands exactly where you let go.
  • ⏪ / ⏩ jump bar to bar; ⏮ in the transport returns to the start.
  • With Beat Match on (see the tempo screen), bar markers line the lanes, and the SNAP button (padlock) makes scrubbing and edits land on the bar.

Looping

Set IN and OUT points at the playhead, then hit the loop button to cycle that section while you overdub takes or just jam over it. In Perform mode, ◀ CLIP / CLIP ▶ hop the loop around the tape.

Editing

  • CUT (scissors) splits the recording at the playhead.
  • JOIN merges the pieces back together.
  • LIFT / DROP (on the keyboard row) is the audio clipboard: lift a section of tape and drop it elsewhere — another spot, another track, or onto a drum kit or the sampler as raw material.

Finishing a song

When the layers are down, head to the Mixer — balance the tracks, add master polish, and record your mixdown to export as WAV.

Next: Perform →