A recorded area is reproduced during a suspension of a recording operation; when degradation of the recorded signal is detected (S4, S5) by the signal quality detection means (16), a tilt adjustment is performed in the recorded area, the signal quality of the recorded signal is detected after the tilt adjustment (S6), and if it is still degraded, a recording parameter is altered (step S7). The need to obtain tilt adjustment values for tilt corrections at a plurality of radial positions in advance is eliminated, resulting in reduced apparatus overhead and better recording quality.