taperecording

Tape recording is the process of recording audio (and in some contexts video or digital data) onto a magnetically coated plastic tape. The technology stores information by magnetizing particles on the tape surface in patterns that correspond to the original signal, which can be played back by passing the tape across a read head.

Magnetic tape recording was commercially developed in the early 20th century; Fritz Pfleumer devised a coated magnetic tape process in the late 1920s and German engineering firms produced practical tape recorders such as the AEG Magnetophon in the 1930s. After World War II, companies such as Ampex advanced high‑quality reel‑to‑reel machines, and innovations including multitrack recording, the compact cassette (introduced by Philips in 1963) and noise‑reduction systems expanded the technology’s use in professional and consumer contexts.

Tape recording enabled editing by physical splicing and creative techniques such as overdubbing and multitrack mixing, transforming music production and broadcasting. It was also adapted for video and for magnetic data storage in computing and backup systems.

With the rise of digital recording from the 1980s onward, magnetic tape declined in mainstream use, though it remains valued for certain archival, professional, and audiophile applications for its characteristic sound. Tape media require controlled storage and periodic migration to prevent degradation (e.g., oxide shedding, print‑through), and many legacy recordings have been digitized to preserve content and accessibility. Legal and privacy considerations for recording vary by jurisdiction.