PURPOSE: To exercise control over the rotation, reduction of speed and stop of a drive motor, by checking the number of rotations of a disk turning coaxially to a capstan based on the tape index in order to effectively set the indicated recording start position.

CONSTITUTION: The rotation is detected by a detector 26 for a tack disk 25 which turns coaxially to a capstan 15 that drives the travelling of a tape 11. Then the count number of a counter 27 that receives an initial setting with the signal of a detector 22 that detects an index 21 is supplied to a control system 23 to control the rotation of a capstan motor 24. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd memories are provided in the system 23 for indication of the reduction of speed, stop and rotation respectively, and different numbers of rotations are set respectively to be compared with the count value of the counter which is supplied with the break of the operation command. Thus the command of the reduction of speed is given at the point of coincidence of the 1st memory; the stop command is given at the time point of the 2nd memory; and the rotation command is given at and after the 3rd memory. In such way, the tape is started and stopped based on the index.