Common Abbreviations
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Vinyl Glossary
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| 12” | Primarily associated with contemporary vinyl albums (post-1955), this record size is sometimes utilized for singles and extended-play (EP) releases as well. |
| 16 2/3 RPM | A playback speed typically used for spoken word records, such as audiobooks for the visually impaired. This slower speed allows for extended playing time, but compromises sound quality. Many record player owners with 16 2/3 RPM capabilities have never encountered a record using this speed. |
| 33 1/3 RPM | The speed is prevalent speed for long-play (LP) albums since 1948, offering longer playback time compared to 78 RPM records. Typically, it provides up to 20 minutes per side, though some may extend up to 35 minutes at the cost of volume and sound quality. |
| 45 RPM | Commonly used for 7-inch records since 1949 and occasionally for 12-inch singles. Some labels have reissued 33 1/3 RPM recordings at 45 RPM for enhanced sound quality since the mid-1990s, although this necessitates more discs. A single 33 1/3 RPM album typically occupies two discs when pressed at 45 RPM. |
| 7” | Size for singles since 1949, usually one song per side, playing at 45 RPM but occasionally at 33 1/3 RPM. |
| 78 RPM | The standard speed for 10-inch singles from the 1910s to the late 1950s, later replaced by 45 RPM 7-inch singles around 1960. Some promotional singles still use 78 RPM as a marketing gimmick, but there's been no commercial use for this speed in over half a century. |
| Acetate | |
| Album | A collection of songs released together on a vinyl record, usually presented in a cardboard sleeve with artwork and information about the music. |
| Audiophile | An individual with a strong interest in high-quality audio reproduction, often seeking out high-quality vinyl pressings and sound equipment. |
| B-side | The second side of a vinyl record, often featuring less popular or more experimental songs than the A-side. |
| Binaural Record | An early, unsuccessful attempt at stereo records, requiring a special tonearm with two cartridges. The cumbersome playback process and high cost of specialized equipment contributed to their lack of popularity. Fake Stereo. |
| Bootleg | An unofficial, often unauthorized release of a recording, typically live performances or unreleased studio material. |
| Cheesecake | A term for album covers featuring attractive women, often in suggestive poses or minimal clothing, primarily seen on late 1950s and early 1960s albums. |
| Colored vinyl | A vinyl record that has been manufactured using colored PVC material, rather than the standard black. |
| Compilation | A collection of songs from different albums or artists, brought together on a single vinyl record. |
| Counterfeit | Counterfeit: A record reproduction made to deceive buyers into thinking it's an original item. Predominantly found with rare titles today, but in the 1970s, mass-produced counterfeits of new releases were common, even in major record stores. |
| Cover | The protective outer layer of a record, made of paper, cardboard, poster board, or plastic, with printed titles, artist photos, and a list of record contents. |
| Cover Mouth | The opening in a record cover for inserting and removing the record. On albums, it's typically the right side, and on 7-inch singles, it's usually at the top. |
| CSG Process/Haeco-CSG | An obsolete process (used from 1968-1970) to counteract excessive vocal volume when stereo records were played on mono players. CSG-encoded records were made during the decline of monaural records. |
| Cut Corner | An album cover with a portion of one corner removed to indicate it's been discontinued and sold at a discount, and therefore, ineligible for a refund. Although many rare records may have cut corners as they sold poorly. |
| Cutout | A record that's been deleted from a record company's catalog and sold at a discount to clear out unwanted inventory. It's equivalent to a "remainder" in the book industry. |
| Dead wax | The ungrooved area between the end of the music and the label on a vinyl record, sometimes containing etchings or additional information about the pressing. |
| Deep Groove | A ring-shaped indentation in the label area of some pressings from the mid-1950s to early 1960s, resulting from specific pressing equipment. It may indicate original pressings rather than later reissues. |
| Direct Metal Mastering (also known as DMM) | A record manufacturing process where music is cut into a solid metal plate instead of a softer lacquer. Many listeners prefer the sound of DMM pressings, and records mastered this way may be labeled with "DMM" on the cover. |
| Direct to Disc | Recording material live directly to acetate or lacquer without magnetic tape. This results in better sound quality but requires a live, uninterrupted recording of an entire album side. Limited edition pressings due to the few lacquers that can be cut at one time. |
| Drill Hole | A hole drilled through the corner of an album |
| Duophonic | A system used by Capitol Records in the early 1960s to simulate stereo on mono recordings by adding a delay and reverberation to the two channels. This was an attempt to sell mono material to buyers who only purchased stereo records. |
| Dynaflex | A manufacturing process used by RCA Records in the late 1960s to mid 1970s that used less vinyl to save money. The result was a thin, flexible record that was more prone to warpage but less prone to damage in shipping. RCA promoted Dynaflex as an improvement, but buyers often called it "Dynawarp |
| Dynagroove | A process developed by RCA in 1963 to improve sound on low-end equipment. It increased bass and reduced high frequency distortion, but only worked with inexpensive conical needles. Owners of more expensive turntables found the sound worse and audiophiles were unhappy. RCA discontinued the process around 1970. |
| EP (Extended Play) | A vinyl record format containing more music than a single but less than a full-length album, usually featuring four to six tracks. |
| flipback sleeve | A type of sleeve used for vinyl records, particularly in the UK during the 1950s and 1960s. Flipback covers were made from two parts: the front part, usually laminated, with a narrow fold-over on the reverse glued to the separate back part (usually not laminated). The fold-over flap was designed to help protect the record from dust and other contaminants, while also allowing easy access to the record itself. |
