Processing wherein a measurement signal and an erasure signal are recorded
on adjacent tracks of a recordable tape 10 by one recording head HWi of n
(i=1 to n) recording heads is effected on n recording heads, and
measurement signals are recorded on n tracks substantially simultaneously
by n recording heads HW1 to HWn in standard operation state. Then,
reproducing heads with respect to thus obtained two kinds of tracks are
displaced in track width directions, characteristic curves of reproduced
signal waveform amplitudes of measurement signals displacement
(off-track) amounts of tracks are obtained, half widths of these
characteristic curves are assumed to be expedient track width and a
variable Ri optimum and a variable Ri now corresponding to track widths
of two kinds of tracks are obtained. Then, deviation between the variable
Ri optimum and the variable Ri now is adjusted to become smaller than a
desired value.