Anomale Used Blog: Vinyl Record Terms

A List of Vinyl Record Terms

A collection of vinyl record terms. A glossary of terms that may be helpful when talking about vinyl records.

A vinyl record is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts near the edge and ends near the center of the disc.

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10” - At 33 RPM they hold around 12 - 15 minutes per side and at 45 RPM they hold around 9 - 12 minutes per side. 33 RPM is the most common speed for 10 inch records. Over 15 minutes per side is possible, but may require further adjustments to EQ and/or levels for it all to fit nicely and sound great.

12” - At 33 RPM they hold around 15 - 22 minutes per side and at 45 RPM they hold around 12 - 15 minutes per side. 33 RPM is the most common speed for 12 inch records. Over 22 minutes per side is possible, but may require further adjustments to EQ and/or levels for it all to fit nicely and sound great.

16 2/3 RPM - 16 RPM records were too slow for proper high fidelity sound. Because good quality reproduction was not possible they were mostly used as outlets for the spoken word although there were some exceptions. Radio stations often used the discs for pre recorded radio shows containing interviews, dramas, and documentaries. They became the first Talking Books for the blind.

180 gram - 180 gram gives vinyl a higher implied sound quality. Itis just one aspect of a vinyl's overall quality and sound characteristics. Other factors, including mastering, pressing quality, and playback equipment, also contribute to the listening experience.

200 gram - So called audiophile records, these heavier records are noticeably heavier, thicker and stiffer than lightweight records. The grooves retain their shape better, even with repeated plays. Some even claim that the stiffer vinyl produces a more realistic sound with less distortion than a standard record.

33 1/3 RPM - 33 1/3 RPM vinyl is one of the most common vinyl speeds. These are the standard 12 inch vinyl LPs that you often see in the music aisle or record store. Columbia Discs began selling 33 1/3 RPM records in 1948 as devices to listen to whole classical concerts and symphonies without flipping the record. At that point, these records started to affect the commercial market.

45 RPM - Around 1950, the 45 RPM vinyl record was released, and its size was smaller than others. 45s are only 7 inches in diameter and made to hold just a couple of songs, usually 2, one on either side. RCA Victor released the 45 RPM to compete with Columbia’s 33 1/3. Many radio stations used 45 RPM vinyl records to play artist singles since each side offers one song.

78 RPM - The 78 RPM was widely used before the 33 1/3 became the new standard in 1948. Before the 33, 78s were limited to only 3 minutes of playback per side. Additionally, they were extremely fragile since they were made with shellac material. The grooves on these records are significantly larger than those in later records since they were designed to be played on gramophones, necessitating a larger needle to play the music. Because of this, playing 78s on modern turntables can damage your stylus.

7” - At 45 RPM they hold around 4 - 6 minutes per side. 45 RPM is the most common speed for 7 inch records. Cutting 7 inch records at 33 RPM sound quality is not as good as at 45 RPM.

8ban - The name 8ban derives from the record being approximately 8cm in diameter, with the suffix ban meaning disc or platter. Each record can hold over four minutes of audio and is spun at a 33 1/3 RPM.

Acetate - Acetate records, also known as lacquer discs, are often created during the mastering and recording process by cutting grooves onto a lacquer coated aluminum disc using a lathe, capturing the audio signal directly from the mastering console. They are delicate and prone to wear due to their soft material and lack of protective coating, making them less durable than vinyl. Acetate records offer a unique sound due to their direct cutting process, capturing nuances and imperfections that can be lost in the mass production process.

Album - Is one or more recordings produced as a single unit.

Audiophile Record - Audiophile records are pressed on heavy, virgin vinyl, and the experts pretty much agree, these records sound better than the standard, lightweight records, less than 180 grams. Plenty of jazz, classical and rock selections are available in this heavier format.

Barcode - Barcode or UPC is the way a retail sale is identified, inventory levels are tracked, and sales are credited. Additionally, to participate in the Billboard Charts, your sales must be tracked in the SoundScan system. SoundScan requires you to have a UPC number to record performance.

Binaural Record - Binaural recording is a method of recording sound that uses two microphones, arranged with the intent to create a 3-D stereo sound sensation for the listener of actually being in the room with the performers or instruments.

Bootleg Record - Recordings may be copied and traded among fans without financial exchange, but some bootleggers have sold recordings for profit. Recordings may be copied and traded among fans without financial exchange, but some bootleggers have sold recordings for profit.

Cartridge - This component has a coil that gets hit with vibration inside a magnetic field in the vinyl. These vibrations are converted to a weak electrical signal and passed up the tonearm to a pre amplifier called a phono stage.