| Gatefold | A type of record sleeve that folds open like a book, revealing additional artwork or information inside. |
| Grading | The process of evaluating the condition of a vinyl record and its sleeve, based on criteria such as surface marks, scratches, and warping. |
| Hot Melt Glue | A type of adhesive commonly used to affix tip-on covers to vinyl record jackets. Hot melt glue is applied to the edges of the cover using a specialized machine, which then activates the adhesive by heating it up. The cover is then carefully placed onto the jacket, and pressure is applied to ensure a tight bond. |
| Hype Sticker | A paper or plastic sticker on an album's shrink wrap or cover used to draw attention to one or more songs on the album, often with the intention of increasing sales. It may indicate special features like colored vinyl or a poster. |
| In-House Record Award | A gold or platinum record award created by a record company to award its own personnel, rather than the artist, and does not have an RIAA certification. In-house awards usually sell for lower prices than RIAA-certified awards in the collector's market. |
| Inner sleeve | A protective paper or plastic sleeve that holds the vinyl record inside the outer cardboard sleeve. |
| Insert | Any piece of paper included with an album, such as lyrics sheets or additional information, except for posters or inner sleeves. |
| Jukebox EP | A 7" record made for use in jukeboxes, usually pressed in stereo with a hard cover and three songs on each side. Commonly produced in the 1960s and 1970s and accompanied by a small paper reproduction of the album cover and paper "title strips" for selection in the jukebox. |
| Limited edition | A pressing of a vinyl record produced in a specific, limited quantity, often with unique artwork or additional features. |
| Living Stereo | Name used by RCA Records from 1958-1963 for their stereo recordings, known for their high quality and lifelike sound. |
| LP (Long Play) | A full-length vinyl album, typically containing multiple tracks and played at 33 1/3 RPM. |
| Matrix number | A unique alphanumeric code etched into the dead wax, which can provide information about the pressing plant, stamper, and other production details. |
| Mono | A monaural audio format where all audio channels are combined into a single channel, as opposed to stereo, which has separate left and right channels. |
| Obi | Obi is a paper strip, about 2 inches wide, wrapped around the cover of Japanese albums (and some singles), printed in Japanese. It contains additional information not printed on the cover, and is often discarded due to its delicate nature. |
| Picture disc | A vinyl record with a full-color image printed or pressed onto the disc itself, usually produced as a limited edition or collector's item. |
| Pressing | A particular production run of a vinyl record, which can vary in quality, weight, or color. |
| Promo | A promotional copy of a vinyl record, often distributed to radio stations, journalists, or other industry professionals for review or airplay before the official release. |
| Punch Hole | A clean hole punched by machine through the corner of an album cover, often used by record companies to indicate that the record was intended for promotional use. Capitol Records frequently used punch holes to designate their promotional copies, sometimes using a series of very small holes to spell out either the word “free” or the word “promo” in the corner of the cover. |
| Quadraphonic | short-lived audio format in the early to mid-1970s that presented music in four channel sound. It was available in 8-track tape, LP, and reel to reel tape formats, but was not successful due to format wars and high equipment costs. |
| Reissue | A new release of a previously issued record, often using the same master but with updated artwork, packaging, or additional bonus material. |
| RPM (Revolutions per minute) | The speed at which a vinyl record should be played. Common speeds are 33 1/3 RPM (12-inch albums), 45 RPM (7-inch singles), and 78 RPM (older records from the 1920s to 1950s). |
| Seam Split | A tear along the edge of an album cover caused by the record inside or improper handling. |
| Shellac | A brittle, resin-based material used for manufacturing 78 RPM records, predating the use of vinyl. |
| Shrink Wrap | A method of protecting and preserving vinyl records during shipping and handling. Shrink wrap involves wrapping the vinyl release in a plastic film and using heat to shrink the film to the shape of the album cover, creating a tight seal that helps to protect the record from damage. |
| Single | A vinyl record containing one primary song (the A-side) and often one additional song (the B-side), typically played at 45 RPM. |
| Sleeve | The protective cardboard cover in which a vinyl record is packaged, often featuring artwork and additional information about the release. |
| Stamper | A metal plate used to press vinyl records from a master. |
| Stamper Number | A number indicating which stamper was used to press a particular record, often found in the dead wax area. Lower stamper numbers are preferred by some collectors for their potential sound quality. RCA used a recognizable system, while other companies used coded systems. |
| Stereo | An audio format with separate left and right channels, providing a |
| Stock Copy | a record that was manufactured for commercial sale to the public, rather than a promotional copy intended for use by radio stations. |
| Timing Strip | A strip of paper on the covers of promotional copies of many albums from the 1960s. This strip usually listed all of the song titles on the album, publishing information, and the running times of the songs. |
| Title Sleeve | A paper sleeve for a 7 inch single that has the name of the artist and the title of the song(s) printed on it, but not a photograph. |
| UHQR | Ultra High Quality Record is a high-end vinyl record format developed by JVC in Japan during the early 1980s. UHQR records were distinguished by their 200-gram weight and a "flat" profile, where the thickness was uniform across the surface. Only a few UHQR titles were ever released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, Reference Recordings, and Telarc. |
