Odd sequencing of double LPs
m_dejean
Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
Why is it that so many double LPs are sequenced contrary to the track list, like this:Record 1 - side 1 and 4Record 2 - side 2 and 3??
Comments
edit: what he said.
This has come up before, and someone (I don't remember who) gave a pretty comprehensive answer. I thought it was to enable radio stations to play the entire album in sequence, but it's something other than that.
You wouldn't be able to play sides two and three in sequence that way.
It makes sense with those types of players.
You start with LP 1 playing Side 1 and you have LP 2 above it with Side 2 facing up. When Side 2 is done playing, you can grab both records at once and flip them together. Now, LP 2 will be played first with Side 3 facing up. Above that will be LP 1 with Side 4 facing up.
If they designed it for DJs with two turntables it would be more like:
LP 1: Side 1 / Side 3
LP 2: Side 2 / Side 4
Yeah, I realised about a nanosecond after hitting "submit" that it didn't make any sense at all...
that's true for the stackable players too. After side 2 you have to get up, go to the turntable, flip the records and start playing them again.
I heard a better explanation for radio stations: they would play sides 1 and 2, then take a station break while flipping the records, then play sides 3 and 4.
1/6, 2/5, 3/4
So you have three records stacked on top of each other, and by the time Side 3 hits, you have a considerable amount of weight on your turntable. But it made for about an hour of listening before you had to go back and take the records off the spindle, flip it, and then go for sides 4, 5 & 6.
If anyone ever wanted to know why some records at thrift stores are in such fucked up condition, this is one of many reasons (that, and those plastic record holders, and of course the carelessness of picture sleeves). There's a reason for that Stax logo.