Catalog Number - Also known as record number, this is the letter/number combination used by labels or bands to identify releases. This is assigned to every release by the record company to identify that particular release. This is true for vinyl records, compact discs, cassettes, 8 track tapes and DVDs. The number is used to track sales through distributors and for the label's in house accounting purposes. To music sellers, disc jockeys, record collectors and music junkies, a catalog number can identify whether or not a record is rare, imported, out of print or of a certain historic value.

Cheesecake - Cheesecake refers to those albums with covers that prominently feature attractive women for eye-catching purposes. Covers from the ’50s and ’60s feature some of the most beautiful ladies and most creative designs. The cheesecake genre is one which is very popular amongst many in the vinyl community and the covers are collected as much for their visuals as for their music.

Colored Vinyl - A vinyl record pressed onto a colour other than black, which is the standard colour for a vinyl record.

Cover - The cover or outer sleeve is usually cardstock, it hold and contains the artwork of a record.

Cover Mouth - Is the pocket opening of the cover where the record is inserted.

CSG Process (also known as Haeco-CSG) - The Haeco-CSG process was designed to make stereophonic vinyl LP records compatible with mono playback equipment. These recordings were intended to make the two channel stereo mix automatically fold down properly to a single mono channel.

Cut Corner - When LPs were the primary medium for the commercial distribution of sound recordings, manufacturers would cut the corner, punch a hole, or add a notch or saw mark to the spine of the jacket of unsold records returned from retailers. These might then be resold to record retailers or other sales outlets at a discounted price.

Cutout - In the recording industry, a cut-out refers to a deeply discounted or remaindered copy of an LP, 45 RPM single, cassette tape, compact disc or other item.

Dead Wax - The Dead Wax or Run Out Area is the part between the end of the music on the record and the centre label. Almost on every Vinyl Record there is a text inscription in the dead wax usually the catalog and/or matrix number and initials from the cutter.

Deep Groove - A long, narrow hollow cut in a surface with a tool, as the track cut in a phonograph record for the stylus to follow.

Die Cut Sleeve - A die cut sleeve is simply where there is a hole in the middle of the sleeve where the record label can be revealed. These are regularly used 12 inch records where there is no or minimal artwork so that the label itself forms part of the art.

Direct Metal Mastering (also known as DMM) - Direct metal mastering is a similar process to lacquer mastering but utilizes a copper metal disc vs a lacquer coated one. This process creates a stamper directly from the metal master disc.

Direct to Disc - Direct to disc recording refers to sound recording methods that bypass the use of magnetic tape recording and record audio directly onto analog disc masters.

Disco or Euro Sleeve - Used primarily for 7” and 12” singles, this is similar to a regular cover but doesn’t have a side spine and the record goes directly inside without a protective sleeve. You don’t need a spine at the disco. These are usually printed on lighter weight paperboard and can also be used as a printed outer sleeve.

Double Album - A double album or double record is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium, typically either records or compact disc.

Drill Hole - A drill a hole would mark a record as a discontinued. These might then be resold at a significant discount.

Dubplate - Is a ten inch disc used for test recordings by music studios. They create music samples using dubplates. Some record companies choose dubplates for their music before formally storing them on a different vinyl record and assuring the sound quality of a piece using dubplate records resulted in its high profit in the market.

Duophonic - Duophonic sound was a trade name for a type of audio signal processing used by Capitol Records on certain releases and rereleases of mono recordings issued during the 1960s and 1970s. In this process monaural recordings were reprocessed into a type of artificial stereo. Generically, the sound is commonly known as fake stereo or mock stereo.

Dynaflex - Dynaflex is a thin, lightweight vinyl record introduced by RCA Records in late 1969. Rather than using the stiff plastic material used by conventional vinyl pressings, Dynaflex records were softer and pliable, using less material, saving money and also making the record appear to lie flatter on turntables.

Dynagroove - Dynagroove is a recording process introduced in 1963 by RCA Victor that used analog computers to modify the records audio. In theory, the record would have a tonal balance closer to what the listener would hear in a live performance but at louder volumes, records were reproduced with little tonal change.

Extended Play - An extended play or EP record may be cut at both 45 RPM and 33 1/3 RPM, but the run time still varies depending on the size and run time and could store up to five songs. EP records could hold a run time shorter than a long playing vinyl record but longer than vinyl singles. It doesn’t have a standard format like other records.

Flexi Disc - It is a vinyl record made with a flexible, thin material. The audio quality is poor and not as great as other regular vinyl records. Magazines often use flexi disks for giveaways containing popular tracks.

