Record collection pedantry

[paulfromcamden]

I assume people who file alphabetically have a reasonable amount of space or perhaps not that many records otherwise unless you leave gaps after each letter or at least every few letters how do you fit in new acquisitions in without moving everything each time.

Same here Jim. I always seem to have a 'To Be Filed' pile in the spare room where most of the records are. I regularly pull out records to sell and make space but there never seems to be quite enough room on the shelves...

 

[paulfromcamden]

P.S.

 

[gavreid]

I've 'only' got about 400 LPs just now and I have just the same problem...

 

[Tumeni Notes]

I assume people who file alphabetically have a reasonable amount of space or perhaps not that many records otherwise unless you leave gaps after each letter or at least every few letters how do you fit in new acquisitions in without moving everything each time.

No need to move everything. Buy something by Artie Shaw, or Stretch, and only part of S, and T-Z needs adjustment.

No obligation to do it every time, though. Keep new acquisitions to one side, and do a batch of ... 5? 10? 15?

 

[Darren L]

I assume people who file alphabetically have a reasonable amount of space or perhaps not that many records otherwise unless you leave gaps after each letter or at least every few letters how do you fit in new acquisitions in without moving everything each time.

I file alphabetically and have a fair bit of space, not a massive collection though, something between 1000-1200 LPs. I've room for maybe another 500. I tend to have new purchases together on a shelf once I get too about 20 or 30 new titles I then spend a little time inserting them in their correct place , just shift a few along and slot the new ones into place.

 

[Big Tabs]

P.S.

Ace.

I just read that out to The Wife.
She gave a resigned shrug. No use fighting the magic discs of joy.

 

[poco a poco]

P.S.

I recognise this, but the arguments (disagreements in my terms) are only occasional. Deidre’s advice is just advice not really a solution.
“ I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself” Oscar Wide.

 

[poco a poco]

I've 'only' got about 400 LPs just now and I have just the same problem...

Gavin,
Wait till you get to 2,000+ LP’s and 600+ CD’s plus the book collection.

 

[gavreid]

Gavin,
Wait till you get to 2,000+ LP’s and 600+ CD’s plus the book collection.

I know but I do prune, I've cleared a good 150 records over the years I would say. I've also got about 800 CDs but I went for a long time while I was still working without buying records at all.

 

[Weekender]

LP sections for Jazz, Classical, (Blues, RnB, Soul, Funk, Disco, Dance) and RocknPop.
12" purely alphabetical.
Approx 10k but the rate of collecting has virtually stalled. There used to be a large pile of stuff to be filed. Then there'd be a periodic humping of the whole collection to the right when the stuff at the start of the LPs and/or the 12"s became too cramped. Supplementary 4 x 1 kallax purchased at one point to stack on top of an existing 4 x 4. Plus a 2 x 4 and an alcove.

Controlled Madness. Madness Controlled.

 

[paulfromcamden]

About 2,500 - basically one wall of the spare room. That's about maximum capacity in our modest flat.

I have to prune regularly otherwise I too would be sleeping on the sofa. Alone : )

 

[Big Tabs]

I too would be sleeping on the sofa. Alone : )

You are never alone if you have a record collection.

 

[Tony L]

Discogs says 3747 items across multiple formats here, so not huge by some standards. There’s a lot more in the house though as that figure doesn’t include the shop stuff at all. It is purely my own collection.

 

[RickyC6]

4205 items here. It’s crackers when you think about it. But it’s also ace!

 

[ciderglider]

Perhaps most prevalent in rap... what do you do with made up names?

Is A$AP Rocky at the start of A (where iTunes has him), or is he between Aphex Twin and Autechre, or under R? Is Lil Uzi Vert with Lil Yachty and the (literally hundreds of) other Lils, or is he under U, or perhaps V? Is Biggie Smalls under S, or N for the Notorious B.I.G., or just Biggie and B? Is this why many pfm-ers are rap-averse? : )

You know you want to.

Awesome!

 

[ciderglider]

I treat them like band names e.g. Captain Beefheart goes under ‘C’, ‘Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’ goes under ‘G’. That said I admit I have my ‘A Guy Called Gerald’ 12” in the wrong place. I think it may even be in with 808 State (‘E’), I can’t remember.

I’ve also been known to file solos under the main band, e.g. I had Edgar Froese under Tangerine Dream, though I’m pretty sure I’ve moved them now. I’d be tempted to do that with Aphex Twin, Squarepusher etc where there are multiple aliases to the extent I forget the names. I’d certainly view filing Polygon Window in with the Aphex Twin section as acceptable.

Bryan Ferry doesn't get filed with Roxy Music, but the albums by members of The Coral get filed with the band, because I can't remember their names. And to be fair the music itself isn't too memorable either.

 

[Tony L]

Thinking about it I could file about a quarter of my jazz collection under ‘C’ for Ron Carter. He plays on so much of it!

 

[RickyC6]

Thinking about it I could file about a quarter of my jazz collection under ‘C’ for Ron Carter. He plays on so much of it!

Be interesting to work out which jazz musician features most in mine…Paul Chambers would be in the top 5 I reckon.

 

[kjb]

The same solo artist in different guises involves a few decisions to be made but I use library rules:

For Bonnie "Prince" Billy / Palace Music/ Will Oldham I file under whatever name he is using at the time.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy under B
Palace Music under P
Will Oldham under 0

Smog under S
Bill Callahan under C

It splits up their catalogues but is, as far as I'm concerned, correct and proper

 

[hockman]

I suppose careful filing with a proper system is more important when your collection is of a certain (largish) size.

Well, what is a good-sized collection in your mind? For me, I think I should be able to be happy and satisfied with something like 2,000 recordings, with new stuff rotating in and out. Of course I don't practise what I preach but it's a goal I can eventually work towards.