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Odd sequencing of double LPs

m_dejeanm_dejean Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
edited May 2007 in Strut Central
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

  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    i wondered that before too. maybe for continuity for people with two decks?
  • tallbobsmoketallbobsmoke 715 Posts
    Back in the day they had these gadgets where you could stack a record on top of the record that's playing. When the first record is done the second record drops down on top of the first record and the music continues unstopped. I can't find a pic right now, but that might explain it better.
  • butterybiscuitsbutterybiscuits 300 Posts
    isn't it cause of players like this, where records can be stacked on top of each other...and 'changed' automatically...? with the odd sequencing you get 2 sides at a time?!







    edit: what he said.
  • DocMcCoyDocMcCoy "Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
    Why is it that so many double LPs are sequenced contrary to the track list, like this:

    Record 1 - side 1 and 4
    Record 2 - side 2 and 3

    ??

    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.
  • butterybiscuitsbutterybiscuits 300 Posts
    here's a better pic tho:

  • twoplytwoply Only Built 4 Manzanita Links 2,915 Posts
    Why is it that so many double LPs are sequenced contrary to the track list, like this:

    Record 1 - side 1 and 4
    Record 2 - side 2 and 3

    ??

    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.
  • jazzercismjazzercism 838 Posts
    It's so you can easily play the full double lp all the way through on a stackable turntable. You put the record with sides 2 & 3 on top of the one with sides 1 & 4. Side One drops down first followed by Side 2. Then you can flip both records over in one movement and Side 3 drops down next followed by Side 4.
  • SnagglepusSnagglepus 1,756 Posts
    *edit ... and here's, essentially, a repeat of what Jazzercism says above*

    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
  • DocMcCoyDocMcCoy "Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
    Why is it that so many double LPs are sequenced contrary to the track list, like this:

    Record 1 - side 1 and 4
    Record 2 - side 2 and 3

    ??

    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.

    Yeah, I realised about a nanosecond after hitting "submit" that it didn't make any sense at all...
  • m_dejeanm_dejean Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
    Consider me enlightened. I didn't know about those stackable players. Thanks for the swift responses.
  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    Record destroyers.
  • prof_rockwellprof_rockwell 2,867 Posts
    Why is it that so many double LPs are sequenced contrary to the track list, like this:

    Record 1 - side 1 and 4
    Record 2 - side 2 and 3

    ??

    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.

    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.
  • johmbolayajohmbolaya 4,472 Posts
    If you bought the Woodstock[/b] soundtrack, the sequence would be:

    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.
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