The Sound of Machines Cassettone Project

The Cassettone is a hands-on, cassette-based instrument that uses real tape loops as the sound source, giving you direct control over pitch, texture, and motion as you play. It’s built as open hardware, so musicians and makers can dig into the design, modify it freely, and use it as a starting point for their own ideas.

This page is a companion to the MAKE Vol 97 article published in April 2026. 

Below, you can download the case-parts file. Choose the file type that works best for your set-up and working method:

• Cassettone Case Parts - Lightburn file 
• Cassettone Case Parts - Adobe Illustrator
• Cassettone Case Parts - SVG
• Cassettone Case Parts - DXF

If you have questions or want to share your pics, join The Sound of Machines Discord Server. There are already a ton of people who have helped others with their projects.

Also, If you are looking for cassette loops to use in your Cassettone, I have a selection you can choose from in my store. You can choose your favorite, or buy the entire 10-cassette collection.

Below is the ORIGINAL build tutorial for the Cassettone.

This build was made in 2022, before I had access to the laser-cutting tools that I have now. It's still a good example of the process and how the machine operates.