Foxing - Foxing is derived from the chemical Ferric Oxide, which what can cause paper and pulp to deteriorate over time when exposed to oxygen. Record covers with paper backings like those popular in the 60’s, often suffered from turning yellowish brown or reddish rust colored.

Gatefold Cover - Gatefold album covers are those which open up like a book and reveal some interesting visuals and text that can not be seen when the vinyl and cover are still sealed in the store bought shrink wrap. The majority of multi disc vinyl albums used this type of jacket/cover.

Gold Record Award - A Gold record is a song or album that sells 500,000 records, tapes, or compact discs. The award was launched in 1958. Originally, a Gold album represented $1 million in sales, at wholesale value, around a third of the list price.

Hot Stamper - A hot stamper or hot cuts is valued more highly on the basis of a particular combination of lacquer cut, mother and stamper, resulting in a superior sounding record.

Hype Sticker - These stickers can vary in content and purpose. They may include promotional stickers with information about the album, such as hit singles, special features, or limited editions. They can also include pricing stickers, record store promotional stickers, or other markings used to identify the album or provide additional information to potential buyers. The presence of a sticker on the back cover can sometimes affect the collectability and value of the record.

In-House Record Award - In House Record or Record Label awards are, despite the prominence of RIAA Gold and Platinum Awards in the record industry. Record companies still make and present special in house awards to their artists for all sorts of achievements not covered by those RIAA awards.

Inner Sleeve - An Inner Sleeve is the thin paper sleeve where your Record is being placed in for protection. This Inner Sleeve is ussualy put inside the Outer Sleeve. Inner Sleeves can be made of paper in black, white or brown kraftpack, Polylined Inner Sleeves made of paper and lined with a thin plastic layer to preserve the record even better, Printed Inner Sleeves.

Insert - Anything printed onto paper that is going inside your cover is called a printed insert. This could be a liner notes, a multi paged booklet, a folded insert, poster, or flyers. All inserts meant to fit inside a record jacket have to be or folded down to be slightly smaller than the pocket opening.

Instrumental - An instrumental or instrumental song is music normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting.

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Jukebox EP - Jukebox EPs were commonly known as compact 33s or little LPs. It was played at 33 1/3 RPM, issued in stereo, pressed on 7 inch vinyl and frequently had as many as six songs. Some songs were omitted for time purposes, and the tracks deemed the most popular were left on.

Label - A label is the round piece of specially produced paper, not a sticker, which is pressed into the middle of the record. This can be a standard white or black label or offset printed with a design of your choice.

Lacquer - Is a lacquer coated aluminum disc, larger than the finished product, that contains all of the grooves that represent the final mastered sound of the recording.

Lead In Groove - The very edge of a vinyl record is free of any music and is dead space to allow the needle to catch when it drops, leading it gently in to the music.

Live Album - A live album is one that was recorded at a concert with a public audience, even when the recording is overdubbed or multi tracked. Recordings that are done in one take without overdubbing or multi tracking are called live, even when done in a studio.

Living Stereo - RCA first stereo recordings were initially issued in 1955 on special stereophonic reel to reel tapes. These records were issued with the Living Stereo logo. RCA has continued to reissue many of these recordings on CD.

Long Play - A long play or LP record is a format for storing and playing music that was introduced in the late 1940s. It quickly became popular and remained the dominant music format for several decades until the rise of digital music in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite its decline in popularity, the LP record remains a beloved format among audiophiles and music collectors.

Marbled Vinyl - Marbled means that multiple colors of PVC for a pressing is used and melted together into the pucks of which vinyl are pressed and made.

Matrix Number - The matrix number is the number etched into the record in the space between the grooves and the label. In most cases, this will be the same as the record number.

Monaural - Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction or mono is sound intended to be heard as if it were emanating from one position. When played through multiple loudspeakers or headphones, identical signals are fed to each speaker, resulting in the perception of one channel sound.

Multicolor Vinyl - Is made of colored PVC mixed with the necessary additives, melted together into the pucks of which vinyl are pressed and made.

Needle - A needle, also referred to as a stylus, is made out of a hard, natural material, often diamond or sapphire. The needle is cone shaped and connected to the cartridge with a thin piece of metal called a cantilever. The needle is the one that is in contact with the record and transmits the vibrations into the cartridge. The needle reads the patterns or grooves in the record so they can be converted into music everybody is familiar with.

Obi - A thin paper strip wrapped around the outside of the sleeve of the LP. They originated in Japan and are usually used to contain information about the record or a track listing. Records with Obi strips are deemed collectable.

