Abstract: Flutter and skew prevention in the playback of recorded multitrack signals is provided by means of an articulated multitrack magnetic head. The head is positionable, with respect to the medium which is the source of the playback signals, by means of a pair of signal controllable actuators; and such actuators connect to the head at width-wise spaced-apart locations thereof. Operation of the actuators is by means of a pair of respective control signals: a sum signal and a difference signal. The sum signal represents the sum of a first phase error signal corresponding to the phase difference between signals produced by different cores of the multitrack head and a second phase error signal corresponding to the phase difference between a signal produced by a head core and a reference signal. The difference signal represents the difference between the first and second phase error signals, or similarly produced error signals.