Abstract: A telephone answering system utilizes a single stereophonic eight-track cartridge type tape player/recorder for playing a telephone answering message and for recording messages received from up to four callers. The eight-track player/recorder is modified so that one of the two stereophonic channels may be operated in a playback mode to play the telephone answering message recorded on one track of the tape, while the other channel is simultaneously operated in a recording mode for recording an incoming message on a companion track of the tape. The cartridge contains a short length of recording tape having a playing time sufficient to contain the answering message and one incoming message per pass. A conductive strip on the tape causes the player/recorder to step to another pair of tracks after each incoming message has been recorded to condition the machine to play another answering message and to record another incoming message upon receipt of a subsequent telephone call.