The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for a replay or recording appliance for optical recording media having an inclination control system for vertical alignment of the scanning beam with respect to optical recording media. In order to exclude other factors which, in addition to the inclination of the scanning beam, influence the radio-frequency signal which is detected by the recording medium, without any additional inclination sensors from the disadvantageous influence of the inclination control, an inclination control system is provided which uses the lower envelope curve signal of a radio-frequency signal which is detected by the optical recording medium and represents the dark value of the detected radio-frequency signal. The lower envelope curve signal is multiplied upstream of an inclination control system by a modulation signal which is added to the output signal from the inclination controller for vertical alignment of the scanning beam which is directed at the optical recording medium. The envelope curve signal which is, for example, the mirror signal is multiplied by the modulation signal and is integrated or low-pass filtered in order to form a control error, which corresponds to an error between the scanning beam, which is directed at the optical recording medium, and the vertical. The invention is intended to be used for replay or recording appliances for optical recording media with inclination control.