My late Dad's spool-tape

[avidyarthy]

Was hoping to find 'his voice' in it. But alas, it was not to be!

Spool-tape pictures by avidyarthy - Photobucket

This is a late 60s and early 70s Japanese spool-tape, sometime before the advent of the cassette revolution ... maker: Crown Corporation. It holds Bollywood hits of that era most probably copied from the inbuilt radio in the unit. Also is provided with a hand-held microphone. Still possess some fond memories of it. It was kind of a high tech gadget for us tech-starved kids during that period.

I am heart-broken since I remember him singing to that microphone. Maybe, he was the one who put in the Bollywood hits later thereby erasing his portions for ever, not realising that his son would one day yearn to hear his voice decades later! :sad::sad:

 

[hemantwaghe]

@ Avidyarthy - why not backup the spools on tape or PC ? Here I feel the "voice" is more important than hardware or medium.
Any Delhi guys poseesing spool will help?
If u trust us - any FM in Mumbai ready to help?

 

[avidyarthy]

The spools are filled with Hindi film music ....... very very good quality recording. What I meant was, his 'voice' portions have been over-written by the music. I have my doubts how one can get the previous imprints from magnetic tapes ..... it ain't like a computer, I think ... that you can recover what is erased accidentally ... from the HD!

 

[mpw]

avid,

your post does not mention that you have listened to everything that the spool has. So i am assuming that there are large portions which you have not heard.

Please try to go thru everything ( if it still works ) or maybe on your next trip to Mumbai.. or even in Delhi itself.. maybe a few recording studios might help you put it on a CD ( after you find his voice or first dump it all on a CD and playbeack at leisure to maximise chances ).

If there are a number of songs.. i am hopeful you would be able to find his voice somewhere..

Inshallah.. and god willing..

Wish you luck.

rgds,
mpw

PS : FM Coaltrain has a similar post.. maybe you could help each other.

 

[trittya]

I am touched Aatish. Though I dont reckon its easily possible but I do wish it were.
Give Mr Jain of Sadar Bazar Delhi Cantt a go. BTW, I had believed that your R2R is off road. If its ok, in case you hear both the hindi film music and your Dad's voice together, it might be worth it to check that its not a 4 track tape/player thats playing. Some of these R2R tapes/players had 2 tracks/2 track capability per side so you could double the playing/recording time at lower quality. This option was quite commonly exercised in middle class homes those days, since the No of tapes available was limited. There just might be a chance that the head is mis-aligned due to which it plays both tracks on the same side at once, albeit both partly so.

Just a shot in the dark but then, who knows? I say again, this is applicable only if you can hear both the music and your Dad's voice.

Hope this helps.
Cheerio

 

[avidyarthy]

The equipment is now in a pristine working condition, virtually as good as new. Family had rejected it a long time ago after the first cassette units, followed by Sony Walkman had found its way into our home in the 80s.

So, all I had to do was to fish it out from the store-room and get it serviced. The spool plays both sides ... both filled up with Hindi music of the 70s. Obviously, my Dad had automatically erased his own recordings the moment he had re-taped with Hindi music.

No, I can't hear 'his' voice on any stretches of the tape, neither in the background. So, his memories continue .... in pics and dreams only!

 

[hemantwaghe]

Another Brick in the Wall Part 1 3:41

Daddy's flown across the ocean
Leaving just a memory
Snapshot in the family album
Daddy what else did you leave for me?
Daddy, what'd'ja leave behind for me?!?
All in all it was just a brick in the wall.
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall.