In a tape recorder, when a magnetic tape changes its transportation speed for special reproduction, either one of a phase reference signal and a magnetic tape transportation phase signal representing the transportation phase of the magnetic tape is delayed by a delay circuit so that the signal not passing therethrough is compared with that having passed through the delay circuit, at which time the delay time of delay circuit is changed corresponding to the transportion speed of the magnetic tape so as to carry out phase control, thereby obtaining the optimum tracking in the reverse normal, double, and triple speed reproduction modes.