Off Center Pressing - Is when the spindle hole is not central to the grooves stamped on the vinyl. A pressing error that will result in small speed discrepancies as the disc spins. When a record is pressed off center, the stylus can’t track the groove accurately. The most obvious side effect is pitch variation as the record rotates.

Original Cast Recording - Is a recording of a stage musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. Cast recordings are studio recordings rather than live recordings. Like any studio performance, the recording is an idealized rendering, without audible audience reaction.

Outer Sleeve - An Outer Sleeve is the thicker Sleeve that usually contains the artwork of a record, but it can also be a standard black or white version. It can be ordered with or without the middle holes.

Picture Disc - A picture disc is a record which contains an image or the album art on the disc itself.

Picture Sleeve - A picture sleeve is a type of paper or cardboard cover that is used to protect and display a vinyl record. Unlike a plain paper sleeve, a picture sleeve features artwork or photographs.

Pirate Pressing - Pirate records are pressings which contain recorded music which has been previously and legitimately released, but are packaged in such a way as to not fool the buyer into believing they are buying the original item. Pirate pressings may have a different cover, a different title, a different label and record company mentioned on the product, and often may feature all of those things.

Platinum Record Award - In 1975, 500,000 units was added for Gold albums and the Platinum award was created for albums able to sell one million units, and singles selling two million units in 1976.

Promo Only - Is a special pressing of a record that was manufactured specifically for radio station or other promotional, non-retail use.

Promotional Copy - Promotional copy recordings are distributed to commercial AM and FM radio stations for airplay. These singles typically feature just the radio edit of the song, but may also include alternate remix edits, the original album version, or even call out hooks.

Promotional Stamp - Many companies currently offer promotional compilations to DJs, radio use and nightclubs alike. Typically a promo is marked with some variation of "Licensed for promotional use only," or "Sale is prohibited." It may also state that the promo is still the property of the distributor and is to be returned upon demand. However, it is not illegal to sell promotional recordings.

Provenance - Is the origin of a recording or artwork. The Society of Professional Audio Recording Services developed the SPARS Code, which was common on the back of CD covers from the late eighties to the mid nineties. It specified whether analogue or digital recording mediums were used in each process of the recording for recording, mixing, and mastering. It was used to authenticate the origin of a record.

Punch Hole - Punch hole or promo hole is a hole which has been punched into one of the corners of an album cover to mark a discounted record.

Quadraphonic - Quadraphonic and sometimes quadrasonic sound is equivalent to what is now called 4.0 surround sound. It uses four audio channels in which speakers are positioned at the four corners of a listening space.

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Image by Anthony Jacobson

Rechanneled Stereo - Electronically rechanneled stereo, Duophonic, or more often, fake stereo, was process of creating stereo records from mono recordings. It took a mono tape and split it into two signals, used filters to cut high frequencies slightly in one channel while cutting low frequencies slightly in the other, and a delay was added to one channel to give an artificial sense of space. Sometimes, echo or reverberation would be added to the recording.

Record Grading - It’s rare for two people to agree on the grade of any record. Grading will refer to the wear on the vinyl and/or cover itself. Any other problems with either the record or the cover should be noted in addition to the grade.

Reissue - A reissue applies to a wider variety of releases. Normally, a reissue shows variances from the original including the sourcing of masters, country of origin, packaging and even format. Literature about the album will use the term reissue as well as printing it on the packaging, hype stickers, inserts, etc. Reissues often come with extra stuff like bonus tracks, inserts and posters.

Remaster - A remastering of an album simply means the sounds has been reprocessed to enhance playback. The process is subjective and mastering engineers all have different objectives as do their clients. The results can be vastly different than the original in some cases.

Repress - A repress is identical to an original in that it is produced from the same source as the original. The term repress may be found in literature about the release from official sources like the label or artist, printed on hype stickers or discussed in formal reviews. The term has come to be used in reference to the rerelease of an album though the media in question may not technically constitute a repress.

Reverse Board Sleeve - This is where the reverse of standard cardstock is used for the cover of the LP. This will give the quality of the sleeve a more grainy, vintage feel.

Ringwear - It is the imprint that a record has left on the cover over time, causing discoloration and an ugly stain. Along with foxing, there are no sure fire ways to remove ringwear, but you can prevent it with plastic outer covers for your album.

RPM - Vinyl RPM stands for revolutions per minute, or the number of times a vinyl record makes a full rotation in 60 seconds.

Run Out Groove - Is the bit at the end of the record before the needle hits the centre. Traditionally, the matrix number or subtle messages from the band or manufacturer are scratched into the run out Groove.

