PURPOSE: To cprrect a tracking error in a short duration by obtaining the amount of a tracking error through the use of an arithmetic means while the tape speed is different from the one during a recording and by correcting a tracking phase.

CONSTITUTION: Prior to a normal reproduction, a tape is driven at a 1/2 speed and the amount of tracking errors is detected and the speed is immediately returned to the normal reproduciton speed. During this operation, an computing element 123 varies the amount of the delay of a delaying unit 114 for the duration equivalent to the amount of the tracking error to perform the tracking compensation. When the speed becomes approximately the normal speed, a phase control starts, the capstan phase is pulled in the corrected tracking phase thus, the tracking correction is completed.