A scan tracking apparatus for a helical scan tape recorder, comprising a movable tape head (11), a detector (13) detecting the envelope of the tape signal to produce a reproduced signal, sampling means (15) for sampling the reproduced signal at fixed points of the helical scan, memory (17) for storing the reproduced signal and correction signals from different tracks of the helical scan, computation means (2) for computing a correction signal to return the tape head to the center of the track, a sawtooth generator (2, 4) for producing a signal related to the tape speed (v), and a head driving mechanism (9) for moving the tape head in response to the sawtooth and correction signals.