Cassettone Two Is a Super Neat Cassette Tape Loop Synthesizer Thingy

Traditionally, a synthesizer is a device that generates tones whole cloth with nothing but the right hardware. A sampler, on the other hand, is a device that plays recordings of (usually short) sounds. It isn’t generating those sounds itself, just storing and playing them on-demand. But things start getting complicated when you combine those two concepts and that’s why we don’t know what to call the Cassettone Two —other than “really cool,” of course.

This is a follow-up to the Cassettone Mk1 created by Rich Bernett from The Sound of Machines. Bernett refers to that as a “cassette player synth” and we think that term is as suitable as any other. The original worked by speeding up or slowing down the playback of a cassette tape, which naturally increased or decreased the pitch of the audio output. The content recorded onto the tape would, therefore, dramatically affect the sound produced by the Cassettone Mk1. The Cassettone Two substantially expands on that concept, creating new sound possibilities.

The most obvious change is the addition of a second tape deck. The Cassettone Two will have five buttons, each of which can alter the pitch of the first tape, the second tape, or both. And they can do so independently, so pushing the first button might lower the pitch of Tape A and raise the pitch of Tape B at the same time. The Cassettone Two will also gain a master power switch and master volume control.

This is very cool, because it is more than the sum of its parts. This isn’t like simply putting two Cassettone Mk1 devices next to each other, because it enables operations that weren’t possible before.

But, perhaps more importantly, Bernett is putting effort into making the Cassettone Two more accessible than the Cassettone Mk1. That first device proved to be a bit tricky for other hobbyists to construct, which has become apparent thanks to its popularity. The Cassettone Two will be easy for anyone to assemble and Bernett even plans to sell DIY kits. That will be possible thanks to the use of off-the-shelf tape feed mechanisms and a laser-cut enclosure that can be manufactured in volume.

Cassettone Two is still a work in progress and the device in the video is a mockup, but Bernett has already done the bulk of the work and we’re confident that he’ll succeed in completing the design. Be sure to subscribe to The Sound of Machines to follow the project.