Sealed - A sealed records is wrapped in a cellophane wrapper or shrink wrapped which fits tightly over the record as to ensure the sleeve doesn't get damaged.

Seam Split - A seam split occurs when the cardboard of an album literally splits at the seams or comes unglued, in the case of later records from the 70s and 80s. This can be a small issue, especially when the split is less than 1 inch. However if the split happens across an entire side of a cover, it may make it difficult or impossible for the cover to hold the record.

Shaped Record - Records can come in other shapes such as triangles, hexagon, square, or custom shapes.

Single - A single vinyl record, also known as a single, is a type of vinyl record format that typically contains one song on each side. Singles are commonly released as a promotional tool for an artist's latest song or as a standalone release featuring popular tracks. They often come as 7 inch records and are played at 45 RPM.

Slipmat - A circular piece of cloth that is placed onto the turntable instead of the standard rubber.

Soundsheet - Evatone created flexi discs, calling them soundsheets in 1960 making them available for direct mail campaigns.

Soundtrack - OST stands for Original Soundtrack, which is a recording of the music and or dialogue from a movie, television show, or other media production. The soundtrack is typically released as an album that includes songs and music featured in the production, as well as any score or music composed specifically for the production. They provide a snapshot of the music and popular culture of a particular era.

Spindle Holes - The spindle hole or play hole is the center hole of a records. The common size is a 1.5 inch center and a 0.25 inch center.

Spindle Mark - Is a trace of fine marks left by mounting the record on the spindle that bruised the paper label. This indicates how frequently the record has been played or indicate if a record was hardly ever played.

Splatter Vinyl - Splatter means that sprinkled colors of PVC for a pressing is used as an effect. It is melted together into the pucks of which vinyl are pressed and made.

Stamper - The metal stamper is exactly what it sounds like. The process creating this metal stamper is commonly referred to as the galvanic or electroplating process. The lacquer or DMM master is sprayed with silver nitrate. The nitrate fills all of the grooves in the master disc. This is then submerged into a nickel sulphamate electrolyte solution which allows nickel to deposit through a chemical process onto the disc plate. This takes about an hour or so, and when it’s done we carefully separate a perfect metal negative from your master disc.

Stamper Number - Record stampers could only be used to make a limited number of copies before they became worn, and a new cut was required. Each record contained an alphanumeric code or other symbols, stamped or handwritten, assigning a filing number to the stamper. As of the early 1980s, this was no longer true.

Stereo - Stereophonic sound stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi directional, audible perspective. The term stereophonic also applies to systems with more than two channels or speakers such as quadraphonic and surround sound.

Stock Copy - Is a special pressing of a record that was manufactured for the public instead of radio station or other promotional, non-retail use.

Test Pressing - Is a prototype version of the record used to test the sound quality of the pressing before hundreds if not thousands of the real thing is produced. They are usually just intended for artists and producers to approve the work before manufacture but like almost everything else have slid out to the world at large to become collectable.

Title Sleeve - Is the sleeve displaying general information on the record such as artist name, songs list, songs length etc.

Tonearm - The tonearm allows the stylus and cartridge to stay afloat. It can be curved, straight, and S-shaped in variations, and all have a different sound quality effect on the record and feel. Tonearms sometimes have counterweights attached to the back to set the tracking force, which is the amount of pressure applied to the record itself.

Turntable - The turntable serves an essential function of a record player. This is the device that rotates vinyl records at a consistent speed. The turntable in a record player is powered by one of two primary drive systems: belt drive or direct drive.

Unipak Covers - Unipak covers were often used as a more cost effective option for albums that still had a variety of artwork to display. Unipaks consist of a thinner cover page, which opens up to a standard gatefold style interior. The big difference between Unipak covers and other album covers is the way the records are stored. The opening for inserting a record on Unipak covers is on the inside of a cover, next to the spine.

Vinyl - Vinyl records are the more common format for music distribution, created through a process involving the creation of metal stampers used to press grooves onto vinyl discs. Vinyl records are more durable than acetate records due to their sturdier composition and protective outer layer. Known for their warm, analog sound, although the sound can be influenced by factors like the quality of the mastering, pressing, and playback equipment.

Wax - Originally, all records sold needed to be recorded live on the softer brown wax, which wore out after as few as 20 plays. The type of wax used in records were improved and hardened, so that records could be played with good quality over 100 times. In 1947, wax records were replaced with plastic which cut a mechanical groove into a plastic belt instead of into a wax.

White Label Promo - A promotional pressing with a completely blank label denoting it is promo only. May also have unique black on white printed labels with just artist and title information or A and B symbols. Some white labels have different catalogue numbers.