PURPOSE: To surely detect a cue mark at the time of starting a scanning mode by fast forwarding a tape from the starting position of scanning for one second when the scanning mode is set, stopping and rewinding the tape (t) seconds later and starting scanning.

CONSTITUTION: When a scanning mode is set by a key operation part 1, scanning instruction is inputted to a microcomputer 2 for control. The microcomputer 2 resets an internal reel pulse memory and starts to count reel pulses. Then, a motor 4 is driven through a control part 3 and starts the fast forwarding of a tape 9 for (t) seconds. In the meantime, the reel pulses are outputted from a rotation detecting part 5 and the counted value of the pulses is stored in a memory. When (t) seconds elapsed after the fast forwarding mode, the tape 9 is stopped. Next, the tape 9 is rewound in order to start scanning. In the meantime, the reel pulses are outputted from the detecting part 5 and the counted value is stored in the memory. The tape is rewound until the condition of reel pulses is satisfied, the cue mark is detected when the condition is satisfied and the sound recording position of an E or I mark is displayed.